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.

Intel Xeon X5687

Intel Xeon X5550

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 1312
Around 68% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 9406 vs 5603

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 1312
PassMark - CPU mark	9406 vs 5603

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

1312

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

9406

5603

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	1312
PassMark - CPU mark	9406	5603
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	2512	2534
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)