i7-6950X vs Xeon E5-2686 V3
Aggregate performance score
Xeon E5-2686 V3 outperforms i7-6950X by a minimal 4% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in performance ranking | 658 | 684 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | no data | 0.88 |
| Market segment | Server | Desktop processor |
| Series | no data | Intel Core i7 (Desktop) |
| Architecture codename | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Broadwell-E (2016) |
| Release date | 8 September 2014 (10 years ago) | 10 March 2016 (8 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | no data | $1,723 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance per price, higher is better.
Detailed specifications
Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X 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 | 18 (Octadeca-Core) | 10 (Deca-Core) |
| Threads | 36 | 20 |
| Base clock speed | 2 GHz | 3 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 3.5 GHz | 4 GHz |
| Bus rate | no data | 9.6 GT/s / QPI |
| L1 cache | 64K (per core) | 320 KB |
| L2 cache | 256K (per core) | 2.5 MB |
| L3 cache | 45 MB (shared) | 25 MB |
| Chip lithography | 22 nm | 14 nm |
| Die size | 356 mm2 | 246 mm2 |
| Maximum case temperature (TCase) | 83 °C | 72 °C |
| Number of transistors | 2,600 million | 3200 Million |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | no data | - |
| Unlocked multiplier | - | + |
Compatibility
Information on Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X 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 | 2 | 1 |
| Socket | 2011-3 | FCLGA2011 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 120 Watt | 140 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | + | + |
| AVX | + | + |
| vPro | + | no data |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | + |
| Turbo Boost Technology | no data | 2.0 |
| Hyper-Threading Technology | no data | + |
| TSX | + | - |
| Idle States | no data | + |
| Smart Response | no data | + |
| Turbo Boost Max 3.0 | no data | + |
| Status | no data | Discontinued |
Security technologies
Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X technologies aimed at improving security, for example, by protecting against hacks.
| TXT | + | + |
| EDB | no data | + |
Virtualization technologies
Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X are enumerated here.
| VT-d | + | + |
| VT-x | + | + |
| EPT | no data | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | DDR3, DDR4 2133 MHz Quad-channel | DDR4 |
| Maximum memory size | no data | 128 GB |
| Max memory channels | no data | 4 |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X.
| PCIe version | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| PCI Express lanes | 40 | 40 |
Synthetic benchmark performance
Various benchmark results of the processors in comparison. Overall score is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.
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.
Passmark
Passmark CPU Mark is a widespread benchmark, consisting of 8 different types of workload, including integer and floating point math, extended instructions, compression, encryption and physics calculation. There is also one separate single-threaded scenario measuring single-core performance.
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 11.73 | 11.25 |
| Recency | 8 September 2014 | 10 March 2016 |
| Physical cores | 18 | 10 |
| Threads | 36 | 20 |
| Chip lithography | 22 nm | 14 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 120 Watt | 140 Watt |
Xeon E5-2686 V3 has a 4.3% higher aggregate performance score, 80% more physical cores and 80% more threads, and 16.7% lower power consumption.
i7-6950X, on the other hand, has an age advantage of 1 year, and a 57.1% more advanced lithography process.
Given the minimal performance differences, no clear winner can be declared between Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X.
Be aware that Xeon E5-2686 V3 is a server/workstation processor while Core i7-6950X is a desktop one.
Should you still have questions on choice between Xeon E5-2686 V3 and Core i7-6950X, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
Similar processor comparisons
We picked several similar comparisons of processors in the same market segment and performance relatively close to those reviewed on this page.
