AMD Ryzen 7 2800H vs Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H wins every single recorded test against the Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5, though the margins are narrow. Across six Cinebench workloads spanning three generations of the rendering suite, the Ryzen chip takes all six victories, with the Xeon failing to secure a single win.

In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the AMD part scores 697 against 687 for the Intel Xeon. That is a 1.5% advantage, a slim but measurable lead. The single-core R15 result shows a slightly larger gap: 98 for the Ryzen versus 96 for the Xeon, translating to a delta of 2.1%. This is the widest margin in the entire head-to-head set, and it indicates that the Ryzen 7 2800H holds a slightly more pronounced edge in lightly threaded workloads than in fully loaded ones.

The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20. In the multicore run, the Ryzen scores 2907 while the Xeon trails at 2865, again 1.5%. Single-core R20 sees 410 against 404, another 1.5% delta. The consistency of that 1.5% figure across multiple tests suggests a stable architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Cinebench R23, the newest rendering workload in the database, follows the same script. The Ryzen 7 2800H scores 6922 multicore and 977 single-core, while the Xeon E3-1245 v5 scores 6822 and 963 respectively. Both deltas sit at 1.5%. The average benchmark score further reinforces the picture: the Ryzen has an average of 2002, while the Xeon averages 1973.

For context, the Ryzen 7 2800H sits in the 45th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Xeon sits in the 44th. The nearest rivals to the Ryzen tell a story of tight clustering. The Intel Core i5-8400T matches the Ryzen exactly with an average score of 2001 and a delta of 0%. The Core i5-8400H is 0.1% behind, and the Xeon D-1712TR the same. The Core i5-8300H is 0.2% behind. The Xeon E3-1245 v5, by contrast, is trailed by the Core i7-10810U at 0.1% ahead, the Ryzen 3 2300X at 0.2% ahead, and the Core i5-7600K at 0.2% behind. The margins between these two parts, in absolute terms, are on par with the gap between them and their own nearest rivals.

That is the headline: the Ryzen 7 2800H wins every benchmark, but the victory is marginal. A 1.5% lead in most tests is within run-to-run variance for many workloads, though the consistency of the margin across R15, R20, and R23 does suggest a genuine, if small, overall performance advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies and market targets, even though they share the same core and thread counts.

Both chips are built on a 14 nm process node. AMD uses GlobalFoundries as its foundry, while Intel fabricates the Xeon itself. The die sizes differ substantially: the Ryzen 7 2800H has a die size of 246 mm², while the Xeon E3-1245 v5 is considerably smaller at 122 mm². The transistor count for the AMD is not listed in the database, but the Intel chip contains 1,750 million transistors. The larger AMD die likely accommodates its integrated Radeon RX Vega 11 graphics, which is a far more substantial integrated GPU than Intel's HD Graphics P530.

The architectural codenames are distinct: AMD uses the Zen architecture with the Raven Ridge codename, while Intel uses Skylake-DT. Raven Ridge is notable for combining Zen CPU cores with Vega GPU cores on the same die, a design characteristic that explains both the larger die size and the mobile orientation. The Xeon, a Skylake-DT part, is pure CPU with a relatively modest integrated GPU.

Cache hierarchies differ markedly. The Ryzen has 128 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, while the Xeon has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. The L3 cache flips the story: the Ryzen offers 4 MB shared, while the Xeon offers 8 MB shared. That means the Intel part has twice the L3 capacity, which can be valuable for certain workloads that benefit from a large shared pool. The L1 and L2 advantages on the AMD side, however, are also significant, providing more per-core fast memory.

The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the Ryzen supports only DDR4. Both are dual-channel. The Xeon explicitly reports a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s in the database; the Ryzen does not list a number. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, a feature that is false on the AMD side. ECC is a critical feature for server and workstation environments where data integrity is paramount, which explains the Xeon's market segment as Server/Workstation.

PCIe specifications differ as well. The Xeon lists "Gen 3, 16 Lanes(CPU only)" as its PCIe configuration. The Ryzen's PCIe field is null in the database, meaning that information is not recorded. That omission is notable, as it suggests the database does not have definitive data on the AMD's PCIe capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmark tests in the database?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H wins all six recorded head-to-head Cinebench tests, including R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multicore. The Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5 does not win any of those tests.

