Pentium Gold 8500 vs Xeon E3-1225 v2

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 Gold 8500 is positioned at rank 527 and the Xeon E3-1225 v2 is on rank 480, so the Xeon E3-1225 v2 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

99%

#169

Core i7-1280P

MSRP: $482|Avg: $482

98%

#515

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

691%

#516

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

680%

#517

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

625%

#518

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

622%

#519

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

616%

#521

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

595%

#522

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

570%

#523

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

570%

#524

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

554%

#527

Pentium Gold 8500

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1225 v2

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

6909%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1304%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1159%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

895%

#303

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

MSRP: $2495|Avg: $2495

100%

#304

EPYC 7352

MSRP: $1350|Avg: $725

99%

#305

Xeon w7-2475X

MSRP: $1789|Avg: $2544

99%

#307

Xeon W-3323

MSRP: $949|Avg: $500

97%

#308

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3945WX

MSRP: $1149|Avg: $100

97%

#480

Xeon E3-1225 v2

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#492

Xeon W-2223

MSRP: $294|Avg: $330

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium Gold 8500 (2022) utilizes Intel 7 nm technology and LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium Gold 8500	Xeon E3-1225 v2
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / Standard Node)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1225 v2 (2012) relies on older node technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium Gold 8500	Xeon E3-1225 v2
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Pentium Gold 8500 Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1225 v2 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold 8500 and Xeon E3-1225 v2

Pentium Gold 8500

The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon E3-1225 v2

The Xeon E3-1225 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Passmark benchmark score: 6,015 points. Launch price was $800.