Xeon E5540 vs Core i5-4278U
Xeon E5540
Core i5-4278U
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 E5540 is positioned at rank 745 and the Core i5-4278U is on rank 726, so the Core i5-4278U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5540
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4278U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5540 | Core i5-4278U |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5540 | Core i5-4278U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 E5540 and Core i5-4278U
Xeon E5540
The Xeon E5540 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 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 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: 2,805 points. Launch price was $30.
Core i5-4278U
The Core i5-4278U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,826 points. Launch price was $315.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5540 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-4278U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5540 versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-4278U — a 10.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-4278U (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon E5540 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-4278U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5540 scores 2,805 against the Core i5-4278U's 2,826 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-4278U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E5540 vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4278U.
| Feature | Xeon E5540 | Core i5-4278U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.1 GHz+11% |
| Base Clock | 2.53 GHz | 2.6 GHz+3% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+167% | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 2,805 | 2,826 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 1,688 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 889 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,860 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5540 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4278U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5540 | Core i5-4278U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5540) / true (Core i5-4278U). The Core i5-4278U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Graphics 5100), while the Xeon E5540 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Xeon E5540 | Core i5-4278U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel Iris Graphics 5100 |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Xeon E5540 and Core i5-4278U
