Intel Xeon E5-2420 vs Intel Xeon X5660

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon E5-2420 and Intel Xeon X5660 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, 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).

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon E5-2420

  • CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 2 month(s) later
  • Around 25% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
  • Around 33% higher maximum memory size: 384 GB vs 288 GB
Launch date May 2012 vs March 2010
L3 cache 15360 KB (shared) vs 12288 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size 384 GB vs 288 GB

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon X5660

  • Around 33% higher clock speed: 3.20 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
  • Around 22% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1355 vs 1108
  • 3.4x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 10473 vs 3065
  • Around 19% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 542 vs 454
  • Around 22% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3231 vs 2647
Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency 3.20 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 1355 vs 1108
PassMark - CPU mark 10473 vs 3065
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 542 vs 454
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 3231 vs 2647

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon E5-2420
CPU 2: Intel Xeon X5660

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1108
1355
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
3065
10473
Geekbench 4 - Single Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
454
542
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
2647
3231
Name Intel Xeon E5-2420 Intel Xeon X5660
PassMark - Single thread mark 1108 1355
PassMark - CPU mark 3065 10473
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 454 542
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 2647 3231
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 2.733
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 55.088
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.722
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 1.363
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 12.8

Compare specifications (specs)

Intel Xeon E5-2420 Intel Xeon X5660

Essentials

Architecture codename Sandy Bridge EN Westmere EP
Launch date May 2012 March 2010
Launch price (MSRP) $390 $33
Place in performance rating 2347 2392
Price now $390.02 $112.91
Processor Number E5-2420 X5660
Series Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 Family Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status Discontinued Discontinued
Value for money (0-100) 5.32 19.89
Vertical segment Server Server

Performance

64 bit support
Base frequency 1.90 GHz 2.80 GHz
Bus Speed 7.2 GT/s QPI 6.4 GT/s QPI
Die size 294 mm 239 mm
L1 cache 64 KB (per core) 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache 256 KB (per core) 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache 15360 KB (shared) 12288 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm 32 nm
Maximum frequency 2.40 GHz 3.20 GHz
Number of cores 6 6
Number of QPI Links 1 2
Number of threads 12 12
Transistor count 1270 million 1170 million
VID voltage range 0.6V-1.35V 0.750V-1.350V
Maximum core temperature 81.3°C

Memory

ECC memory support
Max memory channels 3 3
Maximum memory bandwidth 32 GB/s 32 GB/s
Maximum memory size 384 GB 288 GB
Supported memory types DDR3 800/1066/1333 DDR3 800/1066/1333

Compatibility

Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration 2 2
Package Size 45mm x 42.5mm 42.5mmX45mm
Sockets supported FCLGA1356 FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 95 Watt 95 Watt

Peripherals

Max number of PCIe lanes 24
PCI Express revision 3.0
Scalability 2S Only

Security & Reliability

Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)

Advanced Technologies

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions Intel® AVX Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Thermal Monitoring
Physical Address Extensions (PAE) 40-bit

Virtualization

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)