Intel Core i7-1185G7E vs Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 Comparison

# Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 vs Intel Core i7-1185G7E

The Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 wins every head-to-head benchmark in this comparison, but the matchup is far closer than the 6–0 win tally suggests. The Xeon leads by roughly 13% in each of the six Cinebench tests, yet the Core i7-1185G7E counters with a dramatically lower 15W TDP, a much newer architecture, and integrated graphics—making this a classic server-versus-mobile tradeoff where the "winner" depends entirely on the workload and power envelope.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E5-2628L v3 is the clear performance winner across all measured Cinebench workloads. Its multicore advantage is consistent: 949 versus 836 in Cinebench R15 multicore (13.5% ahead), 3955 versus 3487 in R20 multicore (13.4% ahead), and 9417 versus 8303 in R23 multicore (13.4% ahead). Single-core tests tell the same story—the Xeon leads by 12.7% in R15 single-core (133 vs 118) and by 13.4% in both R20 and R23 single-core tests (558 vs 492 and 1329 vs 1172, respectively). This sweep is notable because the Core i7 has a much higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus the Xeon's 2.50 GHz, yet the Xeon's older Haswell architecture still edges ahead in every thread-bound test.

The Core i7-1185G7E wins on efficiency and platform suitability, though no benchmark directly measures that. Its 15W TDP is one-fifth the Xeon's 75W TDP, and it includes Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU, which the Xeon lacks entirely. The mobile chip also supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory, whereas the Xeon is limited to DDR4. For workloads that are GPU-accelerated or require minimal power draw, the Core i7 is the only viable option in this pairing—the Xeon offers no integrated graphics whatsoever.

The data also shows a near-identical overall benchmark average: the Xeon scores 2724 versus the Core i7's 2703, a difference of less than 1%. In the nearest-rival context, the Xeon sits within 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U and 0.3% of the Intel Core i7-11390H, while the Core i7 matches the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 exactly (2703 vs 2703, 0% delta). Both processors occupy the 50th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are statistically equivalent in aggregate performance despite their architectural differences.

Architecture Differences

The Xeon E5-2628L v3 is built on Intel's 22nm Haswell-EP process, featuring 10 cores and 20 threads. Its die size is 356 mm² with 2,600 million transistors. The Core i7-1185G7E uses the 10nm Tiger Lake-U architecture with only 4 cores and 8 threads, on a much smaller 144 mm² die. This generation gap is decisive: Tiger Lake is roughly two full process nodes ahead, which explains how a 15W part with 4 cores can nearly match a 75W 10-core server chip.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The Xeon provides 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus a shared 25 MB L3 cache. The Core i7 offers 80 KB L1 and a much larger 1.25 MB L2 per core, but only 12 MB of shared L3. The Xeon's larger L3 pool benefits multi-threaded server workloads, while the Core i7's bigger L2 helps with per-core latency.

Memory support splits sharply: the Xeon uses quad-channel DDR4 with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support, while the Core i7 uses dual-channel DDR4 or LPDDR4X with no ECC and no bandwidth figure listed. The Xeon also carries 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), versus just 4 PCIe Gen 4 lanes on the Core i7—a massive difference for expansion and I/O-heavy workloads.

Production status and release timing diverge completely. The Xeon launched in September 2014 with a launch MSRP of $1364 and is end-of-life. The Core i7 launched in September 2020 with a launch MSRP of $431 and remains active. The Xeon's part number is SR1XZ; the Core i7's is SRK0X.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1185G7E has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Does the Core i7-1185G7E ever beat the Xeon in any benchmark?

A: No. Across all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multicore), the Xeon wins every time, with deltas ranging from 12.7% to 13.5%.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two chips?

A: The Xeon E5-2628L v3 has a 75W TDP, while the Core i7-1185G7E has a 15W TDP—a fivefold difference in power draw.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the Xeon E5-2628L v3 supports ECC memory. The Core i7-1185G7E does not.

Q: Do either of these processors have integrated graphics?

A: The Core i7-1185G7E includes Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU. The Xeon E5-2628L v3 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Xeon averages 2724, and the Core i7 averages 2703—a 0.8% difference in favor of the Xeon. Both sit at the 50th percentile among all CPUs.

