Xeon E5420 vs Xeon X3230
Xeon E5420
Xeon X3230
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 Xeon X3230 is on rank 865, so the Xeon X3230 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 Xeon X3230
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5420 | Xeon X3230 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5420 | Xeon X3230 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Xeon X3230
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.
Xeon X3230
The Xeon X3230 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB L2 Cache. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,052 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5420 is built on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E5420 scores 2,044 against the Xeon X3230's 2,052 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon X3230. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E5420 vs 8 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon X3230.
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Xeon X3230 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | — |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | — |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.66 GHz+6% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+50% | 8 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total) | — |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | — |
| PassMark | 2,044 | 2,052 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 314 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 881 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon X3230 uses LGA775 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Xeon X3230 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| 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 (Xeon X3230).
| Feature | Xeon E5420 | Xeon X3230 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Xeon E5420 and Xeon X3230
