Intel Core i3-9100TE vs Intel Xeon D-1521 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data paints a lopsided picture in this head-to-head. The Intel Xeon D-1521 wins all six shared benchmark comparisons, leaving the Intel Core i3-9100TE without a single victory in the direct matchup. This is not a close contest by any metric.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon D-1521 scores 476 against the i3-9100TE's 393, a delta of -17.4 percent. The single-core result in R15 is similar: 67 versus 55, a 17.9 percent gap. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Xeon posts 1985 multi-core and 280 single-core, while the i3-9100TE trails at 1638 and 231 respectively, both showing a 17.5 percent difference. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23, where the Xeon D-1521 reaches 4728 multi-core and 667 single-core, compared to the i3-9100TE's 3900 and 550, again a 17.5 percent delta in both cases.

The consistency of these margins is notable. Across every Cinebench generation, the Xeon D-1521 holds roughly a 17.5 percent advantage in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. The only slightly larger gap appears in R15 single-core at 17.9 percent, which is within the noise of the other results.

The Geekbench scores, available only for the i3-9100TE, show a multi-core result of 3214 and a single-core result of 1105. Without a corresponding Xeon D-1521 score in the database, the data cannot be used for a direct comparison, but the i3-9100TE's percentile ranking versus all CPUs sits at 37, while the Xeon D-1521 sits at 36. This nearly identical placement in the overall distribution suggests that despite the Xeon's clean sweep in shared tests, the two processors occupy a similar tier in the full CPU landscape.

Average benchmark scores reinforce this parity in overall standing. The i3-9100TE averages 1386, while the Xeon D-1521 averages 1367. The i3-9100TE's nearest rival is the AMD Opteron 6274 with an average score of 1387, a 0.1 percent difference, and the AMD Opteron 6238 at 1383, a 0.3 percent gap. The Xeon D-1521 sits close to the Intel Core i7-3820QM at 1366 (0.1 percent) and the Intel Xeon E5-1410 v2 at 1368 (negative 0.1 percent). These close pairings underscore that both CPUs are positioned in the same performance neighborhood overall.

The real story is in the Cinebench sweep. The Xeon D-1521 demonstrates a consistent edge that scales across every rendering workload. The narrower single-core margin in R15 (17.9 percent versus 17.5 percent elsewhere) is the only deviation, and it is minor. The data shows no scenario in the shared tests where the i3-9100TE closes the gap or reverses the result.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon D-1521 wins every benchmark where both processors have recorded results. That is six out of six in the head-to-head list, and the margin is uniform. For users running Cinebench R15, R20, or R23, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, the Xeon D-1521 is the faster processor by about 17.5 percent. This is a consistent advantage that holds across different workload intensities.

The i3-9100TE does have a win, but it is not in the shared benchmark list. It is the only one of the two with Geekbench data in the database, posting 3214 multi-core and 1105 single-core. This does not constitute a head-to-head victory, but it does show the i3-9100TE can produce competitive raw CPU scores in a benchmark that the Xeon D-1521 lacks recorded data for. In practical terms, the i3-9100TE also has a lower TDP of 35 watts versus the Xeon D-1521's 45 watts, and a higher boost clock of 3.20 GHz versus 2.70 GHz. The i3-9100TE also includes integrated graphics, which the Xeon D-1521 lacks, making it a better fit for systems that do not use a discrete GPU.

For server and workstation workloads, the Xeon D-1521's 8 threads (versus 4 on the i3-9100TE) and higher base clock of 2.40 GHz versus 2.20 GHz likely contribute to its benchmark lead. The Xeon D-1521 is also an active product, while the i3-9100TE is end-of-life. For deployed systems, the Xeon D-1521 is the one still in production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1521 scores 4728 versus the Intel Core i3-9100TE's 3900, a 17.5 percent advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-9100TE win any of the shared benchmarks?

A: No. The i3-9100TE loses all six head-to-head comparisons, with zero wins to the Xeon D-1521's six.

Q: How do the processors compare in single-core performance?

A: The Xeon D-1521 wins all single-core tests. In Cinebench R15 it is 67 versus 55 (17.9 percent), in R20 it is 280 versus 231 (17.5 percent), and in R23 it is 667 versus 550 (17.5 percent).

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

A: The i3-9100TE averages 1386, while the Xeon D-1521 averages 1367. The i3-9100TE is marginally ahead in this aggregate metric.

Q: Do either of these processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i3-9100TE and the Intel Xeon D-1521 have ECC memory support.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100TE features UHD Graphics 630. The Intel Xeon D-1521 has no integrated graphics.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Intel Xeon D-1521 has 8 threads compared to the i3-9100TE's 4 threads, despite both having 4 cores. The Xeon D-1521 has a higher base clock at 2.40 GHz versus 2.20 GHz, but the i3-9100TE has a higher boost clock at 3.20 GHz versus 2.70 GHz.

The TDP differs, with the i3-9100TE rated at 35 watts and the Xeon D-1521 at 45 watts. The socket types are different: the i3-9100TE uses Intel Socket 1151, while the Xeon D-1521 uses Intel BGA 1667.

Memory support varies. The i3-9100TE supports only DDR4, while the Xeon D-1521 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. Both have dual-channel memory buses, but the i3-9100TE lists a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Xeon D-1521 has no recorded bandwidth figure. PCIe lanes also differ: the i3-9100TE has 16 lanes (Gen 3), while the Xeon D-1521 has 24 lanes (Gen 3).

The i3-9100TE includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon D-1521 has none. Production status differs, with the i3-9100TE end-of-life and the Xeon D-1521 still active. The i3-9100TE's launch MSRP is $122, while the Xeon D-1521's launch MSRP is $199. The i3-9100TE has a die size of 126 mm², while the Xeon D-1521 is larger at 246 mm².

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel microarchitectures and are built for different market segments. The Intel Core i3-9100TE is based on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, while the Intel Xeon D-1521 uses the Broadwell architecture, specifically Broadwell-DE.

Both are manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process node, which is the same process. The transistor counts differ, however: the Xeon D-1521 has 3,200 million transistors, while the i3-9100TE has no recorded transistor count. Die size is also different: the i3-9100TE measures 126 mm², while the Xeon D-1521 is substantially larger at 246 mm².

Cache topology differs between the two. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is organized differently: the i3-9100TE has a shared 6 MB L3 cache, while the Xeon D-1521 has 1.5 MB per core. With 4 cores, the Xeon D-1521's total L3 is comparable, but the per-core allocation is distinct.

The i3-9100TE is a desktop part with a market segment of "Desktop," while the Xeon D-1521 is explicitly a "Server/Workstation" chip. This is reflected in the Xeon D-1521's higher PCIe lane count (24 versus 16) and its support for both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, which offers more flexibility for server platforms. The Xeon D-1521 also has a higher base clock and more threads (8 versus 4), which likely explains its benchmark lead despite the i3-9100TE's higher boost clock. The i3-9100TE's integrated UHD Graphics 630 is a feature absent from the Xeon D-1521, which relies on external graphics solutions, and its lower TDP of 35 watts versus 45 watts makes it more power-efficient for desktop builds.