Athlon X4 730 vs Xeon E3-1220L
Athlon X4 730
Xeon E3-1220L
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 X4 730 is positioned at rank 519 and the Xeon E3-1220L is on rank 812, so the Athlon X4 730 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 730
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1220L
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon X4 730 | Xeon E3-1220L |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($52) | ✅ More affordable ($27) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon X4 730 | Xeon E3-1220L |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+91%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($52) | ✅ More affordable ($27) |
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 X4 730 and Xeon E3-1220L
Athlon X4 730
The Athlon X4 730 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,278 points. Launch price was $149.
Xeon E3-1220L
The Xeon E3-1220L is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,263 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Athlon X4 730 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E3-1220L offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 730 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 730 versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Athlon X4 730 uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220L uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 730 scores 2,278 against the Xeon E3-1220L's 2,263 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon X4 730.
| Feature | Athlon X4 730 | Xeon E3-1220L |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+27% | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB (total)+1500% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Trinity (2012−2013) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,278 | 2,263 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon X4 730 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1220L uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon X4 730 | Xeon E3-1220L |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM2 | LGA1155 |
| 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 | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon X4 730 launched at $60 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1220L debuted at $189. At current prices ($52 vs $27), the Xeon E3-1220L is $25 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 730 delivers 43.8 pts/$ vs 83.8 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1220L — making the Xeon E3-1220L the 62.7% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon X4 730 | Xeon E3-1220L |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-68% | $189 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $52 | $27-48% |
| Performance per Dollar | 43.8 | 83.8+91% |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2011 |
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