CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-4460
Xeon E-2104G
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core i5-4460 vs Intel Xeon E-2104G
The Intel Xeon E-2104G and the Intel Core i5-4460 are both quad-core, four-thread processors from Intel, but they represent very different eras and market segments. The Xeon E-2104G is a Coffee Lake-S workstation part from 2018, while the Core i5-4460 is a Haswell desktop chip from 2014. Benchmark data shows a consistent performance gap favoring the newer Xeon across every test, though the two CPUs occupy the same overall percentile ranking.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The Xeon E-2104G wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with no wins for the Core i5-4460. The margins are remarkably consistent across both multi-core and single-core tests, hovering near 15.7% in most cases. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 488 against the i5's 421, a delta of 15.9%. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap: 68 for the Xeon versus 59 for the i5, a 15.3% advantage. These two tests represent the largest and smallest deltas respectively, but the spread between them is narrow.
Moving to Cinebench R20, the Xeon E-2104G scores 2035 in multi-core, beating the i5-4460's 1758 by 15.8%. In single-core R20, the Xeon's 287 outpaces the i5's 248 by 15.7%. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23 as well: the Xeon's multi-core score of 4847 surpasses the i5's 4188, and its single-core score of 684 beats 591, both with deltas of 15.7%. The consistency of these margins across three generations of Cinebench suggests a fundamental architectural advantage rather than workload-specific behavior.
The average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The Xeon E-2104G has an average score of 1402, while the Core i5-4460 averages 1415. This puts the i5 slightly ahead in aggregate, despite losing every head-to-head test. The explanation lies in the benchmark sets: the i5-4460 includes Geekbench results (3035 multi-core, 1018 single-core) that are not part of the Xeon's benchmark list. These Geekbench scores pull the i5's average upward, even though the Cinebench tests show the Xeon ahead.
Both processors sit at the 37th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are statistically equivalent in the broader market context. The Xeon's nearest rivals include the Xeon E3-1220 v5 (average 1401, delta 0.1%) and the Pentium Gold G7400TE (average 1404, delta -0.2%). The i5-4460's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 and Ryzen 7 2700U (both averaging 1415, delta 0%), plus the Core i7-3840QM (1416, delta -0.1%) and Core i7-2700K (1419, delta -0.3%). This places both chips in a performance cluster where small percentage differences separate them from their immediate competitors.
Where Each One Wins
The Xeon E-2104G wins every benchmark where both chips have results, which means it holds the advantage in all tested workloads. The Cinebench suite covers both multi-threaded rendering and single-threaded tasks, so the Xeon's dominance spans both categories. Multi-core performance shows the Xeon at 4847 in R23 versus 4188 for the i5, making it roughly 15.7% faster in heavily threaded scenarios. Single-core performance follows the same pattern, with the Xeon's 684 R23 score beating the i5's 591.
For the Core i5-4460, its only statistical advantage comes from the Geekbench results that the Xeon E-2104G does not have, which contribute to its higher average benchmark score of 1415 versus 1402. However, these Geekbench numbers cannot be directly compared to any Xeon result, so they represent an incomplete dataset rather than a proven win. In every directly comparable test, the i5 trails by approximately 15-16%.
The i5-4460 does have a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, whereas the Xeon E-2104G has no boost clock and runs at a fixed 3.20 GHz. Despite this clock advantage, the Xeon still outperforms the i5 in all benchmarks, indicating that the Xeon's architectural efficiency from the newer Coffee Lake design more than compensates for the i5's higher peak frequency. The i5's advantage, if any, would have to come from workloads not represented in the available benchmark data, but the existing evidence points decisively toward the Xeon.
Architecture Differences
The two processors come from different architectural generations and manufacturing processes. The Xeon E-2104G uses the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node, while the Core i5-4460 uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process. This process shrink from 22 nm to 14 nm is a significant factor in the Xeon's performance efficiency. The die sizes reflect this difference: the Xeon measures 126 mm², while the i5 is substantially larger at 177 mm². The i5 also lists 1,400 million transistors, whereas the Xeon's transistor count is not provided.
Cache configurations differ notably. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the shared L3 cache is larger on the Xeon at 8 MB, compared to 6 MB on the i5-4460. This additional 2 MB of L3 cache likely contributes to the Xeon's performance advantage in cache-sensitive workloads. Memory support also diverges: the Xeon supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5 supports DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Xeon's memory bandwidth is nearly 67% higher, which can benefit memory-intensive tasks.
Integrated graphics differ as well. The Xeon E-2104G includes UHD Graphics P630, while the i5-4460 has Intel HD 4600. Neither chip is unlocked for overclocking, and both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The sockets are incompatible: the Xeon uses Socket 1151, while the i5 uses Socket 1150. The Xeon supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the i5, reflecting its server/workstation positioning. The Xeon's market segment is listed as Server/Workstation, while the i5 is classified as Desktop.
The Verdict
The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E-2104G outperforms the Intel Core i5-4460 in every directly comparable test, with margins between 15.3% and 15.9%. The Xeon's wins span both single-core and multi-core workloads, indicating a broad architectural advantage rather than a niche strength. Its larger L3 cache (8 MB versus 6 MB), higher memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s), and more advanced 14 nm process all support this result. The i5-4460's boost clock of 3.40 GHz cannot overcome the Xeon's efficiency gains from the newer Coffee Lake design.
For buyers choosing between these two, the Xeon E-2104G is the clear pick on raw performance. It also offers ECC memory support, which is essential for workstation reliability but absent on the i5. The i5-4460 does have a higher average benchmark score (1415 versus 1402), but this is an artifact of including Geekbench results that are not available for the Xeon. When comparing like-for-like in Cinebench, the Xeon leads consistently. The i5's only potential advantage lies in its older platform, which might be relevant for someone upgrading an existing Socket 1150 system, but the data does not support any performance-based reason to choose it over the Xeon.
FAQ
Q: Which CPU has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?
A: The Intel Xeon E-2104G scores 684, while the Intel Core i5-4460 scores 591, giving the Xeon a 15.7% advantage.
Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two processors?
A: The Core i5-4460 averages 1415, which is slightly higher than the Xeon E-2104G's 1402. This is due to the i5 having Geekbench results that are not present in the Xeon's benchmark set.
Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?
A: No. The Xeon E-2104G supports ECC memory, while the Core i5-4460 does not.
Q: What is the difference in L3 cache size?
A: The Xeon E-2104G has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Core i5-4460 has 6 MB.
Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?
A: The Core i5-4460 has a TDP of 84 watts, while the Xeon E-2104G has a TDP of 65 watts.
Q: In how many head-to-head benchmarks does each processor win?
A: The Xeon E-2104G wins 6 benchmarks, and the Core i5-4460 wins 0.
Specification Differences
| Specification | Intel Xeon E-2104G | Intel Core i5-4460 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Haswell |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 22 nm |
| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel Socket 1150 |
| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 3.20 GHz |
| Boost Clock | None | 3.40 GHz |
| TDP | 65 W | 84 W |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |
| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | 25.6 GB/s |
| ECC Memory | Yes | No |
| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics P630 | Intel HD 4600 |
| Die Size | 126 mm² | 177 mm² |
| Transistors | Not specified | 1,400 million |
| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |
| Release Date | 2018-07-11 | 2014-05-10 |
| Part Number | SR3WV | SR1QK |