Core i5-520M vs Xeon E5502

CPU

GPU

Core i5-520M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2010

Xeon E5502

2 Cores2 Thrd80 WWMax: 1.87 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-520M

2 / 4

1,727

+0.1%

1,725

0.0%

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 i5-520M is positioned at rank 1139 and the Xeon E5502 is on rank 893, so the Xeon E5502 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 i5-520M

#1127

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3820%

#1128

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3764%

#1129

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3456%

#1130

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3440%

#1131

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3409%

#1133

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3292%

#1134

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3156%

#1135

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3151%

#1136

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3066%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1141

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

99%

#1142

Pentium B950

MSRP: $134|Avg: $35

99%

#1143

Celeron 220

MSRP: $42|Avg: $42

99%

#1144

Pentium B960

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

99%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

99%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

98%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

98%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

97%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

96%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

96%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

95%

#1154

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5502

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

22639%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

4274%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

3798%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2934%

#502

Xeon Platinum 8362

MSRP: $6236|Avg: $5740

99%

#503

Xeon W-3275M

MSRP: $4449|Avg: $4449

99%

#504

Xeon E5-2660 v3

MSRP: $1445|Avg: $150

98%

#505

Xeon E5-2679 v4

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $500

97%

#506

Xeon E5-2680 v3

MSRP: $1745|Avg: $212

93%

#507

Xeon Platinum 8562Y+

MSRP: $5945|Avg: $7000

92%

#508

Xeon E7-8895 v2

MSRP: $6841|Avg: $65

91%

#893

Xeon E5502

MSRP: $188|Avg: $39

100%

#898

Xeon W-2225

MSRP: $1166|Avg: $150

97%

#899

Xeon E5-2650L v3

MSRP: $1329|Avg: N/A

97%

#906

Xeon E5405

MSRP: $209|Avg: $15

91%

#907

Xeon E5-2440

MSRP: $728|Avg: $249

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 ($39) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E5502 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core i5-520M	Xeon E5502
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($39)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-520M ($225), 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 ($186 less, 477% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core i5-520M	Xeon E5502
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+476%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($39)

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 i5-520M Benchmark Check

Xeon E5502 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-520M and Xeon E5502

Core i5-520M

The Core i5-520M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,727 points. Launch price was $225.

Xeon E5502

The Xeon E5502 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,725 points. Launch price was $95.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-520M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E5502's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Core i5-520M versus 1.87 GHz on the Xeon E5502 — a 44.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-520M (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Core i5-520M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5502 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-520M scores 1,727 against the Xeon E5502's 1,725 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-520M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 360 vs 200, a 57.1% lead for the Core i5-520M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 695 vs 800 (14% advantage for the Xeon E5502). L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-520M vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5502.

Feature	Core i5-520M	Xeon E5502
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.93 GHz+57%	1.87 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+29%	1.86 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Gainestown (2009−2010)
PassMark	1,727	1,725
Geekbench 6 Single	360+80%	200
Geekbench 6 Multi	695	800+15%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-520M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5502 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Core i5-520M versus DDR3-800 on the Xeon E5502 — the Core i5-520M supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E5502 supports up to 144 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 178.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-520M) vs 3 (Xeon E5502). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-520M) vs 32 (Xeon E5502) — the Xeon E5502 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57,QM57 (Core i5-520M) and Intel 5500,Intel 5520,Intel X58 (Xeon E5502).

Feature	Core i5-520M	Xeon E5502
Socket	PGA988	LGA1366
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1066+35433%	DDR3-800
Max RAM Capacity	8	144 GB+1887436700%
RAM Channels	2	3+50%
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	16	32+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support true virtualization. The Core i5-520M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake)), while the Xeon E5502 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-520M rivals AMD Turion II Ultra M660.