Atom C3955 vs Xeon E5-1620
Atom C3955
Xeon E5-1620
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 C3955 is positioned at rank 765 and the Xeon E5-1620 is on rank 953, so the Atom C3955 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3955
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1620
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom C3955 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom C3955 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) |
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 C3955 and Xeon E5-1620
Atom C3955
The Atom C3955 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 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 32 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2400. Passmark benchmark score: 5,803 points. Launch price was $434.
Xeon E5-1620
The Xeon E5-1620 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10240 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,848 points. Launch price was $313.
Processing Power
The Atom C3955 packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E5-1620 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Atom C3955 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Atom C3955 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1620 — a 45.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1620 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Atom C3955 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-1620 uses Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3955 scores 5,803 against the Xeon E5-1620's 5,848 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E5-1620. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Atom C3955 vs 10240 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-1620.
| Feature | Atom C3955 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 16+300% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz+58% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.6 GHz+71% |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB+60% | 10240 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 16 MB+6300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont (2016−2017) | Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 5,803 | 5,848 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 3,469 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 612 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,250 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom C3955 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-1620 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Atom C3955 versus DDR3-1600 on the Xeon E5-1620 — the Atom C3955 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E5-1620 supports up to 375 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 37.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Atom C3955) vs 4 (Xeon E5-1620). PCIe lanes: 12 (Atom C3955) vs 40 (Xeon E5-1620) — the Xeon E5-1620 offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel FCBGA1310 (Atom C3955) and Intel C600,Intel X79 (Xeon E5-1620).
| Feature | Atom C3955 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1310 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400+33% | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 256 GB | 375 GB+46% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 4+100% |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 40+233% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom C3955) / true (Xeon E5-1620).
| Feature | Atom C3955 | Xeon E5-1620 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
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