Xeon E5540 vs FX-8800P
Xeon E5540
FX-8800P
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 FX-8800P is on rank 903, so the Xeon E5540 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 FX-8800P
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5540 | FX-8800P |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($45) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Carrizo (2015−2018) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5540 | FX-8800P |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($45) |
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 FX-8800P
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.
FX-8800P
The FX-8800P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 2,833 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5540 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the FX-8800P's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5540 versus 3.4 GHz on the FX-8800P — a 19.4% clock advantage for the FX-8800P (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E5540 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the FX-8800P uses Carrizo (2015−2018) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5540 scores 2,805 against the FX-8800P's 2,833 — a 1% lead for the FX-8800P.
| Feature | Xeon E5540 | FX-8800P |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.4 GHz+21% |
| Base Clock | 2.53 GHz+20% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 2048 kB+700% |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Carrizo (2015−2018) |
| PassMark | 2,805 | 2,833 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5540 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the FX-8800P uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5540 | FX-8800P |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FP4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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