Core i5-4590S
VS
Xeon E3-1235

Core i5-4590S vs Xeon E3-1235

Intel

Core i5-4590S

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2014
VS
Intel

Xeon E3-1235

4 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2011

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 i5-4590S is positioned at rank 647 and the Xeon E3-1235 is on rank 607, so the Xeon E3-1235 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 i5-4590S

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
11666%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
11023%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
8004%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
2411%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
1910%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
1671%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
957%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
944%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
860%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
860%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
850%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
827%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
816%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
812%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
805%
#388
Ryzen Embedded R2312
MSRP: $150|Avg: $150
99%
#389
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
MSRP: $4999|Avg: $5200
98%
#647
Core i5-4590S
MSRP: $192|Avg: $45
100%
#648
Pentium G2020
MSRP: $64|Avg: $15
100%
#649
Pentium G3450
MSRP: $82|Avg: $25
100%
#650
Core i7-6700
MSRP: $303|Avg: $143
99%
#651
Athlon II X4 631
MSRP: $80|Avg: $15
99%
#652
Pentium G3240T
MSRP: $64|Avg: $15
99%
#653
Core i3-4160T
MSRP: $117|Avg: $18
99%
#657
Core i3-4350
MSRP: $138|Avg: $130
98%
#659
Core i5-6600T
MSRP: $213|Avg: $35
98%
#660
FX-4350
MSRP: $122|Avg: $140
98%
#661
Core i5-3570T
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
98%
#662
Core i5-6600K
MSRP: $242|Avg: $105
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1235

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
9757%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1842%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1637%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1264%
#363
Xeon W-2191B
MSRP: $1333|Avg: $39
100%
#364
Xeon Gold 5320
MSRP: $1780|Avg: $1834
99%
#365
EPYC 7513
MSRP: $2840|Avg: $389
99%
#366
Xeon Silver 4216
MSRP: $1011|Avg: $800
98%
#367
EPYC 9454P
MSRP: $4598|Avg: $3333
97%
#369
Xeon Gold 6542Y
MSRP: $2878|Avg: N/A
94%
#370
EPYC 7502
MSRP: $2600|Avg: $1299
94%
#607
Xeon E3-1235
MSRP: $240|Avg: $270
100%
#611
Xeon E3-1265L v3
MSRP: $294|Avg: $398
99%
#612
Xeon E3-1280 v2
MSRP: $315|Avg: $50
99%
#618
Xeon W-2133
MSRP: $617|Avg: $617
96%
#622
Xeon E5607
MSRP: $135|Avg: $27
93%
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 ($270) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1235 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i5-4590SXeon E3-1235
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($45)
⚠️ Higher cost ($270)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-4590S ($45), 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 ($225 less, 83% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i5-4590SXeon E3-1235
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+502%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($45)
⚠️ Higher cost ($270)

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 i5-4590S and Xeon E3-1235

Intel

Core i5-4590S

The Core i5-4590S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,131 points. Launch price was $291.

Intel

Xeon E3-1235

The Xeon E3-1235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,112 points. Launch price was $287.

Processing Power

The Core i5-4590S packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E3-1235's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-4590S versus 3.6 GHz on the Xeon E3-1235 — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-4590S (base: 3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-4590S uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E3-1235 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4590S scores 5,131 against the Xeon E3-1235's 5,112 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-4590S. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-4590S vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1235.

FeatureCore i5-4590SXeon E3-1235
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz+3%
3.6 GHz
Base Clock
3 GHz
3.2 GHz+7%
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256 kB (per core)
Process
22 nm-31%
32 nm
Architecture
Haswell (2013−2015)
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark
5,131
5,112
Geekbench 6 Single
1,116
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4590S uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1235 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i5-4590SXeon E3-1235
Socket
LGA1150
LGA1155
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-4590S) / not specified (Xeon E3-1235). The Core i5-4590S includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Xeon E3-1235 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4590S targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-4590S rivals A10-7850K.

FeatureCore i5-4590SXeon E3-1235
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 4600
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-4590S launched at $192 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1235 debuted at $240. At current prices ($45 vs $270), the Core i5-4590S is $225 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-4590S delivers 114.0 pts/$ vs 18.9 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1235 — making the Core i5-4590S the 143% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-4590SXeon E3-1235
MSRP
$192-20%
$240
Avg Price (30d)
$45-83%
$270
Performance per Dollar
114.0+503%
18.9
Release Date
2014
2011