Xeon E5-2697 v3 vs Xeon Gold 5120T
Xeon E5-2697 v3
Xeon Gold 5120T
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 E5-2697 v3
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5120T
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2697 v3 | Xeon Gold 5120T |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2697 v3 | Xeon Gold 5120T |
|---|---|---|
| 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 E5-2697 v3 and Xeon Gold 5120T
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 Gold 5120T
The Xeon Gold 5120T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 14 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 18,127 points. Launch price was $1,727.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon E5-2697 v3 and Xeon Gold 5120T share an identical 14-core/28-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E5-2697 v3 versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5120T — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2697 v3 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Xeon E5-2697 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon Gold 5120T uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2697 v3 scores 18,182 against the Xeon Gold 5120T's 18,127 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E5-2697 v3. L3 cache: 35 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-2697 v3 vs 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 5120T.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2697 v3 | Xeon Gold 5120T |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 14 / 28 | 14 / 28 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+12% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+18% | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 35 MB (total)+82% | 19.25 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 14 MB+5500% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Skylake (server) (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 18,182 | 18,127 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2697 v3 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 5120T uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2697 v3 | Xeon Gold 5120T |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
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