Xeon E5603 vs Core i3-4120U
Xeon E5603
Core i3-4120U
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 E5603 is positioned at rank 863 and the Core i3-4120U is on rank 129, so the Core i3-4120U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5603
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4120U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5603 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5603 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($188) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 E5603 and Core i3-4120U
Xeon E5603
The Xeon E5603 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,935 points. Launch price was $286.
Core i3-4120U
The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5603 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-4120U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5603 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Xeon E5603 versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i3-4120U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon E5603 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-4120U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5603 scores 1,935 against the Core i3-4120U's 1,948 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i3-4120U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5603 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U.
| Feature | Xeon E5603 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2 GHz+25% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2 GHz+25% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total)+33% | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,935 | 1,948 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 462 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,071 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5603 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4120U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Xeon E5603 supports up to 288 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 178.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 3 (Xeon E5603) vs 2 (Core i3-4120U). PCIe lanes: 32 (Xeon E5603) vs 12 (Core i3-4120U) — the Xeon E5603 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Xeon E5603 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 288 GB+1700% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 3+50% | 2 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 32+167% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Xeon E5603) vs Yes (Core i3-4120U). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Xeon E5603 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon E5603 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5603 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | Yes |
| Target Use | Server | — |
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