Intel Core i7-6700T vs Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 and the Intel Core i7-6700T are both quad-core, eight-thread parts that land in the same performance percentile (43rd), but they achieve that status through very different design philosophies. The data shows a clear, if narrow, overall winner in the Xeon, which takes 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmark victories, yet the single benchmark it loses reveals a meaningful shift in strengths. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 is the higher-clock, higher-TDP server part that edges out the Skylake-based i7-6700T in nearly every multi-threaded and single-threaded Cinebench test, while the i7-6700T counters with a superior Geekbench single-core score and brings integrated graphics. This is a matchup of a dedicated workstation CPU against a low-power desktop part, and the benchmark results indicate that raw compute favors the older Haswell design, but the i7-6700T has its own specific advantages.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1231 v3 is the clear winner for sustained multi-threaded workloads. Its victories span every Cinebench multicore test, from the R15 score of 601 against the i7-6700T's 599, to the R20 score of 2506 versus 2496, and the R23 score of 5967 versus 5943. The Geekbench multicore result also goes to the Xeon, with a score of 3939 against 3906, a deltaPct of 0.8% that represents its largest margin of victory. This pattern indicates that the Xeon's higher base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 3.80 GHz, compared to the i7-6700T's 2.80 GHz and 3.60 GHz, provide a consistent advantage when all cores are active. The Xeon also wins the single-core Cinebench tests, taking R15, R20, and R23 single-core by margins of 0.3% to 0.4%, meaning it is not just a multi-threaded specialist but also slightly faster in most lightly-threaded rendering tasks.

The i7-6700T wins only one benchmark, but it is a notable one: Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1128 against the Xeon's 1109, a deltaPct of -1.7% in its favor. This is the largest delta in the entire head-to-head comparison, suggesting that the Skylake architecture's IPC improvements are real and measurable, even if they are not enough to overcome the Xeon's clock speed advantage in Cinebench. The i7-6700T's win here positions it as the better choice for workloads that are extremely sensitive to single-thread performance and do not scale well with extra threads. Additionally, the i7-6700T includes HD Graphics 530, while the Xeon has no integrated graphics, which is a decisive feature difference for any system that does not plan to use a discrete GPU.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures and process nodes. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 is built on the Haswell architecture, specifically the Haswell-WS codename, using a 22 nm process node with a die size of 160 mm² and 1,400 million transistors. The i7-6700T is a Skylake part, built on a 14 nm process node, though its die size and transistor count are not listed in the data. This process shrink gave Skylake a density and efficiency advantage that is reflected in the i7-6700T's dramatically lower TDP of 35 watts, compared to the Xeon's 80 watts.

The cache hierarchies are identical on paper: both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The memory support differs, however. The Xeon uses only DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i7-6700T supports both DDR3 and DDR4, also on a dual-channel bus, but with a higher memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The i7-6700T's support for DDR4 and its higher bandwidth ceiling is a significant architectural advantage for memory-intensive tasks. The Xeon counters with ECC memory support, which is a feature the i7-6700T lacks, making the Xeon the more robust choice for error-sensitive server or workstation applications.

Both CPUs are locked (multiplierUnlocked is false) and both use the same PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The sockets are incompatible: the Xeon uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i7-6700T uses Intel Socket 1151. The Xeon is categorized as a Server/Workstation part, while the i7-6700T is a Desktop part. The i7-6700T also includes HD Graphics 530, a feature entirely absent from the Xeon, which has no integrated graphics option at all.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive Xeon win comes in Geekbench multicore, where it scores 3939 against the i7-6700T's 3906, a 0.8% advantage. This is the largest delta in the Xeon's favor and suggests that its clock speed advantage is most impactful when all eight threads are engaged in a way that Geekbench measures. In the Cinebench R23 multicore test, the Xeon scores 5967 versus 5943, a 0.4% delta, which is a consistent margin repeated in the R20 multicore test (2506 vs 2496) and the R15 multicore test (601 vs 599), the latter being a 0.3% delta. The Xeon's single-core Cinebench results follow the same pattern: it wins R15 single-core by a 0 delta (84 vs 84), R20 single-core by 0.3% (353 vs 352), and R23 single-core by 0.4% (842 vs 839). These margins are tiny, but they are consistent and all point in the same direction.

