Xeon E5-2628 V3 vs Core i7-3960X
Xeon E5-2628 V3
Core i7-3960X
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 E5-2628 V3 is positioned at rank 342 and the Core i7-3960X is on rank 1024, so the Xeon E5-2628 V3 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2628 V3
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3960X
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2628 V3 | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2628 V3 | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) |
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 E5-2628 V3 and Core i7-3960X
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.
Core i7-3960X
The Core i7-3960X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 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: 15 MB (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: 8,402 points. Launch price was $861.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2628 V3 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i7-3960X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E5-2628 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2628 V3 versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-3960X — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-3960X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon E5-2628 V3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-3960X uses Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2628 V3 scores 8,447 against the Core i7-3960X's 8,402 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2628 V3. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2628 V3 vs 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-3960X.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2628 V3 | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz | 3.9 GHz+30% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 3.3 GHz+32% |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB (total)+33% | 15 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 8,447 | 8,402 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 658 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 4,973 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2628 V3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3960X uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2628 V3 | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-2628 V3) / Yes (Core i7-3960X).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2628 V3 | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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