Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2 vs Intel Xeon E5-2620

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2 and Intel Xeon E5-2620 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, 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, 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 E3-1280 v2

Intel Xeon E5-2620

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2

CPU is newer: launch date 2 month(s) later
Around 60% higher clock speed: 4.00 GHz vs 2.50 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 93% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2173 vs 1128
Around 89% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 852 vs 451
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3205 vs 2805

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	May 2012 vs March 2012
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz vs 2.50 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	69 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2173 vs 1128
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	852 vs 451
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3205 vs 2805

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-2620

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
Around 48% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 9720 vs 6571
3.7x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 26.433 vs 7.106

Specifications (specs)
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
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	9720 vs 6571
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	26.433 vs 7.106

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5-2620

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2173

1128

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6571

9720

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

852

451

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3205

2805

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

7.106

26.433

Name	Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2	Intel Xeon E5-2620
PassMark - Single thread mark	2173	1128
PassMark - CPU mark	6571	9720
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	852	451
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3205	2805
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	7.106	26.433
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		139.281
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		1.292
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		6.286
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		35.214

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2	Intel Xeon E5-2620
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Sandy Bridge EP
Launch date	May 2012	March 2012
Launch price (MSRP)	$645	$36
Place in performance rating	1625	1620
Price now	$1,512.82	$34.65
Processor Number	E3-1280V2	E5-2620
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E3 v2 Family	Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 Family
Status	Discontinued	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	1.84	67.37
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.60 GHz	2.00 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI	7.2 GT/s QPI
Die size	160 mm	435 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	4.00 GHz	2.50 GHz
Number of cores	4	6
Number of threads	8	12
Transistor count	1400 million	2270 million
Maximum core temperature		77.4°C
Number of QPI Links		2
VID voltage range		0.60V-1.35V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	2	4
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	42.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32.77 GB	384 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3 800/1066/1333
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	2
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	52.5mm x 45.0mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	FCLGA2011
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		40
Scalability		2S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
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)