Atom C3858 vs Xeon E5-2420
Atom C3858
Xeon E5-2420
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 Atom C3858 is positioned at rank 310 and the Xeon E5-2420 is on rank 556, so the Atom C3858 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3858
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2420
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom C3858 | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom C3858 | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Atom C3858 and Xeon E5-2420
Atom C3858
The Atom C3858 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2400. Passmark benchmark score: 5,040 points. Launch price was $332.
Xeon E5-2420
The Xeon E5-2420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,012 points. Launch price was $390.
Processing Power
The Atom C3858 packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2420 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Atom C3858 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom C3858 versus 2.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2420 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2420 (base: 2 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Atom C3858 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2420 uses Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3858 scores 5,040 against the Xeon E5-2420's 5,012 — a 0.6% lead for the Atom C3858. L3 cache: 12 MB on the Atom C3858 vs 15360 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2420.
| Feature | Atom C3858 | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 12+100% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.4 GHz+20% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz+5% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB | 15360 kB (total)+25% |
| L2 Cache | 12 MB+4700% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont (2016−2017) | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) |
| PassMark | 5,040 | 5,012 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom C3858 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2420 uses LGA1356 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Atom C3858 | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1310 | LGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 256 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
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