CPU
GPU
Xeon E5-2420
Phenom II X6 1055T (95W)
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 Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) is on rank 37, so the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) 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 Phenom II X6 1055T (95W)
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-2420 | Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Thuban (2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-2420 | Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom II X6 1055T (95W)
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.
Phenom II X6 1055T (95W)
The Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Thuban (2010) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,965 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-2420 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, matching the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W)'s 6 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2420 versus 3.3 GHz on the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) (base: 1.9 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon E5-2420 uses the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) uses Thuban (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-2420 scores 5,012 against the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W)'s 4,965 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon E5-2420. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total) on the Xeon E5-2420 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W).
| Feature | Xeon E5-2420 | Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 6 / 6 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3.3 GHz+38% |
| Base Clock | 1.9 GHz | 2.8 GHz+47% |
| L3 Cache | 15360 kB (total)+150% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) | Thuban (2010) |
| PassMark | 5,012 | 4,965 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-2420 uses the LGA1356 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-2420 | Phenom II X6 1055T (95W) |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1356 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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