Core i7-3517UE
VS
Xeon E5-2403

Core i7-3517UE vs Xeon E5-2403

Intel

Core i7-3517UE

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2012
VS
Intel

Xeon E5-2403

4 Cores4 Thrd80 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2012

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 i7-3517UE is positioned at rank 1154 and the Xeon E5-2403 is on rank 816, so the Xeon E5-2403 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 i7-3517UE

#1142
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
4064%
#1143
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
4004%
#1144
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
3676%
#1145
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
3659%
#1146
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
3626%
#1148
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
3501%
#1149
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
3357%
#1150
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
3352%
#1151
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
3262%
#1154
Core i7-3517UE
MSRP: $330|Avg: $35
100%
#1155
Core M-5Y51
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
100%
#1156
Pentium N3530
MSRP: $161|Avg: $20
100%
#1157
Core i3-330E
MSRP: $177|Avg: $89
99%
#1159
Core i7-2640M
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
98%
#1160
Core M-5Y71
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
97%
#1162
Core i7-2620M
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
97%
#1164
Celeron N3010
MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A
95%
#1165
Core i7-3537U
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
94%
#1166
Core M-5Y10c
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
94%
#1167
Core M-5Y10a
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
94%
#1168
Core M-5Y31
MSRP: $281|Avg: $30
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2403

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
17553%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
3314%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
2944%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
2275%
#466
Xeon Platinum 8358
MSRP: $4607|Avg: $3145
100%
#467
EPYC 7713
MSRP: $7060|Avg: $1299
99%
#467
EPYC 7662
MSRP: $6150|Avg: $1266
99%
#469
EPYC 9554
MSRP: $9087|Avg: $2795
97%
#470
Xeon Gold 6338T
MSRP: $3139|Avg: $1795
96%
#471
Xeon E5-2650 v4
MSRP: $1166|Avg: $45
96%
#816
Xeon E5-2403
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#817
Xeon W3680
MSRP: $594|Avg: $26
100%
#819
Xeon E5-2640 v3
MSRP: $939|Avg: $189
99%
#824
Xeon E5-1660 v3
MSRP: $1080|Avg: $198
98%
#827
Xeon W3565
MSRP: $294|Avg: $69
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 E5-2403 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i7-3517UEXeon E5-2403
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($35)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3517UE ($35), 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 ($35 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i7-3517UEXeon E5-2403
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($35)
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 i7-3517UE and Xeon E5-2403

Intel

Core i7-3517UE

The Core i7-3517UE 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 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 2,384 points. Launch price was $69.

Intel

Xeon E5-2403

The Xeon E5-2403 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 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10240 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,367 points. Launch price was $230.

Processing Power

The Core i7-3517UE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5-2403 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5-2403 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-3517UE versus 1.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-2403 — a 43.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-3517UE (base: 1.7 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i7-3517UE uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-2403 uses Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3517UE scores 2,384 against the Xeon E5-2403's 2,367 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-3517UE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3517UE vs 10240 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2403.

FeatureCore i7-3517UEXeon E5-2403
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.8 GHz+56%
1.8 GHz
Base Clock
1.7 GHz
1.8 GHz+6%
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
10240 kB (total)+150%
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256 kB (per core)
Process
22 nm-31%
32 nm
Architecture
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
Sandy Bridge-EN (2012)
PassMark
2,384
2,367
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3517UE uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2403 uses LGA1356 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-3517UEXeon E5-2403
Socket
BGA1023
LGA1356
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0