CPU
GPU
Xeon E5-2420
Atom C3858
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 E5-2420 is positioned at rank 556 and the Atom C3858 is on rank 310, so the Atom C3858 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2420
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3858
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2420 | Atom C3858 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2420 | Atom C3858 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 E5-2420 and Atom C3858
Xeon E5-2420
The Xeon E5-2420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,012 points. Launch price was $390.
Atom C3858
The Atom C3858 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2400. Passmark benchmark score: 5,040 points. Launch price was $332.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2420 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Atom C3858 offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Atom C3858 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2420 versus 2 GHz on the Atom C3858 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-2420 (base: 1.9 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon E5-2420 uses the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Atom C3858 uses Goldmont (2016−2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2420 scores 5,012 against the Atom C3858's 5,040 — a 0.6% lead for the Atom C3858. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2420 vs 12 MB on the Atom C3858.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2420 | Atom C3858 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 12 / 12+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz+20% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.9 GHz | 2 GHz+5% |
| L3 Cache | 15360 kB (total)+25% | 12 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 12 MB+4700% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) | Goldmont (2016−2017) |
| PassMark | 5,012 | 5,040 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2420 uses the LGA1356 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom C3858 uses FCBGA1310 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2420 | Atom C3858 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1356 | FCBGA1310 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 256 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 12 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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