Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2 vs Intel Xeon E5-2420

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2 and Intel Xeon E5-2420 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2

Intel Xeon E5-2420

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2

Around 63% higher clock speed: 3.90 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 32 nm
Around 38% lower typical power consumption: 69 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 88% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2080 vs 1108
2.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6482 vs 3065
Around 74% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 791 vs 454
Around 19% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3155 vs 2647

Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	69 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2080 vs 1108
PassMark - CPU mark	6482 vs 3065
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	791 vs 454
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3155 vs 2647

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-2420

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
4 more threads: 12 vs 8
Around 50% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 50% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 88% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
11.7x more maximum memory size: 384 GB vs 32.77 GB

Number of cores	6 vs 4
Number of threads	12 vs 8
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	15360 KB (shared) vs 8192 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	384 GB vs 32.77 GB
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2 vs 1

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5-2420

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2080

1108

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6482

3065

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

791

454

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3155

2647

Name	Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2	Intel Xeon E5-2420
PassMark - Single thread mark	2080	1108
PassMark - CPU mark	6482	3065
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	791	454
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3155	2647
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.18
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	75.626
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.539
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.095
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.74

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E3-1270 v2	Intel Xeon E5-2420
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Sandy Bridge EN
Launch date	May 2012	May 2012
Launch price (MSRP)	$192	$390
Place in performance rating	2237	2254
Price now	$321.65	$390.02
Processor Number	E3-1270V2	E5-2420
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E3 v2 Family	Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 Family
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	8.68	5.32
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.50 GHz	1.90 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI	7.2 GT/s QPI
Die size	160 mm	294 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared)	15360 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	32 nm
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz	2.40 GHz
Number of cores	4	6
Number of threads	8	12
Transistor count	1400 million	1270 million
Number of QPI Links		1
VID voltage range		0.6V-1.35V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	2	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	32 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32.77 GB	384 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3 800/1066/1333
Graphics
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Clear Video technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	0
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	2
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	45mm x 42.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	FCLGA1356
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	69 Watt	95 Watt
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	3.0	3.0
PCIe configurations	1x16 & 1x4, 2x8 & 1x4 or 1x8 & 3x4
Max number of PCIe lanes		24
Scalability		2S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX	Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)