Core i5-1240U
VS
Xeon Silver 4210

Core i5-1240U vs Xeon Silver 4210

Intel

Core i5-1240U

10 Cores12 Thrd9.5 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022
VS
Intel

Xeon Silver 4210

10 Cores20 Thrd85 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019

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.

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 i5-1240U

#153
Core i7-1370P
MSRP: $438|Avg: $280
105%
#158
Core i9-13900H
MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A
103%
#161
Core Ultra 7 268V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
101%
#162
Core Ultra 7 256V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $350
100%
#164
Core i5-1240U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#167
Core Ultra 7 258V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
97%
#169
Core i7-1280P
MSRP: $482|Avg: $482
96%
#173
Core Ultra 5 238V
MSRP: $454|Avg: $454
93%
#176
Core i9-13900HK
MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A
90%
#178
Core i7-1360P
MSRP: $480|Avg: $280
89%
#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
89%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Silver 4210

#196
Xeon 6515P
MSRP: $740|Avg: $886
102%
#201
Xeon Gold 6248R
MSRP: $2700|Avg: N/A
102%
#206
Xeon Silver 4210
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#210
EPYC 8224P
MSRP: $855|Avg: $1048
99%
#214
Xeon 6521P
MSRP: $1250|Avg: $1250
96%
#215
Xeon E-2456
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $289
96%
#218
Xeon Gold 5512U
MSRP: $1230|Avg: N/A
93%
#219
Xeon D-1733NT
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
92%
#220
Xeon 6520P
MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295
92%
#221
Xeon Gold 6314U
MSRP: $2977|Avg: N/A
91%
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 Silver 4210 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i5-1240UXeon Silver 4210
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-1240U ($0), 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 ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i5-1240UXeon Silver 4210
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

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 i5-1240U and Xeon Silver 4210

Intel

Core i5-1240U

The Core i5-1240U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,387 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Xeon Silver 4210

The Xeon Silver 4210 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 13.75 MB. L2 cache: 10 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,463 points. Launch price was $501.

Processing Power

The Core i5-1240U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, matching the Xeon Silver 4210's 10 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1240U versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4210 — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-1240U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-1240U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4210 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1240U scores 13,387 against the Xeon Silver 4210's 13,463 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon Silver 4210. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1240U vs 13.75 MB on the Xeon Silver 4210.

FeatureCore i5-1240UXeon Silver 4210
Cores / Threads
10 / 12
10 / 20
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz+38%
3.2 GHz
Base Clock
1.1 GHz
2.2 GHz+100%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
13.75 MB+15%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)
10 MB+700%
Process
Intel 7 nm-50%
14 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake-U (2022)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
13,387
13,463
Geekbench 6 Single
1,650
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1240U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Silver 4210 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-5200 on the Core i5-1240U versus 2400 on the Xeon Silver 4210 — the Xeon Silver 4210 supports 199.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Silver 4210 supports up to 1024 of RAM compared to 64 GB 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-1240U) vs 6 (Xeon Silver 4210). PCIe lanes: 14 (Core i5-1240U) vs 48 (Xeon Silver 4210) — the Xeon Silver 4210 offers 34 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureCore i5-1240UXeon Silver 4210
Socket
FCBGA1781
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+67%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
LPDDR5-5200
2400+47900%
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB+6553500%
1024
RAM Channels
2
6+200%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
14
48+243%
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Silver 4210 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1240U) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Silver 4210). The Core i5-1240U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Xeon Silver 4210 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1240U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1240U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.

FeatureCore i5-1240UXeon Silver 4210
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Iris Xe Graphics 80EU
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Thin & Light Laptop