
Core 2 Extreme X7800 vs Xeon W3503

Core 2 Extreme X7800

Xeon W3503
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 Core 2 Extreme X7800 is positioned at rank 1145 and the Xeon W3503 is on rank 978, so the Xeon W3503 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Extreme X7800
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W3503
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Xeon W3503 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Merom XE (2007) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Xeon W3503 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Core 2 Extreme X7800 and Xeon W3503

Core 2 Extreme X7800
The Core 2 Extreme X7800 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 July 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Merom XE (2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,138 points. Launch price was $851.

Xeon W3503
The Xeon W3503 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,125 points. Launch price was $65.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Extreme X7800 and Xeon W3503 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Core 2 Extreme X7800 versus 2.4 GHz on the Xeon W3503 — a 8% clock advantage for the Core 2 Extreme X7800 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core 2 Extreme X7800 uses the Merom XE (2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Xeon W3503 uses Bloomfield (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Extreme X7800 scores 1,138 against the Xeon W3503's 1,125 — a 1.1% lead for the Core 2 Extreme X7800. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Extreme X7800 vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon W3503.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Xeon W3503 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+8% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+8% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB L2 Cache | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Merom XE (2007) | Bloomfield (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,138+1% | 1,125 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Extreme X7800 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Xeon W3503 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Xeon W3503 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Extreme X7800) / not specified (Xeon W3503).
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Xeon W3503 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
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