Core i7-940
VS
Xeon W3530

Core i7-940 vs Xeon W3530

Intel

Core i7-940

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2008
VS
Intel

Xeon W3530

4 Cores8 Thrd130 WWMax: 3.06 GHz2010

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 i7-940 is positioned at rank 1071 and the Xeon W3530 is on rank 859, so the Xeon W3530 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 i7-940

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
57832%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
54646%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
39677%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
11953%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
9468%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
8283%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
4744%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
4682%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
4263%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
4263%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
4215%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
4101%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
4044%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
4028%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
3991%
#1071
Core i7-940
MSRP: $562|Avg: $90
100%
#1072
Celeron 2.40
MSRP: $69|Avg: $13
93%
#1073
Sempron 2800+
MSRP: $65|Avg: $29
91%
#1074
Athlon 64 3100+
MSRP: $100|Avg: $15
88%
#1075
Sempron 3600+
MSRP: $105|Avg: $20
86%
#1076
Celeron 2.80
MSRP: $100|Avg: $15
79%
#1077
Athlon 64 X2 6000+
MSRP: $450|Avg: $20
75%
#1078
Athlon 64 3600+
MSRP: $149|Avg: $15
74%
#1079
Core 2 Quad Q6700
MSRP: $530|Avg: $50
73%
#1080
Athlon 64 2600+
MSRP: $100|Avg: $5
73%
#1081
Celeron 2.20
MSRP: $79|Avg: $15
72%
#1082
Athlon 64 X2 5200+
MSRP: $420|Avg: $15
66%
#1083
Athlon 64 X2 4000+
MSRP: $328|Avg: $10
66%
#1084
Core i7-975
MSRP: $999|Avg: $50
65%
#1085
Athlon XP 2600+
MSRP: $98|Avg: $10
64%
#1086
Core i7-965
MSRP: $1000|Avg: $40
63%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon W3530

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
19983%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
3773%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
3352%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
2590%
#484
EPYC 7773X
MSRP: $8800|Avg: $8800
100%
#485
Xeon Gold 6258R
MSRP: $3950|Avg: $1400
98%
#486
EPYC 9175F
MSRP: $4256|Avg: $3703
98%
#488
EPYC 9534
MSRP: $8803|Avg: $2999
97%
#489
EPYC 9654
MSRP: $11805|Avg: $5345
97%
#490
EPYC 7H12
MSRP: $6950|Avg: $1340
96%
#491
EPYC 7742
MSRP: $6950|Avg: $800
96%
#492
Xeon Platinum 8352M
MSRP: $4471|Avg: $4471
95%
#859
Xeon W3530
MSRP: $294|Avg: $10
100%
#861
Xeon W3520
MSRP: $284|Avg: $15
100%
#862
Xeon E3-1271 v3
MSRP: $727|Avg: $831
99%
#863
Xeon E5603
MSRP: $188|Avg: N/A
99%
#871
Xeon 6315P
MSRP: $1166|Avg: $160
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 ($10) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon W3530 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i7-940Xeon W3530
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($90)
More affordable ($10)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-940 ($90), 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 ($80 less, 800% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i7-940Xeon W3530
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+809%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($90)
More affordable ($10)

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 i7-940 and Xeon W3530

Intel

Core i7-940

The Core i7-940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Novembro 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,029 points. Launch price was $299.

Intel

Xeon W3530

The Xeon W3530 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.06 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,059 points. Launch price was $999.

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-940 and Xeon W3530 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-940 versus 3.06 GHz on the Xeon W3530 — a 4.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-940 (base: 2.93 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). Both are built on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture using a 45 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i7-940 scores 3,029 against the Xeon W3530's 3,059 — a 1% lead for the Xeon W3530. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

FeatureCore i7-940Xeon W3530
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz+5%
3.06 GHz
Base Clock
2.93 GHz+5%
2.8 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
8 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Bloomfield (2008−2010)
Bloomfield (2008−2010)
PassMark
3,029
3,059
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1366 socket with PCIe 2.0.

FeatureCore i7-940Xeon W3530
Socket
LGA1366
LGA1366
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity
24 GB
RAM Channels
3
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
36
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Core i7-940) / not specified (Xeon W3530). Primary use case: Core i7-940 targets Desktop.

FeatureCore i7-940Xeon W3530
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-940 launched at $562 MSRP, while the Xeon W3530 debuted at $294. At current prices ($90 vs $10), the Xeon W3530 is $80 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-940 delivers 33.7 pts/$ vs 305.9 pts/$ for the Xeon W3530 — making the Xeon W3530 the 160.4% better value option.

FeatureCore i7-940Xeon W3530
MSRP
$562
$294-48%
Avg Price (30d)
$90
$10-89%
Performance per Dollar
33.7
305.9+808%
Release Date
2008
2010