Xeon E5420 vs A8-3800

Xeon E5420

4 Cores4 Thrd80 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2007

A8-3800

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E5420

4 / 4

2,044

0.0%

2,051

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 E5420 is positioned at rank 1033 and the A8-3800 is on rank 886, so the A8-3800 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5420

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

742225%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

140139%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

124507%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

96186%

#1033

Xeon E5420

MSRP: $7214|Avg: $6500

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A8-3800

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

19754%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

18665%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

13553%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

4083%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

3234%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2829%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1620%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1599%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1456%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1456%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1440%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1401%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1381%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1376%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1363%

#299

Core i9-7980XE

MSRP: $1999|Avg: $300

94%

#886

A8-3800

MSRP: $130|Avg: $40

100%

#887

Pentium E5200

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

99%

#888

Athlon II X2 235e

MSRP: $69|Avg: $15

99%

#889

Athlon II X2 250e

MSRP: $77|Avg: $15

99%

#890

Core i7-2600S

MSRP: $297|Avg: $99

99%

#891

Athlon II X2 250u

MSRP: $60|Avg: $15

99%

#892

Core i3-2125

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

98%

#893

Pentium G6951

MSRP: $89|Avg: $50

98%

#895

Celeron G1820

MSRP: $110|Avg: $15

98%

#896

Celeron E1600

MSRP: $53|Avg: $10

97%

#897

Athlon II X2 270u

MSRP: $68|Avg: $10

97%

#898

Core i5-4570TE

MSRP: $202|Avg: $40

97%

#899

Core i3-2130

MSRP: $138|Avg: $138

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($6,500) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E5420 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon E5420	A8-3800
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500)	✅ More affordable ($40)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The A8-3800 ($40), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($6,460 less, 99% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon E5420	A8-3800
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+16206%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500)	✅ More affordable ($40)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Xeon E5420 Benchmark Check

A8-3800 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5420 and A8-3800

Xeon E5420

The Xeon E5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 November 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,044 points. Launch price was $316.

A8-3800

The A8-3800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,051 points. Launch price was $90.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5420 and A8-3800 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Xeon E5420 versus 2.7 GHz on the A8-3800 — a 7.7% clock advantage for the A8-3800 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon E5420 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the A8-3800 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5420 scores 2,044 against the A8-3800's 2,051 — a 0.3% lead for the A8-3800. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 314 vs 370, a 16.4% lead for the A8-3800 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 881 vs 1,350 (42% advantage for the A8-3800). L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E5420 vs 0 kB on the A8-3800.

Feature	Xeon E5420	A8-3800
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz	2.7 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	6 MB (total)+500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Harpertown (2007−2008)	Llano (2011−2012)
PassMark	2,044	2,051
Geekbench 6 Single	314	370+18%
Geekbench 6 Multi	881	1,350+53%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A8-3800 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Xeon E5420 versus DDR3-1866 on the A8-3800 — the A8-3800 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Xeon E5420) vs 2 (A8-3800). PCIe lanes: 32 (Xeon E5420) vs 16 (A8-3800) — the Xeon E5420 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 5000P,Intel 5100,Intel 5400 (Xeon E5420) and A55,A75 (A8-3800).

Feature	Xeon E5420	A8-3800
Socket	LGA771	FM1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-667	DDR3-1866+50%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	✅	❌
PCIe Lanes	32+100%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: Yes (Xeon E5420) vs AMD-V (A8-3800). The A8-3800 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6550D), while the Xeon E5420 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-3800 targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: A8-3800 rivals Core i3-2100.

Feature	Xeon E5420	A8-3800
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon HD 6550D
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Budget Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E5420 launched at $7214 MSRP, while the A8-3800 debuted at $130. At current prices ($6500 vs $40), the A8-3800 is $6460 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E5420 delivers 0.3 pts/$ vs 51.3 pts/$ for the A8-3800 — making the A8-3800 the 197.6% better value option.