Intel Core i5-11300H vs Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 Comparison

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 leads in every recorded single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1329 against the Core i5-11300H's 1288, a 3.1% advantage. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R20 single-core (558 vs 540) and R15 single-core (133 vs 129).

Q: How do the two compare in multi-core performance?

A: The Xeon E5-2628L v3 wins all multi-core tests as well, but by a narrow margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 9417 versus 9127 for the Core i5-11300H, a 3.1% difference. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 3955 against 3833, and R15 shows 949 against 919.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Xeon E5-2628L v3 has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Core i5-11300H has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Xeon uses its additional threads to edge ahead in multi-threaded benchmarks despite much lower clock speeds.

Q: What are the base and boost clocks?

A: The Core i5-11300H runs at a 2.60 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost clock. The Xeon E5-2628L v3 has a 2000.00 MHz base (2.00 GHz) and a 2.50 GHz boost clock. The Core i5 has far higher clocks, yet the Xeon still matches or slightly exceeds it in the recorded tests.

Q: Do both support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon E5-2628L v3 supports ECC memory, while the Core i5-11300H does not. The Xeon also supports quad-channel DDR4 with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, versus dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s for the Core i5.

Q: What are the market segments and production statuses?

A: The Core i5-11300H is a mobile processor, listed as Active in production, released in January 2021. The Xeon E5-2628L v3 is a server/workstation part, marked End-of-life, released in September 2014. The Core i5's launch MSRP was $309, while the Xeon's was $1364.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design generations and target different physical envelopes. The Core i5-11300H is built on Tiger Lake-H, a 10 nm Intel process, with a die size of 146.1 mm². The Xeon E5-2628L v3 is a Haswell-EP part on Intel's 22 nm process, with a die size of 356 mm² and 2,600 million transistors. The smaller, newer node of the Core i5 allows it to reach far higher clock speeds while consuming less power: the Core i5 has a 28 W TDP versus 75 W for the Xeon.

Cache hierarchy also differs substantially. The Core i5-11300H has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The Xeon E5-2628L v3 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a much larger 25 MB of shared L3. The Xeon's larger L3 is typical of server parts designed for data-heavy workloads, while the Core i5's smaller cache is paired with higher clocks and a newer core design.

Memory architecture is another key split. The Core i5-11300H uses dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The Xeon E5-2628L v3 uses quad-channel DDR4 with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and full ECC support. The Xeon also offers more PCIe lanes: Gen 3 with 40 lanes, compared to the Core i5's Gen 4 with 20 lanes. This makes the Xeon better suited to expansion-heavy server boards, while the Core i5's PCIe Gen 4 lanes provide higher per-lane bandwidth for mobile platforms.

Integrated graphics separate the two as well. The Core i5-11300H includes Iris XE 80EU integrated graphics, while the Xeon E5-2628L v3 has no integrated graphics at all. The Core i5 is a mobile part with a socket of Intel BGA 1449, whereas the Xeon uses Intel Socket 2011-3, a platform designed for multi-socket server and workstation configurations. The Xeon's market segment is Server/Workstation, and it is End-of-life; the Core i5 is Active and aimed at Mobile.

The cores themselves differ in count and threading. The Xeon has 10 cores and 20 threads, more than double the Core i5's 4 cores and 8 threads. However, the Core i5 compensates with a 4.40 GHz boost clock versus the Xeon's 2.50 GHz. In the recorded benchmark data, the Xeon's extra threads and larger cache win out, but only by about 3% across all Cinebench tests. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data covers six Cinebench tests, and the Xeon E5-2628L v3 wins all of them. The margins are consistent, hovering around 3% in both single-core and multi-core tests.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 949 against the Core i5's 919, a 3.2% lead. The single-core R15 result is nearly identical in percentage: 133 versus 129, a 3% difference. This is notable because the Core i5 has a much higher boost clock, yet the older Xeon still edges ahead. The Xeon's 10 cores and 20 threads clearly help in multi-threaded rendering, but its single-core advantage suggests the Haswell architecture's per-thread efficiency at the tested settings was slightly better or that turbo behavior favored the Xeon.

Cinebench R20 repeats the pattern. Multi-core: 3955 for the Xeon, 3833 for the Core i5, a 3.1% gap. Single-core: 558 versus 540, also 3.2%. The consistency across R15, R20, and R23 indicates the performance relationship is stable across different rendering workloads and not an artifact of one test version.

