AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 vs Intel Xeon E-2278G Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in overall benchmark averages?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2278G has an average benchmark score of 4052, placing it in the 57th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 scores 3875 on average, sitting in the 56th percentile. The Intel part holds a lead of roughly 4.6% in average score, despite both processors sharing the same core and thread counts.

Q: Which processor wins in the head-to-head benchmark suite?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2278G wins all six recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it leads by 1.1%. The remaining five tests show a consistent 0.7% to 0.8% advantage for Intel.

Q: What is the power draw difference between the two?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2278G has a 95 W TDP, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 is rated at only 10 W TDP. That is a 9.5x difference in thermal design power, which makes the AMD part dramatically more power-efficient in absolute terms.

Q: Are both processors built on the same manufacturing process?

A: No. The Intel Xeon E-2278G uses Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 180 mm². The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 is fabricated by TSMC on a 7 nm process with a die size of 156 mm² and 9,800 million transistors.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both support ECC memory. They also both use DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, although the AMD part has a higher memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for the Intel.

Q: What are the production statuses of these two processors?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2278G is end-of-life, having been released on May 28, 2019. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 is still active in production, with a release date of November 9, 2020.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon E-2278G belongs to the Xeon E-2200 series and is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-S WS variant. It uses Intel's 14 nm process node, with the die manufactured in-house by Intel. The die measures 180 mm². The cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a server and workstation oriented part, and it includes integrated HD Graphics P630.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 comes from the 2000 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture with the Renoir codename. It uses TSMC's 7 nm process, a significantly smaller node, and the die size is 156 mm² with 9,800 million transistors. The cache layout differs notably: L1 is still 64 KB per core, but L2 doubles to 512 KB per core, while L3 is halved to 8 MB shared. The integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics with 448 SP. This processor is classified as a desktop market segment part, despite its embedded positioning.

The process node difference is substantial. The 14 nm Intel chip is physically larger on an older node, while the 7 nm AMD chip crams far more transistors into a smaller area. The architectural generation gap is also clear: Coffee Lake is an older Intel design, while Zen 2 is a newer microarchitecture from AMD. The Intel part uses L3 cache that is twice the size of AMD's, but AMD compensates with larger per-core L2 caches.

Both chips are 8-core, 16-thread processors, so the threading model is identical on paper. The socket situation separates them completely: Intel uses Socket 1151, while AMD uses Socket FP6. The AMD part provides 20 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, compared to 16 lanes on the Intel side. Both support ECC memory and dual-channel DDR4, but the AMD memory bandwidth is higher at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s.

The production status tells a story about lifecycle positioning. Intel's Xeon E-2278G is end-of-life and was released in 2019. AMD's V2718 is active and was released in late 2020. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $494, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD part.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E-2278G wins every benchmark in the head-to-head suite, but the margins are narrow. Its biggest victory comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it leads by 1.1%. The other five tests show 0.7% to 0.8% leads. The data suggests this is a processor that edges out the AMD part in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, though the differences are small enough to be considered near-parity in real-world use.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 wins in areas not captured by raw compute benchmarks. Its 10 W TDP makes it suitable for fanless or low-power embedded systems, while the Intel part's 95 W TDP requires substantially more thermal management. The AMD chip also offers 20 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus 16, which matters for I/O-heavy embedded designs. Its active production status means it remains available for new designs, whereas the Intel part is end-of-life.

For workloads that stress sustained multi-core performance, the Intel chip holds a consistent but small edge. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13502 versus 13396 shows a 0.8% advantage. Single-core performance also favors Intel, with the R23 single-core score at 1906 versus 1891, another 0.8% gap.

For embedded deployments where power budgets and thermal envelopes dominate the design constraints, the AMD part is the clear choice. A 10 W TDP versus 95 W is not a marginal difference; it is an order of magnitude. The AMD chip also has a newer manufacturing process, which contributes to its efficiency. The larger PCIe lane count further supports embedded use cases with multiple peripherals.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The Intel Xeon E-2278G has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 has a base clock of 1700.00 MHz and a boost clock of 4.15 GHz. The Intel part runs at substantially higher clock speeds in both metrics.

TDP is the most dramatic difference: 95 W for Intel versus 10 W for AMD. The socket types are incompatible, with Intel using Socket 1151 and AMD using Socket FP6. The architectures are entirely different generations: Coffee Lake versus Zen 2. The process nodes differ, 14 nm versus 7 nm, as do the foundries, Intel versus TSMC.

Cache configurations differ. The L1 cache is identical at 64 KB per core. L2 cache is 256 KB per core on Intel and 512 KB per core on AMD. L3 cache is 16 MB shared on Intel and 8 MB shared on AMD. Memory bandwidth favors AMD at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for Intel.

PCIe connectivity differs, with Intel providing 16 Gen 3 lanes and AMD providing 20 Gen 3 lanes. Integrated graphics are different as well: HD Graphics P630 on the Intel side versus Radeon Graphics 448SP on the AMD side. The production status differs, with Intel end-of-life and AMD active. Release dates are roughly a year and a half apart. The die size is 180 mm² for Intel and 156 mm² for AMD. The transistor count is only listed for AMD at 9,800 million.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head suite covers six Cinebench tests across three versions, all of which end with the same winner. The Intel Xeon E-2278G takes all six, but the margins never exceed 1.1%.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel scores 1360 against AMD's 1350, a 0.7% lead. The single-core variant shows Intel at 192 and AMD at 190, a 1.1% difference. This is the largest relative gap in the entire comparison.

Cinebench R20 multi-core has Intel at 5670 and AMD at 5626, a 0.8% difference. Single-core R20 shows 800 versus 794, also 0.8%. The pattern is remarkably consistent.

Cinebench R23 multi-core continues the trend: Intel at 13502, AMD at 13396, a 0.8% gap. Single-core R23 shows 1906 versus 1891, again 0.8%.

The consistency of these results indicates that the Intel part holds a small but repeatable advantage across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. The 1.1% single-core R15 result stands out as the high point, while the 0.7% multi-core R15 result is the low point. All other tests cluster tightly at 0.8%.

When placed against their respective nearest rivals, both CPUs sit in similar competitive positions. The Intel Xeon E-2278G is 0.5% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1900X, 0.8% behind the Intel Core i5-12500TE, 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core i5-12400T, and 1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 is 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i7-11700T, 0.8% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE, 1.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, and 1.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2286M.

The benchmark data shows two processors that are far closer in compute performance than their architectural differences would suggest. A 7 nm Zen 2 chip with a 10 W TDP trades blows with a 14 nm Coffee Lake chip at 95 W, and the older, power-hungry Intel part wins every test, but only by fractions of a percent. The real separation comes in power consumption, platform features, and lifecycle status, not in raw rendering performance.