Xeon E3-1280 v6 vs Xeon Silver 4108

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Xeon E3-1280 v6 vs Xeon Silver 4108 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Xeon E3-1280 v6 vs Xeon Silver 4108: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Xeon E3-1280 v6

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 72W instead of 85W, a 13W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (9,093 vs 9,177).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 11 MB).

Xeon Silver 4108

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $417 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1280 v6 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.1% higher power demand at 85W vs 72W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Silver 4108 better than Xeon E3-1280 v6?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E3-1280 v6 is ahead with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Silver 4108 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Xeon Silver 4108 also has the bigger cache pool with 37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Silver 4108 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon Silver 4108 is the better buy right now. Xeon Silver 4108 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $417 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E3-1280 v6 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Silver 4108 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 37.5% larger total L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E3-1280 v6 vs Xeon Silver 4108 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Xeon E3-1280 v6

The Xeon E3-1280 v6 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 72 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 9,093 points. Launch price was $612.

Xeon Silver 4108

The Xeon Silver 4108 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 9,177 points. Launch price was $417.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E3-1280 v6 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon Silver 4108 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon Silver 4108 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 v6 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4108 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1280 v6 (base: 3.9 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Xeon E3-1280 v6 uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4108 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1280 v6 scores 9,093 against the Xeon Silver 4108's 9,177 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon Silver 4108. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Xeon E3-1280 v6 vs 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4108.

Feature	Xeon E3-1280 v6	Xeon Silver 4108
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+40%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+117%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB	11 MB+38%
L2 Cache	1 MB	8 MB+700%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	9,093	9,177

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1280 v6 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Silver 4108 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.