Intel Core i7-3615QE vs Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 Comparison

The recorded benchmark data shows the Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 and the Intel Core i7-3615QE landing remarkably close together, a gap of roughly 1.5% separating them across every Cinebench test in the database. Both are quad-core Intel processors, but they come from different worlds: the Xeon is a Skylake-based server chip on Socket 1151, while the i7-3615QE is an Ivy Bridge mobile part soldered to a BGA 1023 package. The Xeon sweeps all six head-to-head benchmarks, yet the i7 counters with double the thread count and less than half the thermal envelope. The data below breaks down exactly where each chip earns its keep.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Every single test in the head-to-head set goes to the Xeon E3-1220 v5, and the margins are strikingly consistent, sitting between 1.4% and 1.5% across the board. That consistency is the story here: neither chip has a workload where it dramatically outpaces the other in the recorded results.

Starting with Cinebench R15, the Xeon posts a multi-core score of 488 against the i7's 481, a 1.5% advantage. Single-core follows the same pattern, 68 points versus 67. In R20 the gap is nearly identical: 2034 versus 2005 in multi-core (1.4%) and 287 versus 283 in single-core (again 1.4%). By R23 the script repeats: 4845 versus 4774 multi-core and 684 versus 674 single-core, both 1.5% in the Xeon's favor.

Six tests, six Xeon wins, and a delta band tight enough that it clearly reflects an underlying clock and IPC advantage rather than workload-specific behavior. The Xeon's 3.00 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost outrun the i7's 2.30 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost, and Skylake's newer architecture does the rest.

Context matters too. The Xeon's average benchmark score of 1401 places it in the 37th percentile against all CPUs in the database, essentially dead even with rivals like the Intel Xeon E-2104G (1402), the Intel Core i5-6500TE (1399), the Intel Pentium Gold G7400TE (1404), and the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 (1396). The i7-3615QE averages 1381 and sits in the 36th percentile, clustering with the AMD Opteron 6238 (1383), AMD Opteron 6366 HE (1379), AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U (1379), and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 (1379). Both chips occupy the same broad performance tier; the Xeon simply holds the higher rung within it.

Architecture Differences

The generational gap is the root of the benchmark results. The Xeon E3-1220 v5 is built on Intel's 14 nm Skylake process (codename Skylake-DT), packing 1,750 million transistors into a 122 mm² die. The i7-3615QE uses the older 22 nm Ivy Bridge process, with 1,400 million transistors spread across a larger 160 mm² die. Newer node, denser die, more transistors: the Skylake part is simply a more modern piece of silicon.

Core and thread counts diverge in an interesting way. Both chips have 4 physical cores, but the Xeon runs without hyper-threading at 4 threads while the i7 supports 8 threads. Despite that thread deficit, the Xeon's higher clocks and newer architecture keep it ahead in every multi-core result, which tells you the Ivy Bridge chip is not converting its extra threads into a measurable Cinebench lead at these settings.

Cache also favors the Xeon: 8 MB of shared L3 versus 6 MB on the i7. Per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (256 KB) are identical on both.

The platform stories split sharply. The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth, and it carries ECC support, a hallmark of its server and workstation segmentation. Memory support for the i7 is not recorded beyond its dual-channel bus, and it lacks ECC entirely. The Xeon exposes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes; PCIe data for the i7 is not recorded.

Feature-wise, the i7 holds one meaningful card: integrated graphics, in the form of Intel HD 4000. The Xeon has none, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for any display output. The Xeon also carries a much higher TDP at 80 watts versus 45 watts for the mobile i7, a direct consequence of their different target markets. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier. The Xeon's launch MSRP was $203.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon's territory is straightforward: raw throughput and platform capability. It wins every Cinebench test, delivers more L3 cache, offers both DDR3 and DDR4 memory support with 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth, and brings ECC to the table. For a workstation or entry-level server build, those are the features that matter. Its Socket 1151 interface also makes it a serviceable, replaceable component, unlike the i7's soldered BGA 1023 package.

