Xeon E5-1660 vs Xeon E5-2628 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 vs Xeon E5-2628 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 vs Xeon E5-2628 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

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2628 V3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,324 vs 8,447).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,080 MSRP, while Xeon E5-2628 V3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌52.9% higher power demand at 130W vs 85W.

Xeon E5-2628 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Draws 85W instead of 130W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2628 V3 better than Xeon E5-1660?

Yes. Xeon E5-2628 V3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5-2628 V3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2628 V3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 15 MB).

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

Xeon E5-2628 V3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-1660 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E5-2628 V3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,080 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-1660 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (7.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon E5-2628 V3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2012), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 15 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 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 vs Xeon E5-2628 V3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E5-1660

The Xeon E5-1660 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,324 points. Launch price was $290.

Xeon E5-2628 V3

The Xeon E5-2628 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 8,447 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E5-1660 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2628 V3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2628 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2628 V3 — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1660 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon E5-1660 uses the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5-2628 V3 uses Haswell-EP (2014−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1660 scores 8,324 against the Xeon E5-2628 V3's 8,447 — a 1.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2628 V3. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2628 V3.

Feature	Xeon E5-1660	Xeon E5-2628 V3
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+30%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+32%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	15360 kB (total)	20 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	8,324	8,447+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-1660 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-2628 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.