Xeon E3-1220L vs Phenom II X4 925
Xeon E3-1220L
Phenom II X4 925
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 Phenom II X4 925 is on rank 279, so the Phenom II X4 925 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 Phenom II X4 925
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3-1220L | Phenom II X4 925 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($27) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3-1220L | Phenom II X4 925 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($27) | ✅ 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 E3-1220L and Phenom II X4 925
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.
Phenom II X4 925
The Phenom II X4 925 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). 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: 2,261 points. Launch price was $160.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1220L packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 925 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 925 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220L versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 925 — a 19.4% 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 Phenom II X4 925 uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1220L scores 2,263 against the Phenom II X4 925's 2,261 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E3-1220L. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 925.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Phenom II X4 925 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+21% | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.8 GHz+27% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 6 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Deneb (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,263 | 2,261 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3-1220L uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 925 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3-1220L | Phenom II X4 925 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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