Xeon E5-2660 vs Xeon E3-1230 v6
Xeon E5-2660
Xeon E3-1230 v6
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 E5-2660 is positioned at rank 963 and the Xeon E3-1230 v6 is on rank 363, so the Xeon E3-1230 v6 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2660
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1230 v6
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2660 | Xeon E3-1230 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($65) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2660 | Xeon E3-1230 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($65) | ✅ 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 E5-2660 and Xeon E3-1230 v6
Xeon E5-2660
The Xeon E5-2660 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 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: 8,067 points. Launch price was $85.
Xeon E3-1230 v6
The Xeon E3-1230 v6 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 72 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 8,113 points. Launch price was $250.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2660 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E3-1230 v6 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5-2660 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2660 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E3-1230 v6 — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1230 v6 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Xeon E5-2660 uses the Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1230 v6 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2660 scores 8,067 against the Xeon E3-1230 v6's 8,113 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E3-1230 v6. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2660 vs 8 MB on the Xeon E3-1230 v6.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2660 | Xeon E3-1230 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+100% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz | 3.9 GHz+30% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3.5 GHz+59% |
| L3 Cache | 20480 kB (total)+150% | 8 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 8,067 | 8,113 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2660 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1230 v6 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2660 | Xeon E3-1230 v6 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 384 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
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