Intel Xeon X3440 vs Intel Xeon X5470 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data presents a clear picture: the Intel Xeon X5470 wins every recorded head-to-head comparison against the Intel Xeon X3440. Across all five Cinebench tests, spanning R15 multicore, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core, the X5470 holds a consistent advantage. The smallest margin is 2.9% in Cinebench R15 multicore and R20 single-core, while the largest is 3% in Cinebench R20 multicore, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core.

For workloads that rely heavily on single-threaded performance, the X5470 delivers a 2.9% edge in R20 single-core and a 3% lead in R23 single-core. These are modest but consistent gains, suggesting that the higher base clock of the X5470 at 3.33 GHz provides a tangible benefit in lightly threaded tasks where the X3440's boost clock of 2.93 GHz cannot fully compensate.

In multi-threaded rendering and compute tasks, the X5470 again comes out ahead, despite the X3440 offering twice the thread count (8 threads versus 4 threads). The X5470 posts a 2.9% win in R15 multicore and a 3% win in both R20 and R23 multicore. This indicates that raw clock speed and architectural efficiency in this specific benchmark suite outweigh the X3440's hyper-threading advantage. The data shows a sweep: 5 wins for the X5470, 0 for the X3440.

The average benchmark score further reinforces this split. The X5470 averages 839 points, while the X3440 averages 815 points, a difference of roughly 2.9%. Both processors sit at the 22nd percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same performance tier overall, but the X5470 sits at the upper edge of that tier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations, and those differences explain much of the benchmark behavior. The X5470 is built on the Core 2 architecture with the codename Harpertown, while the X3440 uses the Nehalem architecture with the codename Lynnfield. Both use a 45 nm process node from Intel, and both integrate 4 physical cores, but the similarities end there.

The X5470 operates with 4 threads, matching its core count, while the X3440 supports 8 threads via Hyper-Threading. Cache structures differ substantially. The X5470 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 6 MB of L2 cache per die, with no L3 cache. The X3440 also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but it upgrades to 256 KB of L2 per core and adds an 8 MB shared L3 cache. This larger cache hierarchy should theoretically benefit the X3440 in repeated workloads, yet the benchmark results show the X5470 still wins.

Transistor counts and die sizes also differ. The X5470 packs 820 million transistors across a dual-die design measuring 2x 107 mm². The X3440 contains 774 million transistors on a single 296 mm² die. The X5470's dual-die layout is a legacy of the Core 2 era, while the X3440's monolithic die is typical of Nehalem.

Memory support diverges as well. The X5470 supports DDR2 and DDR3 depending on the motherboard, with a dual-channel memory bus. The X3440 supports only DDR3, also dual-channel, but with a specified memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. The X5470 lists no explicit memory bandwidth figure in the database.

Clock speeds and power draw differ significantly. The X5470 runs at a fixed 3.33 GHz with no boost capability, while the X3440 runs at 2.53 GHz base and boosts to 2.93 GHz. Despite the higher clock, the X5470 has a TDP of 120 W, while the X3440 is rated at 95 W. This makes the X3440 the more power-efficient option on paper, though the benchmark data shows it cannot translate that efficiency into higher performance in these tests.

Sockets and platforms are entirely different. The X5470 uses Intel Socket 771, while the X3440 uses Intel Socket 1156. Both support ECC memory and both lack integrated graphics. Both processors are end-of-life, with the X5470 released in September 2008 and the X3440 released exactly one year later in September 2009.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Xeon X5470 runs at 3.33 GHz, which is higher than the X3440's base clock of 2.53 GHz. The X3440 does have a boost clock of 2.93 GHz, but that still falls short of the X5470's fixed operating speed.

Q: Does the X3440's 8-thread count give it an advantage in multi-threaded benchmarks?

A: No. Despite having 8 threads versus the X5470's 4 threads, the X3440 loses every multi-threaded benchmark in the database. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the X5470 scores 2440 against the X3440's 2368, a 3% deficit for the X3440.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the X3440?

A: The X3440 has a specified memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. The X5470 does not have a listed memory bandwidth figure in the database.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The X3440 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The X5470 has no L3 cache at all; its cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB L1 per core and 6 MB L2 per die.

Q: Are both processors from the same architectural generation?

A: No. The X5470 uses the Core 2 architecture (codename Harpertown), while the X3440 uses the Nehalem architecture (codename Lynnfield). Both are built on a 45 nm process.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The X5470 has a TDP of 120 W, while the X3440 has a TDP of 95 W. This makes the X3440 the lower-power option despite its lower performance in the recorded benchmarks.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The most obvious difference is clock speed: the X5470 operates at 3.33 GHz with no boost, while the X3440 runs at 2.53 GHz base and 2.93 GHz boost. Thread count also separates them, with the X5470 offering 4 threads and the X3440 offering 8.

Socket compatibility is entirely different: the X5470 uses Intel Socket 771, the X3440 uses Intel Socket 1156. The architecture and codename differ as noted, with Core 2 Harpertown versus Nehalem Lynnfield. Process node is identical at 45 nm, but transistor count and die size differ: 820 million transistors on 2x 107 mm² dies for the X5470, versus 774 million on a single 296 mm² die for the X3440.

Cache layouts are distinct. The X5470 has 64 KB L1 per core and 6 MB L2 per die with no L3. The X3440 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. Memory support differs: the X5470 accepts DDR2 or DDR3 depending on the motherboard, while the X3440 supports only DDR3. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but only the X3440 lists a bandwidth figure of 21.3 GB/s.

Power draw and release dates differ. The X5470 has a 120 W TDP and launched in September 2008. The X3440 has a 95 W TDP and launched in September 2009. The launch MSRP for the X5470 was $1386, while the X3440 launched at $215. Both support ECC memory, both use PCIe Gen 2, and neither includes integrated graphics. Both are locked multipliers and both are end-of-life products.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are uniform: the X5470 wins all five recorded tests. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the X5470 scores 245 against the X3440's 238, a 2.9% advantage. This is the narrowest margin of the group. In Cinebench R20 multicore, the X5470 scores 1024 versus 994, a 3% lead. The R20 single-core test shows the X5470 at 144 and the X3440 at 140, again a 2.9% gap.

The Cinebench R23 results follow the same pattern. In multicore, the X5470 posts 2440 against the X3440's 2368, a 3% win. In single-core, the X5470 scores 344 versus 334, also a 3% margin. Across all tests, the X5470 maintains a consistent lead of roughly 3%, never falling below 2.9%.

The average benchmark scores corroborate this trend. The X5470 averages 839 points, while the X3440 averages 815 points. The X5470's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i5-3380M with an average score of 838 (0.1% difference), the Intel Core i5-5200U also at 838 (0.2% difference), and the Intel Xeon X3450 at 837 (0.3% difference). The X3440's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-L16G7 at 816 (-0.1% difference), the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9775 at 813 (0.2% difference), and the Intel Xeon E5540 at 820 (-0.7% difference).

The data suggests that the X5470's higher base clock is the decisive factor in these benchmark results. The X3440's architectural advantages, including Hyper-Threading, a larger cache hierarchy, and a newer design, do not translate into wins in this benchmark suite. The X5470's consistent 3% edge across both single-core and multi-core tests indicates that clock speed remains the dominant variable in Cinebench workloads for these two processors. Both chips occupy the same 22nd percentile among all CPUs, so neither represents a major performance tier jump over the other, but the X5470 clearly leads within that tier.