CPU
GPU
Xeon X5550
Core i7-4578U
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 X5550 is positioned at rank 712 and the Core i7-4578U is on rank 967, so the Xeon X5550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5550
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4578U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon X5550 | Core i7-4578U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon X5550 | Core i7-4578U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 X5550 and Core i7-4578U
Xeon X5550
The Xeon X5550 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 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 3.06 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,036 points. Launch price was $62.
Core i7-4578U
The Core i7-4578U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,075 points. Launch price was $426.
Processing Power
The Xeon X5550 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-4578U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon X5550 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.06 GHz on the Xeon X5550 versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i7-4578U — a 13.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-4578U (base: 2.66 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Xeon X5550 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-4578U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon X5550 scores 3,036 against the Core i7-4578U's 3,075 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i7-4578U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Xeon X5550 vs 4 MB on the Core i7-4578U.
| Feature | Xeon X5550 | Core i7-4578U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.06 GHz | 3.5 GHz+14% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz | 3 GHz+13% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+100% | 4 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Gainestown (2009−2010) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 3,036 | 3,075+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon X5550 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-4578U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon X5550 | Core i7-4578U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5550) / not specified (Core i7-4578U). Primary use case: Xeon X5550 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5550 rivals Core i3-2100.
| Feature | Xeon X5550 | Core i7-4578U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Workstation | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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