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.

Atom C3758

2017

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 25W instead of 60W, a 35W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon L5640 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,614 vs 4,659).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon L5640, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.

Xeon L5640

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $996 MSRP, while Atom C3758 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌140% higher power demand at 60W vs 25W.

Atom C3758

2017

Xeon L5640

2010

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 25W instead of 60W, a 35W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 6 cores / 12 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon L5640 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,614 vs 4,659).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon L5640, which brings 6 cores / 12 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $996 MSRP, while Atom C3758 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌140% higher power demand at 60W vs 25W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon L5640 better than Atom C3758?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon L5640 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Atom C3758 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, Xeon L5640 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.0% 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, Xeon L5640 is the better fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Xeon L5640 is the smarter buy today. Xeon L5640 is at an unclear MSRP at $996 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 16.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (4.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Atom C3758 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2010) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 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.

Atom C3758 Benchmark Check

Xeon L5640 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Atom C3758	Xeon L5640
1080p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	108 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	108 FPS	111 FPS
high	86 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	61 FPS
medium	55 FPS	55 FPS
high	43 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	34 FPS

Open Atom C3758 Open Xeon L5640

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Atom C3758	Xeon L5640
1080p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	113 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	112 FPS	116 FPS
high	101 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	107 FPS
4K
low	89 FPS	116 FPS
medium	82 FPS	116 FPS
high	73 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	74 FPS

Open Atom C3758 Open Xeon L5640

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Atom C3758	Xeon L5640
1080p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	116 FPS

Open Atom C3758 Open Xeon L5640

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Atom C3758	Xeon L5640
1080p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	115 FPS	116 FPS
medium	115 FPS	116 FPS
high	115 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	116 FPS

Open Atom C3758 Open Xeon L5640

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom C3758 and Xeon L5640

Atom C3758

The Atom C3758 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2400. Passmark benchmark score: 4,614 points. Launch price was $193.

Xeon L5640

The Xeon L5640 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,659 points. Launch price was $200.

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Processing Power

The Atom C3758 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon L5640 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Atom C3758 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Atom C3758 versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon L5640 — a 24% clock advantage for the Xeon L5640 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Atom C3758 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon L5640 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3758 scores 4,614 against the Xeon L5640's 4,659 — a 1% lead for the Xeon L5640. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Atom C3758 vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon L5640.

Feature	Atom C3758	Xeon L5640
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.8 GHz+27%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.26 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	16 MB+33%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	16 MB+6300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Goldmont (2016−2017)	Westmere-EP (2010−2011)
PassMark	4,614	4,659
Geekbench 6 Single	400	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,400	—

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Memory & Platform

The Atom C3758 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon L5640 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Atom C3758 versus DDR3 1333 MHz on the Xeon L5640 — the Xeon L5640 supports 199.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon L5640 supports up to 288 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 11.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Atom C3758) vs 3 (Xeon L5640). PCIe lanes: 16 (Atom C3758) vs 0 (Xeon L5640) — the Atom C3758 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Atom C3758) and Intel 5520,Intel X58 (Xeon L5640).

Feature	Atom C3758	Xeon L5640
Socket	FCBGA1310	LGA1366
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400+33%	DDR3 1333 MHz
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	288 GB+13%
RAM Channels	2	3+50%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	0

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Atom C3758) vs true (Xeon L5640). Primary use case: Atom C3758 targets Server/Embedded, Xeon L5640 targets Server Low Power.