Core i5-8279U vs Xeon E5-2450
Core i5-8279U
Xeon E5-2450
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 i5-8279U is positioned at rank 596 and the Xeon E5-2450 is on rank 839, so the Core i5-8279U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8279U
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2450
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-8279U | Xeon E5-2450 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($795) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-8279U | Xeon E5-2450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($795) |
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8279U and Xeon E5-2450
Core i5-8279U
The Core i5-8279U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,464 points. Launch price was $320.
Xeon E5-2450
The Xeon E5-2450 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 20480 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,534 points. Launch price was $500.
Processing Power
The Core i5-8279U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2450 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E5-2450 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-8279U versus 2.9 GHz on the Xeon E5-2450 — a 34.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-8279U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-8279U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5-2450 uses Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8279U scores 7,464 against the Xeon E5-2450's 7,534 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E5-2450. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8279U vs 20480 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2450.
| Feature | Core i5-8279U | Xeon E5-2450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 8 / 16+100% |
| Boost Clock | 4.1 GHz+41% | 2.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz+14% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 20480 kB (total)+233% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) |
| PassMark | 7,464 | 7,534 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-8279U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2450 uses LGA1356 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-8279U | Xeon E5-2450 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | LGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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