Phenom II X6 1100T BE vs Xeon E3-1220 v5

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Phenom II X6 1100T BE

2010

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E3-1220 v5.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.7 vs 28.1 PassMark/$ ($265 MSRP vs $203 MSRP).
❌56.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 80W.

Xeon E3-1220 v5

2015

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Costs $62 less on MSRP ($203 MSRP vs $265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 29.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.1 vs 21.7 PassMark/$ ($203 MSRP vs $265 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 125W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,713 vs 5,745).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Phenom II X6 1100T BE.

Phenom II X6 1100T BE

2010

Xeon E3-1220 v5

2015

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E3-1220 v5.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Costs $62 less on MSRP ($203 MSRP vs $265 MSRP).
✅Delivers 29.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.1 vs 21.7 PassMark/$ ($203 MSRP vs $265 MSRP).
✅Draws 80W instead of 125W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.7 vs 28.1 PassMark/$ ($265 MSRP vs $203 MSRP).
❌56.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 80W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,713 vs 5,745).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Phenom II X6 1100T BE.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X6 1100T BE better than Xeon E3-1220 v5?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E3-1220 v5 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Phenom II X6 1100T BE is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Phenom II X6 1100T BE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.7% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X6 1100T BE is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Phenom II X6 1100T BE is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon E3-1220 v5 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Phenom II X6 1100T BE is 30.5% more expensive on MSRP at $265 MSRP versus $203 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Xeon E3-1220 v5 is also 29.8% better value on MSRP (28.1 vs 21.7 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon E3-1220 v5 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2010) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Phenom II X6 1100T BE Benchmark Check

Xeon E3-1220 v5 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
1080p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	140 FPS	131 FPS
high	113 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	80 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	141 FPS
medium	116 FPS	112 FPS
high	92 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	66 FPS
medium	56 FPS	56 FPS
high	44 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	34 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Xeon E3-1220 v5

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
1080p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	142 FPS
high	144 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	122 FPS
high	144 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	125 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	144 FPS	112 FPS
medium	137 FPS	99 FPS
high	122 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	56 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Xeon E3-1220 v5

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
1080p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	143 FPS
high	144 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	143 FPS
high	144 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	143 FPS
high	144 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	136 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Xeon E3-1220 v5

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
1080p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	143 FPS
high	144 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	143 FPS
high	144 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	144 FPS	143 FPS
high	144 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	143 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Xeon E3-1220 v5

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X6 1100T BE and Xeon E3-1220 v5

Phenom II X6 1100T BE

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Thuban (2010) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,745 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E3-1220 v5

The Xeon E3-1220 v5 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-DT (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 5,713 points. Launch price was $203.

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Processing Power

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Xeon E3-1220 v5 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X6 1100T BE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Phenom II X6 1100T BE versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1220 v5 — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X6 1100T BE (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Phenom II X6 1100T BE uses the Thuban (2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E3-1220 v5 uses Skylake-DT (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X6 1100T BE scores 5,745 against the Xeon E3-1220 v5's 5,713 — a 0.6% lead for the Phenom II X6 1100T BE. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X6 1100T BE vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1220 v5.

Feature	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+6%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+10%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Thuban (2010)	Skylake-DT (2015)
PassMark	5,745	5,713
Geekbench 6 Single	508	—

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Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E3-1220 v5 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
Socket	AM3	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333 / DDR2-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Phenom II X6 1100T BE) / not specified (Xeon E3-1220 v5). Primary use case: Phenom II X6 1100T BE targets Enthusiast Legacy.

Feature	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Xeon E3-1220 v5
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Enthusiast Legacy	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE launched at $265 MSRP, while the Xeon E3-1220 v5 debuted at $203. On MSRP ($265 vs $203), the Xeon E3-1220 v5 is $62 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Phenom II X6 1100T BE delivers 21.7 pts/$ vs 28.1 pts/$ for the Xeon E3-1220 v5 — making the Xeon E3-1220 v5 the 25.9% better value option.