
Xeon E5-2680 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5115

Xeon E5-2680 v3

Xeon Gold 5115
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2680 v3
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5115
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2680 v3 | Xeon Gold 5115 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($212) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2680 v3 | Xeon Gold 5115 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($212) | ✅ 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 E5-2680 v3 and Xeon Gold 5115

Xeon E5-2680 v3
The Xeon E5-2680 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 14,864 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon Gold 5115
The Xeon Gold 5115 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 13.75 MB. L2 cache: 10 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 15,017 points. Launch price was $1,221.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2680 v3 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5115 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2680 v3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Xeon E5-2680 v3 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5115 — a 3.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2680 v3 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon E5-2680 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2680 v3 scores 14,864 against the Xeon Gold 5115's 15,017 — a 1% lead for the Xeon Gold 5115. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2680 v3 vs 13.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 5115.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2680 v3 | Xeon Gold 5115 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 24+20% | 10 / 20 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+3% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz+4% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 30 MB (total)+118% | 13.75 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 10 MB+3900% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Skylake (server) (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 14,864 | 15,017+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2680 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5115 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2680 v3 | Xeon Gold 5115 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 768 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5-2680 v3) / not specified (Xeon Gold 5115). Primary use case: Xeon E5-2680 v3 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2680 v3 | Xeon Gold 5115 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
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