Xeon X3440 vs Core i7-870S

Xeon X3440

4 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2009

Core i7-870S

4 Cores8 Thrd82 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon X3440

4 / 8

2,769

+0.1%

2,765

0.0%

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 X3440 is positioned at rank 782 and the Core i7-870S is on rank 1008, so the Xeon X3440 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon X3440

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

16135%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

3047%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2707%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2091%

#452

EPYC 9755

MSRP: $12984|Avg: $10931

99%

#454

Xeon Platinum 8368

MSRP: $7214|Avg: $429

99%

#456

EPYC 9575F

MSRP: $11791|Avg: $9238

97%

#457

EPYC 7642

MSRP: $4775|Avg: $850

97%

#458

EPYC 7573X

MSRP: $5590|Avg: $3580

96%

#782

Xeon X3440

MSRP: $215|Avg: $16

100%

#796

Xeon E-2276M

MSRP: $939|Avg: $124

96%

#797

Xeon W3580

MSRP: $294|Avg: $30

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-870S

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

33809%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

31946%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

23195%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

6988%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

5535%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

4842%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2773%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2737%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2492%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2492%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2464%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2398%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2364%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2355%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2333%

#1008

Core i7-870S

MSRP: $300|Avg: $80

100%

#1009

Core 2 Duo E6540

MSRP: $163|Avg: $15

99%

#1010

Celeron 430

MSRP: $49|Avg: $10

99%

#1011

Athlon X2 BE-2300

MSRP: $100|Avg: $80

98%

#1012

Core i7-875K

MSRP: $353|Avg: $175

98%

#1013

Core i5-670

MSRP: $284|Avg: $100

98%

#1014

Core i5-680

MSRP: $294|Avg: $10

97%

#1015

Core 2 Duo E4300

MSRP: $113|Avg: $5

96%

#1017

Core 2 Duo E4500

MSRP: $133|Avg: $10

95%

#1019

Core 2 Duo E7600

MSRP: $133|Avg: $50

94%

#1020

Core i7-3970X

MSRP: $990|Avg: $60

94%

#1021

Core 2 Duo E8700

MSRP: $256|Avg: $30

94%

#1022

Core 2 Duo E6550

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

93%

#1023

Phenom X3 8450

MSRP: $145|Avg: $147

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($16) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon X3440 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon X3440	Core i7-870S
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($16)	⚠️ Higher cost ($80)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-870S ($80), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($64 less, 400% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon X3440	Core i7-870S
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+401%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($16)	⚠️ Higher cost ($80)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Xeon X3440 Benchmark Check

Core i7-870S Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon X3440 and Core i7-870S

Xeon X3440

The Xeon X3440 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 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: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 2,769 points. Launch price was $215.

Core i7-870S

The Core i7-870S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 July 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 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: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 82 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,765 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon X3440 and Core i7-870S share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Xeon X3440 versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-870S — a 20.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-870S (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). Both are built on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture using a 45 nm process. In PassMark, the Xeon X3440 scores 2,769 against the Core i7-870S's 2,765 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon X3440. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Xeon X3440	Core i7-870S
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	2.93 GHz	3.6 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz	2.66 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Lynnfield (2009−2010)	Lynnfield (2009−2010)
PassMark	2,769	2,765

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1156 socket with PCIe 2.0.

Feature	Xeon X3440	Core i7-870S
Socket	LGA1156	LGA1156
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon X3440 launched at $215 MSRP, while the Core i7-870S debuted at $300. At current prices ($16 vs $80), the Xeon X3440 is $64 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon X3440 delivers 173.1 pts/$ vs 34.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-870S — making the Xeon X3440 the 133.4% better value option.