Intel Core i5-4690S vs Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 and the Intel Core i5-4690S are two legacy Intel processors that, despite being separated by a generation and a socket, land in nearly the same performance tier. The data shows the Xeon E3-1268L v5, built on the 14 nm Skylake architecture, decisively outperforms the older 22 nm Haswell-based Core i5-4690S in every recorded benchmark. However, the Core i5-4690S operates at a significantly higher clock speed and targets a different market segment, which complicates a simple recommendation.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 has 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-4690S has 4 threads. Both have 4 physical cores.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has an average benchmark score of 1557, while the Core i5-4690S scores 1551. This puts the Xeon just 0.4% ahead, according to the nearestRivals data.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 supports ECC memory, but the Core i5-4690S does not.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Core i5-4690S has a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, which is higher than the Xeon E3-1268L v5's boost clock of 3.40 GHz.

Q: Are both processors on the same socket?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the Core i5-4690S uses Intel Socket 1150.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark win for the Xeon E3-1268L v5?

A: The Xeon E3-1268L v5 achieves a 16.9% lead over the Core i5-4690S in both the Cinebench R15 single-core and Cinebench R23 single-core tests.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras. The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 is based on the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-DT codename, and is manufactured on a 14 nm process node at Intel's foundry. It contains 1,750 million transistors on a die size of 122 mm². In contrast, the Intel Core i5-4690S is built on the older Haswell architecture and uses a 22 nm process node. This older design has 1,400 million transistors on a larger die size of 177 mm². The shift from 22 nm to 14 nm allowed Intel to pack more transistors into a smaller physical area for the Xeon.

Cache configurations differ as well. Both processors feature 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The key difference lies in the L3 cache: the Xeon E3-1268L v5 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the Core i5-4690S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. This extra 2 MB of cache on the Xeon provides a larger pool of fast memory for frequently accessed data.

Memory support also separates the two. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory across a dual-channel bus, achieving a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Core i5-4690S is limited to DDR3 memory, also on a dual-channel bus, but with a lower memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The Xeon's support for newer and faster memory standards gives it a theoretical data throughput advantage. Both CPUs support PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), but the Xeon's integrated graphics is the HD Graphics P530, while the Core i5-4690S uses Intel HD 4600.

The Xeon E3-1268L v5 is classified as a Server/Workstation part and supports ECC memory, while the Core i5-4690S is a Desktop part without ECC support. The Xeon also has a lower Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 35 watts compared to the Core i5-4690S's 65 watts, despite the Core running at higher clock speeds.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 wins in every single measured category. It takes 6 wins out of 6 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Core i5-4690S wins 0. This makes the Xeon the clear choice for workloads that rely on multi-threaded processing, as its 8 threads allow it to handle parallel tasks more efficiently than the Core i5-4690S's 4 threads. The Xeon also wins in single-core performance, despite having a lower boost clock, due to the architectural efficiency of Skylake over Haswell.

The Core i5-4690S's only advantages are its higher base clock of 3.20 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz, along with a lower launch MSRP of $224. However, these clock speed advantages do not translate into any benchmark victories in the data. For legacy applications that are strictly limited to four threads and are sensitive to raw clock speed, the Core i5-4690S might be considered adequate, but the data shows it still loses to the Xeon in single-core tests. The Xeon's higher launch MSRP of $377 reflects its server-grade positioning, which includes ECC memory support and a lower TDP.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The most obvious difference is the socket: the Xeon E3-1268L v5 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the Core i5-4690S uses Intel Socket 1150. This means they are not interchangeable in a motherboard.

Clock speeds are another differentiator. The Xeon has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The Core i5-4690S has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The Core i5 runs at a higher frequency, but the Xeon compensates with a newer architecture.

Thread count is a major difference. The Xeon supports 8 threads, while the Core i5-4690S supports 4 threads. Both have 4 cores.

The process node and associated metrics differ significantly. The Xeon is on a 14 nm process with 1,750 million transistors and a 122 mm² die size. The Core i5-4690S is on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die size.

Memory support is not identical. The Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4, while the Core i5-4690S only supports DDR3. Memory bandwidth is also different: 34.1 GB/s for the Xeon versus 25.6 GB/s for the Core i5.

Other differences include TDP (35 W for the Xeon, 65 W for the Core i5), ECC memory support (yes for Xeon, no for Core i5), integrated graphics (HD Graphics P530 for Xeon, Intel HD 4600 for Core i5), and market segment (Server/Workstation for Xeon, Desktop for Core i5). The release dates also differ, with the Xeon launching on 2015-10-18 and the Core i5-4690S launching earlier on 2014-04-30.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data shows a consistent and decisive victory for the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 across all tested workloads. The pattern is remarkably uniform, with the Xeon winning by approximately 16.8% to 16.9% in every test.

In Cinebench R15, the Xeon scores 542 in multi-core versus the Core i5-4690S's 464, a 16.8% advantage. The single-core test shows a score of 76 for the Xeon and 65 for the Core i5, a 16.9% lead. This single-core result is notable because it shows that the Xeon's architectural efficiency overcomes the Core i5's higher 3.90 GHz boost clock.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the Xeon scores 2260 in multi-core versus 1935 for the Core i5, again a 16.8% difference. The single-core scores are 319 for the Xeon and 273 for the Core i5, a 16.8% lead. The results remain consistent in Cinebench R23, where the Xeon scores 5383 in multi-core versus 4609 for the Core i5, and 760 in single-core versus 650. Both of these represent a 16.8% and 16.9% advantage, respectively.

The consistency of the deltaPct values across all six benchmarks indicates that the performance gap is systematic, not workload-specific. It is driven by the combination of the Xeon's extra threads for multi-core tests and its superior Skylake architecture for single-core tests. The Core i5-4690S also has a Geekbench score in the data set (3251 multi-core, 1163 single-core), but no comparable Geekbench score exists for the Xeon, so a direct comparison cannot be made from the provided facts.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 is the superior processor in terms of raw performance. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with a consistent lead of roughly 16.8% in both single-core and multi-core tests. Its 8 threads give it a clear advantage in multi-threaded scenarios, while its Skylake architecture delivers better single-core performance than the Haswell-based Core i5-4690S, despite the latter's higher clock speeds.

The choice between these two CPUs comes down to platform and feature requirements rather than performance. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 is the pick for users who need ECC memory support, a lower 35-watt TDP, and compatibility with DDR4 memory on Socket 1151. Its launch MSRP was $377, reflecting its server/workstation positioning. The Core i5-4690S, with its launch MSRP of $224, targets the desktop segment and requires Socket 1150 and DDR3 memory.

If the workload is heavily multi-threaded, such as rendering or server-side processing, the Xeon E3-1268L v5 is the only rational choice based on the benchmark results. If the user is constrained to a legacy Socket 1150 platform and cannot upgrade the motherboard, the Core i5-4690S remains a functional quad-core desktop part, but it will trail the Xeon in every measured metric. The Xeon's advantages in cache size, memory bandwidth, and thread count make it the more capable chip, and the benchmark data confirms this with a 16.8% performance margin across the board.