
Pentium Gold 4415U
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Xeon W3550
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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.
Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook
This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.
Pentium Gold 4415U
2017Why buy it
- ✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W3550 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,229 vs 3,251).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 8 MB).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W3550, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.
Xeon W3550
2009Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+300% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 2 MB).
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $294 MSRP, while Pentium Gold 4415U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.
Pentium Gold 4415U
2017Xeon W3550
2009Why buy it
- ✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.
Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+300% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 2 MB).
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 8 threads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W3550 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,229 vs 3,251).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 8 MB).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W3550, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $294 MSRP, while Pentium Gold 4415U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.
Quick Answers
So, is Xeon W3550 better than Pentium Gold 4415U?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.

Path of Exile 2
| Preset | Pentium Gold 4415U | Xeon W3550 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 80 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 64 FPS | 70 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 67 FPS | 62 FPS |
| medium | 55 FPS | 56 FPS |
| high | 42 FPS | 43 FPS |
| ultra | 33 FPS | 34 FPS |

Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Pentium Gold 4415U | Xeon W3550 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 65 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 80 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 73 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 56 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 67 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 58 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 40 FPS | 77 FPS |
| ultra | 28 FPS | 54 FPS |

League of Legends
| Preset | Pentium Gold 4415U | Xeon W3550 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |

Valorant
| Preset | Pentium Gold 4415U | Xeon W3550 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold 4415U and Xeon W3550

Pentium Gold 4415U
Pentium Gold 4415U
The Pentium Gold 4415U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,229 points. Launch price was $161.

Xeon W3550
Xeon W3550
The Xeon W3550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 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: 3,251 points. Launch price was $235.
Processing Power
The Pentium Gold 4415U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon W3550 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon W3550 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Pentium Gold 4415U versus 3.33 GHz on the Xeon W3550 — a 40.9% clock advantage for the Xeon W3550 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Pentium Gold 4415U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon W3550 uses Bloomfield (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 4415U scores 3,229 against the Xeon W3550's 3,251 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon W3550. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 4415U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon W3550.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 4415U | Xeon W3550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3.33 GHz+51% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.06 GHz+33% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 8 MB (total)+300% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) | Bloomfield (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 3,229 | 3,251 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Gold 4415U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon W3550 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 4415U | Xeon W3550 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
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