CPU
GPU
Xeon L5520
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 L5520 is positioned at rank 832 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 L5520
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 730
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5520 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($52) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5520 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($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 L5520 and Athlon X4 730
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 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
The Xeon L5520 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Athlon X4 730's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.48 GHz on the Xeon L5520 versus 3.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 730 — a 25.4% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 730 (base: 2.26 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon L5520 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X4 730 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5520 scores 2,274 against the Athlon X4 730's 2,278 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon X4 730.
| Feature | Xeon L5520 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.48 GHz | 3.2 GHz+29% |
| Base Clock | 2.26 GHz | 2.8 GHz+24% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 4 MB (total)+1500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,274 | 2,278 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5520 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 730 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5520 | Athlon X4 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | 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 |
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 X4 730
