Xeon E5603

The Xeon E5603 is a 4-core / 4-thread processor based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture, manufactured on a 32 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 1.6 GHz from a base frequency of 1.6 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 4 MB (total) of L3 cache, plus 256 kB (per core) of L2 cache and 64 kB (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 1,935, placing it in the Entry Level performance tier as a Legacy generation product.

The Xeon E5603 fits into the LGA1366 socket and supports PCIe 2.0 with 32 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR3 memory at speeds up to DDR3-1066 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 288 GB across 3 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). It supports ECC memory, providing error-correcting capabilities — essential for mission-critical workloads and servers.

The Xeon E5603 is primarily designed for Server. Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads).

The Xeon E5603 has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 80 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed.

At an average price of $188, the Xeon E5603 delivers 10 PassMark points per dollar. It currently holds Rank #863 in the overall cost-benefit ranking — this ranking factors in performance-per-dollar relative to all available processors. Performance ranking position: #2611 out of all indexed processors.