Intel Core i3-10105T vs Intel Xeon W-2123 Comparison

The Intel Xeon W-2123 and the Intel Core i3-10105T are both 4-core, 8-thread processors, but they target entirely different segments of the market. The benchmark data shows a clear overall victor: the Xeon W-2123 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with margins ranging from 7.9% to 8.5%. However, the i3-10105T counters with a drastically lower 35W TDP, integrated graphics, and a much more recent release date, making it the pragmatic choice for a low-power desktop build. The Xeon’s wins are consistent, but the i3’s feature set tells a story of efficiency over raw throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon W-2123 wins every single benchmark comparison in this matchup. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 724 against the i3-10105T’s 670, an 8.1% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 102 versus 94, an 8.5% delta. This pattern holds across R20 and R23, with the Xeon leading by 8% in both multicore and single-core tests in the newer workloads. The Xeon’s wins are not marginal; they are uniform and decisive across all six head-to-head tests.

The Intel Core i3-10105T’s victories are not in raw performance but in platform characteristics. Its TDP is 35W compared to the Xeon’s 120W, a massive difference that makes it suitable for compact, passively cooled, or low-noise systems. It also includes integrated UHD Graphics 630, allowing a system to run without a discrete GPU, whereas the Xeon W-2123 has no integrated graphics. The i3 is an active production part (released in 2021) on the Intel Socket 1200 platform, while the Xeon is end-of-life (released in 2017) on Socket 2066. For a user building a new, energy-efficient desktop, the i3’s wins are in power consumption, platform modernity, and feature integration.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips is wide despite their identical core and thread counts. The Xeon W-2123 is built on the Skylake-W architecture (Skylake), a 14nm design from Intel with a die size of 484 mm². It features 1 MB of L2 cache per core and 8.25 MB of shared L3 cache. Its memory controller supports DDR4 over a quad-channel bus, delivering 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth. It also supports ECC memory, a critical feature for workstation reliability. The Xeon provides 48 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and is classified as a Server/Workstation part.

The Core i3-10105T uses the Comet Lake-R architecture (Comet Lake), also on Intel’s 14nm process, but with a much smaller footprint. Its L2 cache is just 256 KB per core, and its L3 cache is 6 MB shared. Its memory support is dual-channel DDR4, yielding 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth — half the Xeon’s throughput. It does not support ECC memory. The i3 uses 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and includes the UHD Graphics 630 iGPU. The core counts match (4 cores, 8 threads), and the boost clock is identical at 3.90 GHz, but the base clock differs: 3.60 GHz for the Xeon versus 3.00 GHz for the i3. The Xeon’s larger cache hierarchy and quad-channel memory are the primary architectural advantages that drive its benchmark lead.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant performance gap appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Xeon W-2123 scores 102 against the i3-10105T’s 94, an 8.5% lead. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison. The Xeon’s higher 3.60 GHz base clock and larger L2 cache likely contribute to this edge in lightly-threaded tasks.

In multicore workloads, the Xeon maintains a consistent 8% advantage. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it posts 724 versus 670 (8.1% delta). The R20 multicore test shows 3019 versus 2795 (8% delta), and R23 multicore shows 7189 versus 6656 (8% delta). The single-core R20 and R23 tests also show 7.9% and 8% deltas, respectively (425 vs 394 and 1014 vs 939). The Xeon’s quad-channel memory bandwidth (85.3 GB/s vs 42.7 GB/s) and larger L3 cache (8.25 MB vs 6 MB) are the likely reasons it sustains this lead across all thread counts.

The i3-10105T’s only benchmark advantage is in the Geekbench tests, which are exclusive to its benchmark list. However, these scores (3649 multicore, 1265 singlecore) are not part of the head-to-head comparison, and the Xeon was not tested in Geekbench. Notably, the i3’s average benchmark score is 2058, which sits close to the Xeon’s 2079, but this is skewed by the different test sets. In the tests where both chips were run, the Xeon wins every time.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon W-2123 is the faster processor in every shared benchmark. It leads by 8-8.5% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multicore tests. If raw CPU performance is the only criterion, the Xeon W-2123 is the clear pick. Its quad-channel memory and larger caches give it a sustained edge that the i3 cannot overcome.

However, the Intel Core i3-10105T is not a failure. Its 35W TDP is a fraction of the Xeon’s 120W, making it far more efficient for everyday desktop use. It includes integrated graphics, eliminating the need for a separate GPU. It is an active product on a modern socket, whereas the Xeon is end-of-life. For a home office, media center, or light productivity machine where power draw and system cost matter more than multi-threaded render scores, the i3-10105T is the rational choice. For a workstation that needs ECC memory support, maximum memory bandwidth, and those extra Cinebench points, the Xeon W-2123 is the data-backed winner.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Xeon W-2123 scores 1014, while the Intel Core i3-10105T scores 939, giving the Xeon an 8% lead.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-10105T support ECC memory?

A: No, the i3-10105T does not support ECC memory. The Intel Xeon W-2123 does support ECC memory.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two CPUs?

A: The Intel Xeon W-2123 has a TDP of 120W, while the Intel Core i3-10105T has a TDP of 35W.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i3-10105T includes UHD Graphics 630. The Intel Xeon W-2123 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How much faster is the Xeon W-2123 in Cinebench R20 multicore?

A: The Xeon scores 3019, and the i3-10105T scores 2795, resulting in an 8% advantage for the Xeon.

Q: Are both CPUs on the same socket?

A: No. The Xeon W-2123 uses Intel Socket 2066, while the Core i3-10105T uses Intel Socket 1200.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon W-2123 | Intel Core i3-10105T |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| TDP | 120W | 35W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 2066 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Architecture | Skylake (Skylake-W) | Comet Lake (Comet Lake-R) |

| Generation | Xeon W (Skylake-W) | Core i3 (Comet Lake) |

| Die Size | 484 mm² | Not specified |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8.25 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 85.3 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 3, 48 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

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

| Release Date | 2017-08-28 | 2021-03-15 |

| Launch MSRP | $294 | $134 |

| Part Number | SR3LJ | SRH3R |