Xeon E3-1220L v2
VS
Core i7-3517UE

Xeon E3-1220L v2 vs Core i7-3517UE

Intel

Xeon E3-1220L v2

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2012
VS
Intel

Core i7-3517UE

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2012

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 E3-1220L v2 is positioned at rank 810 and the Core i7-3517UE is on rank 1154, so the Xeon E3-1220L v2 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 E3-1220L v2

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
17333%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
3273%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
2908%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
2246%
#463
EPYC 75F3
MSRP: $5383|Avg: $2799
100%
#464
Xeon W-3375
MSRP: $4951|Avg: $6000
100%
#466
Xeon Platinum 8358
MSRP: $4607|Avg: $3145
98%
#467
EPYC 7713
MSRP: $7060|Avg: $1299
98%
#467
EPYC 7662
MSRP: $6150|Avg: $1266
98%
#810
Xeon E3-1220L v2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#812
Xeon E3-1220L
MSRP: $189|Avg: $27
100%
#814
Xeon X3450
MSRP: $241|Avg: $39
100%
#817
Xeon W3680
MSRP: $594|Avg: $26
99%
#819
Xeon E5-2640 v3
MSRP: $939|Avg: $189
98%
#824
Xeon E5-1660 v3
MSRP: $1080|Avg: $198
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3517UE

#1142
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
4064%
#1143
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
4004%
#1144
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
3676%
#1145
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
3659%
#1146
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
3626%
#1148
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
3501%
#1149
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
3357%
#1150
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
3352%
#1151
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
3262%
#1154
Core i7-3517UE
MSRP: $330|Avg: $35
100%
#1155
Core M-5Y51
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
100%
#1156
Pentium N3530
MSRP: $161|Avg: $20
100%
#1157
Core i3-330E
MSRP: $177|Avg: $89
99%
#1159
Core i7-2640M
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
98%
#1160
Core M-5Y71
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
97%
#1162
Core i7-2620M
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
97%
#1164
Celeron N3010
MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A
95%
#1165
Core i7-3537U
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
94%
#1166
Core M-5Y10c
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
94%
#1167
Core M-5Y10a
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
94%
#1168
Core M-5Y31
MSRP: $281|Avg: $30
94%
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 ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1220L v2 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightXeon E3-1220L v2Core i7-3517UE
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($35)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3517UE ($35), 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 ($35 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon E3-1220L v2Core i7-3517UE
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($35)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1220L v2 and Core i7-3517UE

Intel

Xeon E3-1220L v2

The Xeon E3-1220L v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,397 points. Launch price was $800.

Intel

Core i7-3517UE

The Core i7-3517UE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 2,384 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1220L v2 and Core i7-3517UE share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L v2 versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-3517UE — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L v2 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). Both are built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture using a 22 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220L v2 scores 2,397 against the Core i7-3517UE's 2,384 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E3-1220L v2. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L v2 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3517UE.

FeatureXeon E3-1220L v2Core i7-3517UE
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.5 GHz+25%
2.8 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz+35%
1.7 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)+100%
4 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
256 kB (per core)
Process
22 nm
22 nm
Architecture
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark
2,397
2,384
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1220L v2 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3517UE uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureXeon E3-1220L v2Core i7-3517UE
Socket
LGA1155
BGA1023
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0