
Xeon E3120 vs Phenom II X4 P920

Xeon E3120

Phenom II X4 P920
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 Phenom II X4 P920 is on rank 483, so the Phenom II X4 P920 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 Phenom II X4 P920
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Phenom II X4 P920 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Phenom II X4 P920 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Phenom II X4 P920

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.

Phenom II X4 P920
The Phenom II X4 P920 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,395 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Phenom II X4 P920 is built on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E3120 scores 1,408 against the Phenom II X4 P920's 1,395 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E3120.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Phenom II X4 P920 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | — | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.16 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache | — |
| L2 Cache | — | 2 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | — | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,408 | 1,395 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3120 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 P920 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Phenom II X4 P920 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
















