Intel Xeon E5-2629 v3 socket: LGA 2011-v3

What the Xeon E5-2629 v3 is

The Xeon E5-2629 v3 is a Haswell-EP eight core with DDR3 support for transitional servers on LGA 2011-v3. Intel set eight cores and 16 threads at 2.4 GHz base with turbo to 3.2 GHz. Twenty megabytes of Smart Cache serve guests and services. Power is 85 W on 22 nm from September 2014. Unusually for E5 v3, it also supports DDR3 memory besides DDR4, which helps sites that reuse registered DDR3 populations.

Eight cores consolidate virtual machines per socket at modest power. Base clocks hold all core work while turbo lifts control tasks. Cache size matches the 2630 v3 family for similar density. ECC guards data across memory types. No integrated graphics exist. Memory reuse shapes buying here more than peak bandwidth, since DDR3 boards blunt DDR4 gains. Operators pick the 2629 v3 where DDR3 stocks must carry forward.

DDR4 or DDR3 with ECC over four channels feeds each socket with two QPI links between dual nodes. The mix is a server socket for transitional hosts where eight threads with memory choice at 85 W are wanted.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The E5-2629 v3 fits LGA 2011-v3 on C612 Grantley boards with DDR3 capable firmware. Memory type must match the board design, since DDR3 and DDR4 never mix on one board. Check the vendor matrix for v3 stepping and memory support. X99 desktop boards never suit this server chip.

ECC RDIMMs over four channels carry memory in either type. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide is desktop focused, so follow server population rules per memory type. Cooling is vendor 85 W heatsinks with rack airflow.

A standard DDR4 eight core on the same socket suits fresh builds without DDR3 stocks. Confirm board memory type before any swap.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

DDR4 or DDR3 with ECC over four channels per socket suits transitional virtualization. Even populations protect NUMA fairness. Registered DIMMs reach large counts. Speed follows type and DIMM count per manual.

Forty PCIe lanes per socket feed NICs and HBAs for fabric. Dual socket I/O should respect NUMA locality. Vendor slot maps guide choices.

Vendor 85 W cooling sustains loads with front to back air. No retail cooler exists. Inlet temperature decides turbo residency.

Upgrade paths

Within the socket the Intel Xeon E5-2630 v3 with eight cores is a DDR4 twin for fresh builds on similar boards. The Intel Xeon E5-2620 v3 with six cores trims density where threads matter less. Both share C612 mounting.

Newer sockets replace Grantley. The E5-2629 v3 covers transitional hosts where DDR3 reuse at 85 W decides buying.