AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G vs Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark database shows a narrow but consistent victory for the Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 across all six recorded Cinebench tests. The Xeon wins every head-to-head matchup, though the margins are remarkably slim: a 3% delta appears uniformly across both single-core and multi-core workloads. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G trails by the same 3% in every Cinebench test, yet it counters with a Geekbench single-core score of 1813 and a multi-core score of 5373, tests the Xeon did not record in this dataset.

The Xeon E5-1680 v4 sits at the 55th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G lands at the 54th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 3494 and 3441 respectively, a gap of about 1.5%. In practical terms, the Xeon is the marginally faster part for sustained multi-threaded rendering, but the Ryzen offers a much newer platform, a lower power envelope, and integrated graphics.

Who should pick which? The Xeon E5-1680 v4 is the choice for workloads that demand every last Cinebench point, especially if you already own an LGA 2011-3 platform or need quad-channel DDR4 memory bandwidth. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the pick for a modern AM4 build where the integrated Radeon Vega 6 GPU removes the need for a discrete card, where power consumption matters, and where the 7 nm process and active production status offer a more future-proof foundation. The Xeon is end-of-life; the Ryzen is active.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 is a Broadwell-EP part built on Intel's 14 nm process. It packs 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The die measures 246 mm² and contains 3,400 million transistors. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 20 MB L3 cache. It supports DDR4 memory across a quad-channel bus, yielding a theoretical memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The chip includes 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU. ECC memory is supported. The socket is Intel Socket 2011-3, and the TDP is 140 W. It was released in June 2016 with a launch MSRP of $1723.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is a Zen 3 part built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The die is 180 mm² and contains 10,700 million transistors. The cache layout is 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of L3. It supports DDR4 across a dual-channel bus, with 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. PCIe Gen 3 is present with 16 lanes from the CPU. ECC memory is supported. Integrated graphics arrive in the form of Radeon Vega 6. The socket is AMD Socket AM4, and the TDP is 65 W. The release date was May 2021, and it remains in active production.

The architectural contrast is stark. The Xeon has double the cores and threads of the Ryzen, yet the Ryzen's higher clocks and newer Zen 3 microarchitecture nearly erase that core-count advantage in Cinebench. The Xeon's 20 MB L3 dwarfs the Ryzen's 8 MB, but the Ryzen's larger L2 (512 KB per core versus 256 KB) helps compensate. The Xeon's quad-channel memory bus gives it a 76.8 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s bandwidth advantage, a 50% lead. The Ryzen counters with a 65 W TDP versus the Xeon's 140 W, and it includes an iGPU where the Xeon has none.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Xeon E5-1680 v4 wins all six Cinebench comparisons, each by exactly 3%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 1217 against the Ryzen's 1181. Single-core R15 sees 171 versus 166. R20 multi-core shows 5073 versus 4924, and R20 single-core shows 716 versus 695. R23 multi-core has the Xeon at 12080 and the Ryzen at 11724, while R23 single-core is 1705 versus 1655.

The consistency of the 3% delta is telling. It suggests that the Ryzen's higher clock speeds and newer architecture are almost perfectly offsetting the Xeon's core-count advantage. The Xeon has 100% more cores, yet it only leads by 3% in multi-threaded workloads. This reflects Zen 3's efficiency per core, and it makes the Xeon's victory feel narrow despite the clean sweep.

The Ryzen has two Geekbench entries that the Xeon lacks. In Geekbench single-core, the Ryzen scores 1813. In Geekbench multi-core, it scores 5373. Without a comparable Xeon score, these numbers cannot be directly compared, but they do show that the Ryzen is a competent performer in a different benchmark suite.

The Xeon's nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Xeon E-2246G (avg 3492, delta 0.1%), the Intel Core i9-9900T (avg 3499, delta -0.2%), the Intel Xeon E-2176G (avg 3502, delta -0.2%), and the Intel Xeon D-1732TE (avg 3486, delta 0.2%). The Ryzen's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-5960X (avg 3442, delta 0%), the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS (avg 3444, delta -0.1%), the Intel Core i7-10870H (avg 3446, delta -0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS (avg 3447, delta -0.2%). Both parts sit within a hair's breadth of their immediate competitors, but the Xeon's cluster averages slightly higher.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 scores 12080 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 11724. The Xeon wins by 3%.

Q: Does the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Radeon Vega 6 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Xeon supports quad-channel DDR4 with 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. The Xeon leads by 50% in theoretical bandwidth.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G boosts to 4.20 GHz, while the Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 boosts to 4.00 GHz.

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No. The Xeon E5-1680 v4 is end-of-life. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is still active.

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Xeon has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Ryzen has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Xeon has double the core count.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E5-1680 v4 wins outright in every Cinebench test recorded: R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. Its 8 cores and 16 threads give it a structural advantage in heavily parallel workloads, and the 20 MB L3 cache helps with large data sets. The quad-channel memory bus delivers 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth, which is valuable for memory-intensive tasks like rendering, scientific computing, or virtualized server workloads. The 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes also make it suitable for multi-GPU configurations or high-throughput expansion cards. It is the pick for anyone who needs maximum multi-threaded Cinebench performance and already has a compatible LGA 2011-3 platform.

The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G wins where the Xeon does not compete. It has integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, so a system can be built without a discrete GPU. Its 65 W TDP is less than half the Xeon's 140 W, making it far easier to cool and cheaper to run. The 7 nm process and active production status mean it is a current part, not a legacy one. Its higher base and boost clocks (4.00 GHz and 4.20 GHz) give it a per-core speed edge, and the 512 KB per-core L2 cache helps with latency-sensitive code. In Geekbench, the Ryzen posts a single-core score of 1813 and a multi-core score of 5373, though no direct Xeon comparison exists in that test. For a compact AM4 desktop, an office machine, or a low-power workstation where single-threaded responsiveness and GPU output matter more than raw multi-core rendering, the Ryzen is the better fit.

The data shows a clear split. The Xeon is the faster Cinebench part, period. The Ryzen is the more modern, efficient, and versatile part. If your workload is purely about pushing Cinebench scores, the Xeon's 3% lead across the board is the deciding factor. If your workload includes everyday desktop use, light GPU acceleration, or power-sensitive environments, the Ryzen's feature set wins even though it loses every recorded benchmark. The Xeon's 55th percentile versus the Ryzen's 54th percentile is nearly a tie, and the average benchmark scores (3494 versus 3441) confirm that these are evenly matched products with very different strengths.