Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3120

Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3120 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 5150

4 / 4

1,415

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon E3120

1,408

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 E3120 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 E3120: 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

✅Draws 25W instead of 65W, a 40W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R3 Graphics, while Xeon E3120 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Xeon E3120.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $21 MSRP, while Xeon E3120 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E3120

2008

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,408 vs 1,415).
❌160% higher power demand at 65W vs 25W.
❌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 E3120?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E3120 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 0.8% more average FPS across 50 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 0.5% 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 at an unclear MSRP at $21 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (67.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2008). That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 5150 vs Xeon E3120 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 E3120

The Xeon E3120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 3.16 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,408 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 5150 is built on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon 5150 scores 1,415 against the Xeon E3120's 1,408 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon 5150.

Feature	Athlon 5150	Xeon E3120
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	—
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	—
Base Clock	—	3.16 GHz
L3 Cache	—	6 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	2048 kB	—
Process	28 nm-38%	45 nm
Architecture	Kabini (2013−2014)	—
PassMark	1,415	1,408

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 5150 uses the AM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3120 uses LGA775 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 5150	Xeon E3120
Socket	AM1	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon 5150) / not specified (Xeon E3120). The Athlon 5150 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3 Graphics), while the Xeon E3120 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon 5150 rivals Pentium J2900.