Intel Atom x7425E vs Intel Xeon E3-1235L v5 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, if narrow, advantage for the Intel Atom x7425E across every Cinebench workload in the comparison set. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Atom scores 443 against the Xeon E3-1235L v5's 429, a 3.3% lead. The single-core result mirrors that margin, with the Atom posting 62 points versus 60 for the Xeon, again a 3.3% difference. This pattern of small but uniform margins holds across all six recorded benchmarks, making the head-to-head results unusually tidy: the Atom wins every test, but no win exceeds 3.4%.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the Atom records 1849 multi-core points, while the Xeon manages 1789, a 3.4% delta. In single-core R20, the Atom's 260 beats the Xeon's 252 by 3.2%. The Cinebench R23 results follow suit, with the Atom at 4403 multi-core and 621 single-core, versus 4261 and 601 for the Xeon, both differences sitting at 3.3%. The consistency of these deltas across generations of the Cinebench suite suggests the advantage is structural rather than workload-specific.

The average benchmark scores in the database place the Atom at 1273, slightly above the Xeon's 1232. The Atom sits in the 35th percentile of all CPUs tracked, while the Xeon lands at the 34th percentile. The nearest rival comparisons reinforce how close these two parts are: the Atom's closest rival, the Intel Core i5-4430S, scores 1274 with a 0% delta, while the Xeon's nearest competitor, the Intel Core i3-8109U, scores 1235 with a -0.2% delta. In other words, both processors are clustered tightly in the same performance tier, and the Xeon's own nearest rivals bracket it within roughly a point of its average score.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design families. The Atom x7425E is built on Alder Lake-N architecture, using Gracemont efficiency cores, and is fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. The Xeon E3-1235L v5 uses Skylake-DT architecture, a server-oriented variant of Skylake, on Intel's 14 nm process. Both chips offer 4 cores and 4 threads, so threading parallelism is identical on paper, but the underlying microarchitectures are separated by several generations of Intel design.

Cache hierarchies differ notably. The Atom provides 96 KB of L1 per core, a 2 MB shared L2, and a 6 MB shared L3. The Xeon provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and an 8 MB shared L3. The Xeon's larger L3 (8 MB versus 6 MB) and per-core L2 allocation are typical of a server-targeted design, while the Atom's larger per-core L1 reflects the newer Gracemont core design's priorities.

Memory support is another clear point of divergence. The Atom supports DDR4 and DDR5 in a single-channel configuration, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4 across a dual-channel memory bus, with a recorded bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. Despite having two channels, the Xeon's bandwidth figure is lower, a consequence of its older memory controller and the slower memory types it supports. The Atom also lacks ECC memory support, while the Xeon includes it, a meaningful distinction for users who require error-correcting memory in their workloads.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The Atom provides Gen 3 with 9 lanes from the CPU, while the Xeon provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The Xeon's larger lane count is typical of its server/workstation positioning. Integrated graphics also differ: the Atom carries UHD Graphics 24EU, while the Xeon carries HD Graphics P530. The Atom's socket is Intel BGA 1264, meaning it is soldered to the board, while the Xeon uses Intel Socket 1151, a socketed design that allows for separate CPU and motherboard selection. The Atom's process node is 10 nm compared to the Xeon's 14 nm, and the Xeon's die size and transistor count are recorded in the database at 122 mm² and 1,750 million transistors, respectively; no die size or transistor count is recorded for the Atom.

The production status and release timing also separate the two. The Atom is listed as Active, with a 2023 release date, while the Xeon is End-of-life, released in 2015. The Atom's launch MSRP is $58. The Xeon's launch MSRP is $250. The TDP figures differ substantially: the Atom draws 12 watts, while the Xeon draws 25 watts. Both processors have locked multipliers, so neither supports overclocking.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to the Intel Atom x7425E as the faster processor in every recorded Cinebench test, but the margins are modest, ranging from 3.2% to 3.4%. The Atom's wins are not transformative; they are consistent and repeatable, but they do not shift the processor into a higher performance class. The average benchmark scores confirm this: 1273 for the Atom versus 1232 for the Xeon, a gap of roughly 3.3% overall.

