CPU
GPU
Xeon L5420
Phenom II X3 N870
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 Phenom II X3 N870 is on rank 250, so the Phenom II X3 N870 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 Phenom II X3 N870
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom II X3 N870
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.
Phenom II X3 N870
The Phenom II X3 N870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,145 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Xeon L5420 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N870 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Xeon L5420 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Xeon L5420 versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N870 — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Xeon L5420. The Xeon L5420 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5420 scores 2,143 against the Phenom II X3 N870's 2,145 — a 0.1% lead for the Phenom II X3 N870.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+33% | 3 / 3 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz+9% | 2.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache | — |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+300% | 1.5 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,143 | 2,145 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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