Intel Core i5-11500H vs Intel Xeon E-2278G Comparison

The Intel Core i5-11500H and the Intel Xeon E-2278G land in the same performance bracket, sitting at the same percentile against all CPUs in the database at 57, yet they represent opposite philosophies: a modern 10 nm mobile chip from the Tiger Lake-H family versus an older 14 nm workstation part from the Coffee Lake era. The recorded data shows the i5-11500H winning 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, but the Xeon carries features the mobile chip simply does not offer, including ECC memory support. The choice comes down to whether raw benchmark wins or platform reliability features matter more for the build.

The Verdict

For a general-purpose system, the data clearly favors the Core i5-11500H. It wins every Cinebench test, single-core and multi-core alike, and takes Geekbench single-core by a wide 8.9% margin. Its only loss is Geekbench multi-core, where the Xeon's extra cores and threads give it a 3% edge. Both CPUs share the same average-performance percentile of 57 against the full database, so neither is a class leader, but the i5-11500H delivers its results with a much lower power draw: a 35 W TDP against the Xeon's 95 W.

The Xeon E-2278G makes sense only where its workstation credentials matter. It supports ECC memory, runs on Socket 1151, and was built for the Server/Workstation segment. It is also end-of-life, whereas the i5-11500H remains an active product. If the workload involves error-sensitive computing and a stable, validated platform, the Xeon still has a role. For everything else, the newer architecture wins on the numbers.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is substantial. The Core i5-11500H is built on Intel's 10 nm process under the Tiger Lake-H codename, while the Xeon E-2278G uses the older 14 nm Coffee Lake-S WS design. That node advantage explains a lot: the i5-11500H outperforms the Xeon in most tests despite having fewer cores, 6 against 8, and fewer threads, 12 against 16.

Cache design also differs meaningfully. The i5-11500H pairs large per-core caches, 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with a 12 MB shared L3. The Xeon takes the opposite approach with smaller per-core allocations, 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2, but a larger 16 MB shared L3 pool. Memory support is DDR4 on both, dual-channel on both, though the i5-11500H sustains higher bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s.

Connectivity favors the newer chip as well. The i5-11500H exposes PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while the Xeon is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics differ by segment: UHD Graphics 750 on the mobile part, HD Graphics P630 on the workstation part. Neither CPU has an unlocked multiplier. The Xeon's one architectural advantage for professional use is ECC support, which the i5-11500H lacks entirely.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably one-sided and consistent. In Cinebench R15, the i5-11500H scores 1427 multi-core and 201 single-core against the Xeon's 1360 and 192, wins of 4.9% and 4.7%. Cinebench R20 repeats the pattern: 5949 versus 5670 in multi-core and 839 versus 800 in single-core, both 4.9% margins. Cinebench R23 is the same story at 14166 versus 13502 multi-core and 1999 versus 1906 single-core, again 4.9% on both counts.

The Xeon's lone win comes in Geekbench multi-core, where its 7354 beats the i5-11500H's 7135 by 3%. That result lines up with the core-count difference: Geekbench's multi-core workload scales well across the Xeon's 16 threads, enough to overcome the per-core deficit. Everywhere else, the newer Tiger Lake cores dominate.

Geekbench single-core is the most lopsided test of the set. The i5-11500H scores 1778 against 1633, an 8.9% win that reflects both the higher IPC of the newer architecture and the database's recorded behavior under bursty, lightly threaded loads. For any workload that leans on one or two fast threads, this is the decisive number.

In context, the average benchmark scores are close: 4187 for the i5-11500H versus 4052 for the Xeon. Their nearest-rivals lists show both sitting in a crowded mid-range neighborhood. The i5-11500H trades blows with the Core i9-9900 (within 0.6%), the Core i5-12500T (within 0.7%), the Xeon E-2378 (within 1.1%) and the Core i7-1265U (within 1.4%). The E-2278G clusters near the Ryzen Threadripper 1900X, Core i5-12500TE, Core i5-12400T and Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G, all within roughly 1%.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every specification that matters:

• Cores/threads: 6/12 on the i5-11500H, 8/16 on the Xeon E-2278G
• Clocks: 2.40 base and 4.60 boost on the i5-11500H, 3.40 base and 5.00 boost on the Xeon
• TDP: 35 W versus 95 W
• Process node: 10 nm versus 14 nm
• Die size: 190 mm² versus 180 mm²
• Cache: 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core with 12 MB L3 on the i5-11500H, versus 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core with 16 MB L3 on the Xeon
• Memory bandwidth: 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s, both DDR4 dual-channel
• ECC: supported on the Xeon, not on the i5-11500H
• PCIe: Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes versus Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes
• Graphics: UHD Graphics 750 versus HD Graphics P630
• Socket: BGA 1787 (soldered mobile) versus Socket 1151
• Status: the i5-11500H is active, the Xeon is end-of-life
• Launch MSRP: $250 for the i5-11500H, $494 for the Xeon E-2278G

Note the socket implications: the i5-11500H is a BGA mobile part, meaning it is soldered to its board and not user-replaceable, while the Xeon uses a traditional socketed design.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster overall? A: The Core i5-11500H wins 7 of the 8 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, including all six Cinebench tests and Geekbench single-core. Its only loss is Geekbench multi-core by 3%.

Q: Does the Xeon E-2278G win anything? A: Yes, Geekbench multi-core, scoring 7354 against 7135, a 3% win driven by its 8 cores and 16 threads versus 6 cores and 12 threads on the i5-11500H.

Q: Which has better single-core performance? A: The i5-11500H, decisively. It leads Geekbench single-core by 8.9% (1778 versus 1633) and every Cinebench single-core test by roughly 4.7 to 4.9%.

Q: Which one supports ECC memory? A: Only the Xeon E-2278G. The i5-11500H does not support ECC, which is the key differentiator for workstation and error-sensitive deployments.

Q: How much power does each draw? A: The i5-11500H has a 35 W TDP, while the Xeon E-2278G has a 95 W TDP, nearly triple, despite losing most benchmarks.

Q: Is either CPU still in production? A: The i5-11500H is listed as active. The Xeon E-2278G is end-of-life, released back in 2019 versus the i5's 2021 release.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-11500H is the pick for nearly every workload in the database. It wins every Cinebench test at both single- and multi-core levels, so rendering, encoding and sustained all-core loads all favor it by roughly 5%. Its 8.9% Geekbench single-core lead makes it clearly better for applications, office workloads and anything latency-sensitive that runs on a few threads. Add the lower 35 W TDP, and it is the practical choice for mobile and compact systems where thermals matter.

The Xeon E-2278G has two remaining arguments. First, Geekbench multi-core: its 3% win there suits workloads that scale across many threads simultaneously. Second, platform features: ECC memory support, the Socket 1151 workstation ecosystem, and the 16 MB shared L3 make it a defensible choice for small servers and reliability-critical systems. The 5.00 GHz boost clock is also the highest recorded figure between the two, useful for lightly threaded bursty tasks that respond to clock speed. That said, the benchmark data shows the newer 10 nm architecture overtaking the older 14 nm design in most real workloads, and buyers without an explicit ECC requirement should treat the i5-11500H as the stronger performer in this pairing.