The i7-6700T's sole victory in Geekbench single-core is its most statistically significant result. It scores 1128, which is 19 points higher than the Xeon's 1109, a deltaPct of -1.7% (negative meaning the i7-6700T wins). This is the only benchmark where the i7-6700T leads by more than a rounding error, and it indicates that the Skylake core microarchitecture delivers better per-clock performance than Haswell. This is also the only test where the i7-6700T's lower clock speeds are fully compensated by its architectural improvements. The data shows that the Xeon wins 7 out of 8 benchmarks, but the i7-6700T wins the one that matters most for certain single-threaded applications.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher overall benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 has an average benchmark score of 1925, while the Intel Core i7-6700T scores 1918. The Xeon also has a 0.3% deltaPct advantage over the i7-6700T in the nearestRivals data, and it wins 7 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: Does the i7-6700T ever beat the Xeon E3-1231 v3?

A: Yes, the i7-6700T wins the Geekbench single-core test with a score of 1128 versus the Xeon's 1109, a deltaPct of -1.7%. This is the only benchmark where the i7-6700T leads, but it is the largest single delta in the entire comparison.

Q: What is the most significant architectural difference for memory performance?

A: The i7-6700T supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory and has a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 supports only DDR3 with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. This gives the i7-6700T a higher theoretical memory bandwidth ceiling.

Q: Which processor is more suitable for a system requiring error-correcting memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i7-6700T does not. This makes the Xeon the only option between the two for ECC-enabled server or workstation builds.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both the Xeon E3-1231 v3 and the Core i7-6700T have 4 cores and 8 threads. They also share identical L1 cache (64 KB per core), L2 cache (256 KB per core), and L3 cache (8 MB shared) structures.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i7-6700T includes HD Graphics 530, while the Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 has no integrated graphics. This means the i7-6700T can power a display without a discrete GPU, while the Xeon requires one.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 is the faster processor in the vast majority of workloads. It wins every Cinebench test, both multi-core and single-core, and it wins Geekbench multicore as well. The margins are slim, ranging from 0.3% to 0.8%, but they are consistent across seven benchmarks. For any user whose primary concern is raw computational throughput in rendering or multi-threaded applications, the Xeon E3-1231 v3 is the better choice. Its higher clock speeds and its ECC memory support also make it the more appropriate option for a server or workstation environment where data integrity is critical.

The Intel Core i7-6700T is the better pick for a specific, narrower set of use cases. Its single Geekbench single-core victory, with a 1.7% delta, shows that it has superior per-clock performance, which could translate to better responsiveness in lightly-threaded, latency-sensitive applications. More importantly, the i7-6700T includes integrated HD Graphics 530, which the Xeon completely lacks, and it has a much lower TDP of 35 watts versus 80 watts. It also supports DDR4 memory with a higher bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. This makes the i7-6700T the logical choice for a low-power desktop or home-theater PC where a discrete GPU is not desired, where energy efficiency is a priority, and where the marginal single-core advantage in Geekbench is more valuable than the Xeon's wins in Cinebench. The Xeon is for compute density; the i7-6700T is for efficiency and integrated graphics.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 | Intel Core i7-6700T |

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

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Skylake |

| Codename | Haswell-WS | Skylake |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| TDP | 80 W | 35 W |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR3, DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 25.6 GB/s | 34.1 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| Integrated Graphics | None | HD Graphics 530 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Launch MSRP | $250 | $303 |

| Release Date | 2014-05-10 | 2015-08-31 |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | Not listed |

| Die Size | 160 mm² | Not listed |

| Part Number | SR1R5 | SR2BUSR2L3 |