Intel Core i7-860 vs Intel Xeon X5550

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-860 and Intel Xeon X5550 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i7-860

Intel Xeon X5550

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-860

CPU is newer: launch date 6 month(s) later
Around 13% higher clock speed: 3.46 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
Around 1% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1331 vs 1313
Around 3% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 507 vs 491

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	September 2009 vs March 2009
Maximum frequency	3.46 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1331 vs 1313
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	507 vs 491

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon X5550

Around 3% higher maximum core temperature: 75°C vs 72.7°C
9x more maximum memory size: 144 GB vs 16 GB
Around 87% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 5637 vs 3022
Around 19% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2241 vs 1890
Around 87% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 1.775 vs 0.949
Around 44% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 71.663 vs 49.877
Around 70% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.531 vs 0.312
Around 93% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 2.861 vs 1.485
2.1x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 8.548 vs 4.161

Specifications (specs)
Maximum core temperature	75°C vs 72.7°C
Maximum memory size	144 GB vs 16 GB
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2 vs 1
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	5637 vs 3022
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2241 vs 1890
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.775 vs 0.949
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	71.663 vs 49.877
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.531 vs 0.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.861 vs 1.485
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	8.548 vs 4.161

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-860
CPU 2: Intel Xeon X5550

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1331

1313

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3022

5637

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

507

491

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1890

2241

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.949

1.775

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

49.877

71.663

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.312

0.531

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

1.485

2.861

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

4.161

8.548

Name	Intel Core i7-860	Intel Xeon X5550
PassMark - Single thread mark	1331	1313
PassMark - CPU mark	3022	5637
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	507	491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1890	2241
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	2296
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.949	1.775
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	49.877	71.663
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.312	0.531
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.485	2.861
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	4.161	8.548

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-860	Intel Xeon X5550
Essentials
Architecture codename	Lynnfield	Nehalem EP
Launch date	September 2009	March 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$229	$62
Place in performance rating	2740	2549
Price now	$289.95	$17.27
Processor Number	i7-860	X5550
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status	Discontinued	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	5.09	92.15
Vertical segment	Desktop	Server
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.80 GHz	2.66 GHz
Bus Speed	2.5 GT/s DMI	6.4 GT/s QPI
Die size	296 mm2	263 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared)	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	45 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.7°C	75°C
Maximum frequency	3.46 GHz	3.06 GHz
Number of cores	4	4
Number of threads	8	8
Transistor count	774 million	731 million
VID voltage range	0.6500V-1.4000V	0.75V -1.35V
Number of QPI Links		2
Memory
Max memory channels	2	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s	32 GB/s
Maximum memory size	16 GB	144 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3 800/1066/1333
ECC memory support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	2
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	42.5mm x 45mm
Sockets supported	LGA1156	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt	95 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
PCIe configurations	1x16, 2x8
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	36-bit	40-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)