Xeon E5-2658 vs Core i7-8665U
Xeon E5-2658
Core i7-8665U
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 E5-2658 is positioned at rank 699 and the Core i7-8665U is on rank 544, so the Core i7-8665U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2658
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8665U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2658 | Core i7-8665U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($400) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2658 | Core i7-8665U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($400) | ✅ 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 E5-2658 and Core i7-8665U
Xeon E5-2658
The Xeon E5-2658 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: 6,232 points. Launch price was $1,462.
Core i7-8665U
The Core i7-8665U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,202 points. Launch price was $409.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2658 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i7-8665U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-2658 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2658 versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-8665U — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-8665U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Xeon E5-2658 uses the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-8665U uses Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2658 scores 6,232 against the Core i7-8665U's 6,202 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5-2658. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2658 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-8665U.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2658 | Core i7-8665U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+100% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 4.8 GHz+100% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz+11% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20480 kB (total)+150% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) | Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 6,232 | 6,202 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2658 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-8665U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2658 | Core i7-8665U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | FCBGA1528 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
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