Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2 vs Intel Xeon E5606

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2 and Intel Xeon E5606 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 E5606

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2

CPU is newer: launch date 1 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 32 nm
Around 16% lower typical power consumption: 69 Watt vs 80 Watt
2.5x better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2164 vs 882
Around 54% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6564 vs 4258

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	May 2012 vs February 2011
Number of threads	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz vs 2.13 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	69 Watt vs 80 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2164 vs 882
PassMark - CPU mark	6564 vs 4258

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5606

8.8x more maximum memory size: 288 GB vs 32.77 GB
Around 90% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1615 vs 852
Around 50% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 4812 vs 3205

Specifications (specs)
Maximum memory size	288 GB vs 32.77 GB
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2 vs 1
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1615 vs 852
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4812 vs 3205

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5606

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2164

882

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6564

4258

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

852

1615

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3205

4812

Name	Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2	Intel Xeon E5606
PassMark - Single thread mark	2164	882
PassMark - CPU mark	6564	4258
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	852	1615
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3205	4812
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	7.106

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E3-1280 v2	Intel Xeon E5606
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Westmere EP
Launch date	May 2012	February 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$645	$46
Place in performance rating	1717	1719
Price now	$1,512.82	$219
Processor Number	E3-1280V2	E5606
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E3 v2 Family	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	1.84	4.10
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	239 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)	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	32 nm
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz	2.13 GHz
Number of cores	4	4
Number of threads	8	4
Transistor count	1400 million	1170 million
Number of QPI Links		2
VID voltage range		0.750V-1.350V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	2	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32.77 GB	288 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3 800/1066
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® SSE4.2
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)