PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Xeon E7-4880 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅+2.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 130W instead of 270W, a 140W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6444Y across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (38 MB vs 45 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.3 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($6,619 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Xeon Gold 6444Y moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Xeon Gold 6444Y

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 38 MB).
✅Costs $2,997 less on MSRP ($3,622 MSRP vs $6,619 MSRP).
✅Delivers 78.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.0 vs 7.3 PassMark/$ ($3,622 MSRP vs $6,619 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (47,176 vs 48,435).
❌107.7% higher power demand at 270W vs 130W.

Xeon E7-4880 v2

2014

Xeon Gold 6444Y

2023

Why buy it

✅+2.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 130W instead of 270W, a 140W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 38 MB).
✅Costs $2,997 less on MSRP ($3,622 MSRP vs $6,619 MSRP).
✅Delivers 78.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.0 vs 7.3 PassMark/$ ($3,622 MSRP vs $6,619 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6444Y across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (38 MB vs 45 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.3 vs 13.0 PassMark/$ ($6,619 MSRP vs $3,622 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Xeon Gold 6444Y moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (47,176 vs 48,435).
❌107.7% higher power demand at 270W vs 130W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6444Y better than Xeon E7-4880 v2?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Xeon Gold 6444Y is ahead with a 22.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E7-4880 v2 pulls ahead with 2.7% better PassMark. Xeon Gold 6444Y also has the bigger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 38 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E7-4880 v2 is the better fit. You are getting 2.7% better PassMark, backed by 15 cores and 30 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon Gold 6444Y is the smarter buy today. Xeon Gold 6444Y is $2,997 cheaper on MSRP at $3,622 MSRP versus $6,619 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon E7-4880 v2 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 2.7% better PassMark. It is also 78.0% better value on MSRP (13.0 vs 7.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Gold 6444Y is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2014), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, 20% larger total L3 cache (45 MB vs 38 MB), and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Xeon E7-4880 v2 Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6444Y Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	182 FPS	205 FPS
medium	145 FPS	163 FPS
high	115 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	165 FPS
medium	116 FPS	126 FPS
high	90 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	75 FPS
medium	58 FPS	61 FPS
high	45 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	39 FPS

Open Xeon E7-4880 v2 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	368 FPS	511 FPS
medium	324 FPS	443 FPS
high	269 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	215 FPS	293 FPS
1440p
low	317 FPS	430 FPS
medium	282 FPS	381 FPS
high	237 FPS	313 FPS
ultra	183 FPS	249 FPS
4K
low	198 FPS	267 FPS
medium	178 FPS	240 FPS
high	151 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	121 FPS	176 FPS

Open Xeon E7-4880 v2 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	912 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	797 FPS	1005 FPS
high	755 FPS	949 FPS
ultra	671 FPS	862 FPS
1440p
low	732 FPS	880 FPS
medium	631 FPS	777 FPS
high	597 FPS	722 FPS
ultra	531 FPS	651 FPS
4K
low	472 FPS	561 FPS
medium	372 FPS	460 FPS
high	332 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	271 FPS	328 FPS

Open Xeon E7-4880 v2 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
1080p
low	1088 FPS	1179 FPS
medium	960 FPS	1015 FPS
high	813 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	677 FPS	767 FPS
1440p
low	876 FPS	934 FPS
medium	750 FPS	806 FPS
high	632 FPS	681 FPS
ultra	521 FPS	574 FPS
4K
low	634 FPS	684 FPS
medium	552 FPS	597 FPS
high	476 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	431 FPS

Open Xeon E7-4880 v2 Open Xeon Gold 6444Y

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E7-4880 v2 and Xeon Gold 6444Y

Xeon E7-4880 v2

The Xeon E7-4880 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 15 cores and 30 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 37.5 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 48,435 points. Launch price was $800.

Xeon Gold 6444Y

The Xeon Gold 6444Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 45 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR5-4400. Passmark benchmark score: 47,176 points. Launch price was $1,517.

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Processing Power

The Xeon E7-4880 v2 packs 15 cores / 30 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6444Y offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6444Y has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Xeon E7-4880 v2 versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6444Y — a 25.4% clock advantage for the Xeon Gold 6444Y (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6444Y is built on the Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E7-4880 v2 scores 48,435 against the Xeon Gold 6444Y's 47,176 — a 2.6% lead for the Xeon E7-4880 v2. L3 cache: 37.5 MB on the Xeon E7-4880 v2 vs 45 MB on the Xeon Gold 6444Y.

Feature	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
Cores / Threads	15 / 30	16 / 32+7%
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	4 GHz+29%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	37.5 MB	45 MB+20%
L2 Cache	—	2 MB (per core)
Process	22 nm	Intel 7 nm-68%
Architecture	—	Sapphire Rapids (2023−2024)
PassMark	48,435+3%	47,176

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Memory & Platform

The Xeon E7-4880 v2 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 6444Y uses LGA4677 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the Xeon E7-4880 v2 versus 5600 on the Xeon Gold 6444Y — the Xeon Gold 6444Y supports 111.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6444Y supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 1536 — 90.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Xeon E7-4880 v2) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6444Y). PCIe lanes: 40 (Xeon E7-4880 v2) vs 80 (Xeon Gold 6444Y) — the Xeon Gold 6444Y offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: C602-J (Xeon E7-4880 v2) and C741 (Xeon Gold 6444Y).

Feature	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
Socket	LGA2011	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	1600	5600+250%
Max RAM Capacity	1536	4096+167%
RAM Channels	4	8+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	40	80+100%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6444Y supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Direct competitor: Xeon E7-4880 v2 rivals AMD Opteron 6380; Xeon Gold 6444Y rivals EPYC 9384X.

Feature	Xeon E7-4880 v2	Xeon Gold 6444Y
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

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Value Analysis

The Xeon E7-4880 v2 launched at $6619 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6444Y debuted at $3622. On MSRP ($6619 vs $3622), the Xeon Gold 6444Y is $2997 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E7-4880 v2 delivers 7.3 pts/$ vs 13.0 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6444Y — making the Xeon Gold 6444Y the 56.1% better value option.