Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2 vs Intel Xeon E5506

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2 and Intel Xeon E5506 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).

Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2

Intel Xeon E5506

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 2 month(s) later
4 more threads: 8 vs 4
Around 88% higher clock speed: 4.00 GHz vs 2.13 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 45 nm
2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 16% lower typical power consumption: 69 Watt vs 80 Watt
2.4x better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2164 vs 911
Around 77% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6564 vs 3710

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	May 2012 vs March 2009
Number of threads	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz vs 2.13 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 45 nm
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared) vs 4096 KB (shared)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	69 Watt vs 80 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2164 vs 911
PassMark - CPU mark	6564 vs 3710

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5506

4.4x more maximum memory size: 144 GB vs 32.77 GB
Around 98% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1690 vs 852
Around 52% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 4863 vs 3205

Specifications (specs)
Maximum memory size	144 GB vs 32.77 GB
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2 vs 1
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1690 vs 852
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4863 vs 3205

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5506

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2164

911

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6564

3710

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

852

1690

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3205

4863

Name	Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2	Intel Xeon E5506
PassMark - Single thread mark	2164	911
PassMark - CPU mark	6564	3710
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	852	1690
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3205	4863
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	7.106

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2	Intel Xeon E5506
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Nehalem EP
Launch date	May 2012	March 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$645	$43
Place in performance rating	1712	1688
Price now	$1,512.82	$69
Processor Number	E3-1280V2	E5506
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E3 v2 Family	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status	Discontinued	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	1.84	12.71
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.60 GHz	2.13 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI	4.8 GT/s QPI
Die size	160 mm	263 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)	4096 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	45 nm
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz	2.13 GHz
Number of cores	4	4
Number of threads	8	4
Transistor count	1400 million	731 million
Maximum core temperature		76°C
Number of QPI Links		2
VID voltage range		0.75V -1.35V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	2	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	19.2 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32.77 GB	144 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3 800
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	2
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	42.5mm x 45mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	69 Watt	80 Watt
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	3.0
PCIe configurations	1x16 & 1x4, 2x8 & 1x4 or 1x8 & 3x4
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 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
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		40-bit
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)