Xeon E5540 vs Core i7-5500U

Xeon E5540

4 Cores8 Thrd80 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2009

Core i7-5500U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E5540

4 / 8

2,805

0.0%

2,807

+0.1%

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 i7-5500U is on rank 733, so the Core i7-5500U 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 E5540

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

14813%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

2797%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2485%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1920%

#433

Xeon Gold 6346

MSRP: $2708|Avg: $2195

99%

#434

Xeon W-3225

MSRP: $1319|Avg: $850

99%

#435

Xeon Gold 6354

MSRP: $2878|Avg: $2898

98%

#436

Xeon Gold 5218T

MSRP: $1572|Avg: $1349

97%

#437

Xeon 6960P

MSRP: $9625|Avg: $9625

97%

#745

Xeon E5540

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#747

Xeon E5-2403 v2

MSRP: $192|Avg: $61

99%

#748

Xeon E3-1285 v4

MSRP: $556|Avg: $200

99%

#750

Xeon E3-1260L

MSRP: $294|Avg: $270

99%

#758

Xeon E3-1281 v3

MSRP: $555|Avg: $636

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5500U

#721

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1045%

#722

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1030%

#723

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

945%

#724

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

941%

#725

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

933%

#727

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

901%

#728

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

864%

#729

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

862%

#730

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

839%

#733

Core i7-5500U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#744

Pentium 6805

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

98%

#748

Ryzen 3 7320C

MSRP: $299|Avg: $200

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 Core i7-5500U (2015) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Xeon E5540	Core i7-5500U
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 (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Xeon E5540 (2009) relies on 45 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Xeon E5540	Core i7-5500U
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 E5540 Benchmark Check

Core i7-5500U Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5540 and Core i7-5500U

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 i7-5500U

The Core i7-5500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,807 points. Launch price was $393.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon E5540 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-5500U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5540 versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-5500U — a 6.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-5500U (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Xeon E5540 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-5500U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5540 scores 2,805 against the Core i7-5500U's 2,807 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-5500U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E5540 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-5500U.

Feature	Xeon E5540	Core i7-5500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz	3 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz+5%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Gainestown (2009−2010)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,805	2,807
Geekbench 6 Single	—	956
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,933

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5540 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-5500U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon E5540	Core i7-5500U
Socket	LGA1366	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5540) / VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i7-5500U). The Core i7-5500U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 5500), while the Xeon E5540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-5500U targets Ultrabook.