AMD Ryzen 3 5125C vs Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 and the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C are two very different processors that land in the same performance percentile. Both sit at the 43rd percentile in the global CPU database, and their average benchmark scores are separated by just 20 points (1882 vs 1902). That statistical tie is remarkable given that one is a 2016-era 4-core server chip with a 45W TDP, while the other is a 2022-era 2-core mobile part with a 15W TDP. The data suggests that architectural efficiency can overcome a core-count deficit, but the benchmark coverage is uneven: the Xeon has six Cinebench scores, while the Ryzen only has two Geekbench scores. This makes the head-to-head comparison partial rather than complete.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark array is empty, so the comparison relies entirely on the individual benchmark suites each processor was tested with. The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 was evaluated across the Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 suites. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 655 points, and in single-core, it scores 92. Moving to R20, the multi-core score jumps to 2733, while single-core reaches 385. In R23, the multi-core score is 6508, and single-core is 918. These numbers show a consistent pattern: the multi-core scores are roughly 7x the single-core scores in R15 and R23, which aligns with the 4-core/8-thread configuration.

The AMD Ryzen 3 5125C was tested with Geekbench instead. Its multi-core score is 2566, and its single-core score is 1237. The ratio here is about 2.07x, which is close to the 2-core/4-thread configuration. The Ryzen's single-core score of 1237 in Geekbench is dramatically higher than the Xeon's 918 in Cinebench R23 single-core, but the benchmarks are not directly comparable. What is comparable is the average benchmark score: the Ryzen's 1902 edges out the Xeon's 1882 by 1.1%. The deltaPct to their nearest rivals reinforces this tight grouping. The Xeon is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Processor U300, and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon E3-1545M v5. The Ryzen is 0.1% behind the Intel Core i3-9100F and 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2400GE. Both processors are clustered within a 1% band of their respective peers, indicating that the overall compute output is nearly identical despite the different core counts and architectures.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 wins decisively in multi-threaded workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6508 is achieved with 8 threads, while the Ryzen 3 5125C manages a Geekbench multi-core score of 2566 with only 4 threads. The Xeon's 8 MB of shared L3 cache, paired with 4 cores and 8 threads, gives it a clear advantage in heavily parallel tasks. The Ryzen's 2-core/4-thread design cannot match that thread count, so the Xeon is the better choice for rendering, compiling, or any workload that scales with thread count.

The AMD Ryzen 3 5125C wins in single-threaded efficiency and power consumption. Its Geekbench single-core score of 1237 reflects a 3.00 GHz base clock with a Zen 3 architecture, which delivers significantly higher instructions per clock than the Xeon's Skylake design. The Xeon's base clock is 1900.00 MHz with a 3.30 GHz boost, but its single-core Cinebench R23 score of 918 is far lower. The Ryzen also operates at a 15W TDP, which is one-third of the Xeon's 45W TDP. For mobile or battery-constrained environments, the Ryzen's power envelope is the decisive factor. The Ryzen also has a higher memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s versus the Xeon's 34.1 GB/s, which can benefit memory-sensitive single-threaded applications.

The Xeon supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen does not. That makes the Xeon the winner for reliability-critical server or workstation scenarios. The Xeon also has access to DDR3 and DDR4 memory, whereas the Ryzen only supports DDR4. The Xeon's PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes doubles the Ryzen's 8 lanes, which matters for expansion cards or NVMe storage.

The Verdict

The data shows a clear split by use case. For multi-threaded server or workstation workloads where ECC memory is required, the Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 is the only choice between these two. Its 4-core/8-thread configuration and 8 MB L3 cache are better suited to parallel compute. The 45W TDP is high, but the part is end-of-life and was released in 2016, so it trades efficiency for capability.

