CPU
GPU
Xeon L5520
Athlon II X4 638
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 L5520 is positioned at rank 832 and the Athlon II X4 638 is on rank 1040, so the Xeon L5520 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5520
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 638
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5520 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5520 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) |
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 L5520 and Athlon II X4 638
Xeon L5520
The Xeon L5520 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 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.48 GHz. L3 cache: 8 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: 2,274 points. Launch price was $100.
Athlon II X4 638
The Athlon II X4 638 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,260 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Xeon L5520 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Athlon II X4 638's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.48 GHz on the Xeon L5520 versus 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 638 (base: 2.26 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Xeon L5520 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X4 638 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5520 scores 2,274 against the Athlon II X4 638's 2,260 — a 0.6% lead for the Xeon L5520. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon L5520 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 638.
| Feature | Xeon L5520 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.48 GHz | 2.7 GHz+9% |
| Base Clock | 2.26 GHz | 2.7 GHz+19% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+300% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 2,274 | 2,260 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5520 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X4 638 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5520 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FM1 |
| 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 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Xeon L5520 and Athlon II X4 638
