Intel Core i5-5575R vs Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-5575R and Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 are both 14 nm Intel parts, but they occupy different corners of the market: one is a Desktop Broadwell part with Iris Pro Graphics 6200, the other a Server/Workstation Skylake-H part with Iris Pro Graphics P580. The benchmark data is unusually one-sided—the Xeon wins all six head-to-head tests—but the i5 is not without its own position in the broader field. Both CPUs share a 38th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are close (1478 vs 1456), yet the Xeon's lead in every Cinebench test is consistent and significant. This page breaks down exactly where each chip wins, what the specification differences mean, and which user should pay attention to which part.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1515M v5 wins everywhere the two are directly compared. Across all six Cinebench tests—R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core—the Xeon posts higher scores, with deltas ranging from -14.1% to -14.2% relative to the i5. That is a clean sweep: 6 wins for the Xeon, 0 for the i5. The Xeon's advantage is not a fluke of one workload; it appears identically in single-threaded and multi-threaded tests, suggesting a fundamental architectural edge rather than a niche strength.

The i5-5575R, despite losing every head-to-head, still holds its own against its own set of nearest rivals. Its average benchmark score of 1478 puts it just 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-7500T (1483) and 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i7-4710HQ (1473). The i5 also edges out the Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 by 0.9% (1465). So while it cannot beat the E3-1515M v5, it sits comfortably in the middle of a pack of similarly performing desktop and mobile parts.

The Xeon's nearest rivals tell a similar story of parity. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200GE (1461) is 0.3% behind, the Intel Core i3-7350K (1462) is 0.4% behind, and the Intel Core i5-7300HQ (1448) is 0.6% behind. The Xeon's 1456 average is essentially tied with these parts. The data implies that the Xeon's wins over the i5 are real but do not catapult it into a higher performance tier—it remains a mid-pack part, just one that is consistently faster than the specific i5 it is compared against here.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 scores 5036 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 14.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-5575R's 4324.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core Cinebench R20?

A: The Xeon E3-1515M v5 posts a 298 score in Cinebench R20 single-core, beating the i5-5575R's 256 by 14.1%.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the i5-5575R wins?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Xeon winning all six tests, with the i5's best result being a -14.1% delta in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: Do the two CPUs have the same number of threads?

A: No. The i5-5575R has 4 threads, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 has 8 threads, despite both having 4 cores.

Q: What is the difference in their market positioning?

A: The i5-5575R is marked as a Desktop segment part, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 is marked as Server/Workstation. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, which the i5 does not.

Q: How does the i5's average benchmark score compare to the Xeon's?

A: The i5-5575R has an average benchmark score of 1478, which is slightly higher than the Xeon's 1456, despite the Xeon winning every direct comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the uniformity of the Xeon's lead. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 507 against the i5's 435, a delta of -14.2%. The single-core R15 result is nearly identical: 71 versus 61, a -14.1% delta. This consistency continues into R20, where the Xeon leads 2115 to 1816 in multi-core (-14.1%) and 298 to 256 in single-core (-14.1%). The R23 tests repeat the pattern: multi-core 5036 vs 4324 (-14.1%) and single-core 711 vs 610 (-14.2%).

That every delta lands between -14.1% and -14.2% is remarkable. It suggests the performance gap is not workload-dependent but rather a fixed architectural advantage. The Xeon's higher boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.30 GHz) and its 8 threads versus 4 threads contribute, but the identical single-core deltas indicate that even a single thread on the Xeon is roughly 14% faster than a single thread on the i5. This points to a per-clock efficiency gain in the Skylake architecture over Broadwell, not just a thread-count advantage.

The i5 has no benchmark wins to point to, but its average benchmark score of 1478 exceeds the Xeon's 1456. This is a curious inversion: the i5 loses every direct test yet has a higher average across its full benchmark suite, which includes Geekbench results (3247 multi-core, 1072 single-core) that the Xeon lacks. The Xeon's average is dragged down by the absence of those Geekbench scores, so the average is not directly comparable—but it does show that the i5 is not a weak part in absolute terms.

Specification Differences

The two chips differ in several key specification fields. The i5-5575R has 4 threads, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 has 8 threads, despite both having 4 cores. The Xeon's boost clock is higher at 3.70 GHz versus the i5's 3.30 GHz; both share a 2.80 GHz base clock. The Xeon has a lower TDP of 45 watts compared to the i5's 65 watts, which is notable given the Xeon's higher performance.

The sockets are different: the i5 uses Intel BGA 1364, while the Xeon uses Intel BGA 1440. The Xeon's L3 cache is double the i5's at 8 MB shared versus 4 MB shared. Memory support also diverges: the i5 supports only DDR3, while the Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The Xeon's memory bandwidth is higher at 34.1 GB/s versus the i5's 29.9 GB/s. The Xeon supports ECC memory; the i5 does not. The integrated graphics differ: Iris Pro Graphics 6200 on the i5 versus Iris Pro Graphics P580 on the Xeon. The Xeon is marked as End-of-life production status, while the i5 is Active. The release dates differ by about eight months, with the i5 launching in May 2015 and the Xeon in January 2016.

Architecture Differences

The i5-5575R is built on the Broadwell architecture, specifically the Broadwell codename, and is part of the Core i5 (Broadwell) generation. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 uses the Skylake architecture with the Skylake-H codename, part of the Xeon E3 (Skylake-H) generation. Both are on a 14 nm process node from Intel, but the die sizes differ: the i5 measures 182 mm², while the Xeon is smaller at 171 mm². The Xeon's transistor count is listed at 2,300 million, while the i5's is not provided.

The cache hierarchy is identical at the L1 and L2 levels—64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively—but the L3 cache doubles from 4 MB on the i5 to 8 MB on the Xeon. This larger shared cache, combined with the newer Skylake microarchitecture, explains the Xeon's consistent 14% lead. The Xeon also adds ECC memory support and a wider memory compatibility range (DDR3 and DDR4), which aligns with its Server/Workstation market segment. The i5, as a Desktop part, sticks with DDR3 only. Both have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance hierarchy: the Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 is the faster CPU in every benchmark where both were tested. If the priority is raw compute—single-threaded or multi-threaded—the Xeon is the pick, with a 14% advantage across all Cinebench versions. Its 8 threads and 8 MB of L3 cache, combined with a higher boost clock, make it the stronger choice for threaded workloads like rendering or compilation. The Xeon also carries ECC memory support and a lower 45 W TDP, which is significant for a workstation environment where reliability and power efficiency matter.

The Intel Core i5-5575R, however, is not a slouch. Its average benchmark score of 1478 is actually higher than the Xeon's 1456, and it matches closely with rivals like the i5-7500T and i7-4710HQ. For a desktop user who does not need ECC memory and who is constrained by the BGA 1364 socket, the i5 remains a viable mid-range part. Its active production status also means it is still available, unlike the Xeon, which is end-of-life. The Xeon's higher launch MSRP of $489 (versus the i5's $265) may reflect its workstation positioning, but the benchmark data shows that the extra cost does translate into a consistent performance lead. Choose the Xeon for maximum compute and ECC support; choose the i5 if the desktop socket and active availability are more relevant to your build.