Xeon E5-1620 v3 vs Core i7-6820HK
Xeon E5-1620 v3
Core i7-6820HK
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 E5-1620 v3 is positioned at rank 577 and the Core i7-6820HK is on rank 911, so the Xeon E5-1620 v3 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1620 v3
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6820HK
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-1620 v3 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($189) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($378) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-1620 v3 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+98%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($189) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($378) |
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 E5-1620 v3 and Core i7-6820HK
Xeon E5-1620 v3
The Xeon E5-1620 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 6,959 points. Launch price was $800.
Core i7-6820HK
The Core i7-6820HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,012 points. Launch price was $378.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E5-1620 v3 and Core i7-6820HK share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-1620 v3 versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-6820HK — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Xeon E5-1620 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-6820HK uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1620 v3 scores 6,959 against the Core i7-6820HK's 7,012 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-6820HK. L3 cache: 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1620 v3 vs 8 MB on the Core i7-6820HK.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1620 v3 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.5 GHz+30% | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB (total)+25% | 8 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 6,959 | 7,012 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-1620 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-6820HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1620 v3 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 768 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-1620 v3) / not specified (Core i7-6820HK). Primary use case: Xeon E5-1620 v3 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1620 v3 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E5-1620 v3 launched at $294 MSRP, while the Core i7-6820HK debuted at $378.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1620 v3 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $294-22% | $378 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $189 | — |
| Release Date | 2014 | 2015 |
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