
Xeon W5580 vs Xeon X5698

Xeon W5580

Xeon X5698
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 Xeon X5698 is on rank 659, 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 Xeon X5698
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon W5580 | Xeon X5698 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon W5580 | Xeon X5698 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Xeon X5698

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.

Xeon X5698
The Xeon X5698 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,447 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Xeon W5580 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon X5698 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon W5580 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.46 GHz on the Xeon W5580 versus 4.4 GHz on the Xeon X5698 — a 23.9% clock advantage for the Xeon X5698 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Xeon W5580 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon X5698 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W5580 scores 3,459 against the Xeon X5698's 3,447 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon W5580. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon W5580 vs 12288 kB (total) on the Xeon X5698.
| Feature | Xeon W5580 | Xeon X5698 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.46 GHz | 4.4 GHz+27% |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | 4.4 GHz+38% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 12288 kB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 3,459 | 3,447 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA1366 socket with PCIe 2.0.
| Feature | Xeon W5580 | Xeon X5698 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| RAM Channels | — | 3 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon W5580) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5698). Primary use case: Xeon X5698 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5698 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Xeon W5580 | Xeon X5698 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Workstation |
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