CPU
GPU
Xeon X5660
Pentium Gold 8500
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 X5660 is positioned at rank 990 and the Pentium Gold 8500 is on rank 527, so the Pentium Gold 8500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5660
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon X5660 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon X5660 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 X5660 and Pentium Gold 8500
Xeon X5660
The Xeon X5660 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,979 points. Launch price was $33.
Pentium Gold 8500
The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Xeon X5660 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Pentium Gold 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon X5660 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon X5660 versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The Xeon X5660 is built on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon X5660 scores 5,979 against the Pentium Gold 8500's 5,949 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon X5660. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Xeon X5660 vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500.
| Feature | Xeon X5660 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+20% | 5 / 6 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 4.4 GHz+38% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total)+50% | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | — |
| Process | 32 nm | Intel 7 nm-78% |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | — |
| PassMark | 5,979 | 5,949 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon X5660 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon X5660 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 4.0+100% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5660) / not specified (Pentium Gold 8500). Primary use case: Xeon X5660 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5660 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Xeon X5660 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| 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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