Xeon E3-1280 vs Xeon E3-1205 v6
Xeon E3-1280
Xeon E3-1205 v6
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Xeon E3-1280 is positioned at rank 517 and the Xeon E3-1205 v6 is on rank 507, so the Xeon E3-1205 v6 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1280
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1205 v6
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1280 | Xeon E3-1205 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1280 | Xeon E3-1205 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1280 and Xeon E3-1205 v6
Xeon E3-1280
The Xeon E3-1280 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,612 points. Launch price was $450.
Xeon E3-1205 v6
The Xeon E3-1205 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 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 5,682 points. Launch price was $193.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1280 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Xeon E3-1205 v6's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E3-1280 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E3-1205 v6 — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1280 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon E3-1280 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1205 v6 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1280 scores 5,612 against the Xeon E3-1205 v6's 5,682 — a 1.2% lead for the Xeon E3-1205 v6. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1280 vs 8 MB on the Xeon E3-1205 v6.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1280 | Xeon E3-1205 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz+30% | 3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.5 GHz+17% | 3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 8 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 5,612 | 5,682+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1280 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1205 v6 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1280 | Xeon E3-1205 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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