Cinebench R23, the most recent of the three, shows the same outcome. The Xeon scores 9417 in multi-core versus 9127 for the Core i5, a 3.1% difference. Single-core R23: 1329 versus 1288, again 3.1%. In every recorded test, the Xeon leads by roughly 3%, with no test where the Core i5 comes out ahead. The Core i5's winsA count in the database is zero, while the Xeon's winsB count is six.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The Core i5-11300H has an average benchmark score of 2792, while the Xeon E5-2628L v3 has 2724. Interestingly, the Core i5 has the higher average score, yet it loses every head-to-head Cinebench test. This is because the Core i5's average includes its Geekbench results, which are not part of the head-to-head set: the Core i5 scores 4907 in Geekbench multi-core and 1589 in single-core. The Xeon has no Geekbench results in the database. So while the Xeon wins the Cinebench head-to-head, the Core i5's broader benchmark profile, including Geekbench, gives it a higher overall average.

Percentile rankings are close. The Core i5 sits at the 51st percentile against all CPUs, and the Xeon at the 50th. Their nearest rivals reflect similar performance tiers: the Core i5's closest neighbors include the Intel Xeon E5-4627 v3 with an average score of 2789 (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i5-8600K at 2807 (-0.5%), the Intel Core i7-5930K at 2775 (0.6%), and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G at 2774 (0.6%). The Xeon's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U at 2722 (0.1%), the Intel Core i7-11390H at 2715 (0.3%), the Intel Xeon D-1577 at 2715 (0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U at 2713 (0.4%). Both processors sit within a narrow band of mid-range performance relative to the broader CPU landscape.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, winner in raw Cinebench performance: the Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3. It wins all six recorded head-to-head tests with margins of 3% to 3.2%. For users running heavily multi-threaded rendering workloads, the Xeon's 10 cores and 20 threads, combined with 25 MB of L3 cache and quad-channel memory, deliver a measurable advantage over the Core i5-11300H. The Xeon also supports ECC memory and offers 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, making it the better choice for server or workstation environments where reliability and expansion matter.

However, the Core i5-11300H has its own strengths. It is a much newer mobile part on a 10 nm node, with a 28 W TDP versus the Xeon's 75 W. Its boost clock of 4.40 GHz is far higher than the Xeon's 2.50 GHz, and it includes integrated Iris XE graphics, which the Xeon lacks entirely. The Core i5 also has a higher average benchmark score of 2792 versus 2724, thanks to its Geekbench results. For a mobile platform, the Core i5 offers modern features like PCIe Gen 4 and a much lower power envelope, while still being within about 3% of the Xeon in the Cinebench tests recorded.

Who should pick which? If the workload is multi-threaded rendering on a server or workstation with ECC memory requirements and a chassis that can handle 75 W, the Xeon E5-2628L v3 is the stronger choice according to the data. If the priority is a mobile platform with integrated graphics, lower power consumption, and a higher average benchmark score, the Core i5-11300H is the better fit. The Xeon's production status is End-of-life, while the Core i5 is Active, which may affect availability. The Core i5's launch MSRP was $309, and the Xeon's was $1364, but the Xeon's age and end-of-life status likely mean its current market price differs from launch.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-11300H | Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 |

|-------|----------------------|------------------------|

| Cores | 4 | 10 |

| Threads | 8 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 2000.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 75 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1449 | Intel Socket 2011-3 |

| Architecture | Tiger Lake | Haswell |

| Codename | Tiger Lake-H | Haswell-EP |

| Generation | Core i5 (Tiger Lake-H) | Xeon E5 (Haswell-EP) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 22 nm |

| Transistors | Not listed | 2,600 million |

| Die Size | 146.1 mm² | 356 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 25 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Quad-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 59.7 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 40 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris XE 80EU | None |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Server/Workstation |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2021-01-10 | 2014-09-07 |

| Launch MSRP | $309 | $1364 |

| Part Number | SRKH6 | SR1XZ |

Both processors use DDR4 memory, are manufactured by Intel, and have locked multipliers. The Core i5-11300H's average benchmark score is 2792, and the Xeon E5-2628L v3's is 2724. The Core i5 sits at the 51st percentile of all CPUs, the Xeon at the 50th. The Xeon has no Geekbench results in the database, while the Core i5 records 4907 multi-core and 1589 single-core. The head-to-head benchmark count stands at zero wins for the Core i5 and six for the Xeon.