Xeon X3230 vs Xeon E5420
Xeon X3230
Xeon E5420
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 X3230 is positioned at rank 865 and the Xeon E5420 is on rank 1033, so the Xeon X3230 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X3230
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5420
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon X3230 | Xeon E5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon X3230 | Xeon E5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($6,500) |
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 X3230 and Xeon E5420
Xeon X3230
The Xeon X3230 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB L2 Cache. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,052 points. Launch price was $800.
Xeon E5420
The Xeon E5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 November 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,044 points. Launch price was $316.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5420 is built on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon X3230 scores 2,052 against the Xeon E5420's 2,044 — a 0.4% lead for the Xeon X3230. L3 cache: 8 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon X3230 vs 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E5420.
| Feature | Xeon X3230 | Xeon E5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | — | 2.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz+6% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB L2 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+50% |
| L2 Cache | — | 6 MB (total) |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | — | Harpertown (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 2,052 | 2,044 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 314 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 881 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon X3230 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5420 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon X3230 | Xeon E5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | LGA771 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 32 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon X3230) / Yes (Xeon E5420).
| Feature | Xeon X3230 | Xeon E5420 |
|---|---|---|
| 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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