Core i5-3427U vs Xeon E3-1220L

Core i5-3427U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2012

Xeon E3-1220L

2 Cores4 Thrd20 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-3427U

2 / 4

2,252

0.0%

2,263

+0.5%

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 i5-3427U is positioned at rank 979 and the Xeon E3-1220L is on rank 812, so the Xeon E3-1220L 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 i5-3427U

#967

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1955%

#968

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1926%

#969

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1768%

#970

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1760%

#971

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1744%

#973

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1684%

#974

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1615%

#975

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1612%

#976

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1569%

#979

Core i5-3427U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#982

Athlon II Neo K125

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#986

Pro A8-8600B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

98%

#991

Pentium 8500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

97%

#992

A6-8500P

MSRP: $100|Avg: $16

96%

#994

Core i7-4700EQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $180

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1220L

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

17362%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

3278%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2912%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2250%

#464

Xeon W-3375

MSRP: $4951|Avg: $6000

100%

#466

Xeon Platinum 8358

MSRP: $4607|Avg: $3145

99%

#467

EPYC 7662

MSRP: $6150|Avg: $1266

98%

#467

EPYC 7713

MSRP: $7060|Avg: $1299

98%

#812

Xeon E3-1220L

MSRP: $189|Avg: $27

100%

#813

Xeon X3450

MSRP: $241|Avg: $39

100%

#817

Xeon W3680

MSRP: $594|Avg: $26

99%

#819

Xeon E5-2640 v3

MSRP: $939|Avg: $189

98%

#824

Xeon E5-1660 v3

MSRP: $1080|Avg: $198

97%

#827

Xeon W3565

MSRP: $294|Avg: $69

96%

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 ($27) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1220L is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core i5-3427U	Xeon E3-1220L
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($27)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-3427U ($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 ($27 less, 100% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core i5-3427U	Xeon E3-1220L
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($27)

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.

Core i5-3427U Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1220L Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-3427U and Xeon E3-1220L

Core i5-3427U

The Core i5-3427U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,252 points. Launch price was $225.

Xeon E3-1220L

The Xeon E3-1220L is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,263 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-3427U and Xeon E3-1220L share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core i5-3427U versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L — a 19.4% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-3427U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220L uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3427U scores 2,252 against the Xeon E3-1220L's 2,263 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E3-1220L. Both processors carry 3 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-3427U	Xeon E3-1220L
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz	3.4 GHz+21%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	2.2 GHz+22%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	2,252	2,263

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-3427U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1220L uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-3427U	Xeon E3-1220L
Socket	BGA1023	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-3427U) / not specified (Xeon E3-1220L). The Core i5-3427U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon E3-1220L requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-3427U rivals AMD A8-4555M.