Core i7-5500U vs Xeon E5540
Core i7-5500U
Xeon E5540
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 i7-5500U is positioned at rank 733 and the Xeon E5540 is on rank 745, so the Core i7-5500U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5500U
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5540
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-5500U | Xeon E5540 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-5500U | Xeon E5540 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i7-5500U and Xeon E5540
Core i7-5500U
The Core i7-5500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,807 points. Launch price was $393.
Xeon E5540
The Xeon E5540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,805 points. Launch price was $30.
Processing Power
The Core i7-5500U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5540 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Core i7-5500U versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5540 — a 6.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-5500U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Core i7-5500U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E5540 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-5500U scores 2,807 against the Xeon E5540's 2,805 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-5500U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-5500U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E5540.
| Feature | Core i7-5500U | Xeon E5540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz+7% | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.53 GHz+5% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 8 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell-U (2015) | Gainestown (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 2,807 | 2,805 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 956 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,933 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-5500U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5540 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-5500U | Xeon E5540 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i7-5500U) / not specified (Xeon E5540). The Core i7-5500U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 5500), while the Xeon E5540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-5500U targets Ultrabook.
| Feature | Core i7-5500U | Xeon E5540 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 5500 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x / VT-d / EPT | — |
| Target Use | Ultrabook | — |
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