Xeon E3-1220L vs Athlon II X4 640
Xeon E3-1220L
Athlon II X4 640
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 is positioned at rank 812 and the Athlon II X4 640 is on rank 621, so the Athlon II X4 640 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1220L
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 640
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($27) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+80%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($27) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
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 E3-1220L and Athlon II X4 640
Xeon E3-1220L
The Xeon E3-1220L is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,263 points. Launch price was $800.
Athlon II X4 640
The Athlon II X4 640 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,266 points. Launch price was $80.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1220L packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X4 640 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 640 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L versus 3 GHz on the Athlon II X4 640 — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon E3-1220L uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X4 640 uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220L scores 2,263 against the Athlon II X4 640's 2,266 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon II X4 640. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 640.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+13% | 3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3 GHz+36% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Propus (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,263 | 2,266 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 1,471 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 386 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,332 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1220L uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X4 640 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1220L) / AMD-V (Athlon II X4 640). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 640 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X4 640 rivals Core 2 Quad Q8300.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E3-1220L launched at $189 MSRP, while the Athlon II X4 640 debuted at $80. At current prices ($27 vs $15), the Athlon II X4 640 is $12 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E3-1220L delivers 83.8 pts/$ vs 151.1 pts/$ for the Athlon II X4 640 — making the Athlon II X4 640 the 57.3% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $189 | $80-58% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $27 | $15-44% |
| Performance per Dollar | 83.8 | 151.1+80% |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2010 |
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