For single-threaded performance, low power, and mobile use, the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C is the winner. Its 15W TDP, 3.00 GHz base clock, and Zen 3 architecture deliver a Geekbench single-core score of 1237 that the Xeon cannot approach. The Ryzen is also an active product from 2022, meaning it is still in production. The Xeon's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 918 is not directly comparable, but the Ryzen's 2.07x multi-to-single ratio suggests it scales better per core.

The overall average benchmark scores are nearly tied (1902 vs 1882), so the verdict must be workload-driven. If the task is parallel and reliability-critical, the Xeon wins. If the task is single-threaded and power-sensitive, the Ryzen wins. The Xeon's launch MSRP was $396, which is the only price data available. The Ryzen has no launch MSRP in the data, so no cost comparison is possible. The production status difference is stark: the Xeon is end-of-life, the Ryzen is active.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 has a TDP of 45W, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C has a TDP of 15W.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 3 5125C does not support ECC memory.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 has an average benchmark score of 1882, and the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C has an average benchmark score of 1902.

Q: Which processor has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5125C has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, which is higher than the Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5's 34.1 GB/s.

Q: What is the release date difference?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 was released on 2016-05-30, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C was released on 2022-05-04.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon E3-1558L v5 is built on the Skylake-H architecture using a 14 nm process node from Intel. It packs 2,300 million transistors on a 171 mm² die, fabricated by Intel. The L1 cache is 64 KB per core, L2 is 256 KB per core, and L3 is 8 MB shared. The memory support includes both DDR3 and DDR4, with dual-channel memory bus and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics are Iris Pro Graphics P555, and the socket is Intel BGA 1440. It has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The production status is end-of-life, and the part number is SR2TU.

The AMD Ryzen 3 5125C is built on the Zen 3 architecture with the codename Cezanne-U, using a 7 nm process node from TSMC. It contains 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, fabricated by TSMC. The L1 cache is 64 KB per core, L2 is 512 KB per core, and L3 is 8 MB shared. Memory support is limited to DDR4, with dual-channel bus and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 3, and the socket is AMD Socket FP6. It has PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU. The production status is active, and the part number is 100-000000xxx.

The most significant architectural difference is the process node: 14 nm vs 7 nm. The Ryzen's smaller node allows for more transistors (10,700 million vs 2,300 million) on a slightly larger die (180 mm² vs 171 mm²). The Ryzen also has double the L2 cache per core (512 KB vs 256 KB), which contributes to its single-threaded advantage. The Xeon has double the PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) and broader memory support (DDR3 and DDR4 vs DDR4 only). The Ryzen's memory bandwidth is 50% higher, which is notable for a chip with half the cores.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every measurable specification. The core count is 4 vs 2, and threads are 8 vs 4. The base clock is 1900.00 MHz for the Xeon and 3.00 GHz for the Ryzen. The Xeon has a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, while the Ryzen has no boost clock listed. The TDP is 45W vs 15W. The socket is Intel BGA 1440 vs AMD Socket FP6. The architecture is Skylake vs Zen 3, with codenames Skylake-H and Cezanne-U respectively. The process node is 14 nm vs 7 nm, and the foundry is Intel vs TSMC. Transistor count is 2,300 million vs 10,700 million, and die size is 171 mm² vs 180 mm².

Cache configuration differs: L1 is 64 KB per core on both, but L2 is 256 KB per core on the Xeon vs 512 KB per core on the Ryzen. L3 is 8 MB shared on both. Memory support is DDR3 and DDR4 for the Xeon, DDR4 only for the Ryzen. Memory bandwidth is 34.1 GB/s vs 51.2 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the Xeon but not the Ryzen. PCIe is Gen 3 with 16 lanes vs Gen 3 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics are Iris Pro Graphics P555 vs Radeon Vega 3. The market segment is Server/Workstation vs Mobile. Production status is end-of-life vs active. Release dates are 2016-05-30 vs 2022-05-04. The launch MSRP is $396 for the Xeon, while the Ryzen has no launch MSRP. The multiplier is unlocked on neither.