CPU Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2186G and Intel Core i7-10870H occupy different corners of the Intel lineup, yet their benchmark averages land within 0.5% of each other. The Xeon E-2186G is a 6-core, 12-thread Coffee Lake-S workstation part, while the i7-10870H is an 8-core, 16-thread Comet Lake-H mobile processor. Despite the core-count gap, the head-to-head data shows a clear split: the i7-10870H wins 7 of 8 shared benchmarks, but the Xeon takes the single-core Geekbench test by a notable margin. Their overall percentile rankings are identical at 54, and their average benchmark scores differ by only 16 points. This makes the choice less about raw performance and more about workload characteristics and platform context.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-10870H dominates the multi-threaded space across every Cinebench iteration and in Geekbench multi-core. Its advantage is consistent at approximately 3% in all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both multi-core and single-core. The most significant win comes in Geekbench multi-core, where the i7-10870H scores 7357 versus the Xeon’s 6204, a 15.7% delta. This suggests the two additional cores (8 vs 6) and four additional threads (16 vs 12) provide a substantial edge in workloads that scale well beyond six threads. The 3DMark results, which are only available for the i7-10870H, show a progression from 720 single-thread to 5178 max-thread, indicating strong scaling across thread counts.

The Xeon E-2186G’s only head-to-head victory is in Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1550 against the i7-10870H’s 1443, a 7.4% advantage. This is a meaningful outlier, as the i7-10870H wins all three Cinebench single-core tests (R15, R20, R23) by 3% each. The Geekbench single-core result suggests that the Xeon’s higher base clock of 3.80 GHz, compared to the i7-10870H’s 2.20 GHz, helps in certain lightly-threaded workloads, even though the i7-10870H has a higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz versus 4.70 GHz. For users prioritizing single-thread Geekbench performance specifically, the Xeon is the pick; for virtually everything else in the benchmark set, the i7-10870H leads.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s 14 nm process node, but they belong to different architectural families. The Xeon E-2186G uses the Coffee Lake architecture with the codename Coffee Lake-S WS, while the i7-10870H uses Comet Lake with the codename Comet Lake-H. The Xeon is part of the Xeon E-2100 series and is classified under the generation “Xeon E (Coffee Lake),” whereas the i7-10870H belongs to the Core 10th Gen and is listed as “Core i7 (Comet Lake-H).” This generational difference is reflected in their socket types: the Xeon uses Intel Socket 1151, while the i7-10870H uses Intel BGA 1440, the latter being a soldered mobile package.

Cache configurations differ notably. Both have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the Xeon’s shared L3 cache is 12 MB, while the i7-10870H’s is 16 MB. This 4 MB difference, combined with the i7-10870H’s extra two cores, likely contributes to its multi-threaded lead. The Xeon supports ECC memory and lists a dual-channel memory bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-10870H’s memory bus and bandwidth are not specified in the data. Both support DDR4 and have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ: the Xeon has HD Graphics P630, while the i7-10870H has UHD Graphics. The Xeon’s die size is listed at 154 mm², while the i7-10870H’s is not provided.

The market segments are distinct: the Xeon is a server/workstation part with an end-of-life production status, released on 2018-05-30, while the i7-10870H is a mobile part that is active and was released on 2020-09-16. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $506, while the i7-10870H has none listed. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The Xeon’s TDP is 95 W, while the i7-10870H’s is 45 W, reflecting the desktop versus mobile design context.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is Geekbench multi-core, where the i7-10870H scores 7357 against the Xeon’s 6204. This 15.7% margin is the largest in the entire comparison and dwarfs the 3% edges seen in Cinebench. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-10870H scores 1194 versus 1158, a 3% lead. The same pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core (4977 vs 4826) and Cinebench R23 multi-core (11852 vs 11492), each at 3%. These consistent margins indicate that the i7-10870H’s core advantage translates into steady gains across all Cinebench versions, but the Geekbench multi-core result shows that some workloads can extract a much larger benefit from the additional cores.

In single-core tests, the two processors are very close in Cinebench. The i7-10870H leads by 3% in R15 (168 vs 163), R20 (702 vs 681), and R23 (1673 vs 1622). However, Geekbench single-core flips the result: the Xeon wins 1550 to 1443, a 7.4% advantage. This discrepancy suggests that Cinebench and Geekbench stress different aspects of single-thread performance; the Xeon’s higher base clock appears more beneficial in Geekbench’s specific workload. The i7-10870H’s higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz does not overcome the Xeon in this test, possibly due to thermal or power constraints in a mobile context.

The 3DMark results for the i7-10870H provide additional context on thread scaling, though no direct comparison is possible since the Xeon lacks these scores. The i7-10870H goes from 720 single-thread to 1347 at 2 threads, 2462 at 4 threads, 4013 at 8 threads, and 5163 at 16 threads, with max-thread at 5178. This near-linear scaling from 8 to 16 threads (4013 to 5163) indicates the processor efficiently utilizes its full thread count. Since the Xeon has only 12 threads, it would likely trail in the 16-thread test, but no data is available to confirm.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the i7-10870H for multi-threaded workloads. It wins every multi-core benchmark in the comparison, with a 15.7% lead in Geekbench multi-core and consistent 3% leads in all Cinebench multi-core tests. Its 8 cores and 16 threads, combined with 16 MB of L3 cache, provide a tangible advantage over the Xeon’s 6 cores, 12 threads, and 12 MB of L3 cache. For rendering, video encoding, or any thread-scalable task, the i7-10870H is the stronger choice based on the benchmark results.

The Xeon E-2186G wins only Geekbench single-core by 7.4%, which is its sole claim to superiority. For users who prioritize that specific benchmark, or who need ECC memory support (which the i7-10870H lacks), the Xeon remains relevant. Its workstation platform with Intel Socket 1151 and server market segment also suggests it belongs in systems where ECC and reliability are priorities. However, the i7-10870H wins all three Cinebench single-core tests, so the Xeon’s single-core advantage is not universal. Given that the i7-10870H also has a higher boost clock (5.00 GHz vs 4.70 GHz) and a lower TDP (45 W vs 95 W), it offers better performance per watt in most tests. The i7-10870H is the default recommendation for general performance, with the Xeon reserved for ECC or specific Geekbench single-core needs.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher core count?

A: The Intel Core i7-10870H has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2186G has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: How much faster is the i7-10870H in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The i7-10870H scores 7357 versus the Xeon’s 6204, a 15.7% advantage.

Q: Does the Xeon win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Xeon wins Geekbench single-core with a score of 1550 against the i7-10870H’s 1443, a 7.4% margin.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache size?

A: The Xeon E-2186G has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Core i7-10870H has 16 MB.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, the Xeon E-2186G supports ECC memory, while the Core i7-10870H does not.

Q: What are the TDP values for each?

A: The Xeon E-2186G has a TDP of 95 W, and the Core i7-10870H has a TDP of 45 W.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Xeon E-2186G | Intel Core i7-10870H |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 12 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.70 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 95 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel BGA 1440 |

| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Comet Lake |

| Codename | Coffee Lake-S WS | Comet Lake-H |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 16 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Not specified |

| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | Not specified |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| Integrated Graphics | HD Graphics P630 | UHD Graphics |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2018-05-30 | 2020-09-16 |

| Launch MSRP | $506 | Not specified |

| Part Number | SR3WR | SRK3Y |