
Core i5-4308U

Xeon W3520
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 i5-4308U is positioned at rank 700 and the Xeon W3520 is on rank 861, so the Core i5-4308U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4308U
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W3520
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-4308U | Xeon W3520 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-4308U | Xeon W3520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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.

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4308U and Xeon W3520

Core i5-4308U
The Core i5-4308U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,978 points. Launch price was $315.

Xeon W3520
The Xeon W3520 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 8 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: 2,940 points. Launch price was $404.
Processing Power
The Core i5-4308U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon W3520 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon W3520 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-4308U versus 2.93 GHz on the Xeon W3520 — a 11.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-4308U (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Core i5-4308U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon W3520 uses Bloomfield (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4308U scores 2,978 against the Xeon W3520's 2,940 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i5-4308U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4308U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon W3520.
| Feature | Core i5-4308U | Xeon W3520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+13% | 2.93 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+5% | 2.66 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | 8 MB (total)+167% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Bloomfield (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 2,978+1% | 2,940 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-4308U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W3520 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-4308U | Xeon W3520 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4308U) / not specified (Xeon W3520). The Core i5-4308U includes integrated graphics (Iris Graphics 5100), while the Xeon W3520 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4308U targets Mobile.
| Feature | Core i5-4308U | Xeon W3520 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Iris Graphics 5100 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Mobile | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.














