Intel Core i5-4590 vs Intel Xeon Gold 5318Y Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4590 and Intel Xeon Gold 5318Y represent two very different eras and market positions in Intel's lineup. The i5-4590 is a 2014 desktop processor built on Haswell with 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Xeon Gold 5318Y is a 2021 server and workstation part built on Ice Lake-SP with 24 cores and 48 threads. The database records a complete sweep in head-to-head testing: the Xeon Gold 5318Y wins all six compared benchmarks, and the i5-4590 wins none. This analysis breaks down those results, the architectural differences behind them, and what each processor is best suited for.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head table covers six Cinebench tests across three generations: R15, R20, and R23. The Xeon Gold 5318Y wins every single one. The i5-4590 records zero wins.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 2839 against the i5's 460. The recorded delta is -83.8%, meaning the i5 trails by 83.8%. The single-core R15 test shows 400 versus 64, a delta of -84%. That is the largest single-core gap in the comparison.

Cinebench R20 repeats the pattern. Multi-core: 11830 versus 1920, a -83.8% delta. Single-core: 1669 versus 270, also -83.8%.

Cinebench R23, the most recent test in the set, shows the same story. Multi-core: 28168 versus 4573, a -83.8% delta. Single-core: 3976 versus 645, a -83.8% delta.

The consistency of the -83.8% figure across five of the six tests is striking. It indicates that the performance gap is not workload-specific; it scales uniformly with the Xeon's core and thread advantage. Even in single-core tests, where the i5-4590 actually has a higher boost clock (3.70 GHz versus 3.40 GHz), the Xeon still leads by a similar margin. That points to a large per-clock efficiency advantage for the Ice Lake architecture over Haswell.

The broader database context is worth noting. The i5-4590 sits at the 63rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7609. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX at 7578 (a 0.4% delta) and the Intel Core i5-6500 at 7569 (a 0.5% delta). The Xeon Gold 5318Y sits at the 64th percentile with an average score of 8147. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7302 at 8139 (a 0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i3-8100 at 8123 (a 0.3% delta). Despite the lopsided head-to-head results, the two CPUs land within one percentile point of each other in the overall database, and their average scores are 7609 and 8147 respectively. This suggests that the i5-4590 performs relatively better in the broader benchmark suite than it does in the Cinebench-only head-to-head comparison.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is wide. The i5-4590 uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process, with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The Xeon Gold 5318Y uses Ice Lake-SP on a 10 nm process; the database does not record its transistor count or die size.

Core and thread counts are the most obvious difference. The i5 has 4 cores and 4 threads, with no hyper-threading. The Xeon has 24 cores and 48 threads.

Cache hierarchies differ at every level except L1. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core. The i5 has 256 KB of L2 per core and 6 MB of shared L3. The Xeon has 1 MB of L2 per core and 36 MB of shared L3.

Memory support is a major differentiator. The i5 uses DDR3 on a dual-channel bus. The Xeon uses DDR4 on an eight-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 187.7 GB/s. The Xeon also supports ECC memory; the i5 does not.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The i5 offers PCIe Gen 3. The Xeon offers PCIe Gen 4 with 64 lanes (CPU only). The i5 includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics; the Xeon has no integrated graphics at all, so a discrete GPU is mandatory.

The sockets are incompatible. The i5 uses Intel Socket 1150, the Xeon uses Intel Socket 4189. TDP reflects the scale difference: 84 W for the i5 versus 165 W for the Xeon. The i5 was released on 2014-04-30, the Xeon on 2021-04-05. The Xeon is marked as Active in production status; the i5's production status is not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Xeon Gold 5318Y wins all six compared Cinebench tests. The i5-4590 records zero wins in the head-to-head table.

Q: How much faster is the Xeon in multi-core workloads?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon scores 28168 versus the i5's 4573, a delta of -83.8% for the i5. The R20 multi-core test shows 11830 versus 1920, also -83.8%.

Q: Does the i5-4590 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the i5-4590 includes Intel HD 4600. The Xeon Gold 5318Y has no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is required.

Q: Does the Xeon support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Xeon Gold 5318Y supports ECC memory. The i5-4590 does not.

Q: What memory types do the two CPUs support?

A: The i5-4590 supports DDR3 on a dual-channel bus. The Xeon Gold 5318Y supports DDR4 on an eight-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 187.7 GB/s.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The i5-4590 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Xeon Gold 5318Y has 24 cores and 48 threads.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 4 (i5) versus 24 (Xeon)
• Threads: 4 versus 48
• Base clock: 3.30 GHz versus 2.10 GHz
• Boost clock: 3.70 GHz versus 3.40 GHz
• TDP: 84 W versus 165 W
• Socket: Intel Socket 1150 versus Intel Socket 4189
• Architecture: Haswell versus Ice Lake
• Process node: 22 nm versus 10 nm
• Transistors: 1,400 million versus not recorded
• Die size: 177 mm² versus not recorded
• L2 cache: 256 KB per core versus 1 MB per core
• L3 cache: 6 MB shared versus 36 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR3 versus DDR4
• Memory bus: Dual-channel versus Eight-channel
• Memory bandwidth: not recorded versus 187.7 GB/s
• ECC memory: false versus true
• PCIe: Gen 3 versus Gen 4, 64 Lanes (CPU only)
• Integrated graphics: Intel HD 4600 versus none
• Market segment: Desktop versus Server/Workstation
• Production status: not recorded versus Active
• Release date: 2014-04-30 versus 2021-04-05

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head data gives the Xeon Gold 5318Y a clean sweep: 6 wins, 0 for the i5-4590. In every Cinebench generation tested, R15, R20, and R23, the Xeon leads in both multi-core and single-core. The multi-core margins are enormous, with the i5 trailing by 83.8% in each case. Single-core margins are similar, at 84% in R15 and 83.8% in R20 and R23.

The i5-4590 does have areas where it is not measured as inferior. Its boost clock of 3.70 GHz is higher than the Xeon's 3.40 GHz, and its base clock of 3.30 GHz is also higher than the Xeon's 2.10 GHz. It draws far less power at 84 W versus 165 W. It includes integrated graphics, which the Xeon lacks. And it uses the older Socket 1150 platform with DDR3 memory, which may be relevant for legacy system builds.

However, in raw compute benchmarks, the Xeon is ahead everywhere. The i5's percentile rank of 63 is just one point below the Xeon's 64, and its average benchmark score of 7609 is close to the Xeon's 8147. This suggests that when averaged across the full database, the i5 holds up better than the head-to-head Cinebench results imply, likely because the database includes a broader set of workloads where the i5's higher clocks help.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon Gold 5318Y is the faster processor in every head-to-head benchmark recorded. Anyone choosing between these two for compute-heavy work should take the Xeon. Its 24 cores, 48 threads, 36 MB of L3 cache, eight-channel DDR4, and ECC support make it a server-class part, and the benchmark results confirm that positioning.

The Intel Core i5-4590 is a desktop processor. It wins no head-to-head tests, but it has its own profile: lower TDP, integrated graphics, higher clock speeds, and a mature Socket 1150 platform with DDR3. For a basic desktop build where integrated graphics avoid the need for a discrete GPU, or for a system that must stay on older memory and platform standards, the i5-4590 remains a functional choice. But for performance, the Xeon Gold 5318Y is the clear pick from the recorded data.