Intel Core i7-1068NG7 vs Intel Xeon D-1557 Comparison

The Intel Xeon D-1557 and the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 are both 2019-era Intel processors, yet they target entirely different corners of the market. The Xeon D-1557 is a 12-core, 24-thread server/workstation part on the Broadwell architecture, while the Core i7-1068NG7 is a 4-core, 8-thread mobile part on the Ice Lake architecture. Benchmark data shows the Xeon D-1557 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, but by margins so narrow—never exceeding 1.8%—that the results suggest a more nuanced story than a simple victory. The data raises a key question: does a 12-core server chip truly outperform a 4-core mobile chip, or are these scores so close that they reveal something deeper about architecture efficiency?

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results are clear on one front: the Intel Xeon D-1557 wins every single test in the head-to-head comparison. It takes the Cinebench R15 multicore test with 795 points against 787, the R15 singlecore with 112 against 110, the R20 multicore with 3314 against 3280, the R20 singlecore with 467 against 462, the R23 multicore with 7892 against 7810, and the R23 singlecore with 1114 against 1102. That is a 6-0 sweep.

However, the win margins tell a different story. The largest delta is just 1.8% in Cinebench R15 singlecore, while the multicore deltas are all exactly 1%. The Xeon D-1557 has three times the cores and three times the threads of the Core i7-1068NG7, yet it only manages a 1% lead in multicore workloads. This is a dramatic efficiency gap. The Core i7-1068NG7 effectively neutralizes the Xeon's core-count advantage through superior per-core performance, which is evident in the singlecore tests where the Xeon's lead shrinks to roughly 1-1.8%.

The Core i7-1068NG7 wins no benchmarks, but its performance profile suggests it wins in use cases not captured by these scores. Its 28W TDP versus the Xeon's 45W TDP, combined with its integrated Iris Plus graphics and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, positions it for mobile workloads where power draw and graphics matter. The Xeon D-1557, lacking integrated graphics and supporting ECC memory, targets server rack density and data integrity rather than multimedia or portability.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two is generational and philosophical. The Xeon D-1557 uses the Broadwell architecture on a 14 nm process with 3,200 million transistors on a 246 mm² die. The Core i7-1068NG7 uses the Ice Lake architecture (Sunny Cove-U) on a 10 nm process with a 123 mm² die. The node advantage is clear: Ice Lake is a newer, denser process that allows for higher clock speeds at lower power.

Clock speeds reinforce this difference. The Xeon D-1557 runs a base clock of 1500 MHz with a boost of 2.10 GHz. The Core i7-1068NG7 runs a base of 2.30 GHz and boosts to 4.10 GHz. That is nearly double the boost clock. The Xeon compensates with 12 cores and 24 threads, but each individual core is far slower. The cache layouts also diverge: the Xeon has 1.5 MB of L3 per core, while the Core i7 has 8 MB of shared L3. For a 4-core chip, that is 2 MB per core on average, giving the Core i7 a per-core cache advantage.

Memory support differs significantly. The Xeon D-1557 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 with dual-channel memory and ECC capability. The Core i7-1068NG7 supports only DDR4, is dual-channel, and lacks ECC. The Core i7 does have a specified memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Xeon's bandwidth is not listed. The Xeon also offers 24 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the Core i7's PCIe configuration is simply listed as "Gen 3" without lane counts. The Xeon is socketed on Intel BGA 1667, the Core i7 on Intel BGA 1344—physically incompatible. The Xeon's production status is Active, while the Core i7 is End-of-life.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the Intel Xeon D-1557 is the outright performance winner. It wins all six Cinebench tests, and its average benchmark score of 2282 is 1% higher than the Core i7-1068NG7's 2259. The Xeon also holds a 47th percentile rank among all CPUs, matching the Core i7's 47th percentile. For pure compute workloads as measured by Cinebench, the Xeon is the pick.

But the verdict is not that simple. The Core i7-1068NG7 is a mobile chip, and the benchmark data does not capture its advantages in that context. It has a 28W TDP versus 45W, integrated Iris Plus graphics, and a 4.10 GHz boost clock. For a laptop or ultrabook, the Core i7 is the only viable option—the Xeon's BGA 1667 socket and lack of integrated graphics make it unsuitable for thin-and-light designs. The data shows the Core i7 trades a 1-1.8% performance deficit for a 37.8% power reduction and integrated graphics.

