Xeon E5-2697 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 E5-2697 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 E5-2697 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 E5-2697 v3

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,182 vs 18,244).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (35 MB vs 45 MB).

Xeon E7-8880 v3

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅+28.6% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 35 MB).
✅Draws 140W instead of 145W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E7-8880 v3 better than Xeon E5-2697 v3?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Xeon E5-2697 v3 is ahead with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E7-8880 v3 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Xeon E7-8880 v3 also has the bigger cache pool with 28.6% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 35 MB).

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 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 28.6% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 35 MB).

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

Xeon E7-8880 v3 still makes the most sense overall. Xeon E7-8880 v3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark.

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), 28.6% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 35 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 18 cores / 36 threads instead of 14/28. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon E5-2697 v3 vs Xeon E7-8880 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Xeon E5-2697 v3

The Xeon E5-2697 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 35 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 145 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866, DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 18,182 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

The Xeon E5-2697 v3 packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon E7-8880 v3 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2697 v3 versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E7-8880 v3 — a 14.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2697 v3 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon E5-2697 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 E5-2697 v3 scores 18,182 against the Xeon E7-8880 v3's 18,244 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E7-8880 v3. L3 cache: 35 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2697 v3 vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E7-8880 v3.

Feature	Xeon E5-2697 v3	Xeon E7-8880 v3
Cores / Threads	14 / 28	18 / 36+29%
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+16%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+13%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	35 MB (total)	45 MB (total)+29%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Haswell-EP (2014−2015)	Haswell-EX (2015)
PassMark	18,182	18,244