Xeon E5-2603 v4 vs Core i7-2860QM

Xeon E5-2603 v4

6 Cores6 Thrd85 WWMax: 1.7 GHz2016

Core i7-2860QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E5-2603 v4

6 / 6

4,517

0.0%

4,597

+1.8%

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 E5-2603 v4 is positioned at rank 589 and the Core i7-2860QM is on rank 68, so the Core i7-2860QM offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

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 E5-2603 v4

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

9200%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1737%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1543%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1192%

#354

EPYC 7502P

MSRP: $2300|Avg: $1299

99%

#355

Xeon w7-3455

MSRP: $2489|Avg: $2625

98%

#356

EPYC 9334

MSRP: $2990|Avg: $1810

97%

#357

Xeon w9-3575X

MSRP: $3789|Avg: $675

96%

#358

Xeon w7-3465X

MSRP: $2889|Avg: $468

96%

#359

Xeon Gold 6530

MSRP: $2128|Avg: $1846

96%

#359

EPYC 9354

MSRP: $3420|Avg: $2498

96%

#361

Xeon Silver 4114

MSRP: $612|Avg: $30

95%

#589

Xeon E5-2603 v4

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#590

Xeon W-2125

MSRP: $444|Avg: $42

100%

#592

EPYC 7261

MSRP: $501|Avg: $8

98%

#594

Xeon E5-1620 v2

MSRP: $294|Avg: $50

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2860QM

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

95%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

91%

#56

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

223%

#57

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

220%

#58

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

202%

#59

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

201%

#60

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

199%

#62

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

192%

#63

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

185%

#64

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

184%

#65

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

179%

#68

Core i7-2860QM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#69

Core 2 Quad Q9100

MSRP: $14|Avg: $14

98%

#75

Core i3-4030U

MSRP: $281|Avg: N/A

95%

#79

Atom D2500

MSRP: $42|Avg: N/A

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E5-2603 v4 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon E5-2603 v4	Core i7-2860QM
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-2860QM ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon E5-2603 v4	Core i7-2860QM
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 E5-2603 v4 Benchmark Check

Core i7-2860QM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-2603 v4 and Core i7-2860QM

Xeon E5-2603 v4

The Xeon E5-2603 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 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,517 points. Launch price was $213.

Core i7-2860QM

The Core i7-2860QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 4,597 points. Launch price was $568.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-2603 v4 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Core i7-2860QM offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-2603 v4 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2603 v4 versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-2860QM — a 71.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-2860QM (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-2860QM uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2603 v4 scores 4,517 against the Core i7-2860QM's 4,597 — a 1.8% lead for the Core i7-2860QM. L3 cache: 15 MB on the Xeon E5-2603 v4 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-2860QM.

Feature	Xeon E5-2603 v4	Core i7-2860QM
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	1.7 GHz	3.6 GHz+112%
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	2.5 GHz+47%
L3 Cache	15 MB+88%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+500%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	4,517	4,597+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2860QM uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-2603 v4	Core i7-2860QM
Socket	LGA2011	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-2603 v4) / true (Core i7-2860QM). The Core i7-2860QM includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-2860QM rivals AMD A8-3510MX.