Intel Core i7-7700T vs Intel Xeon E3-1270 v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1270 v5 and Intel Core i7-7700T are both 14 nm, quad-core, eight-thread processors for the Intel Socket 1151 platform, yet they target entirely different segments. The Xeon is a server/workstation part with a 3.60 GHz base clock and 4.00 GHz boost, while the i7-7700T is a low-power desktop chip with a 2.90 GHz base clock and 3.80 GHz boost. The benchmark data shows a clear and consistent performance hierarchy, but the 35 W TDP of the i7-7700T versus the 80 W TDP of the Xeon tells a story of power efficiency versus raw throughput.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Xeon E3-1270 v5 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, and the margins are remarkably uniform. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 713 against the i7-7700T’s 646, a 10.4% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows 100 versus 91, a 9.9% lead. This pattern repeats across every generation of the Cinebench suite with nearly identical deltas. In Cinebench R20, the Xeon posts 2974 multi-core against 2692, a 10.5% win, and 419 single-core against 380, a 10.3% win. Cinebench R23 follows suit: 7082 versus 6410 multi-core (10.5%) and 999 versus 905 single-core (10.4%). The Xeon’s advantage is consistent, hovering around the 10% mark in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads.

The consistency of these deltas suggests the performance gap is driven by clock speed rather than architectural efficiency. The Xeon’s 3.60 GHz base clock is 24% higher than the i7-7700T’s 2.90 GHz, while the boost clocks are closer at 4.00 GHz versus 3.80 GHz. Yet the benchmark deltas are all around 10%, not 24%, which indicates the i7-7700T’s Kaby Lake architecture is more efficient per clock than the Xeon’s Skylake design, or that thermal/power constraints limit the i7-7700T less than the clock ratio suggests.

Interestingly, the i7-7700T has additional Geekbench scores that the Xeon does not have in the data: 3938 multi-core and 1248 single-core. Since the Xeon has no Geekbench result, these cannot be compared directly. However, the i7-7700T’s average benchmark score of 2039 places it at the 45th percentile of all CPUs, while the Xeon’s 2048 average places it at the 46th percentile. This near-identical overall standing, despite the Xeon winning all head-to-head Cinebench tests, indicates the i7-7700T performs relatively better in other workloads not covered by the shared test suite. The Xeon’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-7820HK with an identical average score of 2048 (0% delta), while the i7-7700T’s nearest rival is the AMD Opteron 6386 SE at 2038 (0.1% delta). Both processors are clustered tightly with competitors, suggesting neither has a decisive overall performance edge beyond the specific Cinebench tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1270 v5 has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-7700T has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Xeon’s boost advantage is 0.20 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1270 v5 supports ECC memory, while the Core i7-7700T does not. This is a key differentiator for server/workstation use cases.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Xeon E3-1270 v5 has a TDP of 80 W, while the Core i7-7700T has a TDP of 35 W. The i7-7700T consumes less than half the power budget of the Xeon.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Core i7-7700T includes Intel HD 630 integrated graphics, whereas the Xeon E3-1270 v5 has no integrated graphics listed in the data.

Q: How do their Cinebench R23 multi-core scores compare?

A: The Xeon E3-1270 v5 scores 7082, which is 10.5% higher than the Core i7-7700T’s 6410. This is the largest absolute gap in the head-to-head data.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications?

A: The Xeon E3-1270 v5 has a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s and supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the Core i7-7700T has a higher bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s but only supports DDR4.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on the same 14 nm process node by Intel, but they represent different microarchitectures. The Xeon E3-1270 v5 uses the Skylake architecture, with the codename Skylake-DT, and belongs to the Xeon E3 generation. The Core i7-7700T uses the Kaby Lake architecture, with the codename Kaby Lake, and belongs to the Core i7 generation. Kaby Lake is a refinement of Skylake, typically offering higher clock-for-clock efficiency, which helps explain why the i7-7700T remains competitive despite its much lower clock speeds.

Both processors have identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. They also share the same transistor count for the Xeon at 1,750 million and a die size of 122 mm², though the data does not list transistor or die size figures for the i7-7700T. The Xeon is a server/workstation part produced as end-of-life, while the i7-7700T is an active desktop product. The Xeon supports ECC memory, a hallmark of server platforms, while the i7-7700T does not. The i7-7700T includes HD 630 integrated graphics, but the Xeon has none.

PCIe support is identical: Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Memory support differs, with the Xeon accepting both DDR3 and DDR4 while the i7-7700T is DDR4-only. The Xeon’s memory bandwidth is 34.1 GB/s, while the i7-7700T’s is 38.4 GB/s, a 12.6% higher figure despite the Xeon’s performance advantage.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is clock speed. The Xeon E3-1270 v5 runs at 3.60 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost, while the Core i7-7700T runs at 2.90 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. This 0.70 GHz base clock gap is substantial, though the boost gap narrows to 0.20 GHz.

TDP is the second major differentiator: 80 W for the Xeon versus 35 W for the i7-7700T. This makes the i7-7700T far more suitable for compact or passively cooled systems, while the Xeon requires more robust cooling.

Memory support and bandwidth differ: the Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4 with 34.1 GB/s, while the i7-7700T supports only DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s. ECC memory is available only on the Xeon.

Integrated graphics are present only on the i7-7700T (HD 630), with the Xeon having none. The market segments differ: the Xeon is a server/workstation part, while the i7-7700T is a desktop part. Production status also differs, with the Xeon end-of-life and the i7-7700T active.

The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $339, while the i7-7700T has no launch MSRP listed. The part numbers are SR2LF for the Xeon and SR339 for the i7-7700T.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E3-1270 v5 is the faster processor in every shared benchmark, winning all six head-to-head tests with deltas between 9.9% and 10.5%. Its higher base and boost clocks translate directly into superior Cinebench performance across R15, R20, and R23. For workloads that rely on raw multi-threaded or single-threaded throughput, the Xeon is the clear choice, provided the 80 W TDP is acceptable.

However, the Core i7-7700T is not without merit. Its 35 W TDP is less than half the Xeon’s, making it a dramatically more power-efficient option for systems where heat and electricity draw are priorities. The i7-7700T also includes integrated graphics, which the Xeon lacks, meaning a discrete GPU is not required for basic display output. Its higher memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s) and DDR4-only support suggest a more modern memory subsystem, even if the Xeon’s DDR3 compatibility offers more flexibility in legacy systems.

The i7-7700T’s average benchmark score of 2039 is nearly identical to the Xeon’s 2048, and both sit at the 45th and 46th percentiles of all CPUs, respectively. This indicates that outside the Cinebench suite, the two chips are far closer in overall performance than the head-to-head results imply. The Xeon’s nearest rival, the Core i7-7820HK, matches its average score exactly, while the i7-7700T trades blows with the AMD Opteron 6386 SE and Core i7-3960X within 0.2%.

The choice comes down to priorities. If maximum performance in Cinebench-style workloads is the goal, and a server/workstation platform with ECC support is acceptable, the Xeon E3-1270 v5 wins outright. If power efficiency, integrated graphics, and a lower thermal footprint are more important, the Core i7-7700T is the appropriate pick, sacrificing roughly 10% performance in the tested benchmarks. The Xeon’s end-of-life status may also be a consideration for long-term availability, while the i7-7700T remains active. Neither processor is unlocked for overclocking, so the clocks listed are the final word.