Xeon E3120 vs Pentium 2020M
Xeon E3120
Pentium 2020M
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 E3120 is positioned at rank 948 and the Pentium 2020M is on rank 1063, so the Xeon E3120 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3120
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 2020M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Pentium 2020M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($134) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Pentium 2020M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($134) |
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 E3120 and Pentium 2020M
Xeon E3120
The Xeon E3120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 3.16 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,408 points. Launch price was $800.
Pentium 2020M
The Pentium 2020M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,412 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
The Pentium 2020M is built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E3120 scores 1,408 against the Pentium 2020M's 1,412 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium 2020M. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E3120 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2020M.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Pentium 2020M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | — | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.16 GHz+32% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache+200% | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | — | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,408 | 1,412 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 391 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 667 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3120 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 2020M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Pentium 2020M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3120) / VT-x / EPT (Pentium 2020M). The Pentium 2020M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Xeon E3120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 2020M targets Budget.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Pentium 2020M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x / EPT |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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