Xeon E5-2650 v3 vs Xeon E5-2663 V3

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.

Xeon E5-2650 v3 vs Xeon E5-2663 V3 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Xeon E5-2650 v3 vs Xeon E5-2663 V3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Xeon E5-2650 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (11,662 vs 11,777).

Xeon E5-2663 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E5-2650 v3 across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5-2663 V3 better than Xeon E5-2650 v3?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E5-2650 v3 is ahead with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2663 V3 pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5-2663 V3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon E5-2663 V3 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon E5-2663 V3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon E5-2663 V3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 20 threads instead of 10/20. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-2650 v3 vs Xeon E5-2663 V3 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Xeon E5-2650 v3

The Xeon E5-2650 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 11,662 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E5-2663 V3

The Xeon E5-2663 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 11,777 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2650 v3 and Xeon E5-2663 V3 share an identical 10-core/20-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2650 v3 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2663 V3 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2663 V3 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). Both are built on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture using a 22 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2650 v3 scores 11,662 against the Xeon E5-2663 V3's 11,777 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E5-2663 V3. Both processors carry 25 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon E5-2650 v3	Xeon E5-2663 V3
Cores / Threads	10 / 20	10 / 20
Boost Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.8 GHz+22%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	25 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)
PassMark	11,662	11,777

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2650 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E5-2663 V3 uses LGA2011-3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-2650 v3	Xeon E5-2663 V3
Socket	LGA2011	LGA2011-3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	768 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—