Xeon E5-1603 vs Core i5-2300
Xeon E5-1603
Core i5-2300
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 Core i5-2300 is on rank 799, so the Xeon E5-1603 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 Core i5-2300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 | Core i5-2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($17) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 | Core i5-2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($17) |
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 Core i5-2300
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.
Core i5-2300
The Core i5-2300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (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: 3,475 points. Launch price was $168.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E5-1603 and Core i5-2300 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. The Core i5-2300 is built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1603 scores 3,482 against the Core i5-2300's 3,475 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E5-1603. L3 cache: 10 MB on the Xeon E5-1603 vs 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2300.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 | Core i5-2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | — | 3.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB+67% | 6144 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | — | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 3,482 | 3,475 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 516 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,515 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-1603 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-2300 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 | Core i5-2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-1603) / Yes (Core i5-2300). The Core i5-2300 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 2000), while the Xeon E5-1603 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 | Core i5-2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 2000 |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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