Xeon E5-2696 V3 vs Core i9-10910
Xeon E5-2696 V3
Core i9-10910
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 E5-2696 V3
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-10910
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | Core i9-10910 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake-S (2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | Core i9-10910 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
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 E5-2696 V3 and Core i9-10910
Xeon E5-2696 V3
The Xeon E5-2696 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 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 21,435 points. Launch price was $800.
Core i9-10910
The Core i9-10910 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-S (2020) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB. L2 cache: 2.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 21,396 points. Launch price was $488.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2696 V3 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Core i9-10910 offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon E5-2696 V3 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2696 V3 versus 5 GHz on the Core i9-10910 — a 27.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-10910 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i9-10910 uses Comet Lake-S (2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2696 V3 scores 21,435 against the Core i9-10910's 21,396 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon E5-2696 V3. L3 cache: 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2696 V3 vs 20 MB on the Core i9-10910.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | Core i9-10910 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 18 / 36+80% | 10 / 20 |
| Boost Clock | 3.8 GHz | 5 GHz+32% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.6 GHz+57% |
| L3 Cache | 45 MB (total)+125% | 20 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 2.5 MB+900% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Comet Lake-S (2020) |
| PassMark | 21,435 | 21,396 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-10910 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | Core i9-10910 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 | LGA1200 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2933 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5-2696 V3) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10910). The Core i9-10910 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E5-2696 V3 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | Core i9-10910 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | UHD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
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