Intel Core i5-11260H vs Intel Xeon E5-2678 v3 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, though narrow, victory for the Intel Core i5-11260H across every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. Out of six tested workloads, the Core i5-11260H claims all six wins, leaving the Xeon E5-2678 v3 without a single advantage in any measured test.

Starting with the multi-core Cinebench suite, the Core i5-11260H posts a score of 1300 in Cinebench R15 multicore against 1257 for the Xeon E5-2678 v3, a margin of 3.4%. Moving to Cinebench R20 multicore, the Core i5-11260H scores 5420, while the Xeon trails at 5239, a 3.5% gap. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Core i5-11260H reaches 12905, and the Xeon manages 12474, again a 3.5% difference. The pattern is remarkably uniform: the Core i5-11260H leads by roughly three and a half percent in every multi-core test, despite having half the core count of the Xeon.

Single-core results tell a similar story. In Cinebench R15 singlecore, the Core i5-11260H scores 183 against 177 for the Xeon, a 3.4% lead. Cinebench R20 singlecore sees the Core i5-11260H at 764 versus 739, another 3.4% gap. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows the Core i5-11260H at 1821, with the Xeon at 1761, a 3.4% margin. The consistency of these deltas, all hovering between 3.4% and 3.5%, suggests a systematic performance advantage rather than workload-specific variation.

The average benchmark score in the database reinforces the picture. The Core i5-11260H holds an average score of 3721, placing it in the 56th percentile of all CPUs. The Xeon E5-2678 v3 averages 3608, sitting in the 55th percentile. The Core i5-11260H also appears alongside rivals such as the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650GE, which scores 3732 (0.3% higher), and the Intel Xeon Silver 4116 at 3733 (0.3% higher). For the Xeon E5-2678 v3, the nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2286G at 3610 (0.1% higher) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 at 3613 (0.1% higher). These surrounding scores show that both processors sit in a crowded mid-pack, but the Core i5-11260H edges slightly ahead.

It is worth emphasizing that the Xeon E5-2678 v3 fields 12 cores and 24 threads, double the 6 cores and 12 threads of the Core i5-11260H. Despite that hardware advantage in raw core count, the benchmark results indicate the newer architecture of the Core i5-11260H compensates fully, and then some. The margin is not large, but it is pervasive across all recorded tests.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear overall winner in this matchup: the Intel Core i5-11260H. It wins every head-to-head benchmark by a margin of 3.4% to 3.5%, holds a higher average benchmark score (3721 versus 3608), and sits one percentile point higher in the global ranking (56th versus 55th). For any workload measured in this database, the Core i5-11260H is the faster processor.

The Xeon E5-2678 v3 is not without its own merits, however. It delivers 12 cores and 24 threads, and its quad-channel memory bus supports a higher theoretical memory bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s compared to 51.2 GB/s for the Core i5-11260H. It also supports ECC memory, a feature entirely absent from the Core i5-11260H. For users whose priority is memory throughput or error-correcting memory, the Xeon becomes relevant despite losing every benchmark.

From a pure performance standpoint, the verdict is straightforward: choose the Core i5-11260H for speed. The Xeon E5-2678 v3 only enters the conversation when platform features like ECC memory or quad-channel capacity take precedence over raw benchmark scores. The production status also matters: the Core i5-11260H is listed as Active, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 is End-of-life, which further tilts long-term viability toward the newer part.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-11260H wins in every measured compute benchmark. That includes all six Cinebench tests, spanning R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core variants. It also holds the higher average benchmark score and the higher percentile ranking. If the task is rendering, encoding, or any CPU-bound workload captured by Cinebench, the Core i5-11260H is the better choice according to the recorded data.

The Xeon E5-2678 v3 wins in platform-level features rather than benchmark scores. Its memory subsystem is broader: quad-channel DDR3 and DDR4 support with a theoretical bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s, compared to the dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s on the Core i5-11260H. It also supports ECC memory, which the Core i5-11260H does not. The Xeon provides 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, double the 20 Gen 4 lanes of the Core i5-11260H, although the newer Gen 4 standard offers higher per-lane bandwidth. The Xeon targets the server and workstation segment, while the Core i5-11260H is a mobile part.

