Intel Core i7-1185GRE vs Intel Xeon E-2224G Comparison

The Intel Core i7-1185GRE and the Intel Xeon E-2224G occupy unusually similar territory in the recorded data. Both are Intel quad-core parts, both sit within a single percentile point of each other against the full CPU database, and their average benchmark scores are separated by just 61 points. Yet underneath that statistical tie sit two very different design philosophies: an efficient Tiger Lake mobile chip with hyper-threading, and a Coffee Lake workstation part with high clocks and a server pedigree. The data invites a closer look at where each one actually earns its wins.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster overall according to the benchmark data?

A: The Core i7-1185GRE wins 7 of the 8 recorded head-to-head tests, with an average benchmark score of 2178 versus 2117 for the Xeon E-2224G. It leads every Cinebench test and Geekbench single-core, while the Xeon takes only Geekbench multi-core, 4299 to 4060.

Q: How big is the single-thread gap?

A: Geekbench single-core shows the widest margin in the dataset: 1848 for the i7-1185GRE against 1535 for the Xeon, a 20.4 percent advantage for the Tiger Lake part. Cinebench single-core gaps are much narrower, roughly 3.7 to 4.4 percent in the i7's favor.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes. ECC support is listed for both parts, which is notable for the mobile-segment i7-1185GRE and expected for the server/workstation Xeon E-2224G.

Q: Are these CPUs current products?

A: No, only one is. The i7-1185GRE is listed as Active, while the Xeon E-2224G is listed as End-of-life.

Q: Which CPU has more threads?

A: The i7-1185GRE, with 8 threads across 4 cores. The Xeon E-2224G also has 4 cores but only 4 threads, lacking hyper-threading in the recorded specifications.

Q: How do they rank against all CPUs in the database?

A: They are nearly indistinguishable on percentile rank: the i7-1185GRE sits at the 47th percentile and the Xeon E-2224G at the 46th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips spans a full process node. The i7-1185GRE is built on Intel's 10 nm process with the Tiger Lake architecture (Tiger Lake-U codename), while the Xeon E-2224G uses the older 14 nm node with Coffee Lake (Coffee Lake-S WS). The die sizes reflect this: 144 mm² for the Tiger Lake part versus 126 mm² for the Coffee Lake die.

Thread configuration is the sharpest structural difference. Both chips have 4 cores, but the i7-1185GRE carries 8 threads through hyper-threading, while the Xeon E-2224G is limited to its 4 native threads. That difference makes the Xeon's lone multi-core win in Geekbench all the more interesting to interrogate, a point examined in the benchmark section below.

Cache architecture also diverges sharply. The i7-1185GRE pairs a large 1.25 MB per-core L2 with a 12 MB shared L3 and 80 KB of L1 per core. The Xeon uses a much smaller 256 KB per-core L2 and 64 KB per-core L1, with an 8 MB shared L3. Tiger Lake's design pushes capacity closer to each core, while Coffee Lake relies on the older small-L2, shared-L3 model.

Connectivity and platform traits differ as well. The i7-1185GRE offers PCIe Gen 4 but only 4 CPU lanes, whereas the Xeon provides 16 lanes limited to Gen 3. The i7 supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X on a dual-channel bus, while the Xeon supports DDR4 only, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Integrated graphics also differ in class: Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units in the i7, versus HD Graphics P630 in the Xeon. Sockets are incompatible, BGA 1449 for the soldered mobile chip and Socket 1151 for the workstation part, and the TDP split is dramatic: 15 W for the i7-1185GRE against 71 W for the Xeon E-2224G.

The Verdict

The data points in one direction for raw benchmark performance. The i7-1185GRE wins 7 of 8 tests, posts the higher average score (2178 vs 2117), and delivers a 20.4 percent Geekbench single-core lead, the largest gap in the dataset. It does all this at a fraction of the power envelope and on a newer node, and it is the only one of the two still in active production.

The Xeon E-2224G's case rests on platform rather than throughput. It offers 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, a socketed workstation platform, and its single Geekbench multi-core win of 4299 against 4060. For workloads where lane count and platform integration matter more than peak scores, it remains a defensible choice, though its end-of-life status is a consideration the database records directly.

