
Xeon 5120 vs E2-1800

Xeon 5120

E2-1800
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 E2-1800 is on rank 826, so the E2-1800 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 E2-1800
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon 5120 | E2-1800 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Woodcrest (2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Zacate (2011−2013) / 40 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon 5120 | E2-1800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 Xeon 5120 and E2-1800

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.

E2-1800
The E2-1800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Zacate (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,110 points. Launch price was $50.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon 5120 and E2-1800 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.87 GHz on the Xeon 5120 versus 1.7 GHz on the E2-1800 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Xeon 5120. The Xeon 5120 uses the Woodcrest (2006) architecture (65 nm), while the E2-1800 uses Zacate (2011−2013) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 5120 scores 1,115 against the E2-1800's 1,110 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon 5120. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | E2-1800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.87 GHz+10% | 1.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.86 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+700% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 40 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Woodcrest (2006) | Zacate (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,115 | 1,110 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon 5120 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the E2-1800 uses FT1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | E2-1800 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | FT1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
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