Xeon D-1521 vs Core i7-2700K

Xeon D-1521

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2015

Core i7-2700K

4 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon D-1521

4 / 8

5,703

+0.2%

5,689

0.0%

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 D-1521 is positioned at rank 505 and the Core i7-2700K is on rank 863, so the Xeon D-1521 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon D-1521

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

7251%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

1369%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1216%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

940%

#312

EPYC 7643P

MSRP: $2722|Avg: $2722

99%

#313

Xeon w5-3435X

MSRP: $1589|Avg: $163

99%

#314

Xeon Gold 6312U

MSRP: $1645|Avg: N/A

99%

#315

EPYC 7443

MSRP: $2010|Avg: $1800

98%

#316

Xeon Gold 6416H

MSRP: $1845|Avg: N/A

98%

#318

EPYC 7343

MSRP: $1565|Avg: $1350

97%

#319

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

MSRP: $2399|Avg: $225

97%

#320

EPYC 7413

MSRP: $1825|Avg: $450

97%

#505

Xeon D-1521

MSRP: $199|Avg: $241

100%

#513

Xeon E3-1220 v5

MSRP: $203|Avg: $100

98%

#515

Xeon X5690

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2700K

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

18186%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

17184%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

12477%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

3759%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2977%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2605%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1492%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1472%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1341%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1340%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1325%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1290%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1272%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1267%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1255%

#298

Core i9-7960X

MSRP: $1699|Avg: $185

96%

#863

Core i7-2700K

MSRP: $332|Avg: $45

100%

#865

Core i5-4670K

MSRP: $328|Avg: $200

99%

#866

Core i5-3330S

MSRP: $231|Avg: $30

99%

#867

Celeron G465

MSRP: $70|Avg: $37

99%

#868

Athlon II X4 630

MSRP: $129|Avg: $15

98%

#869

A6-7400K

MSRP: $101|Avg: $43

97%

#870

Core i7-4765T

MSRP: $303|Avg: $50

97%

#871

Core i7-4770TE

MSRP: $303|Avg: $303

97%

#872

Core i5-4570T

MSRP: $195|Avg: $45

96%

#873

Athlon II X2 260u

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

96%

#875

A4-3420

MSRP: $65|Avg: $30

96%

#876

Core i5-5675R

MSRP: $339|Avg: $392

96%

#877

Pentium G3470

MSRP: $150|Avg: $130

95%

#878

Core i5-3335S

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($241) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon D-1521 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon D-1521	Core i7-2700K
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($241)	✅ More affordable ($45)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-2700K ($45), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($196 less, 81% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon D-1521	Core i7-2700K
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+434%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($241)	✅ More affordable ($45)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Xeon D-1521 Benchmark Check

Core i7-2700K Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon D-1521 and Core i7-2700K

Xeon D-1521

The Xeon D-1521 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1667. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,703 points. Launch price was $199.

Core i7-2700K

The Core i7-2700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,689 points. Launch price was $514.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon D-1521 and Core i7-2700K share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Xeon D-1521 versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-2700K — a 36.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-2700K (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Xeon D-1521 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-2700K uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon D-1521 scores 5,703 against the Core i7-2700K's 5,689 — a 0.2% lead for the Xeon D-1521. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core) on the Xeon D-1521 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-2700K.

Feature	Xeon D-1521	Core i7-2700K
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	3.9 GHz+44%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.5 GHz+46%
L3 Cache	1.5 MB (per core)	8 MB (total)+433%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Broadwell (2015−2019)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	5,703	5,689
Geekbench 6 Single	—	701

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon D-1521 uses the FCBGA1667 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2700K uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon D-1521	Core i7-2700K
Socket	FCBGA1667	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon D-1521) / VT-x (Core i7-2700K). The Core i7-2700K includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Xeon D-1521 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-2700K targets Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-2700K rivals FX-8150.

Feature	Xeon D-1521	Core i7-2700K
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics 3000
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x
Target Use	—	Gaming Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon D-1521 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Core i7-2700K debuted at $332. At current prices ($241 vs $45), the Core i7-2700K is $196 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon D-1521 delivers 23.7 pts/$ vs 126.4 pts/$ for the Core i7-2700K — making the Core i7-2700K the 136.9% better value option.