Intel Core i3-7350K vs Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 and the Intel Core i3-7350K are both 14nm Intel processors on the LGA 1151 socket, but the benchmark data reveals a complete sweep in favor of the Xeon. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the Xeon E3-1225 v5 wins decisively, with margins ranging from 22.2% to 24.1%. The Core i3-7350K does not win a single benchmark in the comparison, despite its higher base clock and unlocked multiplier. The data is unambiguous: the Xeon is the faster processor in every measured workload, making the Core i3's advantages purely architectural and feature-based rather than performance-based.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the uniformity of the Xeon's victory. In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the Xeon E3-1225 v5 scores 510 against the i3-7350K's 417, a 22.3% lead. This gap widens slightly in the single-core R15 test, where the Xeon scores 72 compared to the i3's 58, a 24.1% advantage. The Xeon's single-core dominance is notable because the i3-7350K has a much higher base clock of 4.20 GHz versus the Xeon's 3.30 GHz, yet the Xeon still outperforms it in single-threaded workloads.

Moving to the Cinebench R20 suite, the results mirror the R15 pattern. The Xeon posts 2127 in multicore versus the i3's 1740, a 22.2% margin. In single-core R20, the Xeon scores 300 against the i3's 245, again 22.4% ahead. These consistent deltas across different Cinebench versions suggest that the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific, driven by the Xeon's additional two physical cores and larger 8 MB shared L3 cache.

The latest Cinebench R23 results tell the same story. The Xeon E3-1225 v5 achieves 5065 in multicore, while the i3-7350K reaches 4144, a 22.2% difference. In single-core R23, the Xeon scores 715 versus the i3's 585, another 22.2% gap. It is importantly the i3-7350K has additional Geekbench scores not available for the Xeon (3018 multicore and 1488 single-core), but these cannot be compared directly since the Xeon lacks corresponding Geekbench results in the data.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the head-to-head results. The Xeon E3-1225 v5 averages 1465 across all benchmarks, while the i3-7350K averages 1462, a negligible 0.2% difference in overall average. However, this near-parity in average scores is misleading when examining the specific Cinebench tests where the Xeon wins all six. The i3's additional Geekbench scores pull its average up, but in the tests where both processors have results, the Xeon is consistently 22-24% faster.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance. The Xeon wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with every victory exceeding 22% and the largest being 24.1% in Cinebench R15 single-core. The i3-7350K's higher base clock of 4.20 GHz and unlocked multiplier do not translate into benchmark wins, as the Xeon's four physical cores and 8 MB L3 cache provide a decisive advantage in both multi-threaded and single-threaded tasks.

For users who need ECC memory support, the Xeon is the only choice, as it supports DDR3 and DDR4 with ECC, while the i3-7350K supports only DDR4 without ECC. The Xeon also targets the server/workstation segment, whereas the i3 is a desktop part. However, the i3-7350K has a lower TDP of 60 watts versus the Xeon's 80 watts, and it is still in active production, while the Xeon is end-of-life. The i3 also features an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, which the Xeon does not allow.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 wins in every benchmark category measured. Its four cores and four threads provide a 22.3% advantage in Cinebench R15 multicore (510 vs 417) and a 22.2% lead in R20 multicore (2127 vs 1740). The Xeon's 8 MB shared L3 cache, double the i3's 4 MB, likely contributes to its consistent single-core wins, which range from 22.2% to 24.1%. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, a feature absent from the i3, and offers a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s compared to the i3's 38.4 GB/s, though this does not translate to benchmark wins for the i3.

The Intel Core i3-7350K wins only in areas outside the benchmark data. It has a lower TDP of 60 watts, making it more power-efficient on paper. Its base clock of 4.20 GHz is significantly higher than the Xeon's 3.30 GHz, and it has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The i3 is also in active production, while the Xeon is end-of-life. The i3's integrated graphics, Intel HD 630, is a newer generation than the Xeon's HD Graphics P530, though neither is benchmarked here.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 is faster in all multi-core tests. It scores 510 in Cinebench R15 multicore versus the i3-7350K's 417, a 22.3% lead, and 5065 in R23 multicore versus 4144, a 22.2% advantage.

Q: Does the Core i3-7350K win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Xeon E3-1225 v5 wins all six benchmarks (R15, R20, R23 in both single and multi-core), with the i3-7350K recording zero wins.

Q: Can the Core i3-7350K be overclocked?

A: Yes, the i3-7350K has an unlocked multiplier (multiplierUnlocked: true), while the Xeon E3-1225 v5 does not.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 supports ECC memory, along with both DDR3 and DDR4. The Core i3-7350K supports only DDR4 and does not support ECC.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The Xeon E3-1225 v5 has an average benchmark score of 1465, while the i3-7350K averages 1462, a difference of 0.2% in the Xeon's favor.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock?

A: The Core i3-7350K has a base clock of 4.20 GHz, which is higher than the Xeon E3-1225 v5's 3.30 GHz. However, the Xeon still wins all single-core benchmarks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different Intel architectures. The Xeon E3-1225 v5 uses Skylake (Skylake-DT) with a 14nm process node, while the Core i3-7350K uses Kaby Lake, also on a 14nm node. Both are manufactured by Intel, but the Xeon has a die size of 122 mm² and 1,750 million transistors, while the i3's die size and transistor count are not listed.

The Xeon has four physical cores and four threads, whereas the i3 has two physical cores and four threads via hyper-threading. The Xeon's L3 cache is 8 MB shared, double the i3's 4 MB shared. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory with ECC, while the i3 supports only DDR4 without ECC. Memory bandwidth differs slightly: the Xeon offers 34.1 GB/s versus the i3's 38.4 GB/s. The Xeon's integrated graphics is HD Graphics P530, while the i3 uses Intel HD 630.

Specification Differences

The most significant specification difference is core count: the Xeon E3-1225 v5 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Core i3-7350K has 2 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks differ substantially, with the i3 at 4.20 GHz and the Xeon at 3.30 GHz. The Xeon has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, while the i3 has no listed boost clock. TDP differs as well: the Xeon draws 80 watts, the i3 draws 60 watts.

Memory support is a key differentiator: the Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4 with ECC, while the i3 supports only DDR4 without ECC. Memory bandwidth is 34.1 GB/s for the Xeon and 38.4 GB/s for the i3. The Xeon's L3 cache is 8 MB shared versus the i3's 4 MB. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $224, while the i3 has no listed launch MSRP. The Xeon is end-of-life and was released on 2015-10-18, while the i3 is active and was released on 2017-01-02. The Xeon targets the server/workstation segment, while the i3 targets desktop. The Xeon has a locked multiplier; the i3's multiplier is unlocked. Part numbers are SR2LJ for the Xeon and SR35B for the i3.