CPU
GPU
Phenom X4 9850B
Xeon E5603
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 Phenom X4 9850B is positioned at rank 331 and the Xeon E5603 is on rank 863, so the Phenom X4 9850B offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X4 9850B
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5603
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom X4 9850B | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Agena (2007−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom X4 9850B | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) |
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 Phenom X4 9850B and Xeon E5603
Phenom X4 9850B
The Phenom X4 9850B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,946 points. Launch price was $149.
Xeon E5603
The Xeon E5603 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,935 points. Launch price was $286.
Processing Power
Both the Phenom X4 9850B and Xeon E5603 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Phenom X4 9850B versus 1.6 GHz on the Xeon E5603 — a 43.9% clock advantage for the Phenom X4 9850B. The Phenom X4 9850B uses the Agena (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Xeon E5603 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom X4 9850B scores 1,946 against the Xeon E5603's 1,935 — a 0.6% lead for the Phenom X4 9850B. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9850B vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5603.
| Feature | Phenom X4 9850B | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz+56% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 4 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 32 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Agena (2007−2008) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,946 | 1,935 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom X4 9850B uses the AM2+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5603 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom X4 9850B | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM2+ | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 288 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 32 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Phenom X4 9850B) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5603). Primary use case: Xeon E5603 targets Server.
| Feature | Phenom X4 9850B | Xeon E5603 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Server |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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