Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4 vs Intel Core i9-7960X

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   Let's say you have difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4 vs Intel Core i9-7960X and understand which is better for games or normal use for video editing, streaming, rendering, programming, machine learning. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software like SuperPi, VeraCrypt, MATLAB, AIDA64, Blender, UserBenchmark, 7zip, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), RealBench, 3DMark, Gears 5, Handbrake, WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PassMark, Furmark, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, PCMark 10.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Borderlands 3
Valorant
Watch Dogs Legion
Grand Theft Auto V
Overwatch
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Death Stranding
Cyberpunk 2077
Red Dead Redemption 2
Valheim
Fortnite
Rainbow Six Siege
DOOM: Eternal
Fallout 76
Apex Legends
Last Man Standing
Halo Infinite

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-7960X or Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Xeon E5-2680R v4

55%

Core i9-7960X

58%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-7960X is 5% better than Xeon E5-2680R v4. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Xeon E5-2680R v4

56%

Core i9-7960X

60%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Hitman 3, NBA 2K20, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), DOTA 2A, Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Microsoft Flight Simulator, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), League of Legends (LOL), Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	99.4	106.9
Valorant	112.9	121.4
Cyberpunk 2077	63.3	68.0
Apex Legends	106.2	114.2
Call of Duty Warzone	84.7	91.1
Overwatch	91.5	98.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.9	83.8
DOOM Eternal	56.5	60.7
Warzone	88.1	94.7
Assassin's Creed	94.9	102.0
Valheim	93.7	100.8

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Xeon E5-2680R v4

19%

Core i9-7960X

22%

To make a final resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i9-7960X is more energy efficient than the Xeon E5-2680R v4 since it has less power consumption: 120W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4	Intel Core i9-7960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	109	184
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3205	3161
Cinbench 20 Single-core	242	611
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7541	5496
Cinbench 23 Single-core	647	1103
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	18220	22189

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4	Intel Core i9-7960X
Single-Core	2021	2605
Multi-Core	18545	27039

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4	Intel Core i9-7960X
Single-Core	705	1113
Multi-Core	11170	18501

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4	Intel Core i9-7960X
Announcement date	October 01, 2020	October 01, 2017
Type	Server	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2011-3	FCLGA2066
Core name	Broadwell	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	4	7
Turbo Frequency	3.3 MHz	4.2 MHz
Frequency	2.4 MHz	2.8 MHz
Cores	14	16
Threads	28	32
Bus rate	9.6 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm
Transistors count	4130 millions	7800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	120 W	165 W
Memory type	DDR4 1600/1866/2133/2400	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	15 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	35 MB	22 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-7960X is 14% better than Xeon E5-2680R v4 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7960X has 2 more core than Xeon E5-2680R v4. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4 is better: 7
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-7960X is better: 28
Although it should be understood that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4 and Intel Core i9-7960X before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Xeon E5-2680R v4 specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.