Xeon W3540 vs Core i5-5287U
Xeon W3540
Core i5-5287U
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 W3540 is positioned at rank 843 and the Core i5-5287U is on rank 112, so the Core i5-5287U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W3540
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-5287U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon W3540 | Core i5-5287U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon W3540 | Core i5-5287U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ 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 W3540 and Core i5-5287U
Xeon W3540
The Xeon W3540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,075 points. Launch price was $699.
Core i5-5287U
The Core i5-5287U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,084 points. Launch price was $315.
Processing Power
The Xeon W3540 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-5287U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon W3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon W3540 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-5287U — a 3.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-5287U (base: 2.93 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon W3540 uses the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-5287U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W3540 scores 3,075 against the Core i5-5287U's 3,084 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-5287U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon W3540 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-5287U.
| Feature | Xeon W3540 | Core i5-5287U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.3 GHz+3% |
| Base Clock | 2.93 GHz+1% | 2.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+167% | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Bloomfield (2008−2010) | Broadwell-U (2015) |
| PassMark | 3,075 | 3,084 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon W3540 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-5287U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon W3540 | Core i5-5287U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
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