CPU
GPU
Xeon X5660
Xeon E3-1225 v5
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. The Xeon X5660 is positioned at rank 990 and the Xeon E3-1225 v5 is on rank 485, so the Xeon E3-1225 v5 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5660
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1225 v5
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon X5660 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake-DT (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon X5660 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 X5660 and Xeon E3-1225 v5
Xeon X5660
The Xeon X5660 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,979 points. Launch price was $33.
Xeon E3-1225 v5
The Xeon E3-1225 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 5,953 points. Launch price was $224.
Processing Power
The Xeon X5660 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E3-1225 v5 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon X5660 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon X5660 versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon E3-1225 v5 — a 14.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1225 v5 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Xeon X5660 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1225 v5 uses Skylake-DT (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon X5660 scores 5,979 against the Xeon E3-1225 v5's 5,953 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon X5660. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Xeon X5660 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1225 v5.
| Feature | Xeon X5660 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.7 GHz+16% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.3 GHz+18% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total)+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Skylake-DT (2015) |
| PassMark | 5,979 | 5,953 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon X5660 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1225 v5 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon X5660 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5660) / not specified (Xeon E3-1225 v5). Primary use case: Xeon X5660 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5660 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Xeon X5660 | Xeon E3-1225 v5 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Workstation | — |
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