
Xeon E5-1660 v3 vs Xeon E5-2650L v4

Xeon E5-1660 v3

Xeon E5-2650L v4
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 E5-1660 v3 is positioned at rank 824 and the Xeon E5-2650L v4 is on rank 258, so the Xeon E5-2650L v4 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1660 v3
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2650L v4
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-1660 v3 | Xeon E5-2650L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($198) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-1660 v3 | Xeon E5-2650L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($198) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 E5-1660 v3 and Xeon E5-2650L v4

Xeon E5-1660 v3
The Xeon E5-1660 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 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: 12,582 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E5-2650L v4
The Xeon E5-2650L v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 35 MB. L2 cache: 3.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 12,734 points. Launch price was $1,329.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-1660 v3 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-2650L v4 offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Xeon E5-2650L v4 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v3 versus 2.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2650L v4 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1660 v3 (base: 3 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Xeon E5-1660 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-2650L v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1660 v3 scores 12,582 against the Xeon E5-2650L v4's 12,734 — a 1.2% lead for the Xeon E5-2650L v4. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v3 vs 35 MB on the Xeon E5-2650L v4.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1660 v3 | Xeon E5-2650L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 14 / 28+75% |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz+40% | 2.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz+76% | 1.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB (total) | 35 MB+75% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 3.5 MB+1300% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Broadwell (2015−2019) |
| PassMark | 12,582 | 12,734+1% |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 3.0.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1660 v3 | Xeon E5-2650L v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
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