Xeon E3-1220L vs Athlon X4 730
Xeon E3-1220L
Athlon X4 730
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 X4 730 is on rank 519, so the Athlon X4 730 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 X4 730
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($27) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($52) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+91%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($27) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($52) |
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 X4 730
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 X4 730
The Athlon X4 730 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,278 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1220L packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X4 730 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 730 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L versus 3.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 730 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon E3-1220L uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon X4 730 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220L scores 2,263 against the Athlon X4 730's 2,278 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon X4 730.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+6% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.8 GHz+27% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 4 MB (total)+1500% |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,263 | 2,278 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1220L uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 730 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E3-1220L launched at $189 MSRP, while the Athlon X4 730 debuted at $60. At current prices ($27 vs $52), the Xeon E3-1220L is $25 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E3-1220L delivers 83.8 pts/$ vs 43.8 pts/$ for the Athlon X4 730 — making the Xeon E3-1220L the 62.7% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $189 | $60-68% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $27-48% | $52 |
| Performance per Dollar | 83.8+91% | 43.8 |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2012 |
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