Intel Core i7-6950X vs Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-6950X or Intel Core i7-6950X – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-6950X features 10 processor cores and has the capability to manage 20 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2016 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-6950X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011-3 socket.
The Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3 features 12 processor cores and has the capability to manage 24 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2014 and belongs to the 5 generation of the Intel Xeon E5 series.
To use the Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011-3 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-6950X Name Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family Intel Xeon E5
6 Generation 5
Intel Core i 6000X Group Intel Xeon E5 v3
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-6950X has 10 CPU cores and can calculate 20 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-6950X is 3.0 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3 has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3 is 2.6 GHz
3.5 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.5 GHz
Yes Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
3.0 GHz Frequency 2.6 GHz
20 Threads 24
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
10 CPU Cores 12
10x Cores 12x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-6950X does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3 does not have integrated graphics.
-- GPU frequency --
-- Release date --
-- Direct X --
GPU name
-- Technology --
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Execution units --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- AVC --
-- VC-1 --
-- VP9 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h264 --
-- VP8 --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- JPEG --
-- AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 768.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 68.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
4 Memory channels 4
128.0 GB Max. Memory 768.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
76.8 GB/s Bandwidth 68.2 GB/s
DDR4-2400 Memory type DDR4-2133
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 140 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 135 W watts.
-- Tjunction max --
140 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 135 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-6950X is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 25.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3 is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 30.0 MB cache.
Q2/2016 Release date Q3/2014
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Broadwell E Architecture Haswell E
14 nm Technology 22 nm
LGA 2011-3 Socket LGA 2011-3
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
-- Release price --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
25.0 MB L3-Cache 30.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
40680
40680
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
32399
32399

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
17377
17377
Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
16482
16482

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
9562
9562
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
8993
8993

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
7921
7921
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
7421
7421

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
5950
5950
Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
5054
5054

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
3637
3637
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
3387
3387

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
1914
1914
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
1819
1819

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
1237
1237
Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
1098
1098

Cinebench R11.5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Xeon E5-2690 v3
12C 24T @ 2.6 GHz
19.5
19.5
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
19.1
19.1