The choice between the two should come down to factors beyond raw Cinebench scores. The Atom is a newer, active-production part with a lower TDP of 12 watts, a single-channel memory bus, and no ECC support. The Xeon, despite being end-of-life, offers dual-channel memory, ECC support, and a socketed platform with 16 PCIe lanes. For workloads that prioritize memory bandwidth, error correction, or expansion capability, the Xeon's platform features may outweigh its small benchmark deficit. For users who value the newer architecture, lower power draw, and the small performance lead, the Atom is the better pick.

From the recorded data alone, the Atom is the winner in compute performance, but the Xeon retains platform advantages that the benchmarks do not capture. The Xeon's higher TDP suggests it is not aimed at the same power-constrained environments as the Atom. The database records the Atom as a mobile-market segment part, while the Xeon is categorized as server/workstation, which aligns with their respective feature sets.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Atom x7425E scores 4403, while the Intel Xeon E3-1235L v5 scores 4261, a 3.3% advantage for the Atom.

Q: Does the Atom support ECC memory?

A: No. The Atom x7425E does not support ECC memory, while the Xeon E3-1235L v5 does.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Atom supports DDR4 and DDR5 in a single-channel configuration. The Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Atom x7425E has a TDP of 12 watts, while the Xeon E3-1235L v5 has a TDP of 25 watts.

Q: In which benchmark does the Atom have its largest lead?

A: The largest recorded lead for the Atom is 3.4% in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where it scores 1849 versus the Xeon's 1789.

Q: What are the production statuses of these processors?

A: The Atom x7425E is listed as Active, while the Xeon E3-1235L v5 is listed as End-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Atom x7425E wins every recorded benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. Its strongest margin is 3.4% in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and its smallest is 3.2% in Cinebench R20 single-core. The Atom's wins are consistent across R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests. This makes it the clear choice for compute-bound tasks that resemble Cinebench's rendering workload, particularly when power efficiency matters, given its 12 watt TDP.

The Intel Xeon E3-1235L v5 wins no benchmark in the recorded data, but it wins on platform features that the benchmarks do not measure directly. It supports ECC memory support, dual-channel memory, 16 PCIe lanes, and a socketed Intel Socket 1151 platform. The Xeon also has a larger shared L3 cache at 8 MB compared to the Atom's 6 MB. Its 25 watt TDP, while higher than the Atom's, is still modest for a server-class part.

The Xeon's dual-channel memory bus and higher PCIe lane count make it the better fit for systems that need to attach multiple expansion cards or require error-correcting memory. The Atom's single-channel memory bus and 9 PCIe lanes limit those capabilities, but its lower TDP and active production status make it more attractive for embedded or mobile designs where power and availability are priorities.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on several recorded specifications. The Atom x7425E has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, while the Xeon E3-1235L v5 has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz. The Atom's base clock is lower, but its boost clock is higher. The Atom uses a 10 nm process node, while the Xeon uses 14 nm. The Atom's cache configuration includes 96 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB shared L2, and 6 MB shared L3; the Xeon's includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs: the Atom supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a single-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. The Atom does not support ECC memory, while the Xeon does. PCIe lanes differ, with the Atom providing 9 lanes and the Xeon providing 16, both Gen 3. The Atom's integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 24EU, while the Xeon's are HD Graphics P530. The Atom uses Intel BGA 1264, and the Xeon uses Intel Socket 1151. The Atom has a TDP of 12 watts, while the Xeon has a TDP of 25 watts. The Atom is an active mobile-market part released in 2023, and the Xeon is an end-of-life server/workstation part released in 2015. The Atom's part number is SRMLN, and the Xeon's is SR2LM. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.