Xeon E3-1220L vs Core i7-940XM

Xeon E3-1220L

2 Cores4 Thrd20 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2011

Core i7-940XM

4 Cores8 Thrd55 WWMax: 3.33 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E3-1220L

2 / 4

2,263

0.0%

2,269

+0.3%

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 Core i7-940XM is on rank 1237, so the Xeon E3-1220L 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

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

17362%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

3278%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2912%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2250%

#464

Xeon W-3375

MSRP: $4951|Avg: $6000

100%

#466

Xeon Platinum 8358

MSRP: $4607|Avg: $3145

99%

#467

EPYC 7662

MSRP: $6150|Avg: $1266

98%

#467

EPYC 7713

MSRP: $7060|Avg: $1299

98%

#812

Xeon E3-1220L

MSRP: $189|Avg: $27

100%

#813

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%

#827

Xeon W3565

MSRP: $294|Avg: $69

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-940XM

#1225

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

14174%

#1226

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

13966%

#1227

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

12821%

#1228

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

12763%

#1229

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

12646%

#1231

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

12213%

#1232

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

11710%

#1233

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

11691%

#1234

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

11377%

#1237

Core i7-940XM

MSRP: $1096|Avg: N/A

100%

#1238

Core Solo T1350

MSRP: $200|Avg: $70

98%

#1240

Core Solo T1300

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

89%

#1241

Core Solo T1200

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

82%

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 ($27) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1220L is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon E3-1220L	Core i7-940XM
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($27)	⚠️ Higher cost ($1,096)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Clarksfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-940XM ($1,096), 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 ($1,069 less, 3959% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon E3-1220L	Core i7-940XM
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+3949%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($27)	⚠️ Higher cost ($1,096)

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 E3-1220L Benchmark Check

Core i7-940XM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1220L and Core i7-940XM

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.

Core i7-940XM

The Core i7-940XM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 2,269 points. Launch price was $1,096.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E3-1220L packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-940XM offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-940XM has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L versus 3.33 GHz on the Core i7-940XM — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1220L (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.13 GHz). The Xeon E3-1220L uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-940XM uses Clarksfield (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220L scores 2,263 against the Core i7-940XM's 2,269 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-940XM. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-940XM.

Feature	Xeon E3-1220L	Core i7-940XM
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz+2%	3.33 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz+3%	2.13 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+167%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Clarksfield (2009−2010)
PassMark	2,263	2,269

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E3-1220L uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-940XM uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.