Core i3-4158U vs Xeon E5603
Core i3-4158U
Xeon E5603
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 i3-4158U is positioned at rank 576 and the Xeon E5603 is on rank 863, so the Core i3-4158U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4158U
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5603
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-4158U | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-4158U | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) |
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 i3-4158U and Xeon E5603
Core i3-4158U
The Core i3-4158U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,921 points. Launch price was $315.
Xeon E5603
The Xeon E5603 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,935 points. Launch price was $286.
Processing Power
The Core i3-4158U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5603 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5603 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-4158U versus 1.6 GHz on the Xeon E5603 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i3-4158U (base: 2 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Core i3-4158U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5603 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4158U scores 1,921 against the Xeon E5603's 1,935 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon E5603. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4158U vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5603.
| Feature | Core i3-4158U | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz+25% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz+25% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 4 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,921 | 1,935 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 457 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-4158U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5603 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Xeon E5603 supports up to 288 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 178.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i3-4158U) vs 3 (Xeon E5603). PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i3-4158U) vs 32 (Xeon E5603) — the Xeon E5603 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Core i3-4158U | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 288 GB+1700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 3+50% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 32+167% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i3-4158U) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5603). The Core i3-4158U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Graphics 5100), while the Xeon E5603 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4158U targets Multimedia, Xeon E5603 targets Server.
| Feature | Core i3-4158U | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel Iris Graphics 5100 | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x / VT-d / EPT | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Multimedia | Server |
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