
Xeon E5-2695 v2 vs Core i7-5960X

Xeon E5-2695 v2

Core i7-5960X
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 E5-2695 v2
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5960X
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2695 v2 | Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($83) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-E (2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2695 v2 | Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($83) |
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 E5-2695 v2 and Core i7-5960X

Xeon E5-2695 v2
The Xeon E5-2695 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 115 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 13,380 points. Launch price was $1,950.

Core i7-5960X
The Core i7-5960X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-E (2014) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,382 points. Launch price was $999.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2695 v2 packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Core i7-5960X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2695 v2 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon E5-2695 v2 versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i7-5960X — a 9% clock advantage for the Core i7-5960X (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon E5-2695 v2 uses the Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-5960X uses Haswell-E (2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2695 v2 scores 13,380 against the Core i7-5960X's 13,382 — a 0% lead for the Core i7-5960X. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2695 v2 vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i7-5960X.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2695 v2 | Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 24+50% | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.5 GHz+9% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3 GHz+25% |
| L3 Cache | 30 MB (total)+50% | 20 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge-EP (2013) | Haswell-E (2014) |
| PassMark | 13,380 | 13,382 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 9,720 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,244 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 7,412 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA2011 socket with PCIe 3.0.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2695 v2 | Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-2695 v2) / Yes (Core i7-5960X).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2695 v2 | Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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