Xeon E5-2630 v3 vs Xeon E5-1660 v2

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 E5-2630 v3 is positioned at rank 256 and the Xeon E5-1660 v2 is on rank 352, so the Xeon E5-2630 v3 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 E5-2630 v3

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

4047%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

764%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

679%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

524%

#218

Xeon Gold 5512U

MSRP: $1230|Avg: N/A

98%

#219

Xeon D-1733NT

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

96%

#220

Xeon 6520P

MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295

96%

#256

Xeon E5-2630 v3

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1660 v2

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

5028%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

949%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

844%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

652%

#253

Xeon W-2150B

MSRP: $499|Avg: $400

99%

#255

Xeon 6517P

MSRP: $1195|Avg: $1195

99%

#352

Xeon E5-1660 v2

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#362

Xeon E5-2667 v2

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#367

Xeon E5-1410

MSRP: $120|Avg: $55

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Xeon E5-1660 v2 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Xeon E5-2630 v3 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Xeon E5-2630 v3	Xeon E5-1660 v2
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge-E (2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Xeon E5-2630 v3	Xeon E5-1660 v2
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 E5-2630 v3 Benchmark Check

Xeon E5-1660 v2 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-2630 v3 and Xeon E5-1660 v2

Xeon E5-2630 v3

The Xeon E5-2630 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 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 10,270 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E5-1660 v2

The Xeon E5-1660 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-E (2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 10,332 points. Launch price was $1,809.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-2630 v3 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-1660 v2 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon E5-2630 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2630 v3 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v2 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1660 v2 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Xeon E5-2630 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-1660 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-E (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2630 v3 scores 10,270 against the Xeon E5-1660 v2's 10,332 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E5-1660 v2. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2630 v3 vs 15 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v2.

Feature	Xeon E5-2630 v3	Xeon E5-1660 v2
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4 GHz+25%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.7 GHz+54%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+33%	15 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Ivy Bridge-E (2013)
PassMark	10,270	10,332