Pentium 2020M vs Xeon E3120
Pentium 2020M
Xeon E3120
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 Pentium 2020M is positioned at rank 1063 and the Xeon E3120 is on rank 948, so the Xeon E3120 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 2020M
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3120
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 2020M | Xeon E3120 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($134) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 2020M | Xeon E3120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($134) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Pentium 2020M and Xeon E3120
Pentium 2020M
The Pentium 2020M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,412 points. Launch price was $134.
Xeon E3120
The Xeon E3120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 3.16 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,408 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Pentium 2020M is built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium 2020M scores 1,412 against the Xeon E3120's 1,408 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium 2020M. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2020M vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E3120.
| Feature | Pentium 2020M | Xeon E3120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | — |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | — |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3.16 GHz+32% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 6 MB L2 Cache+200% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | — |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | — |
| PassMark | 1,412 | 1,408 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 391 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 667 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 2020M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3120 uses LGA775 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 2020M | Xeon E3120 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x / EPT (Pentium 2020M) / not specified (Xeon E3120). The Pentium 2020M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Xeon E3120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 2020M targets Budget.
| Feature | Pentium 2020M | Xeon E3120 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x / EPT | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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