i7-6950X vs Xeon E5-2689
Aggregate performance score
Core i7-6950X outperforms Xeon E5-2689 by an impressive 75% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing Xeon E5-2689 and Core i7-6950X processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in the ranking | 1065 | 705 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | no data | 0.89 |
| Market segment | Server | Desktop processor |
| Series | Xeon | Intel Core i7 (Desktop) |
| Power efficiency | 5.14 | 7.39 |
| Architecture codename | Sandy Bridge-EP (2012) | Broadwell-E (2016) |
| Release date | 6 March 2012 (12 years ago) | 31 May 2016 (8 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | no data | $1,723 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance per price, higher is better.
Detailed specifications
Xeon E5-2689 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 | 8 (Octa-Core) | 10 (Deca-Core) |
| Threads | 16 | 20 |
| Base clock speed | 2.6 GHz | 3 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 3.6 GHz | 4 GHz |
| Bus rate | no data | 9.6 GT/s / QPI |
| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 32K (per core) |
| L2 cache | 256 KB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| L3 cache | 20 MB (shared) | 25 MB (shared) |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 14 nm |
| Die size | 435 mm2 | 246 mm2 |
| Maximum case temperature (TCase) | no data | 72 °C |
| Number of transistors | 2,270 million | 3,800 million |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | - | - |
| Unlocked multiplier | - | + |
Compatibility
Information on Xeon E5-2689 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 | FCLGA2011 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 115 Watt | 140 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Xeon E5-2689 and Core i7-6950X. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | + | + |
| AVX | + | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | + |
| Turbo Boost Technology | no data | 2.0 |
| Hyper-Threading Technology | no data | + |
| Idle States | no data | + |
| Smart Response | no data | + |
| Turbo Boost Max 3.0 | no data | + |
Security technologies
Xeon E5-2689 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 E5-2689 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 E5-2689 and Core i7-6950X. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | DDR3 | DDR4 |
| Maximum memory size | no data | 128 GB |
| Max memory channels | no data | 4 |
Graphics specifications
General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.
| Integrated graphics card | N/A | no data |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Xeon E5-2689 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 | 6.48 | 11.35 |
| Recency | 6 March 2012 | 31 May 2016 |
| Physical cores | 8 | 10 |
| Threads | 16 | 20 |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 14 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 115 Watt | 140 Watt |
Xeon E5-2689 has 21.7% lower power consumption.
i7-6950X, on the other hand, has a 75.2% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 4 years, 25% more physical cores and 25% more threads, and a 128.6% more advanced lithography process.
The Core i7-6950X is our recommended choice as it beats the Xeon E5-2689 in performance tests.
Be aware that Xeon E5-2689 is a server/workstation processor while Core i7-6950X is a desktop one.
Should you still have questions on choice between Xeon E5-2689 and Core i7-6950X, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
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