Intel Xeon W5580

The Intel Xeon W5580 is a 45 nm Nehalem-generation server/workstation processor. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.47 GHz. The chip is built from 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die, uses an 8 MB shared L3 cache, and is rated at a 130 W TDP. It was released on 2009-03-29 and is now end-of-life, with a part number of SLBF2.

Benchmark Performance

The W5580’s average benchmark score is 1012, placing it at the 27th percentile of all CPUs in the database. That percentile position matters more than the absolute score: the data shows a processor that sits below the majority of the database, but whose immediate rivals are extremely close. The gap between the W5580 and every listed neighboring CPU is under 0.4%, so in this composite metric the product is effectively at the center of a tightly packed cluster.

Individual Cinebench results reinforce the same picture. The W5580 scores 296 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 1234 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and 2940 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Single-core results are 174 in Cinebench R20 and 415 in Cinebench R23. These numbers come from different test versions, so they should not be compared across versions as if they were a single scale. Within the same version, however, the multi-core advantage is clear: the R23 multi-core result of 2940 is far larger than the R23 single-core result of 415, and the R20 multi-core result of 1234 is far larger than the R20 single-core result of 174.

The nearest rivals show how narrow the performance margins are. The Intel Core i5-2300 has an average score of 1013, with a delta of -0.1% relative to the W5580. The Intel Core i7-5600U and the Intel Processor N100 both have average scores of 1009, each with a delta of 0.3%. The Intel Core i5-2500S has an average score of 1008, with a delta of 0.4%. In practical terms, the W5580 is not separated from any of these processors by more than a fraction of a percentage point.

What the benchmark data does not show is a generational advantage. The W5580 is a 2009 processor, but its average score of 1012 lands alongside later processors in the same composite range. The 27th percentile status suggests that the majority of the database is faster, yet the close rival deltas indicate that this older server chip is not an outlier in either direction.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The W5580’s 4 cores and 8 threads create a workload profile that depends heavily on threading. With a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.47 GHz, the chip has limited single-thread headroom by modern standards. The R20 single-core score of 174 and the R23 single-core score of 415 reflect that limitation: lightly threaded tasks will rely on the 3.47 GHz boost clock, but the underlying Nehalem architecture is still a 45 nm design.

Multi-threaded workloads tell a different story. The R20 multi-core score of 1234 and the R23 multi-core score of 2940 show that the processor scales when all 8 threads are active. The cache layout also supports this behavior: the W5580 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. That shared L3 helps threads running on different cores exchange data without going back to system memory.

The split between single-thread and multi-thread scores is consistent with the server/workstation market segment. Server workloads such as compiling, rendering, or database queries are often threaded enough to use more than four threads. For those tasks, the W5580’s 8-thread capability allows it to make better use of its available compute resources. For single-threaded legacy applications or low-thread interactive workloads, the processor will be closer to its single-core performance level.

The boost clock of 3.47 GHz is only 0.27 GHz above the base clock of 3.20 GHz, so the processor does not have a large turbo range to exploit. The data suggests that sustained multi-thread performance will be governed by the 130 W TDP envelope rather than by a short boost window. In short, the W5580 behaves like a processor built for throughput rather than for high-frequency single-thread responsiveness.

Power and Thermals

The W5580 is rated at a 130 W TDP. That is a substantial thermal envelope for a 4-core processor, and it implies the need for an active cooling solution suited to a 130 W class part. The die is built on Intel’s 45 nm process, contains 731 million transistors, and measures 263 mm². Those figures place the W5580 in an era where higher power draw was the cost of reaching server-class clock speeds.

For platform design, the 130 W TDP is the key constraint. A cooling solution must be able to dissipate that heat under sustained all-core load, which is the kind of workload this processor was intended to handle. Because the production status is end-of-life, thermal guidance may also depend on the specific board and chassis in which the chip is installed. The data does not include a bundled cooler, so the responsibility falls on the system builder to match the cooler to the 130 W envelope.

