Intel Core i3-9320 vs Intel Xeon D-1537 Comparison

Intel Xeon D-1537 and Intel Core i3-9320 are both Intel processors built on the same 14 nm process, but they target very different segments of the market. The Xeon D-1537 is a server/workstation chip with 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Core i3-9320 is a desktop part with 4 cores and 4 threads. Benchmark results from the database show that the Xeon D-1537 wins every single head-to-head test, but the margins are remarkably small, often around 1% to 2%. This means that despite having twice as many cores and threads, the Xeon D-1537 only edges out the Core i3-9320 by a narrow margin in Cinebench workloads. The data suggests that clock speed differences, cache configurations, and memory support play a larger role than raw core counts in these specific tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1537 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i3-9320 has 4 cores and 4 threads. This is a 4-core and 12-thread advantage for the Xeon D-1537.

Q: What are the base and boost clock speeds for each processor?

A: The Xeon D-1537 runs at a base clock of 1700.00 MHz and a boost clock of 2.30 GHz. The Core i3-9320 runs at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Core i3-9320 has significantly higher clock speeds.

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The Core i3-9320 has a TDP of 62 watts, while the Xeon D-1537 has a TDP of 35 watts. The Xeon D-1537 consumes less power despite having more cores.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon D-1537 and the Intel Core i3-9320 support ECC memory. The Xeon D-1537 supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the Core i3-9320 supports DDR4 only.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache capacity?

A: The Xeon D-1537 has 1.5 MB of L3 cache per core, which adds up to 12 MB total for 8 cores. The Core i3-9320 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache for its 4 cores. The Xeon D-1537 has more total L3 cache, but the Core i3-9320 has more L3 cache per core, at 2 MB per core compared to 1.5 MB per core.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Xeon D-1537 has an average benchmark score of 1830, while the Core i3-9320 has an average benchmark score of 1808. The Xeon D-1537 is slightly ahead by 1.2%.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon D-1537 is based on the Broadwell architecture, specifically the Broadwell-DE generation, and is manufactured on a 14 nm process. It is designed for the server and workstation market segment, using the Intel BGA 1667 socket. The chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 1700.00 MHz and a boost clock of 2.30 GHz. Its TDP is 35 watts, which is notably low for a server chip with this many cores. The Xeon D-1537 has a die size of 246 mm² and contains 3,200 million transistors. It supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it includes ECC memory support. The PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 24 lanes available from the CPU only. The processor does not have integrated graphics.

In contrast, the Intel Core i3-9320 is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, part of the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, and also uses a 14 nm process. It is a desktop processor that fits the Intel Socket 1151. The chip has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its TDP is 62 watts, which is higher than the Xeon D-1537 despite having fewer cores. The die size is 126 mm², which is much smaller than the Xeon D-1537, and the transistor count is not recorded in the database. The Core i3-9320 supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory, which is unusual for a desktop Core i3. The PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. This processor includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 630, which the Xeon D-1537 lacks.

The core count difference is the most obvious architectural split, with the Xeon D-1537 offering double the cores and four times the threads. However, the Core i3-9320 compensates with much higher clock speeds, over 2 GHz higher in base clock and over 2 GHz higher in boost clock. The cache hierarchy also differs, with the Xeon D-1537 using per-core L3 cache of 1.5 MB, while the Core i3-9320 uses a shared 8 MB L3 pool. The Xeon D-1537 has a larger die and more transistors, reflecting its server-oriented design and additional cores. The production status also differs, with the Xeon D-1537 listed as active and the Core i3-9320 listed as end-of-life.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records six head-to-head Cinebench tests, and the Intel Xeon D-1537 wins all six. The largest margin comes in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the Xeon D-1537 scores 90 against the Core i3-9320's 88, a difference of 2.3%. In the R15 multi-core test, the Xeon D-1537 scores 637 versus 630, a 1.1% lead. The R20 single-core test shows the Xeon D-1537 at 375 and the Core i3-9320 at 370, a 1.4% advantage. In the R20 multi-core test, the Xeon D-1537 scores 2657 against 2626, a 1.2% edge. The R23 single-core test has the Xeon D-1537 at 893 and the Core i3-9320 at 882, a 1.2% difference. Finally, the R23 multi-core test shows the Xeon D-1537 at 6327 versus 6254, again a 1.2% margin.

These results indicate that the Xeon D-1537 is consistently ahead, but the differences are small. The largest win is only 2.3%, and most wins are around 1.2%. The fact that the Xeon D-1537 wins single-core tests despite having a much lower boost clock (2.30 GHz versus 4.40 GHz) is notable. This suggests that the architecture, cache layout, or other factors give the Xeon D-1537 an edge in these specific workloads, even when the Core i3-9320 has a substantial clock speed advantage. The multi-core tests also favor the Xeon D-1537, but not by the wide margin you might expect from having double the cores. The Core i3-9320's higher clock speeds likely keep it competitive, but it still falls short in every recorded benchmark.

