Xeon E5-1681 V3 vs M2

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1681 V3

#483

EPYC 9634

MSRP: $10304|Avg: $3949

112%

#484

EPYC 7773X

MSRP: $8800|Avg: $8800

111%

#485

Xeon Gold 6258R

MSRP: $3950|Avg: $1400

110%

#486

EPYC 9175F

MSRP: $4256|Avg: $3703

110%

#488

EPYC 9534

MSRP: $8803|Avg: $2999

108%

#489

EPYC 9654

MSRP: $11805|Avg: $5345

108%

#490

EPYC 7H12

MSRP: $6950|Avg: $1340

107%

#491

EPYC 7742

MSRP: $6950|Avg: $800

107%

#492

Xeon Platinum 8352M

MSRP: $4471|Avg: $4471

106%

#493

Xeon Platinum 8570

MSRP: $9595|Avg: $9595

105%

#494

EPYC 9184X

MSRP: $4928|Avg: $3750

104%

#495

Xeon Platinum 8470

MSRP: $9359|Avg: $9359

103%

#496

Xeon E7-8857 v2

MSRP: $3838|Avg: $2995

101%

#497

Xeon Gold 6148

MSRP: $3072|Avg: $290

101%

#498

Xeon E5-1681 V3

MSRP: $1589|Avg: $200

100%

#499

Xeon W-3275

MSRP: $4449|Avg: $1550

99%

#500

Xeon Gold 6138

MSRP: $2612|Avg: $300

99%

#501

Xeon E5-2690 v4

MSRP: $2090|Avg: $389

99%

#502

Xeon Platinum 8362

MSRP: $6236|Avg: $5740

98%

#503

Xeon W-3275M

MSRP: $4449|Avg: $4449

97%

#504

Xeon E5-2660 v3

MSRP: $1445|Avg: $150

97%

#505

Xeon E5-2679 v4

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $500

96%

#506

Xeon E5-2680 v3

MSRP: $1745|Avg: $212

91%

#507

Xeon Platinum 8562Y+

MSRP: $5945|Avg: $7000

90%

#508

Xeon E7-8895 v2

MSRP: $6841|Avg: $65

90%

#509

EPYC 9754

MSRP: $11900|Avg: $10631

89%

#509

EPYC 9684X

MSRP: $14756|Avg: $14756

89%

#511

Xeon D-1587

MSRP: $1652|Avg: $1443

88%

#512

Xeon E5-2687W v4

MSRP: $2141|Avg: $1138

88%

#513

Xeon W-3265

MSRP: $3684|Avg: $3400

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar M2

#211

M2

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The M2 (2022) utilizes 5 nm technology and LPDDR5, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E5-1681 V3	M2
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($200)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-1681 V3 (2014) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR4-2133, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E5-1681 V3	M2
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($200)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Xeon E5-1681 V3 Benchmark Check

M2 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-1681 V3 and M2

Xeon E5-1681 V3

The Xeon E5-1681 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 135 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 14,820 points. Launch price was $800.

M2

The M2 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 June 2022 (3 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.424 GHz, with boost up to 3.48 GHz. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,933 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-1681 V3 packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the M2 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-1681 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-1681 V3 versus 3.48 GHz on the M2 — a 0.6% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1681 V3 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.424 GHz). The Xeon E5-1681 V3 is built on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1681 V3 scores 14,820 against the M2's 14,933 — a 0.8% lead for the M2.

Feature	Xeon E5-1681 V3	M2
Cores / Threads	10 / 20+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	3.48 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+20%	2.424 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	20 MB+7900%
Process	22 nm	5 nm-77%
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	—
PassMark	14,820	14,933
Geekbench 6 Single	1,050	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-1681 V3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the M2 uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-1681 V3	M2
Socket	LGA2011-3	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	768 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	✅	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—