Xeon E5-2690 v2
VS
Xeon E5-1660 v4

Xeon E5-2690 v2 vs Xeon E5-1660 v4

Intel

Xeon E5-2690 v2

10 Cores20 Thrd130 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2013
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-1660 v4

8 Cores16 Thrd140 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2016

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.

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 E5-2690 v2

#196
Xeon 6515P
MSRP: $740|Avg: $886
103%
#201
Xeon Gold 6248R
MSRP: $2700|Avg: N/A
102%
#208
Xeon E5-2690 v2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#210
EPYC 8224P
MSRP: $855|Avg: $1048
99%
#214
Xeon 6521P
MSRP: $1250|Avg: $1250
97%
#215
Xeon E-2456
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $289
97%
#218
Xeon Gold 5512U
MSRP: $1230|Avg: N/A
94%
#219
Xeon D-1733NT
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
93%
#220
Xeon 6520P
MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295
92%
#221
Xeon Gold 6314U
MSRP: $2977|Avg: N/A
91%
#222
Xeon E-2478
MSRP: $568|Avg: $269
91%
#223
Xeon W-1390
MSRP: $494|Avg: $400
90%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1660 v4

#196
Xeon 6515P
MSRP: $740|Avg: $886
103%
#201
Xeon Gold 6248R
MSRP: $2700|Avg: N/A
102%
#209
Xeon E5-1660 v4
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#210
EPYC 8224P
MSRP: $855|Avg: $1048
100%
#214
Xeon 6521P
MSRP: $1250|Avg: $1250
97%
#215
Xeon E-2456
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $289
97%
#218
Xeon Gold 5512U
MSRP: $1230|Avg: N/A
94%
#219
Xeon D-1733NT
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
93%
#220
Xeon 6520P
MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295
93%
#221
Xeon Gold 6314U
MSRP: $2977|Avg: N/A
92%
#222
Xeon E-2478
MSRP: $568|Avg: $269
92%
#223
Xeon W-1390
MSRP: $494|Avg: $400
91%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Xeon E5-1660 v4 leads in gaming performance. However, the Xeon E5-2690 v2 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightXeon E5-2690 v2Xeon E5-1660 v4
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-EP (2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightXeon E5-2690 v2Xeon E5-1660 v4
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-2690 v2 and Xeon E5-1660 v4

Intel

Xeon E5-2690 v2

The Xeon E5-2690 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 13,377 points. Launch price was $2,697.

Intel

Xeon E5-1660 v4

The Xeon E5-1660 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-EP (2016) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,341 points. Launch price was $1,113.

Processing Power

The Xeon E5-2690 v2 packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon E5-1660 v4 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2690 v2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2690 v2 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1660 v4 — a 5.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1660 v4 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Xeon E5-2690 v2 uses the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-1660 v4 uses Broadwell-EP (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2690 v2 scores 13,377 against the Xeon E5-1660 v4's 13,341 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E5-2690 v2. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2690 v2 vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1660 v4.

FeatureXeon E5-2690 v2Xeon E5-1660 v4
Cores / Threads
10 / 20+25%
8 / 16
Boost Clock
3.6 GHz
3.8 GHz+6%
Base Clock
3 GHz
3.2 GHz+7%
L3 Cache
25 MB (total)+25%
20 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256K (per core)
Process
22 nm
14 nm-36%
Architecture
Ivy Bridge-EP (2013)
Broadwell-EP (2016)
PassMark
13,377
13,341
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 3.0.

FeatureXeon E5-2690 v2Xeon E5-1660 v4
Socket
LGA2011
LGA2011
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0