The average benchmark scores reflect a similar pattern. The Xeon D-1537 has an average score of 1830, while the Core i3-9320 has 1808, a difference of about 1.2%. Both processors sit at the 42nd percentile among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the Xeon D-1537 include the Intel Xeon E5-2608L v3 with a score of 1830 and no difference, the Intel Core i5-8305G with 1831, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600U with 1832, and the Intel Core i7-4790S with 1827. For the Core i3-9320, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650U with 1810, the Intel Core i3-9100 with 1806, the Intel Xeon E5-1620 v4 with 1802, and the Intel Core i5-6600K with 1816. These nearby scores confirm that both processors are in a similar performance tier, despite their architectural differences.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The Xeon D-1537 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Core i3-9320 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The base clock is 1700.00 MHz for the Xeon D-1537 and 3.70 GHz for the Core i3-9320. The boost clock is 2.30 GHz for the Xeon D-1537 and 4.40 GHz for the Core i3-9320. The TDP is 35 watts for the Xeon D-1537 and 62 watts for the Core i3-9320. The socket is Intel BGA 1667 for the Xeon D-1537 and Intel Socket 1151 for the Core i3-9320. The architecture is Broadwell for the Xeon D-1537 and Coffee Lake for the Core i3-9320. The generation is Xeon D (Broadwell-DE) for the Xeon D-1537 and Core i3 (Coffee Lake Refresh) for the Core i3-9320. The process node is 14 nm for both, but the die size is 246 mm² for the Xeon D-1537 and 126 mm² for the Core i3-9320. The transistor count is 3,200 million for the Xeon D-1537 and not recorded for the Core i3-9320.

The cache configuration also differs. The Xeon D-1537 has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, same as the Core i3-9320. However, the L3 cache is 1.5 MB per core for the Xeon D-1537, while the Core i3-9320 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR3 and DDR4 for the Xeon D-1537, but only DDR4 for the Core i3-9320. Both use dual-channel memory, but the Core i3-9320 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Xeon D-1537 has no memory bandwidth figure in the database. Both support ECC memory. The PCIe configuration differs, with the Xeon D-1537 offering Gen 3 with 24 lanes and the Core i3-9320 offering Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The Xeon D-1537 has no integrated graphics, while the Core i3-9320 includes UHD Graphics 630. The market segment is server/workstation for the Xeon D-1537 and desktop for the Core i3-9320. Production status is active for the Xeon D-1537 and end-of-life for the Core i3-9320. The release date is October 31, 2015 for the Xeon D-1537 and April 22, 2019 for the Core i3-9320.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the Intel Xeon D-1537 in benchmark performance, but the margin is thin. It wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, with margins ranging from 1.1% to 2.3%. It also has a higher average benchmark score of 1830 versus 1808. For users who prioritize multi-threaded workloads, the Xeon D-1537 offers double the cores and four times the threads, which should theoretically provide a larger advantage, but the recorded benchmarks show only a small lead. The Xeon D-1537 also has a lower TDP of 35 watts, making it more power-efficient than the Core i3-9320 at 62 watts, despite having more cores.

The Core i3-9320, on the other hand, has much higher clock speeds and a smaller die size, but it still loses every benchmark. Its integrated graphics and higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s are advantages, but they do not translate into wins in the Cinebench tests. The Core i3-9320 is end-of-life, while the Xeon D-1537 is still active. For server or workstation deployments where ECC memory and low power are critical, the Xeon D-1537 is the better choice based on the recorded data. For a desktop user who needs integrated graphics and higher clock speeds, the Core i3-9320 could be considered, but the benchmark results do not support it as a performance winner.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon D-1537 wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. It takes the single-core and multi-core tests across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. Its wins are consistent, with the largest margin being 2.3% in the R15 single-core test. The Xeon D-1537 also wins in efficiency, with a lower TDP of 35 watts compared to the Core i3-9320's 62 watts. It offers more PCIe lanes, with 24 versus 16, and supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory. For server workloads that rely on multi-threading and ECC memory, the Xeon D-1537 is the clear winner according to the data.

The Intel Core i3-9320 does not win any of the six head-to-head benchmarks. However, it does have advantages in other areas. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz are significantly higher than the Xeon D-1537's 1700.00 MHz and 2.30 GHz. It has a smaller die size of 126 mm², which could indicate lower manufacturing complexity. It includes integrated UHD Graphics 630, which the Xeon D-1537 lacks entirely. It also has a higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Xeon D-1537 has no recorded bandwidth figure. For a desktop user who needs integrated graphics and does not require the multi-core advantage, the Core i3-9320 might be preferable, but the benchmark data shows it is slower in every recorded test.