Core i7-3517U vs Xeon X3330

CPU

GPU

Core i7-3517U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3 GHz2012

Xeon X3330

95 WW2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3517U

2 / 4

2,108

+0.3%

2,102

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 i7-3517U is positioned at rank 340 and the Xeon X3330 is on rank 854, so the Core i7-3517U 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 i7-3517U

#101

Core i5-1350P

MSRP: $320|Avg: $250

97%

#328

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

487%

#329

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

480%

#330

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

441%

#331

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

439%

#332

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

435%

#334

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

420%

#335

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

402%

#336

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

402%

#337

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

391%

#340

Core i7-3517U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon X3330

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

19774%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

3733%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

3317%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2563%

#482

Xeon 6724P

MSRP: $3622|Avg: $3622

100%

#483

EPYC 9634

MSRP: $10304|Avg: $3949

100%

#484

EPYC 7773X

MSRP: $8800|Avg: $8800

99%

#485

Xeon Gold 6258R

MSRP: $3950|Avg: $1400

97%

#486

EPYC 9175F

MSRP: $4256|Avg: $3703

97%

#488

EPYC 9534

MSRP: $8803|Avg: $2999

96%

#854

Xeon X3330

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#856

Xeon 5120

MSRP: $107|Avg: $15

99%

#858

Xeon W3530

MSRP: $294|Avg: $10

99%

#860

Xeon W3520

MSRP: $284|Avg: $15

98%

#861

Xeon E3-1271 v3

MSRP: $727|Avg: $831

98%

#862

Xeon E5603

MSRP: $188|Avg: N/A

98%

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 X3330 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core i7-3517U	Xeon X3330
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3517U ($0), 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 ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core i7-3517U	Xeon X3330
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i7-3517U Benchmark Check

Xeon X3330 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3517U and Xeon X3330

Core i7-3517U

The Core i7-3517U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,108 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon X3330

The Xeon X3330 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,102 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-3517U is built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i7-3517U scores 2,108 against the Xeon X3330's 2,102 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-3517U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3517U vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon X3330.

Feature	Core i7-3517U	Xeon X3330
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	—
Boost Clock	3 GHz	—
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	2.66 GHz+40%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	6 MB L2 Cache+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	—
PassMark	2,108	2,102

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3517U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon X3330 uses LGA775 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-3517U	Xeon X3330
Socket	BGA1023	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i7-3517U) / not specified (Xeon X3330). The Core i7-3517U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon X3330 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3517U rivals AMD A10-4655M.