Xeon E5-1660 v2 vs Xeon E5-4640 v3

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 E5-1660 v2 vs Xeon E5-4640 v3 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 E5-1660 v2 vs Xeon E5-4640 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E5-1660 v2

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,332 vs 10,372).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 30 MB).
❌23.8% higher power demand at 130W vs 105W.

Xeon E5-4640 v3

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Draws 105W instead of 130W, a 25W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $2,859 MSRP, while Xeon E5-1660 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-4640 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 2.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-4640 v3 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark. Xeon E5-4640 v3 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 15 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-4640 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 15 MB).

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

Xeon E5-4640 v3 is the better buy right now. Xeon E5-4640 v3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $2,859 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon E5-1660 v2 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (3.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 E5-4640 v3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2013), 100% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 15 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-1660 v2 vs Xeon E5-4640 v3 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Xeon E5-4640 v3

The Xeon E5-4640 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,372 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E5-1660 v2 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-4640 v3 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon E5-4640 v3 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v2 versus 2.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-4640 v3 — a 42.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1660 v2 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Xeon E5-1660 v2 uses the Ivy Bridge-E (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-4640 v3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1660 v2 scores 10,332 against the Xeon E5-4640 v3's 10,372 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5-4640 v3. L3 cache: 15 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v2 vs 30 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-4640 v3.

Feature	Xeon E5-1660 v2	Xeon E5-4640 v3
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4 GHz+54%	2.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+95%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	15 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge-E (2013)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	10,332	10,372
Geekbench 6 Single	—	750
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	7,000

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Xeon E5-1660 v2	Xeon E5-4640 v3
Socket	LGA2011	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-1866
Max RAM Capacity	—	768 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	40