Xeon D-1521 vs Xeon X5650
Xeon D-1521
Xeon X5650
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 D-1521 is positioned at rank 505 and the Xeon X5650 is on rank 502, so the Xeon X5650 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon D-1521
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5650
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon D-1521 | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($241) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon D-1521 | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($241) | ✅ 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 D-1521 and Xeon X5650
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.
Xeon X5650
The Xeon X5650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 3.06 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,742 points. Launch price was $53.
Processing Power
The Xeon D-1521 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon X5650 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon X5650 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Xeon D-1521 versus 3.06 GHz on the Xeon X5650 — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Xeon X5650 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Xeon D-1521 uses the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon X5650 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon D-1521 scores 5,703 against the Xeon X5650's 5,742 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon X5650. L3 cache: 1.5 MB (per core) on the Xeon D-1521 vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon X5650.
| Feature | Xeon D-1521 | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz | 3.06 GHz+13% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.66 GHz+11% |
| L3 Cache | 1.5 MB (per core) | 12 MB (total)+700% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell (2015−2019) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 5,703 | 5,742 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon D-1521 uses the FCBGA1667 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon X5650 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon D-1521 | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1667 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon D-1521) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5650). Primary use case: Xeon X5650 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5650 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Xeon D-1521 | Xeon X5650 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Workstation |
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