
Xeon E5-1603 vs A10-7870K

Xeon E5-1603

A10-7870K
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 E5-1603 is positioned at rank 655 and the A10-7870K is on rank 368, so the A10-7870K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1603
Performance Per Dollar A10-7870K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 | A10-7870K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Godaveri (2014−2016) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 | A10-7870K |
|---|---|---|
| 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 E5-1603 and A10-7870K

Xeon E5-1603
The Xeon E5-1603 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency: 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 3,482 points. Launch price was $800.

A10-7870K
The A10-7870K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 28 May 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,506 points. Launch price was $120.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E5-1603 and A10-7870K share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. The A10-7870K is built on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1603 scores 3,482 against the A10-7870K's 3,506 — a 0.7% lead for the A10-7870K. L3 cache: 10 MB on the Xeon E5-1603 vs 0 kB on the A10-7870K.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 | A10-7870K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | — | 4.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.9 GHz+39% |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | — | 4096 kB |
| Process | 32 nm | 28 nm-13% |
| Architecture | — | Godaveri (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 3,482 | 3,506 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 550 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-1603 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A10-7870K uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 | A10-7870K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-1603) / AMD-V (A10-7870K). The A10-7870K includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Xeon E5-1603 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A10-7870K targets Budget. Direct competitor: A10-7870K rivals Core i3-4370.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 | A10-7870K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon R7 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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