For workloads that depend heavily on memory bandwidth, such as certain database or scientific computing tasks, the Xeon's 68.3 GB/s figure could prove more useful than the Core i5-11260H's 51.2 GB/s. For workloads that depend on single-thread speed or the efficiency of a newer core design, the Core i5-11260H has the edge in every recorded test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-11260H wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 1300 versus 1257 in R15, 5420 versus 5239 in R20, and 12905 versus 12474 in R23.

Q: Does the Xeon E5-2678 v3 win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows zero wins for the Xeon E5-2678 v3 across all six recorded tests.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2678 v3 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-11260H does not.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Core i5-11260H has an average benchmark score of 3721, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 averages 3608. The Core i5-11260H sits in the 56th percentile of all CPUs, and the Xeon sits in the 55th.

Q: What is the core and thread difference?

A: The Xeon E5-2678 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Core i5-11260H has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Xeon has double the core and thread count.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Xeon E5-2678 v3 has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s using a quad-channel memory bus. The Core i5-11260H has 51.2 GB/s with a dual-channel bus.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The Intel Core i5-11260H is listed as Active. The Intel Xeon E5-2678 v3 is listed as End-of-life.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras. The Intel Core i5-11260H uses the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically the Tiger Lake-H variant, built on a 10 nm process node at Intel's own foundry. Its die size is 190 mm². The Intel Xeon E5-2678 v3 uses the Haswell architecture, specifically Haswell-EP, built on a 22 nm process node, also at Intel. Its die size is 356 mm², and it contains 2,600 million transistors.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The Core i5-11260H has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Xeon E5-2678 v3 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with a much larger 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The Xeon's larger L3 pool reflects its server heritage, while the Core i5-11260H compensates with larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations.

The Core i5-11260H includes integrated UHD Graphics, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 has no integrated graphics at all. The Core i5-11260H supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus, while the Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 over a quad-channel bus. The Xeon's memory bandwidth advantage, 68.3 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s, comes directly from that wider bus. The Core i5-11260H uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Xeon uses PCIe Gen 3 with 40 lanes.

The socket situation also separates the two. The Core i5-11260H uses Intel BGA 1787, a mobile socket, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 uses Intel Socket 2011-3, a server platform socket. The Core i5-11260H targets the mobile segment, and the Xeon targets server and workstation use. The Xeon's part number is SR20Z, and the Core i5-11260H's part number is SRKT0.

Specification Differences

The Intel Core i5-11260H and Intel Xeon E5-2678 v3 differ across nearly every major specification field. The Core i5-11260H has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks differ slightly: the Core i5-11260H runs at 2.10 GHz, and the Xeon at 2.50 GHz. Boost clocks favor the Core i5-11260H, which reaches 4.40 GHz, while the Xeon tops out at 3.30 GHz.

Thermal design power differs sharply. The Core i5-11260H has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Xeon E5-2678 v3 draws 120 watts. The sockets differ, with the Core i5-11260H on Intel BGA 1787 and the Xeon on Intel Socket 2011-3. The process nodes differ as well: 10 nm for the Core i5-11260H and 22 nm for the Xeon.

Memory support splits the pair. The Core i5-11260H uses DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The Xeon E5-2678 v3 uses DDR3 and DDR4 over a quad-channel bus with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Core i5-11260H has 20 lanes of Gen 4, while the Xeon has 40 lanes of Gen 3.

The Core i5-11260H includes integrated UHD Graphics; the Xeon has none. The production status differs, with the Core i5-11260H Active and the Xeon End-of-life. The release date for the Core i5-11260H is recorded, while the Xeon has no release date in the database. The Core i5-11260H has a launch MSRP of $250, while the Xeon has no listed launch MSRP. Both processors have locked multipliers, so neither supports overclocking through a free multiplier.