
Pentium N4200 vs Xeon L5420

Pentium N4200

Xeon L5420
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 N4200 is positioned at rank 1012 and the Xeon L5420 is on rank 847, so the Xeon L5420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N4200
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5420
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium N4200 | Xeon L5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30.89) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium N4200 | Xeon L5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30.89) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 N4200 and Xeon L5420

Pentium N4200
The Pentium N4200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,158 points. Launch price was $161.

Xeon L5420
The Xeon L5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 March 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 50 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,143 points. Launch price was $380.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium N4200 and Xeon L5420 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Pentium N4200 versus 2.5 GHz on the Xeon L5420 — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.1 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Pentium N4200 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon L5420 uses Harpertown (2007−2008) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N4200 scores 2,158 against the Xeon L5420's 2,143 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium N4200. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N4200 vs 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon L5420.
| Feature | Pentium N4200 | Xeon L5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 2.5 GHz+127% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB L2 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+500% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 6 MB (total)+200% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) | Harpertown (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 2,158 | 2,143 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium N4200 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon L5420 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium N4200 | Xeon L5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1296 | LGA771 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
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