Athlon II X4 638 vs Xeon L5520
Athlon II X4 638
Xeon L5520
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 X4 638 is positioned at rank 1040 and the Xeon L5520 is on rank 832, so the Xeon L5520 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 X4 638
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5520
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 638 | Xeon L5520 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 638 | Xeon L5520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 X4 638 and Xeon L5520
Athlon II X4 638
The Athlon II X4 638 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,260 points. Launch price was $149.
Xeon L5520
The Xeon L5520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.48 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,274 points. Launch price was $100.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 638 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon L5520's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 versus 2.48 GHz on the Xeon L5520 — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 638 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Athlon II X4 638 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon L5520 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 638 scores 2,260 against the Xeon L5520's 2,274 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon L5520. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 638 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon L5520.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | Xeon L5520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz+9% | 2.48 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+19% | 2.26 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Gainestown (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 2,260 | 2,274 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 638 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon L5520 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | Xeon L5520 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM1 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
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