
Pentium 987 vs Xeon E7320

Pentium 987

Xeon E7320
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 987 is positioned at rank 1052 and the Xeon E7320 is on rank 934, so the Xeon E7320 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 987
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E7320
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 987 | Xeon E7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 987 | Xeon E7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ 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 987 and Xeon E7320

Pentium 987
The Pentium 987 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,487 points. Launch price was $134.

Xeon E7320
The Xeon E7320 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 2.13 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA604. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,469 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Pentium 987 is built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium 987 scores 1,487 against the Xeon E7320's 1,469 — a 1.2% lead for the Pentium 987. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987 vs 4 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E7320.
| Feature | Pentium 987 | Xeon E7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | — |
| Boost Clock | 1.5 GHz | — |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.13 GHz+42% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 4 MB L2 Cache+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | — |
| Process | 32 nm-51% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | — |
| PassMark | 1,487+1% | 1,469 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 987 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E7320 uses PGA604 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 987 | Xeon E7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | PGA604 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
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