Xeon E5649 vs Core i7-3740QM
Xeon E5649
Core i7-3740QM
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 E5649 is positioned at rank 938 and the Core i7-3740QM is on rank 761, so the Core i7-3740QM offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5649
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3740QM
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5649 | Core i7-3740QM |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($774) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5649 | Core i7-3740QM |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($774) | ✅ 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 E5649 and Core i7-3740QM
Xeon E5649
The Xeon E5649 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB (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: 5,659 points. Launch price was $45.
Core i7-3740QM
The Core i7-3740QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,710 points. Launch price was $378.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5649 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-3740QM offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon E5649 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Xeon E5649 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3740QM — a 23.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-3740QM (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Xeon E5649 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-3740QM uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5649 scores 5,659 against the Core i7-3740QM's 5,710 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-3740QM. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total) on the Xeon E5649 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-3740QM.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Core i7-3740QM |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2.93 GHz | 3.7 GHz+26% |
| Base Clock | 2.53 GHz | 2.7 GHz+7% |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB (total)+100% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 5,659 | 5,710 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 415 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,109 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5649 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-3740QM uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Core i7-3740QM |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3 1333 MHz | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 288 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Xeon E5649) / not specified (Core i7-3740QM). Primary use case: Xeon E5649 targets Server.
| Feature | Xeon E5649 | Core i7-3740QM |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
| Target Use | Server | — |
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