Xeon E3-1230 v2 vs i7-6950X

Primary details

Comparing Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2 processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.

Place in the ranking	718	1453
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	0.89	1.72
Market segment	Desktop processor	Server
Series	Intel Core i7 (Desktop)	no data
Power efficiency	7.38	5.35
Architecture codename	Broadwell-E (2016)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
Release date	31 May 2016 (8 years ago)	14 May 2012 (12 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$1,723	$360

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance per price, higher is better.

Xeon E3-1230 v2 has 93% better value for money than i7-6950X.

Detailed specifications

Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2 basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.

Physical cores	10 (Deca-Core)	4 (Quad-Core)
Threads	20	8
Base clock speed	3 GHz	3.3 GHz
Boost clock speed	4 GHz	3.7 GHz
Bus rate	9.6 GT/s / QPI	5 GT/s
L1 cache	32K (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256K (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	25 MB (shared)	8 MB (shared)
Chip lithography	14 nm	22 nm
Die size	246 mm2	160 mm2
Maximum core temperature	no data	66 °C
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	72 °C	no data
Number of transistors	3,800 million	1,400 million
64 bit support	+	+
Windows 11 compatibility	-	-
Unlocked multiplier	+	-

Compatibility

Information on Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2 compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.

Number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Socket	FCLGA2011	FCLGA1155
Power consumption (TDP)	140 Watt	69 Watt

Technologies and extensions

Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.

Instruction set extensions	no data	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
AES-NI	+	+
AVX	+	+
Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST)	+	+
Turbo Boost Technology	2.0	2.0
Hyper-Threading Technology	+	+
Idle States	+	+
Thermal Monitoring	-	+
Flex Memory Access	no data	+
Smart Response	+	no data
Demand Based Switching	no data	+
Turbo Boost Max 3.0	+	no data
Fast Memory Access	no data	+

Security technologies

Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2 technologies aimed at improving security, for example, by protecting against hacks.

TXT	+	+
EDB	+	+
Identity Protection	-	+

Virtualization technologies

Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2 are enumerated here.

VT-d	+	+
VT-x	+	+
EPT	+	+

Memory specs

Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.

Supported memory types	DDR4	DDR3
Maximum memory size	128 GB	32.77 GB
Max memory channels	4	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	no data	25.6 GB/s
ECC memory support	-	+

Peripherals

Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2.

PCIe version	3.0	3.0
PCI Express lanes	40	no data

Synthetic benchmark performance

Various benchmark results of the processors in comparison. Overall score is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.

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Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark performance rating. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

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Pros & cons summary

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Performance score	10.92	3.90
Recency	31 May 2016	14 May 2012
Physical cores	10	4
Threads	20	8
Chip lithography	14 nm	22 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	140 Watt	69 Watt

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Should you still have questions on choice between Core i7-6950X and Xeon E3-1230 v2, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

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