CPU
GPU
Athlon II X3 455
Xeon E5603
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 II X3 455 is positioned at rank 750 and the Xeon E5603 is on rank 863, so the Athlon II X3 455 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 455
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5603
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1155%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) |
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 II X3 455 and Xeon E5603
Athlon II X3 455
The Athlon II X3 455 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 December 2010 (14 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,938 points. Launch price was $88.
Xeon E5603
The Xeon E5603 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,935 points. Launch price was $286.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 455 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Xeon E5603 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5603 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 455 versus 1.6 GHz on the Xeon E5603 — a 69.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 455 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Athlon II X3 455 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E5603 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 455 scores 1,938 against the Xeon E5603's 1,935 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X3 455. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 455 vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5603.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3 | 4 / 4+33% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+106% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz+106% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,938 | 1,935 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 455 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5603 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Xeon E5603 supports up to 288 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 160% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II X3 455) vs 3 (Xeon E5603). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 455) vs 32 (Xeon E5603) — the Xeon E5603 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 288 GB+800% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 3+50% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 32 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X3 455) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5603). Primary use case: Xeon E5603 targets Server.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Server |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X3 455 launched at $88 MSRP, while the Xeon E5603 debuted at $188.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $88-53% | $188 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | — |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2011 |
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