Intel CM8066002031201

The Intel Xeon E5-2660 V4 is a 14-core, 28-thread server CPU that still makes sense for budget homelab and virtualization builds. Multi-thread performance is solid at 15,380 PassMark, but single-thread and gaming are weak. It's a cheap upgrade if you already have an LGA 2011-3 board, but building a new system around it is getting harder as boards dry up.

The PassMark numbers tell the story pretty clearly. This Xeon scores 15,380 in multi-thread and 1,779 in single-thread. For context, that multi-core score puts it well above average for its class, and it's the main reason anyone still buys this chip. Fourteen cores at 2.0GHz doesn't sound fast on paper, but when you're running a dozen VMs or a Plex server with multiple transcodes, the core count matters more than clock speed. The 35MB of L3 cache helps keep those cores fed without hammering RAM constantly.

Single-thread performance is where this thing shows its age. At 1,779, it's about average compared to other chips in our database, but that's a low bar when you're comparing against modern desktop CPUs. Gaming is the weakest area by far, scoring 24.5 out of 100. This is not a gaming chip, and anyone asking "is the Xeon E5-2660 V4 good for gaming?" should know the answer is a firm no. The 2.0GHz base clock and lack of any meaningful boost headroom mean even older games will feel sluggish compared to a cheap modern i3 or Ryzen 3. For productivity it scores 57.7 out of 100, and for server workloads it's 51.1, which feels about right. It's a workhorse, not a racehorse.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is the obvious modern comparison. It absolutely destroys the Xeon in single-thread and gaming, and it's on a platform that's still supported. But it costs several times more, and if you're building a homelab on a budget, that money might be better spent on RAM and storage. The Dell Xeon E5-2637 V2 is another LGA 2011 option, but it's a 4-core chip, so it's not even in the same conversation for multi-threaded work. The PC Server and Parts E5-2697 v2-cr is closer in spirit, a 12-core chip from the previous generation, but it runs hotter and uses DDR3, which is cheaper but slower.

Then there's the be quiet! Ryzen 3 Dark Rock Pro 5, which is a cooler, not a CPU, so that's a weird comparison to even make. And the DAKboard CPU v4 is a niche embedded thing that doesn't really compete here. The real takeaway is that the E5-2660 V4 sits in a sweet spot for used server chips. It's not the fastest, not the newest, but it's cheap, cool-running, and has enough cores to handle real workloads. If you need single-thread speed, look elsewhere. If you need cores on a budget, this is one of the better LGA 2011-3 options still floating around.

Value is where this Xeon gets interesting. The price spread on this chip is all over the place depending on where you shop. In EUR, we're seeing listings from EUR 129 to EUR 258 across three different stores in Spain, France, and Italy. That's a massive gap for the same chip, so if you're in Europe, shop around before you pull the trigger. The cheapest EUR listing at EUR 129 is a genuinely good deal for 14 cores. In the US, it's around $172, and UK buyers can snag one for about £80, which honestly feels like the best deal of the bunch if you can find a board to match. Compared to something like a used Ryzen 9 7900X, this Xeon is way cheaper but also way slower per core. You're trading modern platform features for raw core count on a budget.

The Intel Xeon E5-2660 V4 is a 14-core, 28-thread server chip from Intel's Broadwell-EP generation, sitting on the LGA 2011-3 socket. It's old hardware at this point, but that's exactly why it shows up in budget server builds and homelab setups. You're looking at a 2.0GHz base clock, 35MB of L3 cache, and a 105W TDP, which is pretty tame for a chip with this many cores. The CM8066002031201 part number is the tray version, so don't expect a fancy box or a cooler in the mail.

People searching for this chip usually want to know if it's still worth buying for a used server or a cheap virtualization box. The short answer is yes, with caveats. It's not going to impress anyone in single-threaded tasks, but if you need a pile of cores for VMs, Docker containers, or rendering jobs, it holds up surprisingly well for the price. We've seen listings from around $172 USD to £80 GBP depending on where you shop, and the EUR spread is wild, from EUR 129 to EUR 258 across three listings.

Our database puts this Xeon at 69th percentile for multi-thread performance and 69th for efficiency, which is solid for a chip this old. Single-thread lands at 45th percentile, so it's about average there. The platform score is rough at 17th percentile, mostly because LGA 2011-3 motherboards are getting harder to find and DDR4 ECC RAM isn't exactly free. But if you already have the board, this chip is a cheap way to max it out.

Skip this chip if you're building a gaming PC, a daily driver desktop, or anything that needs fast single-thread performance. The 24.5 out of 100 gaming score isn't a fluke, it's just not what this chip was designed for. Also skip it if you don't already own an LGA 2011-3 motherboard. Hunting down a used X99 or C612 board at a sane price is getting harder every year, and by the time you add DDR4 ECC RAM, you might be within spitting distance of a used Ryzen 7 or i5 system that runs circles around this Xeon in everything except raw core count. If you need a cheap server chip and already have the board, this is a great buy. If you're starting from zero, look at newer platforms first.

Should you buy the Intel Xeon E5-2660 V4? If you already have an LGA 2011-3 motherboard and you need more cores for virtualization, media serving, or batch processing, yes. It's a cheap upgrade that turns an old workstation into a capable little server. The 14 cores and 28 threads are the whole story here, and they deliver where it counts for multi-threaded workloads. The 105W TDP means you don't need exotic cooling, and the 35MB of L3 cache is a nice bonus for database and VM workloads.

But if you're building from scratch, think hard about the platform. LGA 2011-3 boards are getting harder to find, and when you do find one, it's often priced like a collector's item. Add in the cost of DDR4 ECC RAM and you might be better off with a used Ryzen system or even a newer Xeon on a more available socket. This chip is a great upgrade for an existing system, not a great foundation for a new one.