Xeon 5120 vs Athlon II X2 245
Xeon 5120
Athlon II X2 245
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 Xeon 5120 is positioned at rank 857 and the Athlon II X2 245 is on rank 862, so the Xeon 5120 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon 5120
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 245
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon 5120 | Athlon II X2 245 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Woodcrest (2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon 5120 | Athlon II X2 245 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+2%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Xeon 5120 and Athlon II X2 245
Xeon 5120
The Xeon 5120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Junho 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Woodcrest (2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,115 points. Launch price was $45.
Athlon II X2 245
The Athlon II X2 245 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 July 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,134 points. Launch price was $35.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon 5120 and Athlon II X2 245 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.87 GHz on the Xeon 5120 versus 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X2 245 — a 43.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 245 (base: 1.86 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon 5120 uses the Woodcrest (2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon II X2 245 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 5120 scores 1,115 against the Athlon II X2 245's 1,134 — a 1.7% lead for the Athlon II X2 245. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Athlon II X2 245 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.87 GHz | 2.9 GHz+55% |
| Base Clock | 1.86 GHz | 2.9 GHz+56% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+100% | 2 MB |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Woodcrest (2006) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,115 | 1,134+2% |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon 5120 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 245 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Athlon II X2 245 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon 5120) / true (Athlon II X2 245). Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 245 rivals Pentium E5500.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Athlon II X2 245 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
Value Analysis
The Xeon 5120 launched at $107 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 245 debuted at $66. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Athlon II X2 245 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon 5120 delivers 74.3 pts/$ vs 75.6 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 245 — making the Athlon II X2 245 the 1.7% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Athlon II X2 245 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107 | $66-38% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 74.3 | 75.6+2% |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2009 |
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