AMD Ryzen 3 7330U vs Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 Comparison

# Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 vs AMD Ryzen 3 7330U: A Server Giant Meets a Mobile Efficiency Chip

The Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 and AMD Ryzen 3 7330U occupy opposite ends of the computing spectrum: one is a 16-core server/workstation processor built on a 22 nm Haswell-EP architecture, while the other is a 4-core mobile chip on TSMC's 7 nm process. Their average benchmark scores are remarkably close—4004 for the Xeon versus 3958 for the Ryzen—yet their performance profiles could not be more different. The Xeon sits at the 57th percentile among all CPUs, as does the Ryzen, making this a head-to-head where the aggregate score hides a deep architectural divide.

Where Each One Wins

The data reveals a single head-to-head benchmark: Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 scores 13,843 against the Ryzen 3 7330U's 6,230. That is a 122.2% advantage for the Xeon—more than double the Ryzen's output. This is not a marginal victory; it is a categorical one. The Xeon's 16 cores and 32 threads, paired with 40 MB of shared L3 cache, simply overwhelm the Ryzen's 4 cores and 8 threads in heavily threaded workloads.

However, the Ryzen 3 7330U has its own territory. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6,230, while far behind the Xeon, is achieved within a 15 W TDP envelope. The Xeon's TDP is 135 W—nine times higher. The Ryzen also carries integrated Radeon Graphics (Vega 4), which the Xeon lacks entirely. For single-threaded performance, the Ryzen's boost clock of 4.30 GHz against the Xeon's 3.40 GHz suggests an advantage, though the head-to-head data does not include a single-core test. The Ryzen's Geekbench single-core score of 1,514 and multi-core score of 4,131 are the only other benchmark data points, and they indicate a more balanced profile for everyday tasks.

The Xeon wins where raw multi-threaded throughput matters: rendering, scientific computing, virtual machines. The Ryzen wins where power efficiency and integrated graphics are priorities: thin-and-light laptops, office productivity, media consumption. The data does not show the Ryzen winning any benchmark outright, but its existence as a 15 W mobile part with a modern 7 nm process tells a story of efficiency that the Xeon—a 22 nm, 135 W server chip—cannot match.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two processors is vast. The Xeon E5-2698B v3 is built on Intel's 22 nm process with 2,600 million transistors on a 356 mm² die. It uses the Haswell-EP architecture, a refinement of the Haswell core designed for servers and workstations. The Ryzen 3 7330U, by contrast, is fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process with 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die—a far denser, more modern process that packs over four times the transistors into roughly half the die area.

Cache configurations differ substantially. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the Xeon's L2 is 256 KB per core versus the Ryzen's 512 KB per core. The L3 cache tells a more dramatic story: the Xeon offers 40 MB shared across all cores, while the Ryzen has just 8 MB shared. This 32 MB difference is critical for multi-threaded workloads where each core needs rapid access to shared data.

Memory support also diverges. The Xeon uses quad-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s, while the Ryzen uses dual-channel DDR4 at 51.2 GB/s. The Xeon's PCIe implementation provides 40 Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, versus 16 lanes on the Ryzen. Both support ECC memory, which is notable for the mobile Ryzen—a feature more commonly associated with server parts.

The Ryzen's integrated Radeon Graphics (Vega 4) is a feature the Xeon simply does not have. The Xeon's socket is Intel Socket 2011-3, a server platform; the Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP6, a mobile platform. The Xeon is end-of-life, while the Ryzen is active and was released on 2023-01-03. The process node difference—22 nm versus 7 nm—explains much of the efficiency gap, as does the transistor count: 10,700 million on the Ryzen versus 2,600 million on the Xeon, despite the Ryzen's smaller die.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: the Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 is the choice for multi-threaded, server-class workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13,843 is more than double the Ryzen's 6,230, and its 16 cores/32 threads with 40 MB of L3 cache and quad-channel memory provide a platform that the Ryzen cannot approach in raw throughput. The Xeon also holds a 0.5% advantage over the Intel Xeon E-2336 and Intel Xeon D-2733NT among its nearest rivals, sitting comfortably in the 57th percentile.

