Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3

CPU

GPU

Athlon 5150

4 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2014

Similar parts

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Xeon E3-1220L v3

2 Cores4 Thrd16 WWMax: 1.5 GHz2013

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Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 5150

4 / 4

1,415

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon E3-1220L v3

2 / 4

1,407

0.0%

Celeron B820

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 5150

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $172 less on MSRP ($21 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅Delivers 824.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 67.4 vs 7.3 PassMark/$ ($21 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R3 Graphics, while Xeon E3-1220L v3 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Xeon E3-1220L v3.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E3-1220L v3, which brings 2 cores / 4 threads and 16 PCIe lanes.
❌56.3% higher power demand at 25W vs 16W.

Xeon E3-1220L v3

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 2 cores / 4 threads, plus 16 PCIe lanes vs 4.
✅Draws 16W instead of 25W, a 9W reduction.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,407 vs 1,415).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.3 vs 67.4 PassMark/$ ($193 MSRP vs $21 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon 5150 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 5150.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 5150 better than Xeon E3-1220L v3?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E3-1220L v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon 5150 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 5150 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.4% more average FPS across 48 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 5150 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon 5150 is the better buy right now. Athlon 5150 comes in $172 cheaper on MSRP at $21 MSRP versus $193 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 824.3% better value on MSRP (67.4 vs 7.3 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon 5150 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 5150

The Athlon 5150 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,415 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E3-1220L v3

The Xeon E3-1220L v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4096 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,407 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 5150 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon 5150 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 5150 versus 1.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L v3 — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Athlon 5150. The Athlon 5150 uses the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture (28 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 5150 scores 1,415 against the Xeon E3-1220L v3's 1,407 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon 5150.

Feature	Athlon 5150	Xeon E3-1220L v3
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz+7%	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4096 kB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	28 nm	22 nm-21%
Architecture	Kabini (2013−2014)	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,415	1,407

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 5150 uses the AM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to 1600 memory speed. The Xeon E3-1220L v3 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Athlon 5150) vs 2 (Xeon E3-1220L v3). PCIe lanes: 4 (Athlon 5150) vs 16 (Xeon E3-1220L v3) — the Xeon E3-1220L v3 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM1 (Athlon 5150) and C222,C224,C226 (Xeon E3-1220L v3).

Feature	Athlon 5150	Xeon E3-1220L v3
Socket	AM1	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1600	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	32 GB+100%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	4	16+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon 5150) vs VT-P (Xeon E3-1220L v3). The Athlon 5150 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3 Graphics), while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon 5150 rivals Pentium J2900.

Feature	Athlon 5150	Xeon E3-1220L v3
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon R3 Graphics	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-P

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 5150 was priced at $21, while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 came in at $193. On launch pricing ($21 vs $193), Athlon 5150 was $172 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 5150 delivers 67.4 pts/$ vs 7.3 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1220L v3 — making the Athlon 5150 the 160.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 5150	Xeon E3-1220L v3
MSRP	$21-89%	$193
Performance per Dollar	67.4+823%	7.3
Release Date	2014	2013

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