CPU
GPU
Xeon E5-2430
Xeon E5-1620
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 E5-2430 is positioned at rank 501 and the Xeon E5-1620 is on rank 953, so the Xeon E5-2430 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2430
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1620
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2430 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2430 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) |
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 E5-2430 and Xeon E5-1620
Xeon E5-2430
The Xeon E5-2430 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,755 points. Launch price was $119.
Xeon E5-1620
The Xeon E5-1620 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10240 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: 5,848 points. Launch price was $313.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2430 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-1620 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-2430 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2430 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1620 — a 33.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1620 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Xeon E5-2430 uses the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5-1620 uses Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2430 scores 5,755 against the Xeon E5-1620's 5,848 — a 1.6% lead for the Xeon E5-1620. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2430 vs 10240 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-1620.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2430 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz | 3.8 GHz+41% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3.6 GHz+64% |
| L3 Cache | 15360 kB (total)+50% | 10240 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) | Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 5,755 | 5,848+2% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 3,469 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 612 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,250 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2430 uses the LGA1356 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-1620 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2430 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1356 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 375 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-2430) / true (Xeon E5-1620).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2430 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
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