Intel Core i7-10610U vs Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 and the Intel Core i7-10610U are both 4-core, 8-thread processors from Intel, but they target very different segments of the market. The Xeon is a server and workstation part from the Skylake generation, while the Core i7 is a mobile processor from the Comet Lake generation. Despite their different intended uses, their benchmark results place them in a similar performance class. According to the database, the Xeon E3-1268L v5 holds a 39th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and the Core i7-10610U also holds a 39th percentile ranking. Their average benchmark scores are close, with the Xeon at 1557 and the Core i7 at 1611. The head-to-head Cinebench results, however, show a consistent, if modest, advantage for the mobile Core i7 in every single test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data from the database shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core i7-10610U across all six recorded Cinebench tests. The wins are consistent, with the Core i7 taking the top spot in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 for both single-core and multi-core workloads. The margins are uniform, with the Core i7 finishing between 3.3% and 3.8% ahead of the Xeon in the majority of tests.

In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Core i7-10610U scored 561 points against the Xeon E3-1268L v5's score of 542 points. The Xeon trails by 3.4% in this test. The single-core results in the R15 suite show a similar pattern, with the Core i7 scoring 79 points compared to the Xeon's 76 points, a difference of 3.8%. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Core i7 again leads the multi-core test with 2338 points, while the Xeon manages 2260 points. The Xeon is 3.3% behind in this test.

The trend continues with the Cinebench R23 multi-core benchmark, where the Core i7-10610U scores 5569 points. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 scores 5383 points in the same test, a 3.3% disadvantage. The R23 single-core benchmark has the Core i7 at 786 points ahead, with the Xeon scoring 760 points versus 786 points. The Xeon trails by 3.3% in the R23 single-core test. Even in the R20 single-core test, the Core i7's 330 points versus the Xeon's 319 points confirms the consistent lead.

The data indicates that the Core i7-10610U holds a lead in all recorded Cinebench workloads. The Core i7 wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 3.3%, Cinebench R15 single-core by 3.3%, Cinebench R20 multi-core by 3.3% and Cinebench R20 single-core by 3.3%. While the margins are not large, the pattern is consistent across all tests, which is a notable performance difference in favor of the mobile processor.

The average benchmark score field further supports this view. The Core i7-10610U has an average benchmark score of 1611. This places it just ahead of the Xeon E3-1268L v5, which has an average score of 1557. The Core i7's nearest rivals in the database also provide context for its performance level. Its closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-970, which has an average score of 1613, putting the Core i7 at 0.1% behind it. The Xeon E3-1240L v5 is also close, with an average score of 1609, which puts the Core i7 at 0.1% ahead of it. These figures show that the Core i7-10610U sits in a tight cluster of similar-performing CPUs.

The Verdict

The data tells a clear story. The Intel Core i7-10610U is the faster processor in every benchmark test recorded in the database. For any user choosing between these two based purely on the Cinebench results, the Core i7-10610U is the pick. It wins 6 out of 6 head-to-head tests, with the Xeon E3-1268L v5 winning 0. The consistent 3.3% to 3.8% lead in both single-core and multi-core tests shows that the Core i7 has a broader performance advantage, not just in one specific workload.

The Xeon E3-1268L v5, however, is not without its justifications. The database shows it is a server and workstation segment part, which often entails different priorities. Its average benchmark score of 1557 is within a few percentage points of the Core i7's 1611, indicating that the performance gap is not vast. The Xeon's nearest rivals include the AMD FX-8350 at 1557, the Intel Core i3-1115G4E at 1559, and the AMD Opteron 6276 at 1560, all of which are within 0.2% of its score. This places the Xeon in a different performance class than the Core i7, which is closer to the Intel Core i7-970 and the Xeon E3-1240L v5.

The choice between these two CPUs depends on the system in question. For a new build where raw Cinebench performance is the priority, the Core i7-10610U is the logical choice, as it holds a measurable lead in all test scenarios. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 is a capable processor that is competitive in its own right, but the recorded data shows it consistently finishes behind the Core i7. The Core i7 is also a mobile part with a 25 TDP, which may be a factor for certain system designs.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs are built on different architectural foundations. The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 is based on the Skylake architecture with the codename Skylake-DT. It is part of the Xeon E3 generation. The Intel Core i7-10610U is based on the Comet Lake architecture with the codename Comet Lake-U. It belongs to the Core 10th generation series. Both processors are manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process node, but the Xeon uses the Intel Socket 1151 socket, while the Core i7 uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket.

