Atom C3958 vs Xeon E3-1225
Atom C3958
Xeon E3-1225
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 C3958 is positioned at rank 902 and the Xeon E3-1225 is on rank 654, so the Xeon E3-1225 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3958
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1225
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom C3958 | Xeon E3-1225 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($205) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom C3958 | Xeon E3-1225 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($205) |
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 C3958 and Xeon E3-1225
Atom C3958
The Atom C3958 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 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 31 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,929 points. Launch price was $449.
Xeon E3-1225
The Xeon E3-1225 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,903 points. Launch price was $150.
Processing Power
The Atom C3958 packs 16 cores / 16 threads, while the Xeon E3-1225 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom C3958 has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom C3958 versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1225 — a 51.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1225 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Atom C3958 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1225 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3958 scores 3,929 against the Xeon E3-1225's 3,903 — a 0.7% lead for the Atom C3958. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Atom C3958 vs 6 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1225.
| Feature | Atom C3958 | Xeon E3-1225 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 16 / 16+300% | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+70% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 3.1 GHz+55% |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB+167% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 16 MB+6300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont (2016−2017) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 3,929 | 3,903 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom C3958 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1225 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Atom C3958 | Xeon E3-1225 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1310 | LGA1155 |
| 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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