Intel Core i7-7700T vs Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 and Intel Core i7-7700T are two 14 nm quad-core processors sharing the same LGA 1151 socket, yet they target fundamentally different segments. The Xeon is a Skylake-based server/workstation part with a 3.60 GHz base clock and an 80 W TDP, while the i7-7700T is a Kaby Lake desktop chip with a 2.90 GHz base clock and a 35 W TDP. Benchmark data shows a clear, consistent performance gap between them, but the choice is not purely about raw speed, as the i7-7700T offers lower power consumption and a more modern architecture.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head Cinebench results are remarkably uniform. Across all six benchmark comparisons, the Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 wins decisively, with a deltaPct of approximately 10% in every test. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon scores 712 against the i7-7700T’s 646, a 10.2% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 100 points for the Xeon versus 91 for the i7-7700T, a 9.9% lead. This pattern persists in newer workloads; Cinebench R20 multicore sees the Xeon at 2967 versus 2692 (10.2% delta), and R23 multicore has the Xeon at 7065 versus 6410 (10.2% delta). The single-core R20 and R23 tests also mirror this, with the Xeon ahead by 10% and 10.2% respectively.

The near-constant deltaPct across different Cinebench versions suggests the performance gap is driven by a fixed factor, likely the clock speed difference. The Xeon’s 3.60 GHz base clock and 4.00 GHz boost clock are both higher than the i7-7700T’s 2.90 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. This translates into a consistent 10% lead in both lightly-threaded and fully-threaded workloads. The i7-7700T has no benchmark wins in this comparison, with a 0-6 record. However, the i7-7700T does have Geekbench scores not listed for the Xeon (3938 multicore, 1248 singlecore), but those cannot be directly compared here.

Looking at the broader average benchmark scores, the two chips are nearly identical. The Xeon E3-1275 v5 has an average score of 2043, while the i7-7700T sits at 2039, a difference of only 0.2%. This places them as direct rivals, with the Xeon E3-1270 v5 (2048) and AMD Opteron 6386 SE (2038) also in the same performance tier. The percentileVsAllCpus is 45 for both, indicating they sit at the same point in the overall CPU distribution.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1275 v5 wins every computational benchmark in this comparison. It is the clear choice for any workload where raw processing speed is the priority, from single-threaded tasks like legacy application responsiveness to multi-threaded rendering in Cinebench. The data shows a 10.2% advantage in multi-core tests, which is significant for tasks that scale with thread count, such as video encoding or 3D rendering. Its higher base and boost clocks give it an edge in all scenarios, with no trade-off in the benchmark suite.

The i7-7700T, despite losing all six head-to-head tests, has its own strengths that are not captured in Cinebench. Its TDP is 35 W versus the Xeon’s 80 W, meaning it draws substantially less power under load. This makes it suitable for compact, low-noise systems where heat dissipation is a challenge. The i7-7700T’s architecture is Kaby Lake, a newer generation than the Xeon’s Skylake, which could offer improved instruction set support, though no specific features are listed. It also supports DDR4 memory only, whereas the Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The i7-7700T does not support ECC memory, while the Xeon does, which is a critical feature for data integrity in server environments.

The Geekbench scores for the i7-7700T (3938 multicore, 1248 singlecore) are the only benchmarks it has that the Xeon does not, but they cannot be compared without corresponding Xeon data. The i7-7700T’s production status is "Active," while the Xeon is "End-of-life," suggesting the i7-7700T is the more sustainable long-term choice from a procurement perspective.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on the same 14 nm process node and share the same Intel Socket 1151. Both have 4 cores and 8 threads, with identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The fundamental architectural split is between Skylake (Xeon) and Kaby Lake (i7-7700T). Kaby Lake is a refined version of Skylake, but the benchmark data does not show a performance benefit from the newer architecture; instead, the Xeon’s higher clocks dominate.

The Xeon E3-1275 v5 has a die size of 122 mm² and 1,750 million transistors, while the i7-7700T’s die size and transistor count are not listed. The Xeon’s memory support includes both DDR3 and DDR4 in dual-channel configuration, with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The i7-7700T supports only DDR4, but its bandwidth is higher at 38.4 GB/s. The Xeon supports ECC memory, a key feature for error-correcting workloads, while the i7-7700T does not. Both have Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics differ: the Xeon has HD Graphics P530, while the i7-7700T has HD 630. The i7-7700T’s integrated GPU is from a newer generation, but no performance numbers are provided. The Xeon is a server/workstation part with a launch MSRP of $350, while the i7-7700T is a desktop part with no launch MSRP listed. The Xeon’s part number is SR2LKSR2CT, and the i7-7700T’s is SR339. The Xeon was released in October 2015, while the i7-7700T came later in January 2017.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data alone, the Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 is the superior processor. It wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests with a consistent 10% margin, driven by its higher clock speeds. For any user whose primary concern is raw computational throughput in applications similar to Cinebench, the Xeon is the clear choice. Its support for ECC memory is an additional advantage for server or workstation use cases where data corruption is unacceptable.

The Intel Core i7-7700T, however, has a compelling case for a different audience. Its 35 W TDP is less than half the Xeon’s 80 W, making it ideal for power-constrained or thermally-limited builds. The i7-7700T is also an active production part, whereas the Xeon is end-of-life, which matters for new system designs. The i7-7700T’s newer Kaby Lake architecture and higher memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s vs 34.1 GB/s) are qualitative advantages, but they do not translate into a win in any listed benchmark.

The average benchmark scores are nearly tied (2043 vs 2039), but this is misleading. The head-to-head tests show a clear winner in the Xeon. The i7-7700T’s only path to preference is its power efficiency and active lifecycle status. Strictly from the data, a user needing maximum performance should pick the Xeon E3-1275 v5; a user prioritizing low power consumption and a current production part should pick the i7-7700T, accepting the 10% performance penalty.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1275 v5 scores 7065 in Cinebench R23 multicore, which is 10.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-7700T’s 6410.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Core i7-7700T beats the Xeon E3-1275 v5?

A: No. In the six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the i7-7700T has zero wins. The Xeon wins all six, with deltaPct values between 9.9% and 10.2%.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption between the two chips?

A: The Xeon E3-1275 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 of the Xeon.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1275 v5 supports ECC memory, while the Core i7-7700T does not.

Q: What are the base clock speeds of each processor?

A: The Xeon E3-1275 v5 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz, and the Core i7-7700T has a base clock of 2.90 GHz.

Q: Which processor is newer in terms of release date?

A: The Core i7-7700T was released in January 2017, while the Xeon E3-1275 v5 was released in October 2015. The i7-7700T is the newer part.