Xeon E3-1225 vs Core i5-2400

Xeon E3-1225

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2011

Core i5-2400

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E3-1225

4 / 4

3,903

+0.9%

3,870

0.0%

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 E3-1225 is positioned at rank 654 and the Core i5-2400 is on rank 772, so the Xeon E3-1225 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 E3-1225

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

11930%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

2253%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2001%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1546%

#386

Xeon w9-3475X

MSRP: $3739|Avg: $3930

100%

#388

EPYC 9254

MSRP: $3761|Avg: $1099

98%

#389

Xeon Gold 5220R

MSRP: $1780|Avg: $1015

98%

#390

EPYC 9555P

MSRP: $7983|Avg: $6130

97%

#391

Xeon Gold 5218

MSRP: $1273|Avg: $500

97%

#392

EPYC 9374F

MSRP: $4850|Avg: $3466

97%

#393

Xeon Gold 6448Y

MSRP: $3583|Avg: N/A

97%

#394

EPYC 9454

MSRP: $5225|Avg: $576

97%

#654

Xeon E3-1225

MSRP: $224|Avg: $205

100%

#669

Xeon E5645

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2400

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

14822%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

14006%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

10169%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

3064%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2427%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2123%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1216%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1200%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1093%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1093%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1080%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1051%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1036%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1032%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1023%

#291

Core i9-7900X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $188

100%

#772

Core i5-2400

MSRP: $184|Avg: $25

100%

#773

Core i7-5775C

MSRP: $366|Avg: $150

100%

#775

Pentium G2140

MSRP: $100|Avg: $95

99%

#776

Core i7-4790T

MSRP: $303|Avg: $102

99%

#777

Core i5-2320

MSRP: $177|Avg: $22

99%

#778

Celeron E3500

MSRP: $62|Avg: $10

99%

#779

Pentium G2030

MSRP: $85|Avg: $85

99%

#780

Athlon II X2 260

MSRP: $60|Avg: $12

99%

#781

Athlon II X3 445

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

99%

#783

Core i5-2310

MSRP: $177|Avg: $12

98%

#784

Core i5-5675C

MSRP: $276|Avg: $66

98%

#785

Core i5-2380P

MSRP: $177|Avg: $25

98%

#786

Core i5-4690

MSRP: $272|Avg: $120

98%

#787

FX-6120

MSRP: $188|Avg: $54

97%

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 ($205) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E3-1225 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon E3-1225	Core i5-2400
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($205)	✅ More affordable ($25)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-2400 ($25), 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 ($180 less, 88% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon E3-1225	Core i5-2400
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+713%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($205)	✅ More affordable ($25)

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 E3-1225 Benchmark Check

Core i5-2400 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E3-1225 and Core i5-2400

Xeon E3-1225

The Xeon E3-1225 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,903 points. Launch price was $150.

Core i5-2400

The Core i5-2400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,870 points. Launch price was $60.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E3-1225 and Core i5-2400 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E3-1225 versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i5-2400 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). Both are built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture using a 32 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon E3-1225 scores 3,903 against the Core i5-2400's 3,870 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E3-1225. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1225 vs 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2400.

Feature	Xeon E3-1225	Core i5-2400
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	6144 kB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	3,903	3,870
Geekbench 6 Single	—	595

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1155 socket with PCIe 2.0.

Feature	Xeon E3-1225	Core i5-2400
Socket	LGA1155	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3-1225) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-2400). The Core i5-2400 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 2000), while the Xeon E3-1225 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2400 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-2400 rivals Phenom II X4 975.

Feature	Xeon E3-1225	Core i5-2400
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics 2000
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Legacy Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E3-1225 launched at $224 MSRP, while the Core i5-2400 debuted at $184. At current prices ($205 vs $25), the Core i5-2400 is $180 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E3-1225 delivers 19.0 pts/$ vs 154.8 pts/$ for the Core i5-2400 — making the Core i5-2400 the 156.2% better value option.