Core i5-7442EQ
VS
Xeon Bronze 3204

Core i5-7442EQ vs Xeon Bronze 3204

Intel

Core i5-7442EQ

4 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2017
VS
Intel

Xeon Bronze 3204

6 Cores6 Thrd85 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2019

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 i5-7442EQ is positioned at rank 807 and the Xeon Bronze 3204 is on rank 572, so the Xeon Bronze 3204 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 i5-7442EQ

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
16118%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
15230%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
11058%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
3331%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
2639%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
2308%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1322%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1305%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1188%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1188%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1175%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1143%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
1127%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
1122%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
1112%
#805
Pentium G620
MSRP: $64|Avg: $12
100%
#806
Pentium G645T
MSRP: $64|Avg: $15
100%
#807
Core i5-7442EQ
MSRP: $250|Avg: $50
100%
#810
Core i3-3250T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $15
99%
#811
Core i5-5575R
MSRP: $265|Avg: $50
99%
#813
Core i3-3210
MSRP: $117|Avg: $25
99%
#814
Celeron G3900E
MSRP: $107|Avg: $35
98%
#815
Athlon II X3 435
MSRP: $87|Avg: $15
98%
#816
Core i7-6822EQ
MSRP: $294|Avg: $190
98%
#817
Athlon II X4 645
MSRP: $126|Avg: $20
97%
#818
Core i5-7400
MSRP: $294|Avg: $70
96%
#819
Pentium E5800
MSRP: $64|Avg: $15
96%
#820
Core i7-6820EQ
MSRP: $378|Avg: $344
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Bronze 3204

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
8663%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1636%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1453%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
1123%
#348
Xeon Gold 6426Y
MSRP: $2145|Avg: N/A
98%
#349
EPYC 4565P
MSRP: $2730|Avg: $1980
98%
#351
Xeon W-2295
MSRP: $1333|Avg: $1400
97%
#352
Xeon 6741P
MSRP: $4421|Avg: $3780
95%
#572
Xeon Bronze 3204
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#573
Xeon E7450
MSRP: $417|Avg: $80
99%
#575
Xeon E3-1225 v3
MSRP: $224|Avg: $29
99%
#577
Xeon E5-1620 v3
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
99%
#583
Xeon E3-1245 v2
MSRP: $273|Avg: $204
97%
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 ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Bronze 3204 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i5-7442EQXeon Bronze 3204
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($50)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-7442EQ ($50), 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 ($50 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i5-7442EQXeon Bronze 3204
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($50)
More affordable ($0)

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 i5-7442EQ and Xeon Bronze 3204

Intel

Core i5-7442EQ

The Core i5-7442EQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 4,834 points. Launch price was $250.

Intel

Xeon Bronze 3204

The Xeon Bronze 3204 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 4,797 points. Launch price was $213.

Processing Power

The Core i5-7442EQ packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon Bronze 3204 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon Bronze 3204 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Core i5-7442EQ versus 1.9 GHz on the Xeon Bronze 3204 — a 10% clock advantage for the Core i5-7442EQ. The Core i5-7442EQ uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Bronze 3204 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-7442EQ scores 4,834 against the Xeon Bronze 3204's 4,797 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-7442EQ. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-7442EQ vs 8.25 MB on the Xeon Bronze 3204.

FeatureCore i5-7442EQXeon Bronze 3204
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
6 / 6+50%
Boost Clock
2.1 GHz+11%
1.9 GHz
Base Clock
1.9 GHz
L3 Cache
6 MB
8.25 MB+38%
L2 Cache
1 MB
6 MB+500%
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
4,834
4,797
Geekbench 6 Single
728
Geekbench 6 Multi
2,387
🧠

Memory & Platform

Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Core i5-7442EQ versus 2133 on the Xeon Bronze 3204 — the Xeon Bronze 3204 supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Bronze 3204 supports up to 1024 of RAM compared to 64 GB 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-7442EQ) vs 6 (Xeon Bronze 3204). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-7442EQ) vs 48 (Xeon Bronze 3204) — the Xeon Bronze 3204 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: QM175,HM175,CM238 (Core i5-7442EQ) and C621 (Xeon Bronze 3204).

FeatureCore i5-7442EQXeon Bronze 3204
Socket
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
2133+53225%
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB+6553500%
1024
RAM Channels
2
6+200%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
48+200%
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Bronze 3204 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-7442EQ) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Bronze 3204). The Core i5-7442EQ includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 630), while the Xeon Bronze 3204 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7442EQ targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Xeon Bronze 3204 rivals EPYC 7232P.

FeatureCore i5-7442EQXeon Bronze 3204
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 630
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Embedded