CPU
GPU
Xeon E5-2696 V3
EPYC 7281
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 EPYC 7281
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | EPYC 7281 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Naples (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | EPYC 7281 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 EPYC 7281
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.
EPYC 7281
The EPYC 7281 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Naples (2017−2018) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 170 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 21,621 points. Launch price was $650.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2696 V3 packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the EPYC 7281 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon E5-2696 V3 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2696 V3 versus 2.7 GHz on the EPYC 7281 — a 33.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2696 V3 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the EPYC 7281 uses Naples (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2696 V3 scores 21,435 against the EPYC 7281's 21,621 — a 0.9% lead for the EPYC 7281. L3 cache: 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2696 V3 vs 32 MB (total) on the EPYC 7281.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | EPYC 7281 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 18 / 36+13% | 16 / 32 |
| Boost Clock | 3.8 GHz+41% | 2.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz+10% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 45 MB (total)+41% | 32 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Naples (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 21,435 | 21,621 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2696 V3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7281 uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2696 V3 | EPYC 7281 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 | TR4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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