Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3 vs Intel Xeon E5540

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3 and Intel Xeon E5540 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.

Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3

Intel Xeon E5540

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 45 nm
5.3x more maximum memory size: 768 GB vs 144 GB
Around 45% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6937 vs 4793
Around 7% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 410 vs 383
Around 36% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2164 vs 1596

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	6 vs 4
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 45 nm
Maximum memory size	768 GB vs 144 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	6937 vs 4793
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	410 vs 383
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2164 vs 1596

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5540

2 more threads: 8 vs 6
Around 4% higher maximum core temperature: 76°C vs 72.8°C
Around 6% lower typical power consumption: 80 Watt vs 85 Watt
Around 19% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1104 vs 925

Specifications (specs)
Number of threads	8 vs 6
Maximum core temperature	76°C vs 72.8°C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	80 Watt vs 85 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1104 vs 925

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3
CPU 2: Intel Xeon E5540

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

925

1104

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6937

4793

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

410

383

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2164

1596

Name	Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3	Intel Xeon E5540
PassMark - Single thread mark	925	1104
PassMark - CPU mark	6937	4793
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	410	383
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2164	1596

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3	Intel Xeon E5540
Essentials
Architecture codename	Haswell	Nehalem EP
Launch date	Q3'14	March 2009
Place in performance rating	2439	2450
Processor Number	E5-2603V3	E5540
Series	Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 v3 Family	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status	Launched	Launched
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Launch price (MSRP)		$30
Price now		$35
Value for money (0-100)		40.05
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	1.60 GHz	2.53 GHz
Bus Speed	6.4 GT/s QPI	5.86 GT/s QPI
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.8°C	76°C
Number of cores	6	4
Number of QPI Links	2	2
Number of threads	6	8
VID voltage range	0.65V–1.30V	0.75V -1.35V
Die size		263 mm2
L1 cache		64 KB (per core)
L2 cache		256 KB (per core)
L3 cache		8192 KB (shared)
Maximum frequency		2.80 GHz
Transistor count		731 million
Memory
Max memory channels	4	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	51 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	768 GB	144 GB
Supported memory types	DDR4 1600	DDR3 800/1066
ECC memory support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2	2
Package Size	52.5mm x 45mm	42.5mm x 45mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011-3	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	85 Watt	80 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	40
PCI Express revision	3.0
PCIe configurations	x4, x8, x16
Scalability	2S
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® AVX2
Intel 64
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	40-bit
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)