Specification Differences

• Cores: 10 (Xeon) vs 4 (Core i7)
• Threads: 20 (Xeon) vs 8 (Core i7)
• Base Clock: 2000.00 MHz (Xeon) vs 1800.00 MHz (Core i7)
• Boost Clock: 2.50 GHz (Xeon) vs 4.40 GHz (Core i7)
• TDP: 75W (Xeon) vs 15W (Core i7)
• Socket: Intel Socket 2011-3 (Xeon) vs Intel BGA 1449 (Core i7)
• Architecture/Codename: Haswell-EP (Xeon) vs Tiger Lake-U (Core i7)
• Process Node: 22 nm (Xeon) vs 10 nm (Core i7)
• Die Size: 356 mm² (Xeon) vs 144 mm² (Core i7)
• Transistors: 2,600 million (Xeon) vs not listed (Core i7)
• L1 Cache: 64 KB per core (Xeon) vs 80 KB per core (Core i7)
• L2 Cache: 256 KB per core (Xeon) vs 1.25 MB per core (Core i7)
• L3 Cache: 25 MB shared (Xeon) vs 12 MB shared (Core i7)
• Memory Support: DDR4 (Xeon) vs DDR4, LPDDR4X (Core i7)
• Memory Bus: Quad-channel (Xeon) vs Dual-channel (Core i7)
• Memory Bandwidth: 59.7 GB/s (Xeon) vs not listed (Core i7)
• ECC Memory: Yes (Xeon) vs No (Core i7)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 40 Lanes (Xeon) vs Gen 4, 4 Lanes (Core i7)
• Integrated Graphics: None (Xeon) vs Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU (Core i7)
• Market Segment: Server/Workstation (Xeon) vs Mobile (Core i7)
• Production Status: End-of-life (Xeon) vs Active (Core i7)
• Release Date: 2014-09-07 (Xeon) vs 2020-09-01 (Core i7)
• Launch MSRP: $1364 (Xeon) vs $431 (Core i7)

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is the consistency of the Xeon's lead. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon scores 949 against the Core i7's 836, a 13.5% advantage. Single-core R15 shows 133 versus 118, a 12.7% edge. Moving to R20, the Xeon wins multicore 3955 to 3487 (13.4%) and single-core 558 to 492 (13.4%). R23 repeats the pattern: 9417 versus 8303 multicore and 1329 versus 1172 single-core, both at 13.4% deltas.

The Core i7's higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz does not translate into a single-core victory—the Xeon's 2.50 GHz boost still delivers better results in every single-core test. This suggests the Xeon's older but larger architecture (10 cores, 25 MB L3) compensates for its clock disadvantage through superior per-thread efficiency in these specific workloads. The Core i7's only additional benchmark data point is Geekbench, where it scores 5459 multicore and 1756 single-core, but no comparable Geekbench result exists for the Xeon in the data.

Both processors land in the same performance class despite the 10-core versus 4-core disparity. The Xeon's average benchmark score of 2724 places it 0.1% above the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U and 0.3% above the Intel Core i7-11390H. The Core i7's 2703 average exactly matches the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 and sits 0.1% above the Intel Core i7-8700T. In percentile terms, both are at the 50th percentile of all CPUs—neither is an outlier in either direction.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance winner: the Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 outclasses the Core i7-1185G7E in every measured Cinebench test, with a consistent 13% lead across single-core and multicore workloads. For anyone building a server or workstation where raw CPU throughput is the priority and power consumption is secondary, the Xeon is the only choice—it also offers ECC memory, quad-channel bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, and 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes for expansion. Its 75W TDP and $1364 launch MSRP reflect its enterprise positioning.

The Core i7-1185G7E wins the platform battle by every metric except raw benchmark score. Its 15W TDP makes it suitable for fanless or battery-powered designs where the Xeon's 75W would be prohibitive. Integrated Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU eliminates the need for a discrete GPU, and support for LPDDR4X allows low-power memory configurations. Its $431 launch MSRP is roughly one-third the Xeon's, and it remains in active production while the Xeon is end-of-life.

The verdict from the data: choose the Xeon E5-2628L v3 for multi-threaded server workloads, ECC reliability, and I/O density. Choose the Core i7-1185G7E for mobile or compact systems where power efficiency, integrated graphics, and a smaller footprint matter more than the 13% performance deficit. Both chips sit at the 50th percentile overall, so neither is a bad choice—but they serve mutually exclusive use cases.