The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U is the choice for mobile efficiency. While it loses the only head-to-head benchmark by a wide margin, it does so at 15 W TDP against 135 W. Its 7 nm process, 10,700 million transistors, and 8 MB L3 cache make it a modern, efficient part. Its Geekbench single-core score of 1,514 and multi-core score of 4,131—while not directly comparable to the Xeon's Cinebench scores—indicate a capable processor for everyday tasks. The Ryzen's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 with a 0% deltaPct, showing it competes with older server parts on average despite its mobile pedigree.

Neither chip wins outright across all metrics. The Xeon dominates multi-core, the Ryzen dominates power efficiency. The Xeon is end-of-life; the Ryzen is active. The Xeon has no integrated graphics; the Ryzen does. For a server rack, the Xeon is the clear pick. For a laptop, the Ryzen is the only realistic option. The data does not support a universal winner—it supports a context-dependent choice.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Xeon scores 13,843, which is 122.2% higher than the Ryzen's 6,230. This is the only head-to-head benchmark recorded.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these processors?

A: The Xeon E5-2698B v3 has a TDP of 135 W, while the Ryzen 3 7330U has a TDP of 15 W—a nine-fold difference.

Q: Does either processor include integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U includes integrated graphics, specifically Radeon Graphics (Vega 4). The Intel Xeon has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The Xeon is manufactured on Intel's 22 nm process, while the Ryzen uses TSMC's 7 nm process.

Q: How do their memory bandwidths compare?

A: The Xeon supports quad-channel DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the data is Cinebench R23 multi-core, and it is a decisive victory for the Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3. The Xeon scores 13,843, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U scores 6,230. The deltaPct of 122.2% means the Xeon is more than twice as fast in this workload. This result is consistent with the core count difference: 16 cores versus 4 cores, with the Xeon's 40 MB of L3 cache providing substantial bandwidth for parallel workloads.

The Ryzen's own benchmark scores—Cinebench R23 multi-core at 6,230, Geekbench multi-core at 4,131, and Geekbench single-core at 1,514—show a processor that is competitive in light-threaded tasks but not in the same league for heavy multi-threading. The Xeon's Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 1,395 and R20 multi-core score of 5,814 further reinforce this pattern, though no direct head-to-head exists for those tests.

The Xeon also has a higher average benchmark score at 4,004 versus the Ryzen's 3,958, a narrow 1.2% difference that masks the extreme variance in their workload-specific performance. The Xeon's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G, scores 4,010 (0.2% higher), while the Ryzen 3's nearest rival, the Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3, scores 3,959 (0% deltaPct). These near-identical averages suggest that, on paper, the two chips are equivalent—but the benchmark data reveals the Xeon is a multi-threaded monster and the Ryzen is a efficiency-focused mobile part.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on nearly every specification. The Xeon has 16 cores and 32 threads; the Ryzen has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Xeon's base clock is 2.00 GHz with a boost of 3.40 GHz, while the Ryzen's base clock is 2.30 GHz with a boost of 4.30 GHz—the Ryzen has higher clocks on both ends. TDP is the largest gap: 135 W for the Xeon versus 15 W for the Ryzen.

The Xeon uses Intel Socket 2011-3 and the Haswell-EP architecture on a 22 nm process, while the Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP6 and the Zen 3 (Barcelo-R) architecture on a 7 nm process. The Xeon's die is 356 mm² with 2,600 million transistors; the Ryzen's die is 180 mm² with 10,700 million transistors. Cache differences are stark: both have 64 KB L1 per core, but the Xeon has 256 KB L2 per core versus the Ryzen's 512 KB, and the Xeon has 40 MB shared L3 versus the Ryzen's 8 MB.

Memory support is quad-channel DDR4 on the Xeon (68.3 GB/s) and dual-channel DDR4 on the Ryzen (51.2 GB/s). Both support ECC. PCIe lanes differ: 40 Gen 3 lanes on the Xeon versus 16 Gen 3 lanes on the Ryzen. The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon Graphics (Vega 4); the Xeon has none. The Xeon is an end-of-life server/workstation part; the Ryzen is an active mobile chip released on 2023-01-03. The Ryzen's 10,700 million transistors on a smaller die highlight the process advantage of TSMC's 7 nm node over Intel's older 22 nm process.