CPU
GPU
Xeon 5160
Xeon E5502
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 5160 is positioned at rank 903 and the Xeon E5502 is on rank 893, so the Xeon E5502 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon 5160
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5502
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon 5160 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Woodcrest (2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon 5160 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
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 5160 and Xeon E5502
Xeon 5160
The Xeon 5160 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,715 points. Launch price was $22.
Xeon E5502
The Xeon E5502 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,725 points. Launch price was $95.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon 5160 and Xeon E5502 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Xeon 5160 versus 1.87 GHz on the Xeon E5502 — a 46.4% clock advantage for the Xeon 5160 (base: 3 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Xeon 5160 uses the Woodcrest (2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Xeon E5502 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 5160 scores 1,715 against the Xeon E5502's 1,725 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon E5502. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Xeon 5160 vs 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5502.
| Feature | Xeon 5160 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz+60% | 1.87 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz+61% | 1.86 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Woodcrest (2006) | Gainestown (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,715 | 1,725 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 200 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 800 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon 5160 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5502 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon 5160 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 144 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 32 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon 5160) / true (Xeon E5502).
| Feature | Xeon 5160 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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