Intel Xeon W3670 vs Intel Xeon X5550

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon W3670 and Intel Xeon X5550 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, 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).

Intel Xeon W3670

Intel Xeon X5550

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon W3670

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 5 month(s) later
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
4 more threads: 12 vs 8
Around 13% higher clock speed: 3.46 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 50% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 50% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 50% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 14% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1497 vs 1312
Around 15% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6449 vs 5603
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 561 vs 491
Around 34% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2994 vs 2241

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	August 2010 vs March 2009
Number of cores	6 vs 4
Number of threads	12 vs 8
Maximum frequency	3.46 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	12288 KB (shared) vs 8192 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1497 vs 1312
PassMark - CPU mark	6449 vs 5603
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	561 vs 491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2994 vs 2241

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon X5550

Around 10% higher maximum core temperature: 75°C vs 67.9°C
6x more maximum memory size: 144 GB vs 24 GB
Around 37% lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 130 Watt
Around 8% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 1.775 vs 1.639
Around 70% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 71.663 vs 42.154
Around 21% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.531 vs 0.439
Around 12% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 2.861 vs 2.551
Around 18% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 8.548 vs 7.228

Specifications (specs)
Maximum core temperature	75°C vs 67.9°C
Maximum memory size	144 GB vs 24 GB
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2 vs 1
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.775 vs 1.639
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	71.663 vs 42.154
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.531 vs 0.439
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.861 vs 2.551
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	8.548 vs 7.228

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon W3670
CPU 2: Intel Xeon X5550

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1497

1312

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6449

5603

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

561

491

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2994

2241

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

1.639

1.775

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

42.154

71.663

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.439

0.531

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.551

2.861

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

7.228

8.548

Name	Intel Xeon W3670	Intel Xeon X5550
PassMark - Single thread mark	1497	1312
PassMark - CPU mark	6449	5603
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	561	491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2994	2241
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.639	1.775
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	42.154	71.663
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.439	0.531
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.551	2.861
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	7.228	8.548

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Xeon W3670	Intel Xeon X5550
Essentials
Architecture codename	Westmere EP	Nehalem EP
Launch date	August 2010	March 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$295	$62
Place in performance rating	2520	2539
Price now	$565	$17.27
Processor Number	W3670	X5550
Series	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors	Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status	Discontinued	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	4.25	92.15
Vertical segment	Server	Server
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.20 GHz	2.66 GHz
Bus Speed	4.8 GT/s QPI	6.4 GT/s QPI
Die size	239 mm	263 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	12288 KB (shared)	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	67.9°C	75°C
Maximum frequency	3.46 GHz	3.06 GHz
Number of cores	6	4
Number of QPI Links	1	2
Number of threads	12	8
Transistor count	1170 million	731 million
VID voltage range	0.800V-1.375V	0.75V -1.35V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	3	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	32 GB/s
Maximum memory size	24 GB	144 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 800/1066	DDR3 800/1066/1333
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	2
Package Size	42.5mm X 45mm	42.5mm x 45mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1366	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	95 Watt
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
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	36-bit	40-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)