Processors

A server processor is not a desktop one: more memory channels, ECC support, and the ability to run two sockets on one board. Listed here is every Xeon that fits ProLiant Gen8 through Gen12, each with its socket, core count, base and turbo clocks, cache and power draw.

Browse parts
Server generation All generations Gen8 Gen9 Gen10 Gen11 Gen12
Condition All generations New Refurbished
Max price All generations up to €180.00 up to €350.00 up to €550.00
Sort by Recommended Price: low to high Price: high to low Name Clear filters

31 parts

Prices are based on the global market average in euro.

Buying guide

Socket first, cores second

The most common buying mistake is picking a processor with more cores without checking the socket. Gen8 uses LGA2011, Gen9 LGA2011-3, Gen10 LGA3647 and Gen11 LGA4677. These four are not cross-compatible in any degree — it is not that they run slowly; they do not physically fit. The compatibility list on each product states exactly this.

Many cores or high clock?

Workload decides this, not price. Virtualisation, containers and shared hosting benefit from more cores because the work is parallel. Transactional databases, game servers and anything licensed per core want clock speed instead: there an 8-core E5-2667 v4 at 3.2 GHz beats a 22-core E5-2699 v4 at 2.2 GHz, and costs less too.

Do not ignore TDP

Any processor above 135 W needs the high-performance heatsink and fan kit. Fit it with the standard heatsink and the server boots, runs and reports no error — it simply drops its clock under sustained load. You paid for performance you never receive. In a dual-socket build the draw doubles, and a larger power supply may become necessary.

Two sockets means two identical parts

In a dual-socket build both processors must be exactly the same model. A server holding one E5-2650 v4 and one E5-2680 v4 will not post at all. The second processor also activates half the memory slots: with only one fitted, DIMMs seated in the second bank are simply not seen.

Frequently asked questions

Will a Gen9 processor work in a Gen10 server?

No. Gen9 uses the Xeon E5-2600 v3/v4 family on socket LGA2011-3; Gen10 uses Xeon Scalable on LGA3647. They are neither physically nor electrically compatible. Moving from Gen9 to Gen10 means replacing the board, the processor and the memory — in practice, buying a different server.

How long does a used server processor last?

Processors are among the least failure-prone parts in a server; unlike drives and power supplies they have no moving parts and no ageing capacitors. Field failure rates for server CPUs sit at roughly 0.2% per year. What ages is the architecture, not the silicon: a ten-year-old part still works, it just burns more power for the same work.

How many cores do I need for virtualisation?

A practical rule: for ordinary virtual machines you can go to about 4:1 (four vCPUs per physical core) before users notice. For heavier work such as databases, keep it at 2:1. So a dual-socket server with 28 physical cores in total serves roughly 110 light vCPUs, or 56 demanding ones.