Intel Core i7-1195G7 vs Intel Xeon E-2226G Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data tells a consistent story across the entire Cinebench suite. The Intel Xeon E-2226G wins every single recorded head-to-head test, with all six comparisons showing a victory for the server and workstation part.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon E-2226G scores 944 against 887 for the Core i7-1195G7, a 6% advantage. The R15 single-core test shows the same margin: 133 versus 125, again 6% in favor of the Xeon. These are not narrow margins; they represent a systematic performance lead across both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds. The Xeon E-2226G posts 3934 in multicore while the Core i7-1195G7 manages 3697, a 6% gap. In R20 single-core, the Xeon scores 555 against 521, a slightly larger 6.1% edge. The R23 results reinforce the trend: 9368 versus 8803 in multicore (6% delta) and 1322 versus 1242 in single-core (6.1% delta).

What stands out is the consistency of the margin. Every test, whether it stresses one core or all cores, lands within the narrow band of 6% to 6.1%. This suggests the Xeon E-2226G is not simply winning because of its two additional cores. It wins even in purely single-threaded workloads where core count is irrelevant. The single-core victories in R15, R20, and R23 demonstrate that the Xeon's per-core performance is genuinely higher than the Tiger Lake part in these specific measurements.

The average benchmark score in the database reflects this gap as well. The Xeon E-2226G carries an average score of 2709, while the Core i7-1195G7 sits at 2638. That difference places the Xeon at the 50th percentile of all CPUs in the database, one point above the Core i7-1195G7's 49th percentile. The Xeon's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U at 2713 (0.2% higher) and the Intel Xeon D-1577 at 2715 (0.2% higher), while the Core i7-1195G7 trades blows with the Intel Core i9-8950HK at 2641 and the Intel Core i7-5820K at 2642, both within 0.1%.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E-2226G wins every benchmark category recorded in the database. There is no test in the head-to-head comparison where the Core i7-1195G7 comes out ahead. The Xeon's advantage spans both multicore and single-core workloads, meaning it is the stronger choice for rendering, content creation, and general productivity tasks that rely on raw CPU throughput.

For multicore workloads such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or batch compilation, the Xeon E-2226G's six physical cores give it a structural advantage. The Cinebench R23 multicore result of 9368 versus 8803 translates to a 6% lead that will be visible in long-running, fully threaded tasks. The R20 multicore score of 3934 versus 3697 shows the same relationship under a different rendering workload.

For single-core tasks, the Xeon also holds the edge, which is more surprising given the Core i7-1195G7's higher maximum boost clock. The R23 single-core score of 1322 versus 1242 and the R20 single-core score of 555 versus 521 both favor the Xeon by roughly 6%. This means applications that depend on per-core performance, such as legacy software, certain simulation tools, or lightly threaded games, would still lean toward the Xeon based on the recorded measurements.

The Core i7-1195G7 does have one clear structural advantage that does not show up in the Cinebench scores: its integrated graphics. The Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units is a far more capable integrated GPU than the HD Graphics P630 found in the Xeon. For systems that will run without a discrete graphics card, the Core i7-1195G7 offers a substantially better visual experience. The Xeon's integrated graphics are minimal and geared toward basic display output rather than media or GPU-accelerated workloads.

The Core i7-1195G7 also carries a much lower thermal envelope, with a 28 TDP versus 80 for the Xeon. This makes it suitable for thin and light mobile designs, while the Xeon is clearly intended for socketed workstation or server platforms with more robust cooling.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different architectural lineages. The Intel Core i7-1195G7 uses the Tiger Lake architecture built on Intel's 10 nm process node, with the Willow Cove core microarchitecture. The die size is 144 mm². The Intel Xeon E-2226G uses the Coffee Lake architecture on Intel's 14 nm process node, with a Coffee Lake-S WS core design and a slightly larger die at 154 mm².

Core and thread counts differ significantly. The Core i7-1195G7 has 4 cores and 8 threads, using Hyper-Threading to reach its thread count. The Xeon E-2226G has 6 physical cores and 6 threads, with no Hyper-Threading. This means the Xeon relies on raw core count for multi-threaded performance, while the Core i7-1195G7 uses simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count from 4 to 8.

The cache layouts are structured differently. The Core i7-1195G7 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, which is a large per-core L2. The Xeon E-2226G has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. Both chips share 12 MB of L3 cache, so the total last-level cache is identical. The larger per-core L2 on the Tiger Lake part reflects the newer memory hierarchy design, but the benchmark data indicates it does not overcome the Xeon's core count and clock behavior in these tests.

Clock speeds differ in both base and boost. The Core i7-1195G7 has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Xeon E-2226G has a higher base clock of 3.40 GHz but a lower boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The Xeon's higher base clock likely contributes to its sustained performance in the Cinebench loops, while the Core i7-1195G7's higher boost clock is a short burst capability.

Memory support diverges as well. The Core i7-1195G7 supports DDR4, LPDDR4, and LPDDR4X memory, making it flexible for mobile designs. The Xeon E-2226G supports DDR4 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The Xeon supports ECC memory, while the Core i7-1195G7 does not, which is a critical differentiator for workstation reliability requirements. The Xeon also has a listed memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the Core i7-1195G7 has no bandwidth figure recorded.

PCIe generations differ: the Core i7-1195G7 supports Gen 4 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Xeon E-2226G supports Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The newer PCIe standard on the Tiger Lake part gives it higher potential bandwidth for storage and discrete GPUs.

The production status for both is end-of-life, but the release dates are staggered. The Xeon E-2226G was released in May 2019, while the Core i7-1195G7 arrived in May 2021, roughly two years later.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core workloads based on the recorded data?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2226G wins all three single-core Cinebench tests. It scores 133 versus 125 in R15, 555 versus 521 in R20, and 1322 versus 1242 in R23, a 6% to 6.1% lead in each case.

Q: Does the Core i7-1195G7's higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz translate to a benchmark advantage?

A: No. Despite having a boost clock of 5.00 GHz compared to the Xeon's 4.70 GHz, the Core i7-1195G7 loses every single-core benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. The Xeon's lower boost clock does not prevent it from achieving higher recorded scores.

Q: Why does the Xeon E-2226G win multicore tests despite having no Hyper-Threading?

A: The Xeon has 6 physical cores versus 4 on the Core i7-1195G7. Even though the Core i7-1195G7 reaches 8 threads through Hyper-Threading, the Xeon's six full cores produce higher scores in all multicore Cinebench tests, with margins between 6% and 6.1%.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2226G supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i7-1195G7 does not. This makes the Xeon suitable for error-correcting memory configurations in workstation and server environments.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare between the two processors?

A: The Core i7-1195G7 features Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, a much more capable integrated GPU. The Xeon E-2226G has HD Graphics P630, which is a basic display-output solution.

Q: What are the memory type differences?

A: The Core i7-1195G7 supports DDR4, LPDDR4, and LPDDR4X memory. The Xeon E-2226G supports DDR4 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses, and the Xeon has a recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-1195G7 | Intel Xeon E-2226G |

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

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 2.90 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 28 | 80 |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1449 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Tiger Lake | Coffee Lake |

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

| Generation | Core i7 (Willow Cove-U) | Xeon E (Coffee Lake) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 144 mm² | 154 mm² |

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

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

| Memory Support | DDR4, LPDDR4, LPDDR4X | DDR4 |

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

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 16 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 |

| Release Date | 2021-05-30 | 2019-05-28 |

| Launch MSRP | $426 | $255 |

| Part Number | SRKSC | SRF7F |