Xeon E5-1607
VS
Xeon E5-2603 v3

Xeon E5-1607 vs Xeon E5-2603 v3

Intel

Xeon E5-1607

4 Cores4 Thrd130 WW2012
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2603 v3

6 Cores6 Thrd85 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2014

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 E5-1607 is positioned at rank 638 and the Xeon E5-2603 v3 is on rank 635, so the Xeon E5-2603 v3 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1607

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
10973%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
2072%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1841%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1422%
#382
Xeon Platinum 8352Y
MSRP: $3995|Avg: N/A
99%
#383
EPYC 7551P
MSRP: $2100|Avg: $329
96%
#384
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
MSRP: $7349|Avg: $7999
96%
#385
EPYC 9375F
MSRP: $5306|Avg: $108
95%
#638
Xeon E5-1607
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#640
Xeon W-2104
MSRP: $294|Avg: $309
99%
#643
Xeon E5-2620 v3
MSRP: $417|Avg: $80
98%
#650
Xeon E3-1275L v3
MSRP: $350|Avg: $29
95%
#652
Xeon E5-1650 v3
MSRP: $583|Avg: N/A
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2603 v3

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
10864%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
2051%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1822%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1408%
#380
Xeon Gold 6526Y
MSRP: $2878|Avg: N/A
99%
#382
Xeon Platinum 8352Y
MSRP: $3995|Avg: N/A
98%
#383
EPYC 7551P
MSRP: $2100|Avg: $329
95%
#384
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX
MSRP: $7349|Avg: $7999
95%
#635
Xeon E5-2603 v3
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#636
Xeon E5-2680 v2
MSRP: $667|Avg: $462
100%
#640
Xeon W-2104
MSRP: $294|Avg: $309
98%
#643
Xeon E5-2620 v3
MSRP: $417|Avg: $80
97%
#650
Xeon E3-1275L v3
MSRP: $350|Avg: $29
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Xeon E5-2603 v3 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Xeon E5-1607 in both compute-intensive tasks (1% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightXeon E5-1607Xeon E5-2603 v3
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 (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightXeon E5-1607Xeon E5-2603 v3
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 E5-1607 and Xeon E5-2603 v3

Intel

Xeon E5-1607

The Xeon E5-1607 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency: 3 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: 3,788 points. Launch price was $800.

Intel

Xeon E5-2603 v3

The Xeon E5-2603 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,825 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-1607 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5-2603 v3 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon E5-2603 v3 has 2 more cores. The Xeon E5-2603 v3 is built on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1607 scores 3,788 against the Xeon E5-2603 v3's 3,825 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E5-2603 v3. L3 cache: 10 MB on the Xeon E5-1607 vs 15 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2603 v3.

FeatureXeon E5-1607Xeon E5-2603 v3
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
6 / 6+50%
Boost Clock
1.6 GHz
Base Clock
3 GHz+87%
1.6 GHz
L3 Cache
10 MB
15 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
Process
32 nm
22 nm-31%
Architecture
Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark
3,788
3,825
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 2.0.

FeatureXeon E5-1607Xeon E5-2603 v3
Socket
LGA2011
LGA2011
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%