Intel Xeon X5687 vs Intel Xeon X5550

Comparative analysis of Intel Xeon X5687 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, 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), Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core.

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon X5687

  • CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 11 month(s) later
  • Around 26% higher clock speed: 3.86 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
  • Around 7% higher maximum core temperature: 80.4°C vs 75°C
  • A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
  • Around 50% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
  • 2x more maximum memory size: 288 GB vs 144 GB
  • Around 26% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1658 vs 1313
  • Around 67% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 9406 vs 5621
Specifications (specs)
Launch date February 2011 vs March 2009
Maximum frequency 3.86 GHz vs 3.06 GHz
Maximum core temperature 80.4°C vs 75°C
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm vs 45 nm
L3 cache 12288 KB (shared) vs 8192 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size 288 GB vs 144 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 1658 vs 1313
PassMark - CPU mark 9406 vs 5621

Reasons to consider the Intel Xeon X5550

  • Around 37% lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 130 Watt
  • Around 49% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 1.775 vs 1.191
  • Around 15% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 71.663 vs 62.153
  • Around 38% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.531 vs 0.384
  • 5.8x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 2.861 vs 0.49
  • Around 63% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 8.548 vs 5.238
Specifications (specs)
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 95 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 1.775 vs 1.191
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 71.663 vs 62.153
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.531 vs 0.384
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 2.861 vs 0.49
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 8.548 vs 5.238

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Xeon X5687
CPU 2: Intel Xeon X5550

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1658
1313
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
9406
5621
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
1.191
1.775
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
62.153
71.663
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.384
0.531
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.49
2.861
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
5.238
8.548
Name Intel Xeon X5687 Intel Xeon X5550
PassMark - Single thread mark 1658 1313
PassMark - CPU mark 9406 5621
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 1.191 1.775
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 62.153 71.663
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.384 0.531
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 0.49 2.861
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 5.238 8.548
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 491
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 2241

Compare specifications (specs)

Intel Xeon X5687 Intel Xeon X5550

Essentials

Architecture codename Westmere EP Nehalem EP
Launch date February 2011 March 2009
Launch price (MSRP) $121 $62
Place in performance rating 2519 2539
Price now $51.66 $17.27
Processor Number X5687 X5550
Series Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors Legacy Intel® Xeon® Processors
Status Discontinued Launched
Value for money (0-100) 40.41 92.15
Vertical segment Server Server

Performance

64 bit support
Base frequency 3.60 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 80.4°C 75°C
Maximum frequency 3.86 GHz 3.06 GHz
Number of cores 4 4
Number of QPI Links 2 2
Number of threads 8 8
Transistor count 1170 million 731 million
VID voltage range 0.750V-1.350V 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 288 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 2 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) 40-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)