
Xeon E5420 vs Pentium G3460T

Xeon E5420

Pentium G3460T
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 E5420 is positioned at rank 1033 and the Pentium G3460T is on rank 602, so the Pentium G3460T offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5420
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G3460T
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5420 | Pentium G3460T |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500) | ✅ More affordable ($69) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5420 | Pentium G3460T |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+9283%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500) | ✅ More affordable ($69) |
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 E5420 and Pentium G3460T

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.

Pentium G3460T
The Pentium G3460T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency: 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,036 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5420 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G3460T offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Xeon E5420 has 2 more cores. The Xeon E5420 is built on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5420 scores 2,044 against the Pentium G3460T's 2,036 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5420. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E5420 vs 3 MB on the Pentium G3460T.
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Pentium G3460T |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | — |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 3 GHz+20% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+300% | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total) | — |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | — |
| PassMark | 2,044 | 2,036 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 314 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 881 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3460T uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Pentium G3460T |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 32 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Xeon E5420) / not specified (Pentium G3460T).
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Pentium G3460T |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
Value Analysis
The Xeon E5420 launched at $7214 MSRP, while the Pentium G3460T debuted at $69.
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Pentium G3460T |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $7214 | $69-99% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $6500 | — |
| Release Date | 2007 | 2015 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.















