AMD Ryzen 5 4500U vs Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 and AMD Ryzen 5 4500U are separated by nearly five years of silicon evolution, yet they land at almost the same average benchmark score in this database. The Xeon, a 2015 server/workstation part built on Intel's 14 nm Skylake process, posts an average score of 2043, while the 2020 mobile-oriented Ryzen 5 4500U, fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm Zen 2 node, scores 2035. Both processors sit at the 45th percentile among all CPUs, and their nearest rival lists overlap, including the Intel Core i7-7700T and AMD Opteron 6386 SE, confirming that these two parts occupy a similar overall performance tier despite their radically different designs.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test with a score of 7065, defeating the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U's 5920 by a margin of 19.3%.

Q: How much faster is the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U in single-core performance?

A: The Ryzen 5 4500U leads in all three single-core benchmarks. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 174 versus the Xeon's 100, a 42.5% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1152 versus 997, a 13.5% lead.

Q: What is the difference in core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4500U has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Xeon uses Hyper-Threading to reach 8 threads, whereas the Ryzen does not use simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U. This aligns with the Xeon's server/workstation market segment, while the Ryzen targets mobile devices.

Q: How do their thermal design power (TDP) ratings compare?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 has a TDP of 80 watts, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U has a TDP of just 15 watts. This reflects the Xeon's desktop/server orientation versus the Ryzen's mobile-focused design.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 has a marginally higher average benchmark score of 2043, compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U's 2035. The difference is less than 0.4%, making them statistically equivalent.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 is built on Intel's 14 nm process node with a die size of 122 mm² and 1,750 million transistors. It uses the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-DT codename, and fits into the Intel Socket 1151. Its market segment is explicitly server/workstation, and its production status is end-of-life.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, by contrast, is fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm node, packing 9,800 million transistors into a 156 mm² die. It uses the Zen 2 architecture under the Renoir codename and mounts to the AMD Socket FP6. This is an active mobile processor from the Ryzen 5 4000 series. The transistor density difference is stark: the Ryzen crams over five times more transistors into a slightly larger die, enabled by the more advanced 7 nm process.

Memory architecture also diverges. The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Ryzen 5 4500U supports DDR4 and LPDDR4, also dual-channel, but achieves a higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Cache layouts differ in the L2: the Xeon has 256 KB per core, while the Ryzen has 512 KB per core. Both share 8 MB of L3 cache and have 64 KB of L1 cache per core.

PCIe support is similar in generation but different in lane count. Both use PCIe Gen 3, but the Xeon provides 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Ryzen provides 12. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Xeon has HD Graphics P530, while the Ryzen includes Radeon Graphics with 384 shader processors (384SP). The Xeon supports ECC memory; the Ryzen does not.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data reveals a clear split. The AMD Ryzen 5 4500U dominates in single-core performance across both Cinebench R15 and R23, and it also wins the R15 multi-core test. The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5, however, takes the R23 multi-core test decisively.

For use cases that rely on lightly threaded workloads, such as everyday productivity, web browsing, or single-threaded applications, the Ryzen 5 4500U is the stronger choice. Its 42.5% lead in R15 single-core and 13.5% lead in R23 single-core indicate a significant per-core performance advantage, likely stemming from the newer Zen 2 architecture and higher boost clock efficiency.

For sustained multi-threaded rendering in the latest Cinebench version, the Xeon E3-1275 v5 holds the edge. Its 8 threads, enabled by Hyper-Threading, give it a 19.3% advantage over the Ryzen's 6 threads in R23 multi-core. This suggests that in modern, heavily threaded workloads, the Xeon's extra threads matter more than the Ryzen's extra physical cores.

The Ryzen also wins in Cinebench R15 multi-core, scoring 892 versus 712, a 20.2% edge. This indicates that in older multi-threaded benchmarks, the Ryzen's 6 physical cores outperform the Xeon's 4 cores and 8 threads. The divergent results between R15 and R23 multi-core suggest that the Ryzen's advantage in that older test may be driven by higher per-core throughput, while the Xeon's newer test win may reflect better scaling with thread count or optimization changes.

Specification Differences

The table below outlines the key specification differences between the two processors, based solely on the provided data.

| Specification | Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 | AMD Ryzen 5 4500U |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 2.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.00 GHz | 4.00 GHz |

| TDP | 80 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | AMD Socket FP6 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Skylake-DT | Renoir |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | 1,750 million | 9,800 million |

| Die Size | 122 mm² | 156 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| Memory Support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR4, LPDDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 12 |

| Integrated Graphics | HD Graphics P530 | Radeon Graphics 384SP |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2015-10-18 | 2020-01-05 |

| Launch MSRP | $350 | Not available |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark results show a mixed picture with the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U winning three of four tests. The most lopsided result is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Ryzen scores 174 against the Xeon's 100, a 42.5% difference in favor of AMD. This is a massive per-core advantage, indicating that the Zen 2 architecture delivers substantially better single-thread performance than the older Skylake design, even when clock speeds are identical at 4.00 GHz boost.

In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap narrows but AMD still wins. The Ryzen scores 1152, while the Xeon scores 997, giving AMD a 13.5% lead. The smaller margin compared to R15 suggests that the R23 workload may be less sensitive to the architectural differences, or that the Xeon's performance scales relatively better in the newer test.

The multi-core results tell a different story depending on the benchmark version. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 5 4500U wins with 892 points versus 712, a 20.2% advantage. This aligns with the Ryzen having 6 physical cores versus the Xeon's 4, and its higher single-core throughput carries over to the multi-threaded test.

However, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon E3-1275 v5 flips the result. The Xeon scores 7065, while the Ryzen scores 5920, giving Intel a 19.3% victory. This reversal is notable. The Xeon's 8 threads, compared to the Ryzen's 6, appear to provide a significant advantage in this specific workload, possibly due to better thread scheduling or the R23 benchmark's increased reliance on sustained multi-threaded performance.

Overall, the win count is 3 for AMD and 1 for Intel. The Ryzen wins both single-core tests and the older multi-core test, while the Xeon wins only the newer multi-core test, but does so decisively.

The Verdict

The data points to distinct use cases for each processor. For users prioritizing single-threaded performance, whether for responsive desktop use, legacy applications, or lightly threaded productivity tasks, the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U is the clear choice. Its 42.5% lead in R15 single-core and 13.5% lead in R23 single-core are substantial, and its lower 15-watt TDP makes it far more suitable for power-constrained mobile systems.

For those running modern, heavily threaded workloads, the Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 demonstrates a notable edge in Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 19.3% higher. This suggests that the Xeon's 8 threads handle the latest multi-threaded rendering tasks more effectively, possibly due to better scaling or more efficient thread utilization in that benchmark. Additionally, the Xeon offers ECC memory support and a 16-lane PCIe Gen 3 interface, features that are absent on the Ryzen, making it more appropriate for server or workstation environments where data integrity and expansion are critical.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the Xeon at 2043 and the Ryzen at 2035, and both sit at the 45th percentile. This means that for general, mixed workloads, users would see little overall difference. The decision ultimately hinges on workload type: the Ryzen 5 4500U wins on single-core and older multi-threaded tests, while the Xeon E3-1275 v5 wins the latest multi-threaded test and offers server-grade features. The Ryzen is also an active, modern part with a 7 nm process, while the Xeon is end-of-life on 14 nm.