Xeon L5609 vs Opteron X3421
Xeon L5609
Opteron X3421
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 L5609 is positioned at rank 735 and the Opteron X3421 is on rank 102, so the Opteron X3421 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5609
Performance Per Dollar Opteron X3421
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5609 | Opteron X3421 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($229) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Excavator (2017−2018) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5609 | Opteron X3421 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($229) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 L5609 and Opteron X3421
Xeon L5609
The Xeon L5609 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.86 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 40 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,298 points. Launch price was $800.
Opteron X3421
The Opteron X3421 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Excavator (2017−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,306 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon L5609 and Opteron X3421 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.86 GHz on the Xeon L5609 versus 3.4 GHz on the Opteron X3421 — a 58.6% clock advantage for the Opteron X3421 (base: 1.86 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon L5609 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Opteron X3421 uses Excavator (2017−2018) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5609 scores 3,298 against the Opteron X3421's 3,306 — a 0.2% lead for the Opteron X3421.
| Feature | Xeon L5609 | Opteron X3421 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 1.86 GHz | 3.4 GHz+83% |
| Base Clock | 1.86 GHz | 2.1 GHz+13% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 2 MB (total)+700% |
| Process | 32 nm | 28 nm-13% |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Excavator (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 3,298 | 3,306 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5609 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Opteron X3421 uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5609 | Opteron X3421 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FP4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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