Pentium Gold G5600 vs Xeon E3-1220

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.

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

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1220

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

10768%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

2033%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1806%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1395%

#378

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

MSRP: $7999|Avg: $7999

100%

#379

Xeon W-3345

MSRP: $2499|Avg: $3319

100%

#380

Xeon Gold 6526Y

MSRP: $2878|Avg: N/A

99%

#382

Xeon Platinum 8352Y

MSRP: $3995|Avg: N/A

97%

#383

EPYC 7551P

MSRP: $2100|Avg: $329

94%

#632

Xeon E3-1220

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#636

Xeon E5-2680 v2

MSRP: $667|Avg: $462

99%

#640

Xeon W-2104

MSRP: $294|Avg: $309

97%

#643

Xeon E5-2620 v3

MSRP: $417|Avg: $80

96%

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 G5600 (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4-2400, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium Gold G5600	Xeon E3-1220
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E3-1220 (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium Gold G5600	Xeon E3-1220
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 G5600 Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1220 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold G5600 and Xeon E3-1220

Pentium Gold G5600

The Pentium Gold G5600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,844 points. Launch price was $93.

Xeon E3-1220

The Xeon E3-1220 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,859 points. Launch price was $395.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium Gold G5600 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E3-1220 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E3-1220 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5600 versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220 — a 13.7% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G5600 (base: 3.9 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Pentium Gold G5600 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold G5600 scores 3,844 against the Xeon E3-1220's 3,859 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E3-1220. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G5600 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220.

Feature	Pentium Gold G5600	Xeon E3-1220
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+15%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+26%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	3,844	3,859
Cinebench R23 Multi	2,200	—
Geekbench 6 Single	837	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold G5600 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1220 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Gold G5600	Xeon E3-1220
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4 2400 MHz	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	✅	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Pentium Gold G5600) / not specified (Xeon E3-1220). The Pentium Gold G5600 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E3-1220 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Gold G5600 targets Desktop.