Core i7-4720HQ vs Xeon X5650
Core i7-4720HQ
Xeon X5650
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 X5650 is on rank 502, so the Xeon X5650 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 X5650
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 X5650
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 X5650
The Xeon X5650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 3.06 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,742 points. Launch price was $53.
Processing Power
The Core i7-4720HQ packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon X5650 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon X5650 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4720HQ versus 3.06 GHz on the Xeon X5650 — a 16.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-4720HQ (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Core i7-4720HQ uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon X5650 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4720HQ scores 5,714 against the Xeon X5650's 5,742 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon X5650. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i7-4720HQ vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon X5650.
| Feature | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+18% | 3.06 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | 2.66 GHz+2% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB | 12 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 5,714 | 5,742 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-4720HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon X5650 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1364 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-4720HQ) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5650). Primary use case: Xeon X5650 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5650 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Core i7-4720HQ | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Workstation |
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