Xeon L5506 vs Core i7-2710QE

Xeon L5506

4 Cores4 Thrd60 WWMax: 0.13 GHz2009

Core i7-2710QE

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon L5506

4 / 4

3,706

0.0%

3,749

+1.2%

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 L5506 is positioned at rank 645 and the Core i7-2710QE is on rank 1084, so the Xeon L5506 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 L5506

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

11215%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

2118%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

1881%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1453%

#383

EPYC 7551P

MSRP: $2100|Avg: $329

98%

#384

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

MSRP: $7349|Avg: $7999

98%

#385

EPYC 9375F

MSRP: $5306|Avg: $108

97%

#386

Xeon w9-3475X

MSRP: $3739|Avg: $3930

94%

#645

Xeon L5506

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#650

Xeon E3-1275L v3

MSRP: $350|Avg: $29

98%

#652

Xeon E5-1650 v3

MSRP: $583|Avg: N/A

96%

#654

Xeon E3-1225

MSRP: $224|Avg: $205

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2710QE

#1072

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2958%

#1073

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2914%

#1074

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2675%

#1075

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2663%

#1076

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2639%

#1078

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2548%

#1079

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2444%

#1080

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2440%

#1081

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2374%

#1084

Core i7-2710QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $40

100%

#1089

Core i5-3610ME

MSRP: $276|Avg: $22

97%

#1090

Core m3-7Y32

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

97%

#1092

Celeron B720

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

96%

#1093

Celeron 847

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

96%

#1094

Core i7-2630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

95%

#1096

Core i7-2635QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

94%

#1097

Celeron 877

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

94%

#1098

Celeron Dual-Core SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $50

94%

#1099

Core i5-3337U

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

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 ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon L5506 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon L5506	Core i7-2710QE
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($40)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-2710QE ($40), 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 ($40 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon L5506	Core i7-2710QE
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($40)

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 L5506 Benchmark Check

Core i7-2710QE Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon L5506 and Core i7-2710QE

Xeon L5506

The Xeon L5506 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 0.13 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,706 points. Launch price was $125.

Core i7-2710QE

The Core i7-2710QE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,749 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

The Xeon L5506 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-2710QE's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.13 GHz on the Xeon L5506 versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-2710QE — a 183.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-2710QE (base: 2.13 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon L5506 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-2710QE uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5506 scores 3,706 against the Core i7-2710QE's 3,749 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i7-2710QE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Xeon L5506 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-2710QE.

Feature	Xeon L5506	Core i7-2710QE
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	0.13 GHz	3 GHz+2208%
Base Clock	2.13 GHz+1%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	6 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Gainestown (2009−2010)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	3,706	3,749+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	604

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon L5506 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-2710QE uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Xeon L5506	Core i7-2710QE
Socket	LGA1366	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon L5506) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-2710QE). The Core i7-2710QE includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Xeon L5506 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-2710QE targets Embedded/Industrial. Direct competitor: Core i7-2710QE rivals Embedded R-Series.