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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-4570T

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($195 MSRP vs $294 MSRP).
✅Delivers 49.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 16.5 vs 11.1 PassMark/$ ($195 MSRP vs $294 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 130W, a 95W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD 4600, while Xeon W3550 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W3550 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,223 vs 3,251).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W3550, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.

Xeon W3550

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.1 vs 16.5 PassMark/$ ($294 MSRP vs $195 MSRP).
❌271.4% higher power demand at 130W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-4570T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-4570T.

Core i5-4570T

2013

Xeon W3550

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($195 MSRP vs $294 MSRP).
✅Delivers 49.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 16.5 vs 11.1 PassMark/$ ($195 MSRP vs $294 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 130W, a 95W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD 4600, while Xeon W3550 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W3550 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,223 vs 3,251).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W3550, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.1 vs 16.5 PassMark/$ ($294 MSRP vs $195 MSRP).
❌271.4% higher power demand at 130W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-4570T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-4570T.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W3550 better than Core i5-4570T?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W3550 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-4570T is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon W3550 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W3550 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon W3550 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Xeon W3550 is 50.8% more expensive on MSRP at $294 MSRP versus $195 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-4570T only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2013 platform. Even with 49.5% better value on paper (16.5 vs 11.1 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1150.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-4570T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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 i5-4570T Benchmark Check

Xeon W3550 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
1080p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
1440p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	62 FPS
medium	56 FPS	56 FPS
high	43 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-4570T Open Xeon W3550

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
1080p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	65 FPS	81 FPS
1440p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	78 FPS	81 FPS
high	73 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	56 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	81 FPS
medium	57 FPS	81 FPS
high	40 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	54 FPS

Open Core i5-4570T Open Xeon W3550

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
1080p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
1440p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS

Open Core i5-4570T Open Xeon W3550

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
1080p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
1440p
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	81 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	81 FPS

Open Core i5-4570T Open Xeon W3550

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4570T and Xeon W3550

Core i5-4570T

The Core i5-4570T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4096 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,223 points. Launch price was $222.

Xeon W3550

The Xeon W3550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 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: 3,251 points. Launch price was $235.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-4570T packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon W3550 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon W3550 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-4570T versus 3.33 GHz on the Xeon W3550 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-4570T (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Core i5-4570T uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon W3550 uses Bloomfield (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4570T scores 3,223 against the Xeon W3550's 3,251 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon W3550. L3 cache: 4096 kB (total) on the Core i5-4570T vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon W3550.

Feature	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+8%	3.33 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.06 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	4096 kB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Bloomfield (2008−2010)
PassMark	3,223	3,251
Geekbench 6 Single	960	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,719	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4570T uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W3550 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
Socket	LGA1150	LGA1366
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i5-4570T) / not specified (Xeon W3550). The Core i5-4570T includes integrated graphics (HD 4600), while the Xeon W3550 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4570T targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-4570T	Xeon W3550
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	HD 4600	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	Yes	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-4570T launched at $195 MSRP, while the Xeon W3550 debuted at $294. On MSRP ($195 vs $294), the Core i5-4570T is $99 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-4570T delivers 16.5 pts/$ vs 11.1 pts/$ for the Xeon W3550 — making the Core i5-4570T the 39.7% better value option.