CPU
GPU
Xeon L5420
Core i5-4250U
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 L5420 is positioned at rank 847 and the Core i5-4250U is on rank 100, so the Core i5-4250U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5420
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4250U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 L5420 and Core i5-4250U
Xeon L5420
The Xeon L5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 March 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 50 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,143 points. Launch price was $380.
Core i5-4250U
The Core i5-4250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $430.
Processing Power
The Xeon L5420 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-4250U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon L5420 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Xeon L5420 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-4250U — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-4250U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Xeon L5420 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-4250U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5420 scores 2,143 against the Core i5-4250U's 2,144 — a 0% lead for the Core i5-4250U. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon L5420 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4250U.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.6 GHz+4% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz+92% | 1.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+300% | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+2300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 2,143 | 2,144 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 770 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,450 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4250U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon L5420) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4250U). The Core i5-4250U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5000), while the Xeon L5420 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4250U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-4250U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 5000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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