Intel Xeon W3680 vs Intel Xeon X5550

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon W3680 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, 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).

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon W3680

  • CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 0 month(s) later
  • 2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
  • 4 more threads: 12 vs 8
  • Around 18% higher clock speed: 3.60 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 20% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1572 vs 1312
  • Around 25% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 7003 vs 5603
  • Around 32% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 649 vs 491
  • Around 59% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3566 vs 2241
Specifications (specs)
Launch date March 2010 vs March 2009
Number of cores 6 vs 4
Number of threads 12 vs 8
Maximum frequency 3.60 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 1572 vs 1312
PassMark - CPU mark 7003 vs 5603
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 649 vs 491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 3566 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 7% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 1.775 vs 1.662
  • Around 47% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 71.663 vs 48.725
  • Around 4% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.531 vs 0.51
  • Around 8% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 2.861 vs 2.657
  • Around 12% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 8.548 vs 7.601
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 1.662
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 71.663 vs 48.725
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.531 vs 0.51
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 2.861 vs 2.657
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 8.548 vs 7.601

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon W3680
CPU 2: Intel Xeon X5550

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1572
1312
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
7003
5603
Geekbench 4 - Single Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
649
491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
3566
2241
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
1.662
1.775
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
48.725
71.663
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.51
0.531
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
2.657
2.861
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
7.601
8.548
Name Intel Xeon W3680 Intel Xeon X5550
PassMark - Single thread mark 1572 1312
PassMark - CPU mark 7003 5603
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 649 491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 3566 2241
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score 0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 1.662 1.775
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 48.725 71.663
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.51 0.531
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 2.657 2.861
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 7.601 8.548

Compare specifications (specs)

Intel Xeon W3680 Intel Xeon X5550

Essentials

Architecture codename Westmere EP Nehalem EP
Launch date March 2010 March 2009
Launch price (MSRP) $350 $62
Place in performance rating 2536 2539
Price now $759.95 $17.27
Processor Number W3680 X5550
Series Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status Discontinued Launched
Value for money (0-100) 3.52 92.15
Vertical segment Server Server

Performance

64 bit support
Base frequency 3.33 GHz 2.66 GHz
Bus Speed 6.4 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 3.60 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 32 GB/s 32 GB/s
Maximum memory size 24 GB 144 GB
Supported memory types DDR3 800/1066/1333 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)