Intel Core i7-3770S vs Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-3770S and the Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 are both 4-core, 8-thread processors, yet they come from different eras and target different segments of the market. The former is a desktop Ivy Bridge chip from 2012, while the latter is a Skylake-H mobile Xeon from 2016. Benchmark results from the database show a consistent, if narrow, advantage for the older desktop part across every recorded Cinebench test, despite the newer process node and more recent microarchitecture of the Xeon. This analysis breaks down where each processor wins, the architectural differences that explain the results, and what the recorded data means for potential use cases.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a clear picture: the Intel Core i7-3770S wins every single head-to-head comparison in the database. Out of six total benchmark tests, the i7-3770S takes all six, with the Xeon E3-1515M v5 recording zero wins. The margin is consistent, but it is not large. In multi-core tests, the i7-3770S leads by 4.3% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, while single-core tests show a lead of 4.2% to 4.4%. This indicates that the i7-3770S has a slight but reliable performance edge in both lightly threaded and fully threaded workloads.

The Xeon E3-1515M v5 does not have a single benchmark win to its name, but its scores are close. A 4.3% deficit in multi-core workloads means the Xeon is not far behind, and it still delivers competitive absolute scores. The Xeon’s strengths lie outside the measured Cinebench tests, particularly in areas like ECC memory support and integrated graphics, which are not reflected in these scores. For raw compute performance as measured here, the i7-3770S is the winner. For feature-specific workloads, the Xeon may have appeal, but the data shows no compute benchmark where it pulls ahead.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the same conclusion. The i7-3770S has an average benchmark score of 1498, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 averages 1456. That is a difference of roughly 2.9%, placing the i7-3770S slightly higher in the database’s overall ranking. Both processors sit at the 38th percentile of all CPUs, meaning they are in the same broad performance tier. The i7-3770S is effectively a slightly stronger performer in this specific benchmark suite, while the Xeon trails by a narrow margin.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The Intel Core i7-3770S is based on Ivy Bridge, a 22 nm design from Intel, with a die size of 160 mm² and 1,400 million transistors. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 is based on Skylake-H, a 14 nm design with a die size of 171 mm² and 2,300 million transistors. The newer process node gives the Xeon a transistor density advantage, but the i7-3770S still manages to outscore it in every recorded test.

Clock speeds explain part of the performance gap. The i7-3770S has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. Both chips feature 4 cores and 8 threads, so the raw thread count is identical. The i7-3770S simply runs at higher clocks, which directly contributes to its higher single-core and multi-core scores.

Cache configurations are similar but not identical. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and both share 8 MB of L3 cache. The total cache hierarchy is effectively the same in capacity. Memory support differs, however. The i7-3770S supports DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, also in dual-channel, and has a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The i7-3770S does not have a recorded memory bandwidth figure in the database.

ECC memory support is a major differentiator. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 supports ECC memory, while the i7-3770S does not. This makes the Xeon a candidate for reliability-sensitive workloads where memory errors cannot be tolerated. The integrated graphics also differ. The i7-3770S uses Intel HD 4000, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 uses Iris Pro Graphics P580, a more capable GPU solution. The Xeon is also a server or workstation part, while the i7-3770S is a desktop part, and the Xeon is marked as end-of-life in the database.

The sockets are not compatible. The i7-3770S uses Intel Socket 1155, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 uses Intel BGA 1440, which is a soldered mobile socket. This means the two processors are not interchangeable in any platform. The i7-3770S is a socketed desktop CPU, while the Xeon is a mobile or embedded-class part, despite its server and workstation market segment designation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The six Cinebench tests in the database cover three versions of the benchmark, each with single-core and multi-core variants. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-3770S scores 529 against the Xeon’s 507, a 4.3% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the i7-3770S scores 74 against 71, a 4.2% lead. These are the smallest margins in the set, but the direction is consistent.

Cinebench R20 shows a similar pattern. The i7-3770S scores 2205 in multi-core, while the Xeon scores 2115, a 4.3% difference. In single-core, the i7-3770S scores 311 against 298, a 4.4% lead. This is the largest single margin in the entire head-to-head set, though it is still under 5%.

