Xeon X5690
VS
Core i7-5850EQ

Xeon X5690 vs Core i7-5850EQ

Intel

Xeon X5690

6 Cores12 Thrd130 WWMax: 3.73 GHz2011
VS
Intel

Core i7-5850EQ

4 Cores8 Thrd47 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2015

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 X5690 is positioned at rank 514 and the Core i7-5850EQ is on rank 954, so the Xeon X5690 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 X5690

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
7391%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1395%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1240%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
958%
#316
Xeon Gold 6416H
MSRP: $1845|Avg: N/A
100%
#318
EPYC 7343
MSRP: $1565|Avg: $1350
99%
#319
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
MSRP: $2399|Avg: $225
99%
#320
EPYC 7413
MSRP: $1825|Avg: $450
99%
#321
Xeon W-3335
MSRP: $1430|Avg: $1200
98%
#322
EPYC 9354P
MSRP: $2730|Avg: $2205
97%
#323
EPYC 9224
MSRP: $1825|Avg: $1199
95%
#324
Xeon Gold 6423N
MSRP: $2161|Avg: $2161
95%
#514
Xeon X5690
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5850EQ

#942
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1814%
#943
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1788%
#944
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1641%
#945
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1634%
#946
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1619%
#948
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1563%
#949
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1499%
#950
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1497%
#951
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1456%
#954
Core i7-5850EQ
MSRP: $435|Avg: $370
100%
#956
Core i7-4810MQ
MSRP: $378|Avg: $378
99%
#959
Celeron Dual-Core T3500
MSRP: $80|Avg: $15
99%
#960
Celeron 4305UE
MSRP: $107|Avg: $107
98%
#963
Core i7-10510U
MSRP: $409|Avg: N/A
97%
#968
Core i7-4710MQ
MSRP: $378|Avg: $378
95%
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 ($250) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon X5690 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightXeon X5690Core i7-5850EQ
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($250)
⚠️ Higher cost ($370)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-5850EQ ($370), 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 ($120 less, 48% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightXeon X5690Core i7-5850EQ
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+48%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($250)
⚠️ Higher cost ($370)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon X5690 and Core i7-5850EQ

Intel

Xeon X5690

The Xeon X5690 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.46 GHz, with boost up to 3.73 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,031 points. Launch price was $205.

Intel

Core i7-5850EQ

The Core i7-5850EQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Max frequency: 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 7,036 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Xeon X5690 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-5850EQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon X5690 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.73 GHz on the Xeon X5690 versus 2.7 GHz on the Core i7-5850EQ — a 32% clock advantage for the Xeon X5690. The Xeon X5690 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-5850EQ uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon X5690 scores 7,031 against the Core i7-5850EQ's 7,036 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-5850EQ. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total) on the Xeon X5690 vs 6 MB on the Core i7-5850EQ.

FeatureXeon X5690Core i7-5850EQ
Cores / Threads
6 / 12+50%
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.73 GHz+38%
2.7 GHz
Base Clock
3.46 GHz
L3 Cache
12288 kB (total)+100%
6 MB
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
1 MB+300%
Process
32 nm
14 nm-56%
Architecture
Westmere-EP (2010−2011)
Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark
7,031
7,036
Cinebench R23 Multi
3,000
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5690) / not specified (Core i7-5850EQ). Primary use case: Xeon X5690 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5690 rivals Core i7-980X.

FeatureXeon X5690Core i7-5850EQ
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Workstation
💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon X5690 launched at $250 MSRP, while the Core i7-5850EQ debuted at $435. At current prices ($250 vs $370), the Xeon X5690 is $120 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon X5690 delivers 28.1 pts/$ vs 19.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-5850EQ — making the Xeon X5690 the 38.6% better value option.

FeatureXeon X5690Core i7-5850EQ
MSRP
$250-43%
$435
Avg Price (30d)
$250-32%
$370
Performance per Dollar
28.1+48%
19.0
Release Date
2011
2015