Intel Core i7-3615QE vs Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 and the Intel Core i7-3615QE are both 4-core, 8-thread processors built on Intel's 22 nm process, but they target entirely different market segments—one is a low-power server chip, the other a mobile part. The benchmark data shows a consistent, albeit narrow, advantage for the Xeon across every single test, with all deltas falling between 1% and 1.5%. Neither processor is a performance powerhouse by modern standards—the Xeon sits at the 37th percentile of all CPUs, and the i7 at the 36th—but the head-to-head results reveal a clear, if small, hierarchy between these two older parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Xeon E3-1240L v3 wins all six benchmark comparisons, but the margins are razor-thin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 486 against the i7's 481, a 1% lead. The single-core R15 test shows the Xeon ahead by 1.5%, scoring 68 versus 67. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the Xeon posts 2027 multi-core and 286 single-core, compared to 2005 and 283 for the i7—both representing a 1.1% advantage. The Cinebench R23 results are similar: the Xeon's 4827 multi-core and 681 single-core edge out the i7's 4774 and 674, with deltas of 1.1% and 1%, respectively.

What is striking is not the magnitude of the wins, but their consistency. Across six tests spanning three different Cinebench versions, the Xeon never loses a single round. The largest margin is the 1.5% single-core R15 result; the smallest is the 1% delta in R15 multi-core and R23 single-core. This suggests that the Xeon's architectural refinements, despite its lower base clock, translate into a small but repeatable performance advantage. The i7-3615QE, meanwhile, has higher raw clock speeds—2.30 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost versus the Xeon's 2.00 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost—yet cannot convert that frequency advantage into a benchmark win. The data implies that the Haswell architecture in the Xeon is more efficient per clock than the older Ivy Bridge design in the i7.

For context, the Xeon's average benchmark score of 1396 places it just 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-6500TE (1399) and 0.4% behind the Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 (1401). The i7's average of 1381 is nearly identical to the AMD Opteron 6238 (1383), sitting 0.1% behind it and 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U (1379). These rival deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, underscoring how tightly grouped these older processors are in raw throughput. The Xeon's slight edge over the i7 is roughly the same magnitude as the difference between the Xeon and its closest rivals.

Architecture Differences

The Xeon E3-1240L v3 is built on the Haswell architecture, specifically the Haswell-WS die, and uses the Intel Socket 1150. The i7-3615QE uses the older Ivy Bridge architecture and is soldered to the Intel BGA 1023 socket. Both are manufactured on a 22 nm process at Intel's foundry, and both pack the same 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. The transistor count and die size are identical, but the architectural generation gap is significant: Haswell is a full tick-tock cycle newer than Ivy Bridge.

Cache configuration is a key differentiator. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the Xeon has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7 is limited to 6 MB. That extra 2 MB of L3 cache is a meaningful advantage for the Xeon, particularly in workloads that benefit from larger working sets fitting entirely in cache. The Xeon also supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel memory bus and a listed memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; the i7's memory support and bandwidth are not specified in the data, though it does share the dual-channel memory bus.

The most glaring architectural difference is the integrated graphics. The i7-3615QE includes Intel HD 4000 graphics, while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 has no integrated graphics at all—a reflection of its server/workstation positioning, where a discrete GPU is expected. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, a critical feature for reliability-sensitive server workloads, whereas the i7 does not. The Xeon's PCIe implementation is listed as Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only); the i7's PCIe configuration is not specified in the data.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1240L v3 is the winner in every benchmark category, but the practical implications depend on the workload. Its 1% to 1.5% lead in both single-core and multi-core tests makes it the better choice for any CPU-bound task, from single-threaded legacy applications to fully multi-threaded render jobs. The 8 MB L3 cache versus 6 MB gives it an extra edge in cache-sensitive workloads, and the ECC memory support makes it the only viable option of the two for error-correcting memory configurations. The Xeon's 25 W TDP is also substantially lower than the i7's 45 W, making it far more power-efficient for sustained server operation.

The i7-3615QE, despite losing all benchmarks, has its own strengths. Its integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics mean it can run a system without a discrete GPU, which is impossible with the Xeon. The i7's higher base clock of 2.30 GHz and boost clock of 3.30 GHz give it a raw frequency advantage, even if the data shows that does not translate into a Cinebench win. For mobile or embedded applications where the BGA 1023 socket is desirable and a discrete GPU is impractical, the i7's integrated graphics and its 45 W TDP—higher than the Xeon but typical for a mobile quad-core—make it a functional choice. The two chips are so close in benchmark performance that the deciding factors will almost always be platform-level: socket type, ECC support, and graphics requirements.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 | Intel Core i7-3615QE |

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

| Base Clock | 2.00 GHz | 2.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| TDP | 25 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | Intel BGA 1023 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Ivy Bridge |

| Codename | Haswell-WS | Ivy Bridge |

| Generation | Xeon E3 (Haswell-WS) | Core i7 (Ivy Bridge) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | Not specified |

| Memory Bandwidth | 25.6 GB/s | Not specified |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Not specified |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Intel HD 4000 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2014-05-10 | 2012-04-28 |

| Launch MSRP | $278 | Not specified |

| Part Number | SR1T8 | SR0NC |

The specification table highlights how these two processors diverge despite their shared core/thread count and process node. The Xeon's 25 W TDP is a dramatic reduction from the i7's 45 W, made possible by its lower clock speeds and more modern Haswell architecture. The Xeon's release date of May 2014 is roughly two years after the i7's April 2012 launch, reflecting the newer design. The Xeon is the only one with ECC support, and the only one with a PCIe specification listed. The i7's integrated graphics is the single feature the Xeon completely lacks.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 has an average benchmark score of 1396, compared to 1381 for the Intel Core i7-3615QE. The Xeon also sits at the 37th percentile of all CPUs, one point higher than the i7's 36th percentile.

Q: What is the largest performance margin between the two in any benchmark?

A: The largest margin is a 1.5% lead for the Xeon in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 68 versus the i7's 67. All other deltas are between 1% and 1.1%.

Q: Does the Core i7-3615QE have any feature that the Xeon lacks?

A: Yes. The i7-3615QE includes integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 has no integrated graphics. The i7 also has higher base and boost clocks, but it lacks ECC memory support, which the Xeon provides.

Q: How do these chips compare in cache size?

A: Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The Xeon has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Xeon E3-1240L v3 has a TDP of 25 W, while the Core i7-3615QE has a TDP of 45 W. The Xeon's lower TDP is notable given its equal core and thread count.

Q: Which processor is newer and what socket does it use?

A: The Xeon E3-1240L v3 was released on 2014-05-10 and uses the Intel Socket 1150. The Core i7-3615QE was released on 2012-04-28 and uses the Intel BGA 1023 socket.