CPU
GPU
Core i7-4720HQ
Xeon D-1521
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 i7-4720HQ is positioned at rank 974 and the Xeon D-1521 is on rank 505, so the Xeon D-1521 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4720HQ
Performance Per Dollar Xeon D-1521
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon D-1521 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($241) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon D-1521 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($241) |
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 i7-4720HQ and Xeon D-1521
Core i7-4720HQ
The Core i7-4720HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,714 points. Launch price was $378.
Xeon D-1521
The Xeon D-1521 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1667. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,703 points. Launch price was $199.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-4720HQ and Xeon D-1521 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4720HQ versus 2.7 GHz on the Xeon D-1521 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-4720HQ (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-4720HQ uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon D-1521 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4720HQ scores 5,714 against the Xeon D-1521's 5,703 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-4720HQ. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i7-4720HQ vs 1.5 MB (per core) on the Xeon D-1521.
| Feature | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon D-1521 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+33% | 2.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+8% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB+300% | 1.5 MB (per core) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Broadwell (2015−2019) |
| PassMark | 5,714 | 5,703 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-4720HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon D-1521 uses FCBGA1667 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon D-1521 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1364 | FCBGA1667 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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