Pentium Gold 4417U vs Xeon X5560

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.

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Xeon X5560 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Xeon X5560: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium Gold 4417U

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 1W instead of 95W, a 94W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon X5560 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon X5560, which brings 4 cores / 8 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $161 MSRP, while Xeon X5560 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon X5560

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.6% higher average FPS across 50 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

❌Lower PassMark (3,231 vs 3,240).
❌9400% higher power demand at 95W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold 4417U better than Xeon X5560?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon X5560 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Pentium Gold 4417U is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 4417U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium Gold 4417U is the better buy right now. Pentium Gold 4417U comes in at an unclear MSRP at $161 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon X5560 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium Gold 4417U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium Gold 4417U vs Xeon X5560 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Pentium Gold 4417U

The Pentium Gold 4417U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,240 points. Launch price was $161.

Xeon X5560

The Xeon X5560 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 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): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,231 points. Launch price was $44.

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Processing Power

The Pentium Gold 4417U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon X5560 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon X5560 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 4417U versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon X5560 — a 32.7% clock advantage for the Xeon X5560 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Pentium Gold 4417U uses the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon X5560 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 4417U scores 3,240 against the Xeon X5560's 3,231 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium Gold 4417U. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 4417U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon X5560.

Feature	Pentium Gold 4417U	Xeon X5560
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	3.2 GHz+39%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.8 GHz+22%
L3 Cache	2 MB	8 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)	Gainestown (2009−2010)
PassMark	3,240	3,231

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold 4417U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon X5560 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Gold 4417U	Xeon X5560
Socket	BGA1356	LGA1366
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
RAM Channels	—	3
ECC Support	—	Yes

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Gold 4417U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5560). Primary use case: Xeon X5560 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5560 rivals Core i3-2100.