Athlon II X4 645 vs Xeon E3-1220L v2

Athlon II X4 645 vs Xeon E3-1220L v2 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 645

4 / 4

2,375

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon E3-1220L v2

2 / 4

2,397

+0.9%

Processor N50

Pentium Dual Core T2370

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 II X4 645 vs Xeon E3-1220L v2 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 II X4 645 vs Xeon E3-1220L v2: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II X4 645

2010

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E3-1220L v2.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,375 vs 2,397).
❌Launch MSRP is still $126 MSRP, while Xeon E3-1220L v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌458.8% higher power demand at 95W vs 17W.

Xeon E3-1220L v2

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 95W, a 78W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 645.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E3-1220L v2 better than Athlon II X4 645?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E3-1220L v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon II X4 645 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E3-1220L v2 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.3% more average FPS across 34 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1220L v2 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Xeon E3-1220L v2 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Xeon E3-1220L v2 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $126 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.3% average FPS lead across 34 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X4 645 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (18.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

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

Xeon E3-1220L v2 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 645 vs Xeon E3-1220L v2 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X4 645

The Athlon II X4 645 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 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: 2,375 points. Launch price was $80.

Xeon E3-1220L v2

The Xeon E3-1220L v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,397 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 645 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E3-1220L v2 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 645 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X4 645 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L v2 — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L v2 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Athlon II X4 645 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220L v2 uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 645 scores 2,375 against the Xeon E3-1220L v2's 2,397 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E3-1220L v2. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 645 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L v2.

Feature	Athlon II X4 645	Xeon E3-1220L v2
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.5 GHz+13%
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+35%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,375	2,397
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,374	—
Geekbench 6 Single	399	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,374	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 645 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1220L v2 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.