Xeon L3406 vs Core 2 Duo E8335

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 L3406 is positioned at rank 969 and the Core 2 Duo E8335 is on rank 1196, so the Xeon L3406 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 L3406

#1

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

35586%

#6

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

6719%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

5970%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

4612%

#535

Xeon W-3245M

MSRP: $5002|Avg: $5002

98%

#536

Xeon W-3265M

MSRP: $6300|Avg: $3500

97%

#969

Xeon L3406

MSRP: $189|Avg: $30

100%

#970

Xeon E5-2687W v2

MSRP: $2112|Avg: $62

100%

#972

Xeon L5430

MSRP: $390|Avg: $380

99%

#973

Xeon E5-2470

MSRP: $1440|Avg: $125

99%

#974

Xeon E5-2670

MSRP: $1552|Avg: $60

98%

#976

Xeon X3470

MSRP: $589|Avg: $16

97%

#979

Xeon E5-2689

MSRP: $1800|Avg: $18

94%

#980

Xeon E5-2450L

MSRP: $1106|Avg: $78

94%

#981

Xeon X3480

MSRP: $612|Avg: $48

93%

#982

Xeon E5-2687W

MSRP: $1885|Avg: $70

91%

#983

Xeon E5-4610

MSRP: $1219|Avg: $50

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E8335

#1184

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

5364%

#1185

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

5285%

#1186

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

4852%

#1187

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

4830%

#1188

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4786%

#1190

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4622%

#1191

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4431%

#1192

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4424%

#1193

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4305%

#1196

Core 2 Duo E8335

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

100%

#1199

Celeron 560

MSRP: $89|Avg: $5

98%

#1200

Core i3-2312M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

97%

#1201

Celeron 857

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

96%

#1202

Celeron 925

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

96%

#1203

Core 2 Duo E8135

MSRP: $200|Avg: $15

93%

#1204

Core 2 Duo U7700

MSRP: $262|Avg: $10

93%

#1205

Core Duo T2400

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

93%

#1206

Core 2 Duo U7600

MSRP: $250|Avg: $5

92%

#1207

Pentium M 735

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

91%

#1208

Core i7-620LM

MSRP: $300|Avg: N/A

89%

#1209

Core i7-740QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

89%

#1211

Core 2 Solo SU3300

MSRP: $262|Avg: $50

87%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($30) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon L3406 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon L3406	Core 2 Duo E8335
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($30)	⚠️ Higher cost ($50)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core 2 Duo E8335 ($50), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($20 less, 67% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon L3406	Core 2 Duo E8335
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+68%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($30)	⚠️ Higher cost ($50)

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 L3406 Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo E8335 Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon L3406 and Core 2 Duo E8335

Xeon L3406

The Xeon L3406 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,104 points. Launch price was $800.

Core 2 Duo E8335

The Core 2 Duo E8335 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.933 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 GHz. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,094 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon L3406 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo E8335's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Xeon L3406 versus 0.93 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8335 — a 92.5% clock advantage for the Xeon L3406 (base: 2.26 GHz vs 2.933 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E8335 is built on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon L3406 scores 1,104 against the Core 2 Duo E8335's 1,094 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon L3406.

Feature	Xeon L3406	Core 2 Duo E8335
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz+172%	0.93 GHz
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	2.933 GHz+30%
L3 Cache	4 MB Intel® Smart Cache	—
L2 Cache	—	6 MB (total)
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	—	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,104	1,094

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon L3406 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8335 uses P (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon L3406	Core 2 Duo E8335
Socket	LGA1156	P
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon L3406 launched at $189 MSRP, while the Core 2 Duo E8335 debuted at $200. At current prices ($30 vs $50), the Xeon L3406 is $20 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon L3406 delivers 36.8 pts/$ vs 21.9 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E8335 — making the Xeon L3406 the 50.9% better value option.