CPU
GPU
Xeon L5430
Athlon X4 730
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 L5430 is positioned at rank 972 and the Athlon X4 730 is on rank 519, so the Athlon X4 730 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5430
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 730
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5430 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($380) | ✅ More affordable ($52) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5430 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+637%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($380) | ✅ More affordable ($52) |
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 L5430 and Athlon X4 730
Xeon L5430
The Xeon L5430 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 September 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 0.67 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: 2,260 points. Launch price was $562.
Athlon X4 730
The Athlon X4 730 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,278 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon L5430 and Athlon X4 730 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.67 GHz on the Xeon L5430 versus 3.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 730 — a 130.7% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 730 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon L5430 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X4 730 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5430 scores 2,260 against the Athlon X4 730's 2,278 — a 0.8% lead for the Athlon X4 730.
| Feature | Xeon L5430 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 0.67 GHz | 3.2 GHz+378% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz | 2.8 GHz+5% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache | — |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+50% | 4 MB (total) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,260 | 2,278 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5430 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 730 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5430 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Value Analysis
The Xeon L5430 launched at $390 MSRP, while the Athlon X4 730 debuted at $60. At current prices ($380 vs $52), the Athlon X4 730 is $328 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon L5430 delivers 5.9 pts/$ vs 43.8 pts/$ for the Athlon X4 730 — making the Athlon X4 730 the 152.2% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon L5430 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $390 | $60-85% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $380 | $52-86% |
| Performance per Dollar | 5.9 | 43.8+642% |
| Release Date | 2008 | 2012 |
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