Xeon E3-1290 vs Core i5-7400
Xeon E3-1290
Core i5-7400
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 E3-1290 is positioned at rank 525 and the Core i5-7400 is on rank 820, so the Xeon E3-1290 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1290
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-7400
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1290 | Core i5-7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1290 | Core i5-7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) |
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 E3-1290 and Core i5-7400
Xeon E3-1290
The Xeon E3-1290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 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: 5,429 points. Launch price was $885.
Core i5-7400
The Core i5-7400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 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 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,477 points. Launch price was $182.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1290 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Core i5-7400's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1290 versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-7400 — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1290 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon E3-1290 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-7400 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1290 scores 5,429 against the Core i5-7400's 5,477 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-7400. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1290 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-7400.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Core i5-7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+14% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+20% | 3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+33% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 5,429 | 5,477 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 3,359 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,215 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 3,517 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1290 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-7400 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Core i5-7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1290) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-7400). The Core i5-7400 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E3-1290 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7400 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-7400 rivals Ryzen 3 3300X.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Core i5-7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
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