Xeon W5580 vs Core i7-880
Xeon W5580
Core i7-880
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 W5580 is positioned at rank 657 and the Core i7-880 is on rank 1064, so the Xeon W5580 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W5580
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-880
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon W5580 | Core i7-880 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon W5580 | Core i7-880 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) |
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 W5580 and Core i7-880
Xeon W5580
The Xeon W5580 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 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.46 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: 3,459 points. Launch price was $102.
Core i7-880
The Core i7-880 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.73 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,429 points. Launch price was $583.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon W5580 and Core i7-880 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.46 GHz on the Xeon W5580 versus 3.73 GHz on the Core i7-880 — a 7.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-880 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Xeon W5580 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-880 uses Lynnfield (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W5580 scores 3,459 against the Core i7-880's 3,429 — a 0.9% lead for the Xeon W5580. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Xeon W5580 | Core i7-880 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.46 GHz | 3.73 GHz+8% |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+5% | 3.06 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Lynnfield (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 3,459 | 3,429 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 507 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,478 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon W5580 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-880 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon W5580 | Core i7-880 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA1156 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon W5580) / Yes (Core i7-880).
| Feature | Xeon W5580 | Core i7-880 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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