Pentium D 820 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3
Pentium D 820
Xeon E3-1220L v3
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 D 820 is positioned at rank 1065 and the Xeon E3-1220L v3 is on rank 939, so the Xeon E3-1220L v3 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium D 820
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1220L v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium D 820 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 90 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium D 820 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+51%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
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 D 820 and Xeon E3-1220L v3
Pentium D 820
The Pentium D 820 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,412 points. Launch price was $69.
Xeon E3-1220L v3
The Xeon E3-1220L v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4096 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,407 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Pentium D 820 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Xeon E3-1220L v3's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Pentium D 820 versus 1.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L v3 — a 60.5% clock advantage for the Pentium D 820 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Pentium D 820 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (90 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium D 820 scores 1,412 against the Xeon E3-1220L v3's 1,407 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium D 820. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium D 820 vs 4096 kB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L v3.
| Feature | Pentium D 820 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+87% | 1.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+155% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4096 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 90 nm | 22 nm-76% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 1,412 | 1,407 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 166 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium D 820 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Pentium D 820 versus DDR3-1600 on the Xeon E3-1220L v3 — the Xeon E3-1220L v3 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E3-1220L v3 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Pentium D 820) vs 16 (Xeon E3-1220L v3) — the Xeon E3-1220L v3 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 945,Intel 955 (Pentium D 820) and C222,C224,C226 (Xeon E3-1220L v3).
| Feature | Pentium D 820 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 3.0+173% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | DDR3-1600+50% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | 32 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: No (Pentium D 820) vs VT-P (Xeon E3-1220L v3).
| Feature | Pentium D 820 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | No | VT-P |
Value Analysis
The Pentium D 820 launched at $241 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 debuted at $193. At current prices ($20 vs $30), the Pentium D 820 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 820 delivers 70.6 pts/$ vs 46.9 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1220L v3 — making the Pentium D 820 the 40.3% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium D 820 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $241 | $193-20% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20-33% | $30 |
| Performance per Dollar | 70.6+51% | 46.9 |
| Release Date | 2005 | 2013 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Pentium D 820 and Xeon E3-1220L v3