The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The Core i7-10610U has a base clock of 1800.00 MHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Core i7 has a significantly higher boost clock, which is a key difference in the specification data.

Both CPUs have the same core configuration with 4 cores and 8 threads. The cache hierarchy is identical, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is also the same at 8 MB of shared cache. They have the same number of transistors and die size. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has 1,750 million transistors and a die size of 122 mm², while these figures are not recorded for the Core i7-10610U.

The Xeon E3-1268L v5 supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory. The Core i7-10610U also supports DDR3 and DDR4. The Xeon supports ECC memory, while the ECC memory field is marked false for the Core i7. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a PCIe interface of Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Core i7-10610U has PCIe Gen 3 with an unspecified lane count. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, which is not listed for the Core i7. The Xeon has integrated graphics with HD Graphics P530, while the Core i7 has UHD Graphics.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-10610U has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, while the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a boost clock of 3.40 GHz.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: Both processors have the same core and thread configuration: 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 and the Intel Core i7-10610U support DDR3 and DDR4 memory.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-10610U does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the difference in their power consumption?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a TDP of 35, while the Intel Core i7-10610U has a TDP of 25.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-10610U has an average benchmark score of 1611, which is higher than the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5's average score of 1557.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-10610U is the winner in all recorded performance tests. The database shows it wins in Cinebench R15 multicore, Cinebench R15 single-core, Cinebench R20 multi-core, Cinebench R20 single-core, Cinebench R23 multi-core, and Cinebench R23 single-core. It holds a 3.3% lead in the Cinebench R20 multi-core test, a 3.3% lead in Cinebench R20 single-core, a 3.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and a 3.3% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core. In the Cinebench R15 tests, the Core i7 is 3.4% ahead in multi-core and 3.8% ahead in single-core. This makes it the better choice for any workload that is reflected by these Cinebench tests, which are commonly used to measure a processor's rendering capabilities.

The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 does not win any of the head-to-head benchmark tests. However, the data shows its strengths lie in other areas. It supports ECC memory, a feature that is important for server and workstation stability and data integrity. It also has a higher TDP of 35, which is higher than the Core i7's TDP of 25. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s and supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Core i7-10610U has PCIe Gen 3 support but no lane count is listed. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 is built on the LGA 1151 socket platform, which may be preferred in certain system builds. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 is a different kind of part in terms of its intended purpose as a server/workstation processor.

The Xeon E3-1268L v5's performance level is also defined by its nearest rivals in the database. Its average score of 1557 is on par with the AMD FX-8350, and it is only 0.1% behind the Intel Core i3-9300. The Core i7-10610U is also a different performance class, with its average score of 1611 placing it near the Intel Core i7-970 and the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v5. The data shows that while the Core i7 is faster in Cinebench, the Xeon is competitive with other server and workstation parts.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors. The Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a base clock of 2.40 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-10610U has a base clock of 1800.00 MHz. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, while the Core i7-10610U has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The TDP is different, with the Xeon at 35 and the Core i7 at 25. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 uses the Intel Socket 1151, and the Core i7-10610U uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket.

The architecture differs, with the Xeon based on Skylake and the Core i7 based on Comet Lake. The codenames are Skylake-DT for the Xeon and Comet Lake-U for the Core i7. The generation is different, with the Xeon being in the Xeon E3 (Skylake-DT) generation and the Core i7 being in the Core 10th Gen (Comet Lake-U). The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has a transistor count of 1,750 million and a die size of 122 mm², while these fields are not listed for the Core i7-10610U.

The Xeon E3-1268L v5 supports ECC memory, and the Core i7-10610U does not. The PCIe interface is different, with the Xeon having Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) and the Core i7 having Gen 3 with no lane information listed. The memory bandwidth is listed for the Xeon at 34.1 GB/s, while it is not listed for the Core i7. The Xeon E3-1268L v5 has HD Graphics P530, while the Core i7-10610U has UHD Graphics. The market segment is different, with the Xeon for Server/Workstation and the Core i7 for Mobile. The release date for the Xeon is 2015-10-18T17:00:00.000Z, and for the Core i7 it is 2020-04-01T17:00:00.000Z. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $377, while the Core i7 has no launch MSRP listed. The Xeon has a part number of SR2LQ, while the Core i7 does not have a part number listed.