Cinebench R23 repeats the multi-core result almost exactly. The i7-3770S scores 5251, the Xeon scores 5036, and the delta is again 4.3%. In single-core, the i7-3770S scores 741 against 711, a 4.2% difference. Across all three Cinebench versions, the multi-core delta is 4.3% every time, and the single-core delta is either 4.2% or 4.4%. This consistency suggests a stable performance gap driven by clock speed rather than workload-specific architectural advantages.

The Xeon also has no Geekbench results in the head-to-head set, while the i7-3770S has a Geekbench multi-core score of 2220 and a single-core score of 655. These scores are not compared directly because the Xeon lacks corresponding entries, but they contribute to the i7-3770S’s overall average benchmark score of 1498. The Xeon’s average of 1456 is based on its Cinebench results alone. The absence of Geekbench data for the Xeon limits direct comparison in that test, but the Cinebench results are sufficient to establish the performance relationship.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for raw compute performance: the Intel Core i7-3770S is the stronger processor in every recorded benchmark. It wins all six head-to-head tests, with margins between 4.2% and 4.4%. Its higher base and boost clocks give it a consistent edge over the Xeon E3-1515M v5, despite the Xeon’s newer 14 nm Skylake architecture and higher transistor count. Anyone choosing between these two strictly on Cinebench performance should pick the i7-3770S.

The Xeon E3-1515M v5 is not without reasons for consideration, but those reasons are not visible in the benchmark scores. It supports ECC memory, which the i7-3770S does not, and it includes Iris Pro Graphics P580, a more advanced integrated GPU than the i7-3770S’s Intel HD 4000. It also supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the i7-3770S is limited to DDR3. Its 45 W TDP is lower than the i7-3770S’s 65 W TDP, which matters in thermally constrained systems. The Xeon is also a server and workstation part, and its BGA 1440 socket reflects a different platform design philosophy. The i7-3770S has a launch date of April 2012, while the Xeon launched in January 2016 and is now end-of-life.

The nearest rivals in the database place both chips in the same performance neighborhood. The i7-3770S is within 1% of the Intel Core i3-8100T, Intel Core i5-4590S, AMD Opteron 6344, and Intel Core i5-7500T, with deltas between -0.1% and 1%. The Xeon E3-1515M v5 is within 0.6% of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200, Intel Core i3-7350K, Intel Core i5-7300HQ, and AMD Opteron 6378, with deltas between -0.3% and 0.6%. Both chips are at the 38th percentile of all CPUs, so neither is a top-tier part nor a low-end one. The i7-3770S sits at the same percentile as the Xeon, meaning they are broadly equivalent in the database ranking system. The i7-3770S’s average score of 1498 is higher than the Xeon’s 1456, and both are close to the i7-3770S’s closest rivals, the i3-8100T.

For a user building a desktop system on a Socket 1155 platform, the i7-3770S is the clear pick. For a user needing a mobile BGA 1440 part with ECC support, the Xeon E3-1515M v5 is the only one of the two options that fits the criteria. The i7-3770S is not a server part, so it cannot be considered for workloads requiring ECC memory. In terms of raw compute, the i7-3770S wins on every recorded test, making it the better option for workloads like Cinebench rendering workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

**A: The Intel Core i7-3770S has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 741, which is 4.2% ahead of the Xeon E3-1515M v5’s 711. The i7-3770S is the winner.

Q: Does the Xeon E3-1515M v5 support ECC memory?

**A: Yes, the Xeon E3-1515M v5 supports ECC memory, while the i7-3770S does not. The i7-3770S does not have ECC support.

Q: What is the multi-core performance margin in Cinebench R20 for the i7-3770S?

**A: The i7-3770S has a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 2205, which is 4.3% ahead of the Xeon E3-1515M v5’s 2115. The i7-3770S wins the multi-core test.

Q: Which CPU has a lower TDP, and by how much does it affect performance in the recorded tests?

**A: The Xeon E3-1515M v5 has a lower TDP of 45 W TDP, and it still scores lower than the i7-3770S’s 65 W TDP on all 6 tests. The i7-3770S wins with a 65 W TDP score of 529 in Cinebench R15 multi-core.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the i7-3770S and the Xeon E3-1515M v5?

**A: The i7-3770S has an average benchmark score of 1498, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 has an average score of 1456. The i7-3770S is higher by 42 points.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock, and which one wins the most benchmarks?

**A: The i7-3770S has a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, while the Xeon E3-1515M v5 has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The i7-3770S wins 6 out of 6 benchmark tests, while the Xeon wins 0.