Xeon E5-2686 V3 vs Xeon E7-8880 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 E5-2686 V3 vs Xeon E7-8880 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 E5-2686 V3 vs Xeon E7-8880 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 E5-2686 V3

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 120W instead of 140W, a 20W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E7-8880 v3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,148 vs 18,244).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,500 MSRP, while Xeon E7-8880 v3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E7-8880 v3

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌16.7% higher power demand at 140W vs 120W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E7-8880 v3 better than Xeon E5-2686 V3?

Yes. Xeon E7-8880 v3 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E7-8880 v3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E7-8880 v3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads.

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

Xeon E7-8880 v3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E5-2686 V3 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Xeon E7-8880 v3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,500 MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E5-2686 V3 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (12.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Xeon E7-8880 v3 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 18 cores / 36 threads instead of 18/36. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-2686 V3 vs Xeon E7-8880 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E5-2686 V3

The Xeon E5-2686 V3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 18,148 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon E7-8880 v3

The Xeon E7-8880 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EX (2015) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,244 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Xeon E7-8880 v3 share an identical 18-core/36-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E5-2686 V3 versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E7-8880 v3 — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2686 V3 (base: 2 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 uses Haswell-EX (2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2686 V3 scores 18,148 against the Xeon E7-8880 v3's 18,244 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E7-8880 v3. Both processors carry 45 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon E5-2686 V3	Xeon E7-8880 v3
Cores / Threads	18 / 36	18 / 36
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+13%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.3 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	45 MB (total)	45 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Haswell-EX (2015)
PassMark	18,148	18,244
Cinebench R23 Multi	10,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,033	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,649	—

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5-2686 V3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5-2686 V3	Xeon E7-8880 v3
Socket	LGA2011-3	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	768 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—