Intel Core i5-4670S vs Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark results show a decisive sweep for the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 across all six head-to-head comparisons. The Xeon wins every single test, with deltas clustered tightly between 20.6% and 21.3%. This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 542 against the Core i5-4670S's 448, a 21% advantage. The single-core R15 result follows the same pattern: 76 versus 63, a 20.6% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Xeon posts 2260 multi-core and 319 single-core, while the i5-4670S manages 1870 and 263 respectively. That translates to a 20.9% edge in multi-core and a 21.3% edge in single-core, the largest delta in the entire comparison.

Cinebench R23 repeats the trend. The Xeon scores 5383 multi-core versus 4454 for the i5, a 20.9% difference. Single-core R23 shows 760 against 628, a 21% gap. Every delta sits within a narrow band of 20.6% to 21.3%, meaning the Xeon's advantage scales uniformly across different rendering workloads and thread counts.

The average benchmark score reinforces this picture. The Xeon has an average of 1557, while the i5-4670S averages 1526. That is a 31-point gap, roughly 2%. The Xeon sits at the 39th percentile among all CPUs in the database, and the i5-4670S sits at the 38th percentile. Despite the Xeon winning every head-to-head test by about 21%, the overall percentile positions are nearly identical, which indicates that both processors occupy a similar tier in the broader CPU landscape.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the Xeon's average score of 1557 exactly matches the AMD FX-8350 at 1557 with a 0% delta. The Intel Core i3-1115G4E scores 1559, just 0.1% higher. The AMD Opteron 6276 scores 1560, 0.2% higher, and the Intel Core i3-9300 scores 1554, 0.2% lower. For the i5-4670S, its 1526 average sits adjacent to the Intel Core i5-7440HQ at 1527, a 0% delta. The Intel Pentium Gold G7400E scores 1524, 0.1% higher, while the Intel Xeon E5-1428L v2 scores 1537, 0.7% higher, and the Intel Core i7-8665U scores 1513, 0.9% lower.

The head-to-head data leaves no ambiguity. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 outperforms the Core i5-4670S in every recorded benchmark, and the margin is remarkably stable across all test variants.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core rendering workloads?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It leads by 21% in R15 (542 versus 448), 20.9% in R20 (2260 versus 1870), and 20.9% in R23 (5383 versus 4454).

Q: Does the Core i5-4670S win in any single-core test?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 wins every single-core test as well, with margins of 20.6% in R15 (76 versus 63), 21.3% in R20 (319 versus 263), and 21% in R23 (760 versus 628).

Q: How do the two processors compare in overall benchmark averages?

A: The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has an average benchmark score of 1557, while the Core i5-4670S averages 1526. The Xeon holds the 39th percentile among all CPUs, and the i5 holds the 38th percentile.

Q: What are the closest competitors to each processor in the database?

A: The Xeon E3-1268L v5's nearest rival is the AMD FX-8350 with an identical average score of 1557 and a 0% delta. The Core i5-4670S's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-7440HQ with an average of 1527 and a 0% delta.

Q: Does the Core i5-4670S have any benchmark advantage at all?

A: The recorded head-to-head data shows zero wins for the Core i5-4670S. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 wins all 6 comparisons. The only edge for the i5 is a lower average score, which is not an advantage.

Q: How consistent is the performance gap between the two?

A: Extremely consistent. The delta percentages range from 20.6% to 21.3% across all six tests, with five of the six deltas falling between 20.9% and 21.3%.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 wins every category where data exists. In multi-core rendering, it holds a 20.9% to 21% advantage across R15, R20, and R23. In single-core rendering, it holds a 20.6% to 21.3% advantage across the same three tests. The Xeon also carries a higher average benchmark score, 1557 versus 1526, and a marginally higher percentile ranking, 39th versus 38th.

The Core i5-4670S has no winning categories in the head-to-head comparison. Its only recorded benchmark not shared with the Xeon is Geekbench, where it scores 3300 multi-core and 1184 single-core. However, the Xeon has no Geekbench result in the database, so a direct comparison cannot be made. The i5's strengths are limited to its higher base clock of 3.10 GHz and boost clock of 3.80 GHz, but the recorded benchmark data shows this does not translate into a performance win.

