CPU
GPU
Xeon L5420
Phenom II X4 910e
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 X4 910e is on rank 927, so the Xeon L5420 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 X4 910e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X4 910e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($69) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X4 910e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($69) |
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 X4 910e
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 X4 910e
The Phenom II X4 910e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,148 points. Launch price was $157.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon L5420 and Phenom II X4 910e share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Xeon L5420 versus 2.6 GHz on the Phenom II X4 910e — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 910e (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Xeon L5420 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 910e uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5420 scores 2,143 against the Phenom II X4 910e's 2,148 — a 0.2% lead for the Phenom II X4 910e. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon L5420 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 910e.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X4 910e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.6 GHz+4% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.6 GHz+4% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+100% | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+1100% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | Deneb (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,143 | 2,148 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 910e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X4 910e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon L5420) / AMD-V (Phenom II X4 910e). Primary use case: Phenom II X4 910e targets Desktop.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Phenom II X4 910e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
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