Xeon E5-2640 vs Core i7-4870HQ
Xeon E5-2640
Core i7-4870HQ
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 E5-2640 is positioned at rank 946 and the Core i7-4870HQ is on rank 487, so the Core i7-4870HQ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2640
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4870HQ
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2640 | Core i7-4870HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($885) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Crystalwell (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2640 | Core i7-4870HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($885) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 E5-2640 and Core i7-4870HQ
Xeon E5-2640
The Xeon E5-2640 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,305 points. Launch price was $162.
Core i7-4870HQ
The Core i7-4870HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,320 points. Launch price was $434.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2640 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-4870HQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-2640 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2640 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-4870HQ — a 20.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-4870HQ (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Xeon E5-2640 uses the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-4870HQ uses Crystalwell (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2640 scores 6,305 against the Core i7-4870HQ's 6,320 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-4870HQ. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2640 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4870HQ.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 | Core i7-4870HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz | 3.7 GHz+23% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 15360 kB (total)+88% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) | Crystalwell (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 6,305 | 6,320 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2640 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-4870HQ uses BGA1364 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 | Core i7-4870HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | BGA1364 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 384 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2640) / not specified (Core i7-4870HQ). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2640 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2640 | Core i7-4870HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
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