Intel Core i3-4130 vs Intel Xeon W5590 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark record splits cleanly in favor of the Intel Xeon W5590, which records 5 wins out of 5 head-to-head comparisons. The Core i3-4130 does not win a single recorded test. However, the margins are narrow across the board, with the largest delta at only 1.3%. This is not a case of one processor dominating the other; instead, the W5590 consistently edges ahead by a small but repeatable margin.

The Xeon W5590 claims its biggest advantage in the Cinebench R20 multicore test, where it scores 1204 against the i3-4130's 1189, a 1.3% lead. The smallest margin appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, with a 0.6% difference. The pattern across all five tests suggests that the Xeon's advantage scales slightly with thread utilization, but the overall picture is one of near parity.

For workloads that rely on single-threaded performance, the difference is negligible. The W5590 scores 404 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 400 for the i3-4130, a 1% edge. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the gap narrows to just 1 point, 169 versus 168. A user moving from one to the other would likely not perceive any difference in everyday application responsiveness.

For multithreaded rendering tasks, the Xeon's lead is slightly more pronounced but still modest. Cinebench R15 multicore shows 288 versus 285, a 1.1% delta. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 2867 versus 2833, a 1.2% delta. The Xeon's additional threads, 8 versus 4, do provide a measurable advantage, but the older Nehalem architecture limits how much that thread count can translate into real-world rendering throughput.

The database averages tell a similar story. The Xeon W5590 holds an average benchmark score of 986, while the i3-4130 sits at 975. Both processors land in the lower quartile of all CPUs, with the Xeon at the 27th percentile and the i3 at the 26th. The Xeon's nearest rivals include the Core i7-875K at 984 (0.2% behind) and the Xeon X3470 at 983 (0.3% behind). The i3-4130's nearest rivals include the AMD Athlon X4 840 and the Core i3-4150T, both at 975 with a 0% delta, indicating these processors are effectively tied in aggregate performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The Xeon W5590 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Gainestown, built on a 45 nm process at Intel's foundry. It packs 731 million transistors into a 263 mm² die. The Core i3-4130 uses the Haswell architecture, also from Intel, built on a 22 nm process. It contains 1,400 million transistors in a 177 mm² die. The newer manufacturing process allows the i3 to fit nearly twice the transistor count into a smaller physical area.

The core configurations differ significantly. The Xeon W5590 has 4 physical cores with Hyper-Threading, yielding 8 threads. The Core i3-4130 has 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading, yielding 4 threads. Clock speeds are close: the Xeon runs at 3.33 GHz base with a 3.60 GHz boost, while the i3 runs at 3.40 GHz base with no boost capability listed.

Cache hierarchies diverge on the shared level. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The Xeon's L3 cache is 8 MB shared, while the i3's is 3 MB shared. This is a substantial difference in on-die memory capacity, favoring the server part.

Memory support also differs. Both support DDR3, but the Xeon uses a triple-channel memory bus with a recorded bandwidth of 32.0 GB/s, while the i3 uses a dual-channel bus with no bandwidth figure recorded. The Xeon supports ECC memory; the i3 does not. PCIe generations differ as well: the Xeon supports Gen 2, while the i3 supports Gen 3.

The integrated graphics situation is one-sided. The Xeon W5590 has no integrated graphics, consistent with its server/workstation positioning. The Core i3-4130 includes Intel HD 4400 graphics, making it a complete desktop package without a discrete GPU.

The sockets are incompatible. The Xeon uses Intel Socket 1366, while the i3 uses Intel Socket 1150. The market segments also differ: the Xeon is classified as Server/Workstation, while the i3 is Desktop. The Xeon's production status is end-of-life, while the i3 remains active. The Xeon launched in 2009 with a launch MSRP of $1600. The i3 launched in 2013 with no launch MSRP recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R20 multicore test delivers the widest gap between the two processors. The Xeon W5590 scores 1204, while the Core i3-4130 scores 1189. The 1.3% delta is small in absolute terms, but it is the largest margin recorded in the head-to-head set. This test benefits from the Xeon's 8 threads, yet the Haswell architecture's superior per-core efficiency keeps the i3 close.

