Intel Core i3-4170 vs Intel Xeon D-1527 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent pattern across the entire Cinebench test suite: the Intel Xeon D-1527 outperforms the Intel Core i3-4170 in every measured workload. The most striking result is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Xeon D-1527 scores 420 against 306 for the Core i3-4170, a 37.3% advantage. That margin is nearly identical across all other benchmarks, suggesting the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Xeon D-1527 delivers 1753 points versus 1275 for the Core i3-4170, a 37.5% lead. The single-core test in R20 shows the same story: 247 against 180, a 37.2% difference. Moving to Cinebench R23, the multi-core result is 4176 versus 3038, another 37.5% gap, while the single-core result is 589 against 429, a 37.3% margin. The consistency of these deltas, all hovering near 37%, indicates that the Xeon D-1527's advantage does not come from a specific optimization but from a fundamental difference in processing capability.

The Core i3-4170 does have a notable clock speed advantage in its base frequency, but the data does not show any benchmark where this translates into a win. The Xeon D-1527 has no recorded single-core defeat either, despite its lower base clock. The average benchmark score for the Xeon D-1527 is 1207, while the Core i3-4170 sits at 1193. Those averages place both processors in a similar percentile range, 34th for the Xeon and 33rd for the Core i3, but the head-to-head results tell a different story than the overall percentile rankings.

The nearest rivals in the database further contextualize these scores. The Xeon D-1527's closest competitor is the Intel Xeon D-1520 with an average score of 1209 and a delta of -0.1%, meaning the D-1527 is essentially tied with that chip. The Core i3-4170's closest rival is the AMD Athlon PRO 300U with an average score of 1193 and a delta of 0%, again a dead heat. So while both processors sit near the same absolute performance tier, the direct comparison between them shows a clear and repeatable 37% gap.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon D-1527 wins every single benchmark in this comparison. That includes both multi-core and single-core tests across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. The multi-core wins are expected given the Xeon D-1527 has 4 cores and 8 threads against the Core i3-4170's 2 cores and 4 threads. But the single-core wins are more instructive, because the Core i3-4170 runs at a 3.70 GHz base clock while the Xeon D-1527 tops out at 2.70 GHz boost. Despite that 1.0 GHz deficit, the Xeon D-1527 still manages a 37.2% to 37.3% advantage in single-core tests. This suggests the Xeon D-1527's architecture extracts more work per clock cycle, or the benchmark favors its memory subsystem, or both.

The Core i3-4170 has no wins in this dataset. Its only meaningful stat is the higher base clock and its integrated graphics, but neither appears in the benchmark results. The Core i3-4170 does have a Geekbench multi-core score of 2033 and a single-core score of 1090, but the Xeon D-1527 has no Geekbench entries in the data, so those cannot be compared directly. In the tests where both chips are measured, the results are unanimous.

For use-case splits, the Xeon D-1527 is the clear choice for any workload that shows up in Cinebench, which typically reflects rendering and multi-threaded productivity. The Core i3-4170, despite its higher clock, cannot overcome the Xeon D-1527's thread count and architectural efficiency. The data does not show any scenario where the Core i3-4170 pulls ahead, whether in burst workloads, lightly threaded tasks, or sustained multi-core loads.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion: the Intel Xeon D-1527 is the stronger processor in every benchmark where both are measured. The 37% lead across all Cinebench tests is too consistent to ignore. Anyone choosing between these two should prioritize the Xeon D-1527 if raw processing performance is the deciding factor, which it is in this dataset.

The Core i3-4170 is not without merits, but those merits do not show up in the benchmark scores. Its higher base clock, lower transistor count, and smaller die size suggest it is a simpler, more power-efficient design in some respects, but the TDP tells a different story: the Xeon D-1527 draws 35 watts against 54 watts for the Core i3-4170. So the Xeon D-1527 delivers more performance while consuming less power. The Core i3-4170 does have integrated graphics, which the Xeon D-1527 lacks, so a system built around the Core i3-4170 could skip a discrete GPU. But that is not a performance advantage in the measured benchmarks.

The percentile rankings are close, 34th for the Xeon and 33rd for the Core i3, but those are relative to all CPUs in the database, not to each other. The head-to-head results are unambiguous. The Xeon D-1527 is the pick for anyone who values the measured performance metrics. The Core i3-4170 is only preferable if the integrated graphics or the desktop socket form factor is a hard requirement, and neither of those factors appears in the benchmark data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1527 scores 4176 against 3038 for the Intel Core i3-4170, a 37.5% difference.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-4170 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The Xeon D-1527 wins all five recorded head-to-head benchmarks, with zero wins for the Core i3-4170.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare in Cinebench R20?

A: The Xeon D-1527 scores 247, while the Core i3-4170 scores 180, giving the Xeon D-1527 a 37.2% advantage.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Xeon D-1527 has an average benchmark score of 1207, and the Core i3-4170 has an average of 1193.

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The Intel Core i3-4170 has a TDP of 54 watts, while the Intel Xeon D-1527 has a TDP of 35 watts.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Xeon D-1527 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i3-4170 does not.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures and process nodes. The Intel Xeon D-1527 is built on Broadwell, specifically the Broadwell-DE variant for Xeon D, using a 14 nm process. The Intel Core i3-4170 is based on Haswell, using a 22 nm process. This process difference is significant, as the 14 nm node allows the Xeon D-1527 to pack 3,200 million transistors into a 246 mm² die, while the Core i3-4170 has 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The Xeon D-1527's higher transistor count aligns with its additional cores and threads.

The Xeon D-1527 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Core i3-4170 has 2 cores and 4 threads. The cache hierarchy also differs. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the L3 cache is configured differently. The Xeon D-1527 has 1.5 MB of L3 per core, while the Core i3-4170 has 3 MB shared across both cores. The Xeon D-1527's per-core L3 allocation is smaller in total, but the distribution reflects its server-oriented design.

Memory support is another distinction. The Xeon D-1527 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the Core i3-4170 only supports DDR3. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, but the Core i3-4170 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the Xeon D-1527 does not have a bandwidth figure in the data. The Xeon D-1527 supports ECC memory, a server feature, while the Core i3-4170 does not.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The Xeon D-1527 provides Gen 3 with 24 lanes, while the Core i3-4170 provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The Xeon D-1527 has no integrated graphics, whereas the Core i3-4170 includes Intel HD 4400. The sockets are incompatible: the Xeon D-1527 uses Intel BGA 1667, and the Core i3-4170 uses Intel Socket 1150. The production status also differs, with the Xeon D-1527 listed as Active and the Core i3-4170 as End-of-life.

Specification Differences

The Intel Xeon D-1527 has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 2.70 GHz. The Intel Core i3-4170 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and no boost clock in the data. The Xeon D-1527 has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Core i3-4170 has a TDP of 54 watts. The Xeon D-1527 uses a 14 nm process and the Core i3-4170 uses a 22 nm process.

The core and thread counts differ: 4 cores and 8 threads for the Xeon D-1527, 2 cores and 4 threads for the Core i3-4170. The Xeon D-1527 has 3,200 million transistors and a 246 mm² die size, while the Core i3-4170 has 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die size. The socket, memory support, ECC support, PCIe lanes, integrated graphics, market segment, production status, and release date all differ as well. The Xeon D-1527 launched with an MSRP of $213, while the Core i3-4170 launched with an MSRP of $117. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.