Intel Xeon E5-2680 v3 socket: LGA 2011-v3

What the Xeon E5-2680 v3 is

The Xeon E5-2680 v3 is a mainstream Haswell-EP twelve core for dual socket virtualization on LGA 2011-v3. Intel set twelve cores and 24 threads at 2.5 GHz base with turbo to 3.3 GHz. Thirty megabytes of Smart Cache cover large guest counts. Power is 120 W on 22 nm from September 2014. It is a volume cloud chip where twelve cores balance density and power.

Twelve cores with 24 threads consolidate virtual machines per socket at strong ratios. Base clocks hold all core work while turbo lifts control tasks. Large cache trims memory waits across tenants. ECC DDR4 guards data through long runs. No integrated graphics exist. Fabric and storage shape node throughput alongside cores. Buyers pick the 2680 v3 where ten cores stall guests but fourteen cores exceed budgets.

DDR4 ECC over four channels feeds each socket with two QPI links between dual nodes. The mix is a server socket for operators who want proven twelve core density with protection at 120 W.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The E5-2680 v3 fits LGA 2011-v3 on C612 Grantley boards for single and dual socket use. Firmware must list the v3 stepping. Check the vendor matrix for the minimum BIOS. X99 desktop boards never suit this server chip.

ECC RDIMMs over four channels carry memory to large counts. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide is desktop focused, so use server manuals for NUMA maps. Cooling is vendor 120 W heatsinks with rack airflow.

A fourteen core on the same socket adds threads where density grows. Confirm power and memory ceilings before moving from 120 W twelve cores upward.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

DDR4 ECC quad channel per socket suits virtual hosts. Even DIMM populations protect NUMA fairness. Large RDIMMs reach high guest counts. Speed follows DIMM count per manual.

Forty PCIe lanes per socket feed NICs, HBAs and NVMe for cloud fabric. NUMA aware placement across QPI links matters at twelve cores. Board manuals guide controller slot choices.

Vendor 120 W cooling sustains all core loads with front to back air. No retail cooler exists. Inlet temperature and per core states decide turbo residency.

Upgrade paths

Within the socket the Intel Xeon E5-2650L v3 with twelve cores at 65 W is a lower power sibling where watts matter. The Intel Xeon E5-2698 v3 with sixteen cores is a higher density retail step on similar boards. Both share C612 mounting.

Newer server sockets replace Grantley. The E5-2680 v3 covers mainstream clouds where twelve cores at 120 W are the target.