Xeon E3-1290 vs Xeon X5687
Xeon E3-1290
Xeon X5687
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 Xeon X5687 is on rank 877, 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 Xeon X5687
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1290 | Xeon X5687 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1290 | Xeon X5687 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($189) |
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 Xeon X5687
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.
Xeon X5687
The Xeon X5687 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.86 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,386 points. Launch price was $121.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E3-1290 and Xeon X5687 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1290 versus 3.86 GHz on the Xeon X5687 — a 3.6% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1290 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Xeon E3-1290 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon X5687 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1290 scores 5,429 against the Xeon X5687's 5,386 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E3-1290. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1290 vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon X5687.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Xeon X5687 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+4% | 3.86 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 12 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 5,429 | 5,386 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,643 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 5,386 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1290 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon X5687 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Xeon X5687 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 288 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 36 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1290) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5687). Primary use case: Xeon X5687 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1290 | Xeon X5687 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Server |
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