Intel Core i5-1145G7 vs Intel Xeon Gold 6342 Comparison

The Intel Xeon Gold 6342 and the Intel Core i5-1145G7 are designed for entirely different corners of the computing market, yet a direct benchmark comparison reveals just how absolute the performance divide is. The Xeon Gold 6342, a 24-core server processor, utterly dominates the mobile-focused, 4-core Core i5 in every single test where they share a benchmark. The data shows a clean sweep: the Xeon Gold 6342 wins all six head-to-head comparisons, with the Core i5-1145G7 failing to secure a single victory.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the consistency of the performance gap. Across the entire Cinebench suite, the Xeon Gold 6342 maintains a winning margin of over 400% in almost every test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 4033 against the Core i5's 783, a delta of 415.1%. This pattern repeats in R15 single-core, where the Xeon's 569 trumps the Core i5's 110, again a 417.3% advantage.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the results are nearly identical in proportional terms. The Xeon Gold 6342's multi-core score of 16805 dwarfs the Core i5's 3266, a 414.5% lead. The single-core test tells the same story: 2372 versus 461, also a 414.5% delta. This consistency suggests the Xeon's advantage is not just about core count; its per-core performance is also vastly superior in this workload.

Cinebench R23 reinforces the trend. The Xeon Gold 6342 posts a multi-core score of 40014, while the Core i5-1145G7 manages only 7777, a 414.5% difference. Even in the single-core R23 test, the Xeon's 5649 is more than five times the Core i5's 1098, again a 414.5% delta. The fact that the Xeon wins single-core by the same percentage as multi-core is telling: it indicates that the Ice Lake-SP architecture is fundamentally faster per thread than the Tiger Lake-U part in these rendering tasks, not just that it has more cores.

The Xeon Gold 6342's average benchmark score of 11574 places it in the 67th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 at a 0.9% difference. The Core i5-1145G7, with an average of 11279, sits in the 66th percentile, with its closest competitor being the AMD EPYC 7452 at a 0% delta. While the average scores are close, the head-to-head Cinebench results show a stark reality: for these specific workloads, the Xeon is not just ahead; it is in a different performance class.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Xeon Gold 6342 wins every category that was tested in the head-to-head comparison. This includes all multi-core and single-core Cinebench variants. There is no workload in the shared test suite where the Core i5-1145G7 comes out ahead. The Xeon's 24 cores and 48 threads are simply overwhelming for the Core i5's 4 cores and 8 threads.

The Core i5-1145G7 does have additional benchmark data not shared with the Xeon, such as PassMark and Geekbench scores. However, since there is no corresponding Xeon data for these tests, they cannot be used for a direct comparison. The data that is comparable shows a complete victory for the Xeon Gold 6342. The Core i5's wins column is zero. The Xeon's wins column is six. This is not a nuanced split; it is a one-sided affair in the Cinebench suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different architectures with different goals. The Xeon Gold 6342 uses the Ice Lake-SP architecture (codename Ice Lake-SP) on a 10 nm process node. It is a server/workstation part with 24 cores and 48 threads, a base clock of 2.80 GHz, and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. Its cache hierarchy is substantial: 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a massive 36 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 memory across an eight-channel bus, yielding 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and includes ECC memory support. It uses Intel Socket 4189 and offers Gen 4 PCIe with 64 lanes (CPU only). This is a part designed for maximum throughput and memory capacity, with a TDP of 230 W.

The Core i5-1145G7, in contrast, is a mobile part built on the Tiger Lake architecture (codename Tiger Lake-U) on the same 10 nm process node. It has just 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its cache is smaller: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory on a dual-channel bus, and does not support ECC memory. It uses Intel BGA 1449 and has only 4 Gen 4 PCIe lanes (CPU only). It includes integrated Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU, which the Xeon lacks. Its TDP is just 28 W, and its die size is listed as 144 mm². The Core i5 is designed for efficiency and portability, not raw compute.

The core count difference is the most obvious architectural gap, but the memory bus and PCIe lane counts are equally significant. The Xeon's eight-channel memory bus versus the Core i5's dual-channel bus explains a large part of the multi-core performance delta in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon's 64 PCIe lanes versus the Core i5's 4 also speaks to their intended roles: the Xeon is meant to drive multiple GPUs and NVMe drives, while the Core i5 is for a laptop's limited expansion.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The Intel Xeon Gold 6342 is the superior processor in every benchmark where they are compared. It delivers a 414.5% higher score in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and even its single-core scores are over 400% higher than the Core i5-1145G7. Anyone needing maximum CPU rendering performance, especially in a server or workstation context, should choose the Xeon Gold 6342 without hesitation. Its 24-core, 48-thread configuration and eight-channel memory support are precisely what heavy compute workloads demand.

The Intel Core i5-1145G7 should only be considered when the platform constraints dictate it. It is a mobile processor for laptops, with a 28 W TDP and integrated graphics. The data shows it loses every head-to-head test by a massive margin. Its only advantages are not in the benchmark data: it is a smaller, cooler, and more power-efficient part with a launch MSRP of $309. For a desktop or server needing compute, the Xeon is the only choice based on these results. For a thin-and-light laptop, the Core i5 is the only option in this pair, but its performance is not comparable.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Xeon Gold 6342 is significantly faster, scoring 40014 compared to the Core i5-1145G7's 7777, a 414.5% advantage.

Q: Does the Core i5-1145G7 win any of the shared benchmarks?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Xeon Gold 6342 winning all six tests, with the Core i5 winning zero.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Xeon Gold 6342 has an average benchmark score of 11574, while the Core i5-1145G7 has an average of 11279. They are in the 67th and 66th percentiles of all CPUs, respectively.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Xeon Gold 6342 has 24 cores and 48 threads. The Core i5-1145G7 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Do they support the same memory types?

A: No. The Xeon Gold 6342 supports DDR4 on an eight-channel bus with ECC, while the Core i5-1145G7 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X on a dual-channel bus without ECC.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Core i5-1145G7 has a higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the Xeon Gold 6342 boosts to 3.50 GHz. Despite this, the Xeon still wins all single-core Cinebench tests.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon Gold 6342 | Intel Core i5-1145G7 |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Cores | 24 | 4 |

| Threads | 48 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 2.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 230 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 4189 | Intel BGA 1449 |

| Architecture | Ice Lake | Tiger Lake |

| Codename | Ice Lake-SP | Tiger Lake-U |

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

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 36 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, LPDDR4X |

| Memory Bus | Eight-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 204.8 GB/s | N/A |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 64 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 4 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | N/A | Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

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

| Release Date | 2021-04-05 | 2020-09-01 |

| Die Size | N/A | 144 mm² |

| Part Number | N/A | SRK03 |