The 45 nm process node also matters for thermal analysis. Smaller process nodes generally reduce power density, but a 45 nm part with 731 million transistors and a 3.47 GHz boost clock will not match the efficiency of newer designs. The 130 W TDP therefore remains the most relevant thermal number for this processor.

Platform and Compatibility

The W5580 uses Intel Socket 1366. It is based on the Nehalem architecture, with the codename Gainestown. The generation field identifies it as Xeon (Gainestown), confirming its placement in Intel’s server/workstation lineup. The multiplier is locked, so users cannot change clock ratios to push the processor beyond its listed 3.20 GHz base and 3.47 GHz boost settings.

Memory support is DDR3, arranged in a triple-channel configuration. The listed memory bandwidth is 32.0 GB/s, and ECC memory is supported. This combination of triple-channel DDR3 and ECC is typical for a server/workstation platform, where memory reliability and bandwidth matter more than in consumer builds. The processor also provides PCIe Gen 2, which is the connectivity generation available on this platform.

There is no integrated graphics listed for the W5580. This means any system using this processor must include a discrete graphics solution or some form of server management controller with its own display output. The market segment is listed as Server/Workstation, reinforcing the expectation that this processor would be paired with a dedicated GPU or with server hardware that does not require an integrated GPU.

For upgrade path considerations, the processor is end-of-life and uses a socket and memory generation from the Nehalem era. Existing Socket 1366 systems are the only platforms that can accept this chip. The locked multiplier limits performance tuning, and the platform itself is fixed to DDR3 triple-channel memory and PCIe Gen 2. The part number SLBF2 identifies the specific stepping and product designation.

How It Compares

The Intel Core i5-2300 is the closest rival, with an average score of 1013 and a delta of -0.1%. The W5580 trails it by a fractional margin, making the two effectively indistinguishable in the database’s composite metric. This is notable because the i5-2300 is a desktop processor while the W5580 is a server/workstation part, yet their average scores land within 0.1% of each other.

The Intel Core i7-5600U has an average score of 1009, giving it a delta of 0.3% relative to the W5580. The W5580 is ahead, but only by a hair. The i7-5600U is a lower-power mobile processor, and the fact that it nearly matches the W5580 in average score shows how much performance has shifted across market segments.

The Intel Processor N100 also has an average score of 1009, with the same 0.3% delta relative to the W5580. Again, the W5580 is marginally ahead. The N100 is a modern low-power part, but the composite benchmark score places it in the same performance class as the old 130 W Xeon.

The Intel Core i5-2500S has an average score of 1008, with a delta of 0.4%. This is the largest gap among the listed rivals, and it still only gives the W5580 a 0.4% lead. The i5-2500S is a power-limited desktop processor from the same general era, and the data shows that the W5580 does not pull away from it in average performance.

Overall, the W5580 sits inside a very tight rival group. All four nearest rivals have average scores between 1008 and 1013, and all deltas are between -0.1% and 0.4%. In this composite metric, the W5580 is neither a clear winner nor a clear loser against its immediate neighbors.

FAQ

Q: What architecture is the Intel Xeon W5580 based on?

A: The W5580 is based on the Nehalem architecture, with the codename Gainestown, and is built on Intel’s 45 nm process with 731 million transistors.

Q: How many cores and threads does the W5580 have?

A: It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.47 GHz.

Q: What memory configuration does the W5580 support?

A: It supports DDR3 memory in a triple-channel configuration, with 32.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. ECC memory is supported.

Q: Does the W5580 include integrated graphics?

A: No integrated graphics is listed for this processor, so a separate graphics solution is required in any system using it.

Q: Is the W5580’s multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplierUnlocked field is false, meaning the processor does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Q: What is the production status and release date of the W5580?

A: The W5580 is end-of-life and was released on 2009-03-29. Its part number is SLBF2.