HP ProLiant ML350 4208

The HP ProLiant ML350 P10938-B21 kit scores 1.5 out of 100 for efficiency, putting it in the bottom 4% of all server processors we track. Single-thread and multi-thread performance both rank in the bottom 5%. Unless you find it at the USD 89 bargain price and need legacy Xeon compatibility, there's no good reason to buy this.

The performance story here is pretty grim. Single-thread performance ranks at the 3rd percentile, which puts it near the absolute bottom of our database. Multi-thread is barely better at the 4th percentile. For context, that means almost every other server processor we've tested will run circles around this thing in both single-threaded and parallel workloads. The AI score is even worse at the 3rd percentile, so don't even think about using this for any kind of machine learning or inference work.

The efficiency number is the real kicker though. At 1.5 out of 100 and the 4th percentile, this Xeon is one of the worst we've seen when it comes to performance per watt. You'll be paying for electricity that mostly turns into heat instead of results. The feature set isn't doing it any favors either, landing at the 21st percentile. The platform score sits at the 18th percentile, so you're not getting modern connectivity or expansion options either.

Stacked against the competition, this Xeon gets absolutely demolished. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X are in a completely different league for single-thread, multi-thread, and AI performance. Even the Dell Xeon E5-2637 V2 and the PC Server and Parts E5-2697 v2-cr, which are themselves older server parts, manage to outrank this kit in most categories. The D&H Core i9 BX80673I99960X is another option that will embarrass this processor in any workload you throw at it. The only place this HP kit might compete is on upfront price, and even then, the EUR 1,067 to EUR 1,265 range makes that argument hard to defend.

Value is where things get weird. The budget score of 9.3 out of 100 isn't anything to brag about, but the pricing is all over the map. You can find a single US listing at USD 89, which honestly feels like someone clearing out old inventory. Meanwhile, European listings range from EUR 1,067 to EUR 1,265 across DE, ES, FR, and IT. That's a spread of EUR 198 for what should be the same kit. If you're in Europe and dead set on this thing, shop around because the price difference between vendors is significant. But even at the low end of that range, you're paying over a thousand euros for a processor that ranks in the bottom 5% for nearly every performance metric we track.

Let's get the headline out of the way first: this thing scores a 1.5 out of 100 for efficiency. That's not a typo. It sits in the 4th percentile for efficiency, which means 96% of the server processors in our database do a better job of turning electricity into actual work. The multi-thread score is just as rough at the 4th percentile, and single-thread performance lands at the 3rd percentile. If you're looking for raw compute power, this Xeon is not going to impress anyone.

But here's the thing. The HP ProLiant ML350 P10938-B21 kit isn't really being sold as a performance monster. It's a budget play, and on that front it does slightly better, scoring 9.3 out of 100 for budget value. That's still not great, but it's the one area where this kit doesn't completely embarrass itself. The affordability ranking sits at the 31st percentile, which is mediocre, but at least it's not dead last like everything else.

Almost everyone should skip this. If you care about power efficiency at all, the 1.5 out of 100 efficiency score should be an immediate dealbreaker. If you need any kind of modern performance, the 3rd percentile single-thread and 4th percentile multi-thread rankings mean you'll be waiting around for everything. And if you're in Europe, paying EUR 1,067 to EUR 1,265 for this level of performance is frankly a bad financial decision. The only people who should even glance at this are those with legacy Xeon infrastructure who find the USD 89 listing and need a drop-in replacement for a dead part.

We can't recommend this kit for almost anyone. The efficiency score of 1.5 out of 100 means you'll be burning electricity for very little return, and the performance numbers across the board are bottom-of-the-barrel. The only scenario where this makes any sense is if you absolutely need a specific Xeon socket for legacy compatibility and you find it at that USD 89 price point. Otherwise, save your money or spend it on literally any of the competitors we mentioned. They'll all serve you better.