Table of Contents
Xeon E3‑1230 v2 is the entry‑level and most affordable 8‑thread SKU in the Xeon E3 v2 lineup, and performs very close to the Core i7‑3770. The only meaningful differences: no integrated GPU and a locked multiplier.
Like other server processors for LGA1155, it works in standard consumer motherboards; however, ECC memory support only works on C‑series server chipsets (C202/C204/C206/C216).
Specifications
| Model | Xeon E3-1230 v2 |
|---|---|
| Process technology | 22 nm |
| Cores \ Threads | 4 \ 8 |
| Memory support | DDR3-1600, 2-channel |
| Base clock | 3300 MHz |
| Max Turbo Boost frequency | 3700 MHz (1–2 cores) 3600 MHz (3 cores) 3500 MHz (4 cores) |
| Supported technologies | MMX instructions SSE / Streaming SIMD Extensions SSE2 / Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 SSE3 / Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 SSSE3 / Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 SSE4 / SSE4.1 + SSE4.2 / Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 AES / Advanced Encryption Standard instructions AVX / Advanced Vector Extensions F16C / 16-bit floating-point conversion instructions EM64T / Intel 64 NX / XD / Execute Disable Bit HT / Hyper-Threading Technology VT-x / Virtualization Technology VT-d / Virtualization for Directed I/O TBT 2.0 / Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 TXT / Trusted Execution Technology SMEP / Supervisor Mode Execution Protection Enhanced SpeedStep Technology |
| PCIe lanes | 16 (PCIe 3.0) |
| Integrated graphics | None |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB |
| TDP | 69 W |
| Max CPU case temperature | 65.8°C |
| Multiplier | Locked |
| Approximate price | $15-$20 (Aliexpress) |
Overclocking
The entire Xeon E3 lineup for LGA1155 has a locked multiplier, so the only way to raise frequency is BCLK overclocking, typically available on P‑ and Z‑series boards. Even then, expect only about 3–7% (BCLK ~103–107 MHz) — minor gains overall. Only certain high‑end motherboards with an external clock generator (PLL) allow higher BCLK values.
A more meaningful advantage of P‑ and Z‑series boards is the ability to overclock memory beyond the stock 1600 MHz, which can lift overall performance, especially minimum FPS. On other chipsets, you’re typically limited to stock performance.
Performance and Tests
At stock, the main difference between the E3‑1230 v2 and the i7‑3770 is a 200 MHz boost in favor of the i7, so performance is almost identical — usually 2–5% behind, within run‑to‑run variance.
CPU‑Z
Cinebench R15, R20, R23
PassMark
Geekbench 6
AIDA64
Gaming Performance
Differences in gaming performance are also minimal. Runs most titles up to ~2015–2017 comfortably. For 2017–2020, results vary: some games run fine, many require low settings and still stutter, and a portion won’t be enjoyable. In newer releases, expect to play only well‑optimized, CPU‑light titles, the rest will be heavily CPU‑limited.
For 1080p, the practical GPU ceiling for this CPU is around an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060–1070 or an AMD Radeon RX 580–590. Faster cards are typically CPU‑limited on this platform and aren’t cost‑effective.
Important: a growing number of modern games and some anti‑cheat components require AVX2. Ivy Bridge lacks AVX2, so these titles will not launch at all (unless a non‑AVX2 fallback is provided), regardless of GPU.
Gaming performance with an RX 580 (2048 SP variant):
Gaming performance with an RTX 3050:
Revisions
Besides the retail version, there are also engineering‑sample versions of the E3‑1230 v2. Identify them by the S‑Spec on the heatspreader. The retail S‑Spec is SR0P4. You can also check S‑Spec/stepping in the HWiNFO utility.
| S‑Spec code | Stepping | Version |
| SR0P4 | E1 | Retail |
| QBZD | E1 | ES/QS |
Close Alternatives
Models with similar performance and no integrated GPU:
- Xeon E3‑1240 v2 (3.8 GHz max turbo)
- Xeon E3‑1270 v2 (3.9 GHz max turbo)
- Xeon E3‑1280 v2 (4.0 GHz max turbo)
- Xeon E3‑1290 v2 (4.1 GHz max turbo)