Cinebench R23 multicore follows a similar pattern. The Xeon scores 2867, the i3 scores 2833, a 1.2% delta. The absolute gap in points, 34, is larger than the 15-point gap in R20, reflecting the heavier workload of the R23 render. Still, the percentage advantage remains under 1.5%.

Cinebench R15 multicore shows the smallest point spread in the multicore tests. The Xeon scores 288, the i3 scores 285, a 1.1% delta. This older test generation shows both processors nearly identical, with the Xeon's thread advantage translating to just 3 points.

The single-core tests are even closer. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Xeon scores 169 and the i3 scores 168, a 0.6% delta. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Xeon scores 404 and the i3 scores 400, a 1% delta. The single-core results indicate that the Nehalem core design, despite being several years older, remains competitive with Haswell at similar clock speeds. The i3's higher base clock of 3.40 GHz versus the Xeon's 3.33 GHz does not translate into a win, likely due to the Xeon's boost clock of 3.60 GHz and larger L3 cache.

For context, the Xeon W5590's average benchmark score of 986 places it just 0.2% ahead of the Core i7-875K and 0.3% ahead of the Xeon X3470. The Core i3-4130's average score of 975 ties it exactly with the AMD Athlon X4 840, the Core i3-4150T, and the AMD A10-7870K, all at a 0% delta. The i5-5257U trails by a negligible 0.1%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multicore rendering?

A: The Xeon W5590 wins all three multicore Cinebench tests. It scores 288 in R15, 1204 in R20, and 2867 in R23, against the i3-4130's 285, 1189, and 2833 respectively. The deltas range from 1.1% to 1.3%.

Q: Is there any test where the Core i3-4130 wins?

A: No. The head-to-head record shows 5 wins for the Xeon W5590 and 0 wins for the Core i3-4130 across all five recorded benchmarks.

Q: How do the thread counts compare?

A: The Xeon W5590 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Core i3-4130 has 2 cores and 4 threads. Both use Hyper-Threading.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon W5590 supports ECC memory, while the Core i3-4130 does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Core i3-4130 has integrated graphics, specifically the Intel HD 4400. The Xeon W5590 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How close are the average benchmark scores?

A: The Xeon W5590 has an average benchmark score of 986, while the Core i3-4130 has 975. The Xeon sits at the 27th percentile of all CPUs, and the i3 sits at the 26th.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category.

Cores and threads: The Xeon W5590 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Core i3-4130 has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Clock speeds: The Xeon W5590 has a base clock of 3.33 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The Core i3-4130 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and no boost clock listed.

TDP: The Xeon W5590 is rated at 130 W. The Core i3-4130 is rated at 54 W.

Process node: The Xeon W5590 is built on a 45 nm process. The Core i3-4130 uses a 22 nm process.

Transistor count and die size: The Xeon W5590 has 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The Core i3-4130 has 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die.

Cache: Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The Xeon W5590 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i3-4130 has 3 MB of shared L3 cache.

Memory bus: The Xeon W5590 uses triple-channel DDR3 with a bandwidth of 32.0 GB/s. The Core i3-4130 uses dual-channel DDR3 with no bandwidth recorded.

ECC support: The Xeon W5590 supports ECC memory. The Core i3-4130 does not.

PCIe generation: The Xeon W5590 supports PCIe Gen 2. The Core i3-4130 supports PCIe Gen 3.

Integrated graphics: The Xeon W5590 has none. The Core i3-4130 has Intel HD 4400.

Socket: The Xeon W5590 uses Intel Socket 1366. The Core i3-4130 uses Intel Socket 1150.

Market segment: The Xeon W5590 is a Server/Workstation part. The Core i3-4130 is a Desktop part.

Production status: The Xeon W5590 is end-of-life. The Core i3-4130 is active.

Release date: The Xeon W5590 released in 2009. The Core i3-4130 released in 2013.

Part number: The Xeon W5590 is SLBGE. The Core i3-4130 is SR1NP.

Multiplier unlock: Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.