CPU
GPU
Athlon Silver 7120U
Xeon X5550
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 Silver 7120U is positioned at rank 976 and the Xeon X5550 is on rank 712, so the Xeon X5550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon Silver 7120U
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5550
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon Silver 7120U | Xeon X5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) / 6 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon Silver 7120U | Xeon X5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| 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 Silver 7120U and Xeon X5550
Athlon Silver 7120U
The Athlon Silver 7120U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FT6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 3,012 points. Launch price was $149.
Xeon X5550
The Xeon X5550 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 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 3.06 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,036 points. Launch price was $62.
Processing Power
The Athlon Silver 7120U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Xeon X5550 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon X5550 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Athlon Silver 7120U versus 3.06 GHz on the Xeon X5550 — a 13.4% clock advantage for the Athlon Silver 7120U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Athlon Silver 7120U uses the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture (6 nm), while the Xeon X5550 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver 7120U scores 3,012 against the Xeon X5550's 3,036 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon X5550. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Athlon Silver 7120U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon X5550.
| Feature | Athlon Silver 7120U | Xeon X5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz+14% | 3.06 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.66 GHz+11% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 8 MB (total)+300% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 6 nm-87% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) | Gainestown (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 3,012 | 3,036 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon Silver 7120U uses the FT6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon X5550 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-5500 on the Athlon Silver 7120U versus DDR3-1333 on the Xeon X5550 — the Athlon Silver 7120U supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon Silver 7120U) vs 3 (Xeon X5550). Chipset compatibility: AMD FT6 (Athlon Silver 7120U) and Intel X58,Intel 5520 (Xeon X5550).
| Feature | Athlon Silver 7120U | Xeon X5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FT6 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+100% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5-5500+67% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 3+50% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 4 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon Silver 7120U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5550). The Athlon Silver 7120U includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon 610M), while the Xeon X5550 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon X5550 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5550 rivals Core i3-2100.
| Feature | Athlon Silver 7120U | Xeon X5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | AMD Radeon 610M | — |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Workstation |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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