Xeon E5-2650 vs Core i7-7920HQ

Xeon E5-2650

8 Cores16 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2012

Core i7-7920HQ

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2017

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E5-2650

8 / 16

7,349

+0.4%

7,322

0.0%

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 E5-2650 is positioned at rank 406 and the Core i7-7920HQ is on rank 980, so the Xeon E5-2650 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 E5-2650

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

5655%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1068%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

949%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

733%

#274

EPYC 7313

MSRP: $1083|Avg: $764

98%

#275

Xeon w5-2455X

MSRP: $1039|Avg: $1049

97%

#276

Xeon w3-2425

MSRP: $529|Avg: $529

97%

#278

Xeon Gold 5416S

MSRP: $1445|Avg: N/A

95%

#406

Xeon E5-2650

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#416

Xeon E3-1276 v3

MSRP: $213|Avg: $244

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-7920HQ

#967

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1956%

#968

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1927%

#969

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1769%

#970

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1761%

#971

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1745%

#973

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1685%

#974

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1616%

#975

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1613%

#976

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1570%

#980

Core i7-7920HQ

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#981

Athlon II Neo K125

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#985

Pro A8-8600B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

98%

#990

Pentium 8500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

97%

#991

A6-8500P

MSRP: $100|Avg: $16

96%

#993

Core i7-4700EQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $180

96%

#994

Core i3-8145UE

MSRP: $281|Avg: $50

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i7-7920HQ (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E5-2650	Core i7-7920HQ
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-H (2017) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5-2650 (2012) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E5-2650	Core i7-7920HQ
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 E5-2650 Benchmark Check

Core i7-7920HQ Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-2650 and Core i7-7920HQ

Xeon E5-2650

The Xeon E5-2650 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 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: 7,349 points. Launch price was $91.

Core i7-7920HQ

The Core i7-7920HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-H (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,322 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-2650 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i7-7920HQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-2650 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2650 versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i7-7920HQ — a 37.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-7920HQ (base: 2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Xeon E5-2650 uses the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-7920HQ uses Kaby Lake-H (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2650 scores 7,349 against the Core i7-7920HQ's 7,322 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5-2650. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2650 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-7920HQ.

Feature	Xeon E5-2650	Core i7-7920HQ
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz	4.1 GHz+46%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.1 GHz+55%
L3 Cache	20480 kB (total)+150%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge-EP (2012)	Kaby Lake-H (2017)
PassMark	7,349	7,322

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2650 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-7920HQ uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-2650	Core i7-7920HQ
Socket	LGA2011	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	384 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	✅	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—