AMD Ryzen 5 3400G vs Intel Xeon E-2124G Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G leads with an average benchmark score of 2059, while the Intel Xeon E-2124G trails slightly at 2034. The Ryzen sits at the 46th percentile of all CPUs, while the Xeon sits at the 45th percentile.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G scores 7835 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 28.6% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2124G's 6092. This is the largest multi-core gap in the entire Cinebench suite.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench single-core tests?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2124G wins decisively with a score of 1438, which is 23.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G's 1101. This is the largest single-test margin in either direction.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon E-2124G support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Xeon E-2124G supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G does not support ECC memory. This is a key differentiator for workstation and server use cases.

Q: What is the thread count difference between these two processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G has 8 threads (4 cores with SMT), while the Intel Xeon E-2124G has 4 threads (4 cores without SMT). This explains the Ryzen's strong lead in multi-threaded Cinebench workloads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2124G boosts to 4.50 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G boosts to 4.20 GHz. Despite the lower base clock of 3.40 GHz vs 3.70 GHz, the Xeon's higher boost helps it win single-core Geekbench tests.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly along workload type. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G wins all six Cinebench tests, spanning R15, R20, and R23, in both multi-core and single-core variants. Its multi-core victories range from 28.6% to 28.7% across all three Cinebench versions, while single-core Cinebench wins range from 28.5% to 29.1%. This consistent dominance suggests the Ryzen's SMT implementation and 8 threads provide a substantial advantage in rendering and CPU-intensive compute tasks.

The Intel Xeon E-2124G wins both Geekbench tests, taking the multi-core test by 12.5% (4263 vs 3731) and the single-core test by 23.4% (1438 vs 1101). Geekbench's mixed workload design appears to favor the Xeon's higher boost clock and Intel's architecture in memory latency-sensitive tasks. The Xeon also brings ECC memory support, a feature absent from the Ryzen, making it the choice for reliability-focused workstation builds.

For gaming and general desktop use, the Ryzen's integrated Radeon RX Vega 11 graphics offer far more capable integrated graphics than the Xeon's HD Graphics P630. The Ryzen also has an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking that the locked Xeon cannot offer. The data shows a split: Cinebench workloads belong to AMD, Geekbench workloads belong to Intel.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G uses the Zen+ architecture on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It is codenamed Picasso and belongs to the Ryzen 5 generation. The chip contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. Each core has 96 KB of L1 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache, with 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration with a theoretical bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s.

The Intel Xeon E-2124G uses the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process from Intel. It is codenamed Coffee Lake-S WS and belongs to the Xeon E-2100 series. The chip has a 126 mm² die size, with transistor count not listed in the database. Each core has 64 KB of L1 cache and 256 KB of L2 cache, with 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The memory support is also DDR4 dual-channel, but with a lower theoretical bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

The cache layout tells a story of different design priorities. The Ryzen allocates more L1 and L2 cache per core but has half the L3 capacity. The Xeon doubles the L3 cache to 8 MB, which likely helps its Geekbench performance. The Ryzen's larger die and transistor count reflect the integrated Vega 11 graphics, while the Xeon's smaller die reflects its more modest HD Graphics P630.

Production status differs: the Ryzen is listed as Active, while the Xeon is End-of-life. The Ryzen was released on 2019-07-06, and the Xeon was released on 2018-07-11. The Ryzen uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Xeon uses Intel Socket 1151.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The Ryzen 5 3400G has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Xeon E-2124G has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 3.70 GHz for AMD and 3.40 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 4.20 GHz for AMD and 4.50 GHz for Intel. TDP values are 65 watts for AMD and 71 watts for Intel.

Cache capacities diverge significantly: the Ryzen has 96 KB L1 per core and 512 KB L2 per core, while the Xeon has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core. L3 cache is 4 MB on the Ryzen versus 8 MB on the Xeon. Memory bandwidth is 46.9 GB/s for AMD versus 42.7 GB/s for Intel.

ECC memory support is a major differentiator: the Xeon supports it, the Ryzen does not. The integrated graphics differ: Radeon RX Vega 11 on AMD versus HD Graphics P630 on Intel. The Ryzen has an unlocked multiplier, while the Xeon is locked. The launch MSRP for the Ryzen is $149, and for the Xeon it is $218. The Ryzen's part numbers are YD3400C5M4MFH and YD3400C5FHBOX, while the Xeon's is SR3WL.

The market segments also differ: Desktop for AMD, Server/Workstation for Intel. Both use PCIe Gen 3, though the Xeon's lane count is specified as 16 lanes (CPU only). The process node difference (12 nm vs 14 nm) and foundry difference (GlobalFoundries vs Intel) complete the architectural split.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a rare pattern: one processor wins every test in one suite, and the other wins every test in another suite. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G wins all six Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD scores 789 versus Intel's 613, a 28.7% advantage. In R15 single-core, AMD scores 111 versus 86, a 29.1% edge. The R20 results mirror this: multi-core 3290 vs 2558 (28.6%), single-core 464 vs 361 (28.5%). In R23, multi-core 7835 vs 6092 (28.6%) and single-core 1106 vs 860 (28.6%). The consistency across three Cinebench versions is striking, with deltas between 28.5% and 29.1% throughout.

The Intel Xeon E-2124G wins both Geekbench tests. In Geekbench multi-core, Intel scores 4263 versus AMD's 3731, a 12.5% margin. In Geekbench single-core, Intel scores 1438 versus AMD's 1101, a 23.4% margin. The single-core Geekbench gap is notably larger than the multi-core gap, suggesting the Xeon's 4.50 GHz boost clock and larger L3 cache provide particular benefits in latency-sensitive single-threaded workloads.

The overall win count is 6 for AMD and 2 for Intel. However, the average benchmark scores tell a nuanced story: AMD's average is 2059, only 1.2% above Intel's 2034. This suggests that while AMD dominates Cinebench, Intel's Geekbench wins are substantial enough to nearly offset the gap in overall average performance.

The Verdict

The data points to a workload-dependent choice. For Cinebench, rendering, and multi-threaded compute tasks, the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G is the clear winner. Its 8 threads provide a 28.6% to 28.7% advantage across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, and the single-core Cinebench wins are nearly as large at 28.5% to 29.1%. This consistency suggests the Zen+ architecture with SMT is genuinely faster for these rendering workloads, not just in one benchmark version.

For Geekbench-style mixed workloads, the Intel Xeon E-2124G takes the lead. Its 23.4% single-core advantage and 12.5% multi-core advantage in Geekbench indicate that its higher boost clock and double L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB) translate to real-world responsiveness in tasks that mix integer, floating-point, and memory operations.

The ECC memory support on the Xeon is a decisive factor for users building reliability-critical systems. The Ryzen's Radeon RX Vega 11 graphics, unlocked multiplier, and lower launch MSRP of $149 versus $218 make it the choice for desktop users who want integrated graphics capability and overclocking headroom. The Xeon's end-of-life production status versus the Ryzen's active status also matters for long-term availability.

Choose the Ryzen 5 3400G for general desktop use, rendering, and overclocking. Choose the Xeon E-2124G for workstation reliability with ECC memory and for workloads that mirror Geekbench's mixed profile. The database shows no single winner, only different winners for different tasks.