For workloads represented by Cinebench, the Xeon is the clear choice. This includes tasks like 3D rendering, animation, and other CPU-bound creative workloads. The Xeon's 8 threads versus the i5's 4 threads likely contribute to the multi-core advantage, while its architectural efficiency appears to drive the single-core advantage despite the lower clock speeds.

Specification Differences

The most significant specification difference is thread count. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has 8 threads, while the Core i5-4670S has 4 threads. Both have 4 cores, but the Xeon supports Hyper-Threading where the i5 does not.

Clock speeds differ notably. The Xeon has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The i5-4670S has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The i5 runs at higher frequencies, yet loses every benchmark.

Thermal design power differs substantially. The Xeon has a TDP of 35 watts, while the i5-4670S has a TDP of 65 watts. The Xeon delivers better performance at nearly half the thermal envelope.

Socket compatibility is different. The Xeon uses Intel Socket 1151, and the i5-4670S uses Intel Socket 1150. These are not interchangeable platforms.

Memory support diverges. The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The i5-4670S supports only DDR3 with dual-channel memory and has no recorded memory bandwidth figure.

ECC memory support is exclusive to the Xeon. The i5-4670S does not support ECC memory.

PCI Express specifications differ. The Xeon lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i5-4670S lists PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count.

Integrated graphics differ. The Xeon has HD Graphics P530, while the i5-4670S has Intel HD 4600.

Architecture Differences

The Xeon E3-1268L v5 is built on Skylake architecture with a 14 nm process node. It uses 1,750 million transistors on a 122 mm² die. The Core i5-4670S uses Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process node, with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The Xeon's newer, denser process allows more transistors in a smaller area.

Cache configurations differ. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. However, the Xeon has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-4670S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. This 2 MB difference in L3 capacity may contribute to the Xeon's consistent performance advantage.

The Xeon belongs to the Xeon E3 generation with the Skylake-DT codename, targeting the server and workstation market segment. The i5-4670S belongs to the Core i5 generation with the Haswell codename, targeting the desktop segment. The Xeon's server pedigree explains its ECC memory support and lower TDP design.

The release timeline differs by roughly two years. The Xeon was released on 2015-10-18, while the i5-4670S was released on 2013-06-01. The Xeon is marked as end-of-life in terms of production status, while the i5-4670S has no recorded production status.

The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $377. The i5-4670S has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Process node differences are substantial: 14 nm for the Xeon versus 22 nm for the i5. This represents a full generation of manufacturing advancement, which helps explain how the Xeon achieves higher performance with lower power consumption despite lower clock speeds.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous. The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 outperforms the Intel Core i5-4670S in every recorded head-to-head test, with a consistent margin of roughly 21%. This advantage appears in both multi-core and single-core workloads, suggesting the Xeon's architectural efficiency and larger cache compensate for its lower clock speeds.

The Xeon's 8 threads give it a clear advantage in multi-threaded rendering tasks, as shown by the 20.9% to 21% multi-core deltas. Its 8 MB of L3 cache versus 6 MB likely supports the single-core advantage as well, where it leads by 20.6% to 21.3%.

For users building or maintaining a system on Intel Socket 1151, the Xeon E3-1268L v5 offers server-grade features including ECC memory support, DDR4 compatibility, and a 35-watt TDP. These features, combined with superior benchmark scores, make it the stronger choice for rendering workloads and reliability-focused applications.

The Core i5-4670S, despite higher clock speeds of 3.10 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost, cannot overcome the Xeon's architectural advantages. Its 4 threads and 6 MB of L3 cache limit its performance ceiling. The i5 does have a lower average benchmark score of 1526 versus 1557, and a slightly lower percentile ranking.

For new purchases, the Xeon is the clear recommendation based on performance data alone. For existing Socket 1150 systems, the i5-4670S remains a functional desktop processor, but the data shows it cannot match the Xeon in any rendering benchmark. The Xeon's end-of-life production status may affect availability, but for systems already on Socket 1151, it represents the superior option in this comparison.