Core i3-530
VS
Xeon X5270

Core i3-530 vs Xeon X5270

Intel

Core i3-530

2 Cores4 Thrd73 WWMax: 0.93 GHz2010
VS

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 i3-530 is positioned at rank 933 and the Xeon X5270 is on rank 928, so the Xeon X5270 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-530

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
23228%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
21948%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
15936%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
4801%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
3803%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
3327%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1905%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1880%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1712%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1712%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1693%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1647%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
1624%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
1618%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
1603%
#303
Core i7-5960X
MSRP: $999|Avg: $83
100%
#933
Core i3-530
MSRP: $113|Avg: $15
100%
#935
Core i3-2105
MSRP: $138|Avg: $30
99%
#936
Athlon II X3 405e
MSRP: $100|Avg: $10
99%
#937
Core i3-3225
MSRP: $172|Avg: $167
99%
#938
Athlon II X3 400e
MSRP: $100|Avg: $10
98%
#939
Core i3-3220T
MSRP: $149|Avg: $146
98%
#940
Athlon II X2 245e
MSRP: $87|Avg: $15
98%
#941
Athlon II X2 240e
MSRP: $77|Avg: $77
97%
#942
Pentium G630T
MSRP: $79|Avg: $15
97%
#943
Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition
MSRP: $990|Avg: $175
97%
#946
Core i5-650
MSRP: $176|Avg: $22
95%
#947
A10-6790B
MSRP: $122|Avg: $50
94%
#948
Phenom X3 8600
MSRP: $100|Avg: $20
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5270

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
27273%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
5149%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
4575%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
3534%
#521
Xeon E5-2697A v4
MSRP: $2891|Avg: $121
98%
#522
Xeon Gold 6134
MSRP: $2214|Avg: $378
98%
#523
Xeon Gold 6138T
MSRP: $2742|Avg: $400
97%
#524
Xeon E5-2676 V3
MSRP: $1800|Avg: $36
96%
#524
Xeon E7-4880 v2
MSRP: $6619|Avg: $185
96%
#524
Xeon E5-2675 V3
MSRP: $1800|Avg: $100
96%
#527
Xeon Platinum 8592+
MSRP: $11600|Avg: $11600
95%
#928
Xeon X5270
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#931
Xeon E5-2660 v2
MSRP: $1393|Avg: $129
98%
#933
Xeon Silver 4112
MSRP: $885|Avg: $67
97%
#938
Xeon E5649
MSRP: $774|Avg: N/A
96%
#939
Xeon E3-1220L v3
MSRP: $193|Avg: $30
96%
#940
Xeon E5-2670 v2
MSRP: $1556|Avg: $189
96%
#941
Xeon E5-2637 v3
MSRP: $996|Avg: $75
96%
#943
Xeon E5-1680 v2
MSRP: $1723|Avg: $150
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon X5270 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i3-530Xeon X5270
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($15)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i3-530 ($15), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($15 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i3-530Xeon X5270
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($15)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 i3-530 and Xeon X5270

Intel

Core i3-530

The Core i3-530 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,516 points. Launch price was $60.

Intel

Xeon X5270

The Xeon X5270 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,524 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Core i3-530 is built on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i3-530 scores 1,516 against the Xeon X5270's 1,524 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon X5270. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-530 vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon X5270.

FeatureCore i3-530Xeon X5270
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
Boost Clock
0.93 GHz
Base Clock
2.93 GHz
3.5 GHz+19%
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
6 MB L2 Cache+50%
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
Process
32 nm-29%
45 nm
Architecture
Clarkdale (2010−2011)
PassMark
1,516
1,524
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-530 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon X5270 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i3-530Xeon X5270
Socket
LGA1156
LGA771
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0