Xeon Gold 5120 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.

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 5120

#97

Xeon Silver 4314

MSRP: $395|Avg: $395

102%

#98

Xeon W-1350

MSRP: $255|Avg: $255

101%

#99

Xeon W-1370P

MSRP: $323|Avg: $323

101%

#104

Xeon Gold 5120

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#106

Xeon Gold 6143

MSRP: $342|Avg: $342

100%

#115

Xeon W-1370

MSRP: $323|Avg: $323

98%

#119

Xeon 6505P

MSRP: $563|Avg: $563

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E7-8880 v3

#86

Xeon Platinum 8260

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

105%

#97

Xeon Silver 4314

MSRP: $395|Avg: $395

101%

#98

Xeon W-1350

MSRP: $255|Avg: $255

101%

#99

Xeon W-1370P

MSRP: $323|Avg: $323

101%

#100

Xeon E7-8880 v3

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#106

Xeon Gold 6143

MSRP: $342|Avg: $342

99%

#115

Xeon W-1370

MSRP: $323|Avg: $323

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Xeon Gold 5120 (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4-2400, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon Gold 5120	Xeon E7-8880 v3
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EX (2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E7-8880 v3 (2015) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon Gold 5120	Xeon E7-8880 v3
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Xeon Gold 5120 Benchmark Check

Xeon E7-8880 v3 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon Gold 5120 and Xeon E7-8880 v3

Xeon Gold 5120

The Xeon Gold 5120 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: 18,132 points. Launch price was $1,555.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5120 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 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5120 versus 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E7-8880 v3 — a 3.2% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 5120 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5120 uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 uses Haswell-EX (2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5120 scores 18,132 against the Xeon E7-8880 v3's 18,244 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E7-8880 v3. L3 cache: 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 5120 vs 45 MB (total) on the Xeon E7-8880 v3.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5120	Xeon E7-8880 v3
Cores / Threads	14 / 28	18 / 36+29%
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+3%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.3 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB	45 MB (total)+134%
L2 Cache	14 MB+5500%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Haswell-EX (2015)
PassMark	18,132	18,244

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon Gold 5120 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E7-8880 v3 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.