Neither chip is a performance outlier: both sit in the mid-40s percentile range. Buyers choosing between them are effectively choosing between a newer, more efficient all-rounder and an older, higher-draw workstation part with one genuine benchmark win.

Specification Differences

| Field | Core i7-1185GRE | Xeon E-2224G |

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

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 1800.00 | 3.50 |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 | 4.70 |

| TDP | 15 W | 71 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1449 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Tiger Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Codename | Tiger Lake-U | Coffee Lake-S WS |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 144 mm² | 126 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, LPDDR4X | DDR4 |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 4 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU | HD Graphics P630 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Server/Workstation |

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

| Release Date | 2020-09-01 | 2019-05-28 |

| Launch MSRP | $490 | $213 |

| Series | null | Xeon E-2200 series |

Fields where they match: both are Intel quad-core parts with dual-channel memory buses, ECC support, locked multipliers, and recorded part numbers SRK0Y and SRFAW respectively.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent, and consistency itself tells a story here. The i7-1185GRE wins R15 multi-core 668 to 644 (3.7 percent), R15 single-core 94 to 90 (4.4 percent), R20 multi-core 2786 to 2687 (3.7 percent), R20 single-core 393 to 379 (3.7 percent), R23 multi-core 6635 to 6398 (3.7 percent), and R23 single-core 936 to 903 (3.7 percent). Four identical 3.7 percent margins across three Cinebench generations suggest a structural, sustained advantage rather than a test-specific fluke, and notably the multi-core margins match the single-core margins despite the i7 having twice the threads.

That last observation is worth questioning. Why does an 8-thread chip beat a 4-thread chip by the same margin in multi-core as in single-core? The recorded specs offer a plausible reading: the Xeon's base clock of 3.50 with boost to 4.70, on 14 nm with a 71 W envelope, lets its four physical cores run hard, while the i7's 1.80 GHz base reflects its 15 W mobile constraints. Cinebench, it appears, does not reward the i7's extra threads enough to widen the gap.

Geekbench tells a different story on both ends. In single-core the i7-1185GRE dominates, 1848 to 1535, a 20.4 percent lead that dwarfs every Cinebench margin. But in multi-core the Xeon flips the table: 4299 to 4060, a 5.6 percent win for the Coffee Lake part. This is the dataset's most curious result. A 4-thread CPU outscoring an 8-thread rival implies Geekbench's workload mix favors the Xeon's higher sustained clocks, or that its shorter bursty tests play to the 4.70 GHz boost. Either way, Geekbench multi-core is the Xeon's sole win, and it is a real one, worth 239 points.

The aggregate picture: 7 wins to 1 for the i7-1185GRE, an average score edge of 61 points, and percentile positions one point apart. Against their respective nearest rivals, the i7-1185GRE sits essentially level with the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE and Intel Core i5-1145G7E (both 0.2 percent deltas), while the Xeon E-2224G measures within half a percent of the Intel Atom C5125, Core i7-1160G7, and Core i5-8500T.

Where Each One Wins

Core i7-1185GRE wins for: single-threaded responsiveness, with a 20.4 percent Geekbench single-core lead; sustained rendering workloads, taking all six Cinebench tests by 3.7 to 4.4 percent; efficiency-sensitive designs, given its 15 W TDP; and graphics-capable systems via its Iris Xe-LP G7 with 96 execution units. Its LPDDR4X support and Gen 4 capability suit modern compact platforms, and its Active production status matters for new builds.

Xeon E-2224G wins for: Geekbench-class mixed workloads, where it leads 4299 to 4060; expansion-heavy configurations needing 16 PCIe lanes rather than 4; socketed workstation platforms on Socket 1151 where serviceability is a factor; and DDR4-only ECC deployments on a board with a recorded 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth figure.

The use-case split is clean. For a performance-first choice between the two, the recorded data favors the i7-1185GRE decisively. The Xeon's argument is entirely about platform: lanes, socket, and segment.