Xeon E3120 vs Xeon E3-1220L v3
Xeon E3120
Xeon E3-1220L v3
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 Xeon E3-1220L v3 is on rank 939, so the Xeon E3-1220L v3 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 Xeon E3-1220L v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
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 Xeon E3-1220L v3
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.
Xeon E3-1220L v3
The Xeon E3-1220L v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4096 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,407 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Xeon E3-1220L v3 is built on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E3120 scores 1,408 against the Xeon E3-1220L v3's 1,407 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E3120. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E3120 vs 4096 kB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220L v3.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | — | 1.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.16 GHz+187% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache+50% | 4096 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | — | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 1,408 | 1,407 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3120 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1220L v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | LGA1150 |
| 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-P (Xeon E3-1220L v3).
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Xeon E3-1220L v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-P |
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