Q: How large is the performance gap between the two?

A: The margins are narrow. In four of the six tests, the delta is 1.5%. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the delta is 2.1%. The average benchmark scores also reflect a small gap: 2002 for the Ryzen versus 1973 for the Xeon.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: Both the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H and the Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5 have 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5 supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the production status of each CPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H is listed as Active, while the Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5 is listed as End-of-life.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Intel part has the higher clocks on both counts, yet it still loses the benchmark tests.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H and the Intel Xeon E3-1245 v5:

• Series: 2000 series (AMD) versus null (Intel)
• Manufacturer: AMD versus Intel
• Base Clock: 3.40 GHz versus 3.50 GHz
• Boost Clock: 3.80 GHz versus 3.90 GHz
• TDP: 15 versus 80
• Socket: AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel Socket 1151
• Architecture: Zen versus Skylake
• Codename: Raven Ridge versus Skylake-DT
• Generation: Ryzen 7 (Zen (Raven Ridge)) versus Xeon E3 (Skylake-DT)
• Foundry: GlobalFoundries versus Intel
• Transistors: null versus 1,750 million
• Die Size: 246 mm² versus 122 mm²
• L1 Cache: 128 KB (per core) versus 64 KB (per core)
• L2 Cache: 512 KB (per core) versus 256 KB (per core)
• L3 Cache: 4 MB (shared) versus 8 MB (shared)
• Memory Support: DDR4 versus DDR3, DDR4
• Memory Bandwidth: null versus 34.1 GB/s
• ECC Memory: false versus true
• PCIe: null versus Gen 3, 16 Lanes(CPU only)
• Integrated Graphics: Radeon RX Vega 11 versus HD Graphics P530
• Market Segment: Mobile versus Server/Workstation
• Production Status: Active versus End-of-life
• Release Date: 2018-05-29 versus 2015-10-18
• Launch MSRP: null versus $294
• Part Number: null versus SR2LL
• Percentile vs. All CPUs: 45 versus 44
• Average Benchmark Score: 2002 versus 1973

The two processors share the same core count, thread count, and process node. Both are dual-channel and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to a narrow but consistent victory for the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H in raw benchmark performance. It wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, and its average benchmark score of 2002 is higher than the Xeon's 1973. For anyone selecting purely on rendering benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 2800H is the better performer.

But the Xeon E3-1245 v5 has its own compelling features. It supports ECC memory, which the Ryzen does not. It has double the L3 cache (8 MB versus 4 MB). It supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, whereas the Ryzen only supports DDR4. It is a server/workstation part with an 80 TDP, while the Ryzen is a mobile part with a 15 TDP. The Xeon's higher base and boost clock (3.50/3.90 GHz versus 3.40/3.80 GHz) does not translate to a win in the recorded tests, but it does indicate a different design intent.

The Ryzen, on the other hand, is a mobile chip, has a much larger die (246 mm² versus 122 mm²), and has a Radeon RX Vega 11 integrated GPU, which is far more capable than the HD Graphics P530. It is also an Active production product, while the Xeon is End-of-life. The Ryzen's release date is 2018, several years later than the Xeon's 2015 debut.

The verdict is nuanced. If the sole criterion is Cinebench performance, the Ryzen 7 2800H is the pick. If the workload requires ECC memory, or demands the larger L3 cache, the Xeon E3-1245 v5 is the better option, despite its lower benchmark scores. The Ryzen is also the obvious choice for users who need a working integrated GPU for graphics output without a discrete card; the Xeon's HD Graphics 530 P530 is a basic display adapter at best. The Ryzen is also the power efficiency winner on paper, with a 15 TDP versus the Xeon's 80 TDP, though the mobile versus server segment placement explains that.

In short, the data shows the Ryzen 7 2800H wins on raw rendering speed and is the only viable option for a mobile platform. The Xeon E3-1245 v5 remains the more appropriate choice for workstation or server builds that can use its ECC memory and larger L3 cache. The performance delta is real, but it is not decisive in a vacuum. The decision rests on the surrounding system requirements, not the Cinebench score alone.