
Xeon E5503 vs Athlon II X3 445

Xeon E5503

Athlon II X3 445
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 E5503 is positioned at rank 895 and the Athlon II X3 445 is on rank 781, so the Athlon II X3 445 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5503
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 445
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5503 | Athlon II X3 445 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5503 | Athlon II X3 445 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 E5503 and Athlon II X3 445

Xeon E5503
The Xeon E5503 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,815 points. Launch price was $287.

Athlon II X3 445
The Athlon II X3 445 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. 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: 1,807 points. Launch price was $91.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5503 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X3 445 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Athlon II X3 445 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Xeon E5503 versus 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X3 445 — a 43.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 445 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Xeon E5503 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X3 445 uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5503 scores 1,815 against the Athlon II X3 445's 1,807 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon E5503. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5503 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 445.
| Feature | Xeon E5503 | Athlon II X3 445 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.1 GHz+55% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 3.1 GHz+55% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,815 | 1,807 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5503 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X3 445 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5503 | Athlon II X3 445 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
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