Xeon E5420 Benchmarks & Performance Report

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Benchmark Results

Combined benchmark scores based on multiple data points, giving a quick overview of this processor's performance.

Overall Score

Overall score for Xeon E5420 based on all benchmark results gathered. Look at this like a meta score, you will find more specific workload ratings below.

4,289 Rank: 1541

Rank	Name	Score	Visual
1537	Pentium B960	4,291	+0%
1538	A6-5357M	4,291	+0%
1539	Core i7-2635QM	4,289	+0%
1540	A6-6400K	4,289	+0%
1541	Xeon E5420	4,289
1542	Phenom II X4 925	4,288	+-0%
1543	Pentium E6600	4,288	+-0%
1544	Core 2 Duo P9700	4,286	-0.1%
1545	Phenom II X2 555	4,284	-0.1%
1546	A10-6700T	4,282	-0.2%

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Multicore Score

Multicore performance score for Xeon E5420 based on multi-threaded benchmark results.

4,470 Rank: 1283

Rank	Name	Score	Visual
1279	Core i7-5600U	4,473	+0.1%
1280	Phenom II X6 1055T	4,473	+0.1%
1281	A8-7600	4,471	+0%
1282	Athlon Silver 7120U	4,471	+0%
1283	Xeon E5420	4,470
1284	Core i5-660	4,470	+0%
1285	Core i3-3240	4,469	+-0%
1286	Core i5-2300	4,468	+-0%
1287	Core M 5Y31	4,467	-0.1%
1288	Core i3-2350M	4,467	-0.1%

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Singlecore Score

Single-core performance score for Xeon E5420 based on single-threaded benchmark results.

4,169 Rank: 1610

Rank	Name	Score	Visual
1606	Phenom II X4 925	4,172	+0.1%
1607	Core 2 Duo P9500	4,172	+0.1%
1608	Celeron N4000	4,171	+0%
1609	Core 2 Duo E7500	4,171	+0%
1610	Xeon E5420	4,169
1611	Core i7-920XM	4,169	+0%
1612	Celeron 1005M	4,167	+-0%
1613	Athlon II X2 240	4,166	-0.1%
1614	Athlon II X2 220	4,166	-0.1%
1615	Pentium 3825U	4,166	-0.1%

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Workload Scores

Performance scores grouped by workload type, normalized and aggregated from multiple raw benchmark results.

Number Crunching

Aggregated score for Xeon E5420 based on integer math, floating point math, and prime number computation benchmarks.

4,550 Rank: 1169

Rank	Name	Score	Visual
1165	Pentium Silver N6000	4,551	+0%
1166	Athlon X4 730	4,551	+0%
1167	Core i7-5650U	4,550	+0%
1168	Core i7-3540M	4,550	+0%
1169	Xeon E5420	4,550
1170	Core i3-4160T	4,550	+0%
1171	Core i7-6500U	4,549	+-0%
1172	Core i5-7200U	4,549	+-0%
1173	Core i3-7167U	4,549	+-0%
1174	Pentium G3430	4,549	+-0%

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Data Processing

Aggregated score for Xeon E5420 based on data encryption, data compression, and string sorting benchmarks.

4,515 Rank: 1245

Rank	Name	Score	Visual
1241	Core i5-6200U	4,515	+0%
1242	Core i3-2120	4,515	+0%
1243	Athlon II X3 460	4,515	+0%
1244	Phenom II X4 810	4,515	+0%
1245	Xeon E5420	4,515
1246	Athlon Silver 3050U	4,515	+0%
1247	Pentium G4500	4,514	+-0%
1248	Core i3-6100H	4,514	+-0%
1249	Core i5-3230M	4,514	+-0%
1250	A8-6500	4,514	+-0%

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Physics & Compute

Aggregated score for Xeon E5420 based on physics simulation and extended instruction set (SSE/AVX) benchmarks.

4,498 Rank: 1424

Rank	Name	Score	Visual
1420	Celeron G1830	4,498	+0%
1421	Pentium G870	4,498	+0%
1422	Pentium G645	4,498	+0%
1423	Phenom II X4 810	4,498	+0%
1424	Xeon E5420	4,498
1425	Phenom II X3 B77	4,498	+0%
1426	Celeron N4100	4,497	+-0%
1427	Xeon X5472	4,497	+-0%
1428	Celeron G1620	4,497	+-0%
1429	Celeron G1610	4,497	+-0%

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Xeon E5420 Details

The Intel Xeon E5420 stands as a relic of an earlier era in server and workstation computing, released during a time when multi-core performance was still evolving and integrated graphics were beginning to gain prominence. As of March 2026, this processor is over 20 years old, placing it firmly in the category of legacy hardware. Despite its age, the Xeon E5420 retains relevance in niche environments where legacy system compatibility is essential, particularly in older data centers or embedded systems still relying on LGA771 socket infrastructure.

Designed on Intel's 45 nm process, the Xeon E5420 features a quad-core configuration with four threads, leveraging a base clock speed of 2.5 GHz and a turbo frequency of 2.66 GHz. This modest performance is supported by a 1333 MHz front-side bus and a 65 W TDP, making it energy-efficient for its time but significantly outpaced by modern processors. The chip supports DDR3L and LPDDR memory types, with a maximum capacity of 16 GB and a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s across two channels. It also includes Intel's integrated HD Graphics 5500, which operates at a base frequency of 300 MHz and can boost up to 850 MHz, capable of driving up to three displays simultaneously.

While the Xeon E5420 lacks modern instruction set extensions such as AVX-512 or support for DDR5 memory, it does include a suite of enterprise-grade features including ECC memory support, VT-x virtualization, and Intel vPro technology, making it suitable for older virtualized environments. However, its performance metrics reflect its outdated architecture. In benchmark testing, the processor achieves an Overall Score of 4289, ranking #1539 of 2060, with a Singlecore Score of 4169 (#1610 of 2060) and a Multicore Score of 4470 (#1283 of 2060). These results place it well behind contemporary CPUs, even among entry-level modern processors.

In competitive comparison, the Xeon E5420 is outperformed by nearly every current generation of CPU, even in the low-end segment. It sits just below the Core i3-3240 and Core i5-2300, both of which offer more efficient architectures and significantly better performance despite their own age. Its strongest performance category is multicore, where it ranks relatively higher than in single-core tests, suggesting that its quad-core design, while modest by today’s standards, still provides some benefit in parallel workloads.

In conclusion, the Xeon E5420 is best suited for legacy systems requiring compatibility with older software or hardware platforms. It is not competitive in modern computing tasks such as content creation, gaming, or high-performance computing. For users seeking modern performance, the Xeon E5420 serves as a historical artifact rather than a practical solution, highlighting the rapid pace of advancement in CPU design and performance.