Intel Xeon E5-1660 v2 vs Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E5-1660 v2 and Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2 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 E5-1660 v2

Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-1660 v2

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 4 month(s) later
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
7.8x more maximum memory size: 256 GB vs 32.77 GB
Around 57% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 10278 vs 6526
Around 51% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 4969 vs 3289

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	September 2013 vs May 2012
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	256 GB vs 32.77 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	10278 vs 6526
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4969 vs 3289

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2

Around 2% higher clock speed: 4.10 GHz vs 4.00 GHz
Around 49% lower typical power consumption: 87 Watt vs 130 Watt
Around 1% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2127 vs 2102
Around 5% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 860 vs 816

Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency	4.10 GHz vs 4.00 GHz
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	87 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2127 vs 2102
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	860 vs 816

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E5-1660 v2
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2102

2127

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

10278

6526

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

816

860

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

4969

3289

Name	Intel Xeon E5-1660 v2	Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2
PassMark - Single thread mark	2102	2127
PassMark - CPU mark	10278	6526
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	816	860
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4969	3289
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	12.593

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E5-1660 v2	Intel Xeon E3-1290 v2
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge EP	Ivy Bridge
Launch date	September 2013	May 2012
Launch price (MSRP)	$1,809	$885
Place in performance rating	1448	1451
Price now	$1,808.95	$885
Processor Number	E5-1660V2	E3-1290V2
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 v2 Family	Intel® Xeon® Processor E3 v2 Family
Status	Launched	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	2.23	3.23
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.70 GHz	3.70 GHz
Bus Speed	0 GT/s QPI	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	160 mm	160 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	15360 KB (shared)	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	22 nm
Maximum core temperature	70°C
Maximum frequency	4.00 GHz	4.10 GHz
Number of cores	6	4
Number of QPI Links	0
Number of threads	12	8
Transistor count	1400 million	1400 million
VID voltage range	0.65–1.30V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	4	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	59.7 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	256 GB	32.77 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 800/1066/1333/1600/1866	DDR3 1333/1600
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	52.5mm x 45.0 mm	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011	FCLGA1155
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	87 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	40
PCI Express revision	3.0	3.0
PCIe configurations	x4, x8, x16	1x16 & 1x4, 2x8 & 1x4 or 1x8 & 3x4
Scalability	1S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® OS Guard
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® AVX	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	46-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)