CPU
GPU
Xeon W5590
Athlon X4 840
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 W5590 is positioned at rank 678 and the Athlon X4 840 is on rank 563, so the Athlon X4 840 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon W5590
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 840
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon W5590 | Athlon X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) | ✅ More affordable ($25) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Kaveri (2014−2015) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon W5590 | Athlon X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+20%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) | ✅ More affordable ($25) |
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 W5590 and Athlon X4 840
Xeon W5590
The Xeon W5590 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.33 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 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: 3,342 points. Launch price was $270.
Athlon X4 840
The Athlon X4 840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,331 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Xeon W5590 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Athlon X4 840's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Xeon W5590 versus 3.8 GHz on the Athlon X4 840 — a 5.4% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 840 (base: 3.33 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Xeon W5590 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X4 840 uses Kaveri (2014−2015) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon W5590 scores 3,342 against the Athlon X4 840's 3,331 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon W5590.
| Feature | Xeon W5590 | Athlon X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.8 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 3.33 GHz+7% | 3.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 4 MB+1500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Kaveri (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 3,342 | 3,331 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon W5590 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 840 uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon W5590 | Athlon X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Value Analysis
The Xeon W5590 launched at $202 MSRP, while the Athlon X4 840 debuted at $102. At current prices ($30 vs $25), the Athlon X4 840 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon W5590 delivers 111.4 pts/$ vs 133.2 pts/$ for the Athlon X4 840 — making the Athlon X4 840 the 17.9% better value option.
| Feature | Xeon W5590 | Athlon X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $202 | $102-50% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30 | $25-17% |
| Performance per Dollar | 111.4 | 133.2+20% |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2014 |
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