Xeon E5-1650 v3 vs Xeon E5-1660 v2

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.

Xeon E5-1650 v3 vs Xeon E5-1660 v2 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Xeon E5-1650 v3 vs Xeon E5-1660 v2: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Xeon E5-1650 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1660 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5-1660 v2

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 130W instead of 140W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,332 vs 10,387).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-1650 v3 better than Xeon E5-1660 v2?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E5-1660 v2 is ahead with a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-1650 v3 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-1650 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon E5-1650 v3 is the better buy right now. Xeon E5-1650 v3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $583 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E5-1660 v2 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (17.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon E5-1650 v3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-1650 v3 vs Xeon E5-1660 v2 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Xeon E5-1650 v3

The Xeon E5-1650 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 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 15 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: 10,387 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E5-1660 v2

The Xeon E5-1660 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-E (2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 10,332 points. Launch price was $1,809.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-1650 v3 and Xeon E5-1660 v2 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1650 v3 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v2 — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1660 v2 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Xeon E5-1650 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-1660 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-E (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1650 v3 scores 10,387 against the Xeon E5-1660 v2's 10,332 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5-1650 v3. Both processors carry 15 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon E5-1650 v3	Xeon E5-1660 v2
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	15 MB (total)	15 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Ivy Bridge-E (2013)
PassMark	10,387	10,332

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Xeon E5-1650 v3	Xeon E5-1660 v2
Socket	LGA2011	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	768 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—