Xeon E3-1286L v3 vs Xeon E3-1505M v5

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 E3-1286L v3 vs Xeon E3-1505M v5 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 E3-1286L v3 vs Xeon E3-1505M v5: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E3-1286L v3

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,929 vs 6,995).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Xeon E3-1505M v5

2015

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $115 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1286L v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E3-1505M v5 better than Xeon E3-1286L v3?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E3-1286L v3 is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1505M v5 pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1505M v5 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Xeon E3-1505M v5 is the better buy right now. Xeon E3-1505M v5 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $115 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E3-1286L v3 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (60.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 E3-1505M v5 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E3-1286L v3 vs Xeon E3-1505M v5 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E3-1286L v3

The Xeon E3-1286L v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333, DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 6,929 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E3-1505M v5

The Xeon E3-1505M v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-H (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,995 points. Launch price was $434.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1286L v3 and Xeon E3-1505M v5 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1286L v3 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1505M v5 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1286L v3 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon E3-1505M v5 is built on the Skylake-H (2015−2016) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1286L v3 scores 6,929 against the Xeon E3-1505M v5's 6,995 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E3-1505M v5. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon E3-1286L v3 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1505M v5.

Feature	Xeon E3-1286L v3	Xeon E3-1505M v5
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+14%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB Intel® Smart Cache	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	—	Skylake-H (2015−2016)
PassMark	6,929	6,995

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1286L v3 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1505M v5 uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.