The Xeon D-1557 is for servers and workstations where ECC memory, 24 PCIe lanes, and a 45W TDP are acceptable trade-offs for 12 cores. The Core i7-1068NG7 is for mobile devices where 4 cores at high clock speeds, integrated graphics, and lower power draw matter more than raw core counts. The benchmark data says the Xeon wins on compute; the broader specification data says the Core i7 wins on efficiency and mobility.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1557 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the performance gap in multicore tests?

A: In all three multicore tests (Cinebench R15, R20, R23), the Xeon D-1557 leads by exactly 1%. Scores are 795 vs 787, 3314 vs 3280, and 7892 vs 7810.

Q: Does the Core i7-1068NG7 win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Xeon D-1557 wins all 6 tests, with the Core i7-1068NG7 having 0 wins.

Q: What is the difference in boost clock speeds?

A: The Xeon D-1557 boosts to 2.10 GHz, while the Core i7-1068NG7 boosts to 4.10 GHz. The Core i7 has a significantly higher boost clock.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon D-1557 supports ECC memory, while the Core i7-1068NG7 does not.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Xeon D-1557 has a TDP of 45W, while the Core i7-1068NG7 has a TDP of 28W.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Xeon D-1557 comes in Cinebench R15 singlecore, where it scores 112 against the Core i7's 110—a 1.8% delta. This is the only test where the margin exceeds 1.1%. It is a narrow but consistent lead, suggesting the Xeon's older Broadwell architecture still delivers competitive single-threaded performance despite its much lower clock speed.

The multicore tests all show exactly 1% deltas. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon scores 795 versus 787. In R20 multicore, it is 3314 versus 3280. In R23 multicore, it is 7892 versus 7810. These identical 1% margins across three different Cinebench versions indicate a stable performance ratio that is independent of the workload intensity.

The singlecore tests beyond R15 follow a similar pattern. Cinebench R20 singlecore shows the Xeon at 467 and the Core i7 at 462, a 1.1% delta. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows 1114 versus 1102, also a 1.1% delta. The Xeon's singlecore advantage shrinks slightly from R15 to R20/R23, but it remains positive.

The data reveals that the Xeon D-1557's 12 cores provide only a marginal edge over the Core i7's 4 cores. The Core i7's 4.10 GHz boost clock and Ice Lake architecture nearly close the gap entirely. If the Core i7 had even slightly higher clock speeds or more cores, it could plausibly overtake the Xeon. The Xeon's 1% multicore lead is remarkably thin for a chip with triple the core count.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field. Here are the key differences:

• Cores: 12 (Xeon D-1557) vs 4 (Core i7-1068NG7)
• Threads: 24 vs 8
• Base Clock: 1500 MHz vs 2.30 GHz
• Boost Clock: 2.10 GHz vs 4.10 GHz
• TDP: 45W vs 28W
• Socket: Intel BGA 1667 vs Intel BGA 1344
• Architecture: Broadwell vs Ice Lake
• Process Node: 14 nm vs 10 nm
• Die Size: 246 mm² vs 123 mm²
• L3 Cache: 1.5 MB per core vs 8 MB shared
• Memory Support: DDR3, DDR4 vs DDR4 only
• ECC Memory: Yes vs No
• PCIe: Gen 3, 24 Lanes (CPU only) vs Gen 3 (no lane count)
• Integrated Graphics: None vs Iris Plus
• Market Segment: Server/Workstation vs Mobile
• Production Status: Active vs End-of-life
• Release Date: 2016-02-23 vs 2019-07-31
• Launch MSRP: $694 vs $320
• Part Number: SR2M4 vs SRG0U

The Xeon D-1557 has 3,200 million transistors, while the Core i7-1068NG7's transistor count is not listed. The Core i7 has a specified memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Xeon's is not listed. The Xeon is also larger in die size by 123 mm². Both share the same L1 cache of 64 KB per core and L2 cache of 256 KB per core. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.