Xeon E5-1681 V3 vs Xeon Gold 5115

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 E5-1681 V3 vs Xeon Gold 5115 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 E5-1681 V3 vs Xeon Gold 5115: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Xeon E5-1681 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅+81.8% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 14 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 5115 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,820 vs 15,017).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,589 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 5115 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌58.8% higher power demand at 135W vs 85W.

Xeon Gold 5115

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 85W instead of 135W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (14 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 5115 better than Xeon E5-1681 V3?

Yes. Xeon Gold 5115 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.3% 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 Gold 5115 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.2% 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 Gold 5115 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

Xeon Gold 5115 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-1681 V3 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon Gold 5115 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,589 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-1681 V3 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (9.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Gold 5115 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 20 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-1681 V3 vs Xeon Gold 5115 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Xeon Gold 5115

The Xeon Gold 5115 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 13.75 MB. L2 cache: 10 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 15,017 points. Launch price was $1,221.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-1681 V3 and Xeon Gold 5115 share an identical 10-core/20-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-1681 V3 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5115 — a 9% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1681 V3 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon E5-1681 V3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1681 V3 scores 14,820 against the Xeon Gold 5115's 15,017 — a 1.3% lead for the Xeon Gold 5115. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1681 V3 vs 13.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5115.

Feature	Xeon E5-1681 V3	Xeon Gold 5115
Cores / Threads	10 / 20	10 / 20
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+21%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+82%	13.75 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+2460%	10 MB
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	14,820	15,017+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,050	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,000	—

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-1681 V3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-1681 V3	Xeon Gold 5115
Socket	LGA2011-3	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	768 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—