The i7-3615QE wins on a different axis. Its 45-watt TDP makes it viable in thermally constrained mobile designs where an 80-watt Xeon simply cannot operate. Its 8 threads, courtesy of hyper-threading, provide logical parallelism the Xeon lacks, even if the Cinebench data shows that advantage going unrealized against Skylake's clocks. And its Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics eliminate the need for a discrete GPU entirely, something the graphics-less Xeon cannot offer.

In practice, the data describes two chips for two jobs. The Xeon is the faster renderer and the better-connected platform. The i7 is the self-contained, power-efficient mobile solution.

The Verdict

Pick the Xeon E3-1220 v5 if benchmark performance is the priority. It wins all six recorded tests, holds higher clocks (3.00 GHz base, 3.50 GHz boost versus 2.30 and 3.30), and pairs that with 8 MB of L3, DDR3/DDR4 flexibility, ECC memory, and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. Its 37th percentile ranking and average score of 1401 confirm a modest but real edge over the i7's 36th percentile and 1381 average.

Pick the i7-3615QE only where its specific strengths apply: a mobile or compact build where the 45-watt TDP is essential, where integrated HD 4000 graphics avoid a discrete GPU, or where the 8 thread count benefits a particular workload. It is worth remembering both chips are dated, and the Xeon is flagged as end-of-life in the database.

Neither is a performance flagship by current standards; the percentiles make that plain. But between the two, the recorded data gives the Xeon a clean sweep.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the Xeon E3-1220 v5 than the i7-3615QE in benchmarks?

A: The Xeon wins all six recorded Cinebench tests by a narrow margin, between 1.4% and 1.5% in every case. Examples include 4845 versus 4774 in R23 multi-core and 684 versus 674 in R23 single-core.

Q: Does the i7-3615QE have more threads than the Xeon?

A: Yes. The i7 supports 8 threads on 4 cores, while the Xeon runs 4 threads on its 4 cores. The extra threads do not translate into a benchmark win, as the Xeon leads every multi-core result.

Q: Which chip has integrated graphics?

A: The i7-3615QE, with Intel HD 4000. The Xeon E3-1220 v5 has no integrated graphics and requires a discrete GPU.

Q: Do either of these CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Only the Xeon E3-1220 v5. The i7-3615QE does not support ECC.

Q: How do their power envelopes compare?

A: The Xeon has an 80-watt TDP and the i7 a 45-watt TDP, reflecting their server/workstation and mobile target segments respectively.

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

A: The Xeon sits in the 37th percentile with an average score of 1401; the i7 sits in the 36th percentile with 1381. The Xeon's closest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2104G and Intel Core i5-6500TE, while the i7 clusters with the AMD Opteron 6238 and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U.

Specification Differences

• Cores/Threads: Xeon 4 cores / 4 threads; i7 4 cores / 8 threads
• Base Clock: Xeon 3.00 GHz; i7 2.30 GHz
• Boost Clock: Xeon 3.50 GHz; i7 3.30 GHz
• TDP: Xeon 80 W; i7 45 W
• Socket: Xeon Intel Socket 1151; i7 Intel BGA 1023
• Architecture/Codename: Xeon Skylake (Skylake-DT); i7 Ivy Bridge
• Generation: Xeon E3 (Skylake-DT); i7 Core i7 (Ivy Bridge)
• Process Node: Xeon 14 nm; i7 22 nm
• Transistors: Xeon 1,750 million; i7 1,400 million
• Die Size: Xeon 122 mm²; i7 160 mm²
• L3 Cache: Xeon 8 MB shared; i7 6 MB shared
• Memory Support: Xeon DDR3 and DDR4; i7 not recorded
• Memory Bandwidth: Xeon 34.1 GB/s; i7 not recorded
• ECC Memory: Xeon yes; i7 no
• PCIe: Xeon Gen 3, 16 lanes (CPU only); i7 not recorded
• Integrated Graphics: Xeon none; i7 Intel HD 4000
• Market Segment: Xeon Server/Workstation; i7 Mobile
• Release Date: Xeon 2015-10-18; i7 2012-04-28
• Launch MSRP: Xeon $203; i7 not recorded
• Part Number: Xeon SR2LG; i7 SR0NC
• Production Status: Xeon end-of-life; i7 not recorded