Xeon E5520 vs Pentium Silver N5030

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 E5520 is positioned at rank 788 and the Pentium Silver N5030 is on rank 671, so the Pentium Silver N5030 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 E5520

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

16351%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

3087%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2743%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2119%

#456

EPYC 9575F

MSRP: $11791|Avg: $9238

99%

#457

EPYC 7642

MSRP: $4775|Avg: $850

98%

#458

EPYC 7573X

MSRP: $5590|Avg: $3580

98%

#459

Xeon Platinum 8568Y+

MSRP: $6497|Avg: $6497

96%

#788

Xeon E5520

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#796

Xeon E-2276M

MSRP: $939|Avg: $124

98%

#797

Xeon W3580

MSRP: $294|Avg: $30

97%

#798

Xeon W3690

MSRP: $583|Avg: $140

97%

#800

Xeon E5-2428L

MSRP: $692|Avg: $42

97%

#803

Opteron 6380

MSRP: $551|Avg: $111

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Silver N5030

#659

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

923%

#660

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

909%

#661

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

835%

#662

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

831%

#663

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

823%

#665

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

795%

#666

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

763%

#667

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

761%

#668

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

741%

#671

Pentium Silver N5030

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#681

Core i3-N305

MSRP: $309|Avg: $309

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium Silver N5030 (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E5520	Pentium Silver N5030
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5520 (2009) relies on 45 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E5520	Pentium Silver N5030
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 E5520 Benchmark Check

Pentium Silver N5030 Benchmark Check

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Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5520 and Pentium Silver N5030

Xeon E5520

The Xeon E5520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 8 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: 2,541 points. Launch price was $19.

Pentium Silver N5030

The Pentium Silver N5030 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,543 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5520 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Pentium Silver N5030's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Xeon E5520 versus 3.1 GHz on the Pentium Silver N5030 — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Pentium Silver N5030 (base: 2.26 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Xeon E5520 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Silver N5030 uses Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5520 scores 2,541 against the Pentium Silver N5030's 2,543 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium Silver N5030. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E5520 vs 4 MB on the Pentium Silver N5030.

Feature	Xeon E5520	Pentium Silver N5030
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz	3.1 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.26 GHz+105%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	4 MB+1500%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Gainestown (2009−2010)	Gemini Lake Refresh (2019)
PassMark	2,541	2,543

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5520 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Silver N5030 uses FCBGA1090 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.