Athlon 64 3500+ vs Xeon 3.20
Athlon 64 3500+
Xeon 3.20
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon 64 3500+ is positioned at rank 1102 and the Xeon 3.20 is on rank 1030, so the Xeon 3.20 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 3500+
Performance Per Dollar Xeon 3.20
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 3500+ | Xeon 3.20 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (San Diego (2001−2005) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Gallatin (2003−2004) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 3500+ | Xeon 3.20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 64 3500+ and Xeon 3.20
Athlon 64 3500+
The Athlon 64 3500+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2001 (24 years ago). It is based on the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 570 points. Launch price was $59.
Xeon 3.20
The Xeon 3.20 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Gallatin (2003−2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA604. Thermal design power (TDP): 97 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 575 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon 64 3500+ and Xeon 3.20 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon 64 3500+ versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon 3.20 — a 37% clock advantage for the Xeon 3.20. The Athlon 64 3500+ uses the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Xeon 3.20 uses Gallatin (2003−2004) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 3500+ scores 570 against the Xeon 3.20's 575 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon 3.20. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 3500+ vs 2 MB on the Xeon 3.20.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Xeon 3.20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3.2 GHz+45% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB |
| Process | 130 nm | 130 nm |
| Architecture | San Diego (2001−2005) | Gallatin (2003−2004) |
| PassMark | 570 | 575 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 3500+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Xeon 3.20 uses PGA604 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Xeon 3.20 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 939 | PGA604 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR-400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon 64 3500+ launched at $272 MSRP, while the Xeon 3.20 debuted at $851. At current prices ($10 vs $10), the Xeon 3.20 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 3500+ delivers 57.0 pts/$ vs 57.5 pts/$ for the Xeon 3.20 — making the Xeon 3.20 the 0.9% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3500+ | Xeon 3.20 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $272-68% | $851 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10 | $10 |
| Performance per Dollar | 57.0 | 57.5 |
| Release Date | 2001 | 2003 |
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