Intel Core i3-8109U vs Intel Xeon D-1520 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits this comparison into two very distinct profiles. The Intel Core i3-8109U claims exactly one head-to-head win, while the Intel Xeon D-1520 takes five. That single win for the i3-8109U is decisive in its category: Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 138.65 against 59 for the Xeon D-1520, a 135% advantage. This is the largest margin in either direction across all recorded tests, and it establishes the i3-8109U as the clear choice for workloads that depend on low-latency, single-threaded responsiveness.

The Xeon D-1520, by contrast, wins every multi-core test in the head-to-head set, and it also wins the R20 and R23 single-core tests. Its multi-core deltas are consistent at -15.2% relative to the i3-8109U across R15, R20, and R23, which means the Xeon D-1520 outperforms the i3-8109U by roughly 15% in all three multi-threaded Cinebench runs. The R20 single-core result shows the Xeon D-1520 ahead by 15%, and the R23 single-core run shows it ahead by 15.3%. So the Xeon D-1520 is not merely a multi-core specialist; it also holds a modest but consistent single-core edge in the newer Cinebench versions.

The use-case split is therefore clean. The i3-8109U wins where legacy single-thread performance matters most, specifically in the older R15 single-core test. The Xeon D-1520 wins everywhere else in the recorded benchmark suite, including all multi-core tests and the more recent single-core tests. For modern rendering workloads, the Xeon D-1520 is the stronger part. For older single-thread-dependent applications, the i3-8109U has a commanding lead.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Xeon D-1520 as the better overall processor for most workloads. It wins five of six head-to-head tests, and its multi-core advantage is uniform at approximately 15.2% across three different Cinebench versions. Its average benchmark score of 1209 sits just below the i3-8109U's 1235, but that aggregate figure masks the Xeon's dominance in the tests that matter for sustained, multi-threaded compute. The Xeon D-1520 also offers ECC memory support, a server/workstation market segment designation, and a larger transistor count of 3,200 million on a 246 mm² die, all of which suggest a part built for reliability and throughput rather than peak single-thread speed.

The Intel Core i3-8109U should be the pick only for scenarios where the older R15 single-core benchmark is representative of the target workload. Its 135% lead in that test is enormous and cannot be ignored. It also carries integrated Iris Pro Plus graphics, which the Xeon D-1520 lacks entirely. For a mobile or compact system that needs GPU output without a discrete card, the i3-8109U is the only option of the two. Its 28W TDP is notably lower than the Xeon's 45W, which further supports a mobile, power-conscious use case.

The verdict from the recorded data: choose the Xeon D-1520 for server, workstation, or any multi-threaded rendering workload where ECC memory and consistent throughput are priorities. Choose the i3-8109U for single-thread-heavy legacy applications or for a mobile platform that requires integrated graphics. The percentile ranking for both parts is identical at 34, meaning they sit at the same level relative to all CPUs in the database, but the distribution of wins is heavily skewed toward the Xeon.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win in the entire comparison belongs to the i3-8109U in Cinebench R15 single-core. It scores 138.65 against the Xeon D-1520's 59, a 135% delta. This is not a marginal difference; the i3-8109U more than doubles the Xeon's score in this test. The result is consistent with the i3-8109U's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz, compared to the Xeon's 2.20 GHz base and 2.60 GHz boost, though the database records only the scores, not the causal clock relationship.

The Xeon D-1520 answers in Cinebench R15 multi-core with 421 versus 357, a 15.2% advantage. That same delta of -15.2% appears in R20 multi-core (1755 versus 1488) and R23 multi-core (4179 versus 3544). The consistency of this margin across three generations of the Cinebench test is notable. It suggests a stable performance gap that is not an artifact of a single benchmark version.

In single-core tests from the newer Cinebench versions, the Xeon D-1520 also leads, but by a smaller margin. R20 single-core shows 247 versus 210, a 15% delta. R23 single-core shows 590 versus 500, a 15.3% delta. These results are curious given the i3-8109U's massive R15 single-core win, but the recorded data is unambiguous: in R20 and R23 single-core, the Xeon D-1520 is ahead by roughly 15%.

The i3-8109U also has Geekbench scores recorded: 2454 multi-core and 1188 single-core. The Xeon D-1520 has no Geekbench entries in the database, so no comparison is possible there. The average benchmark score for the i3-8109U is 1235, and for the Xeon D-1520 it is 1209. The nearest rivals for the i3-8109U include the Intel Pentium Gold G6600 at 1235 with a 0% delta, the Intel Core i7-3610QM at 1244 with a -0.8% delta, and the Intel Core i5-2500 at 1220 with a 1.2% delta. The Xeon D-1520's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-8121U at 1209 with a 0% delta, the Intel Xeon D-1527 at 1207 with a 0.1% delta, and the Intel Xeon E5645 at 1211 with a -0.1% delta. Both parts sit within a narrow band of their closest competitors, but the head-to-head results show a clear separation between them.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1520 wins five of the six recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core i3-8109U wins only one, the Cinebench R15 single-core test.

Q: What is the biggest single score difference between the two processors?

A: The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i3-8109U scores 138.65 against the Xeon D-1520's 59, a 135% advantage for the i3-8109U.

Q: Does the Xeon D-1520 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Xeon D-1520 supports ECC memory and lists DDR3 and DDR4 memory support. The i3-8109U does not support ECC memory and lists only DDR4.

Q: Do the two processors have integrated graphics?

A: The i3-8109U includes Iris Pro Plus integrated graphics. The Xeon D-1520 has no integrated graphics listed in the database.

Q: What are the market segments for these processors?

A: The i3-8109U is classified as a mobile processor with a 28W TDP. The Xeon D-1520 is classified as a server/workstation processor with a 45W TDP and a launch MSRP of $199.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The i3-8109U has an average benchmark score of 1235, with its closest rival being the Intel Pentium Gold G6600 at 1235 and a 0% delta. The Xeon D-1520 has an average score of 1209, with its closest rival being the Intel Core i3-8121U at 1209 and a 0% delta.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures and different eras. The i3-8109U is a Kaby Lake-R part, specifically from the Core i3 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh) generation, built on a 14 nm process with a die size of 123 mm². The Xeon D-1520 is a Broadwell part from the Xeon D (Broadwell-DE generation, also built on a 14 nm process but with a much larger die size of 246 mm² and a transistor count of 3,200 million. The i3-8109U has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Xeon D-1520 has 4 cores and 8 threads. This core and thread advantage for the Xeon directly explains its consistent multi-core wins.

Cache layouts differ as well. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is where they diverge: the i3-8109U has 4 MB shared L3, while the Xeon D-1520 has 1.5 MB per core. The Xeon's per-core L3 allocation, when multiplied across four cores, totals more cache overall, and the per-core design is typical of server-oriented parts.

Memory support also separates the two. The i3-8109U supports DDR4 only and does not support ECC memory. The Xeon D-1520 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, includes dual-channel memory bus support, and enables ECC memory. The Xeon also exposes PCIe Gen 3 with 24 lanes (CPU only), whereas the i3-8109U has no PCIe lane count recorded in the database.

The sockets are different: the i3-8109U uses Intel BGA 1356, and the Xeon D-1520 uses Intel BGA 1667. The i3-8109U has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while the Xeon D-8109U has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and boost clock of 2.60 GHz. Neither part has an unlocked multiplier. The i3-8109U has integrated graphics with Iris Pro Plus, while the Xeon D-1520 has none. The i3-8109U was released in April 2018, and the Xeon D-1520 was released in March 2015. Both are listed as active production parts.