Intel Core i7-8705G vs Intel Xeon E3-1260L v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1260L v5 sweeps the Intel Core i7-8705G across every recorded Cinebench test in the database, winning all six head-to-head comparisons by a consistent margin of roughly 8%. Despite the Xeon being the older chip, released in 2015 versus 2018 for the Core i7, the recorded data shows it delivering higher single-core and multi-core throughput in every rendering workload measured. The Core i7-8705G's case rests not on raw CPU performance but on platform features: integrated graphics, higher memory bandwidth, and a newer architecture generation. Both parts sit within a single percentile of each other against the full CPU population, at the 46th and 45th percentiles respectively, making this a close matchup on aggregate but a one-sided one in the workloads that were measured.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1260L v5 wins everywhere that pure processor throughput matters. It took all six head-to-head Cinebench tests: multi-core and single-core in R15, R20, and R23. The margins were remarkably uniform, ranging from 7.7% to 8.1%, which indicates a genuine architectural and clock advantage rather than a fluke in one test version. Its single-core scores of 99 in R15, 415 in R20, and 990 in R23 all lead, and its multi-core scores of 707, 2946, and 7015 do the same.

The Core i7-8705G wins on platform characteristics, not benchmark scores. It is the only one of the two with integrated graphics, pairing Intel HD Graphics 630 against the Xeon's absence of any listed integrated GPU. It also offers more memory bandwidth at 38.4 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s, and a higher boost clock at 4.10 versus 3.90. Where the Xeon pulls ahead in workloads, the Core i7 compensates with a newer architecture (Kaby Lake versus Skylake) and a mobile-oriented package.

In Geekbench, only the Core i7-8705G has recorded results in the database: 3968 multi-core and 1277 single-core. There is no comparable Geekbench data for the Xeon, so no winner can be declared there.

The Verdict

For anyone choosing strictly on measured CPU performance, the Xeon E3-1260L v5 is the pick. The data shows it faster in every Cinebench test recorded, by margins near 8% across the board. Its average benchmark score of 2029 is only slightly behind the Core i7's 2058, but that aggregate masks the fact that the Xeon won every direct comparison; the average includes the Core i7's Geekbench results, for which the Xeon has no recorded counterpart.

The Core i7-8705G makes sense where its platform features are decisive. It is the only option of the two with integrated graphics, which matters for systems without a discrete GPU. Its dual-channel DDR4 support with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth exceeds the Xeon's 34.1 GB/s. However, it lacks ECC memory support, which the Xeon provides, and it offers fewer PCIe lanes, 8 versus 16.

The choice reduces to a simple split: rendering and compute throughput favor the Xeon, platform integration and memory bandwidth favor the Core i7. Note also the market segments: the Core i7 is a mobile part on Intel BGA 2270, soldered and not socket-swappable, while the Xeon is a server/workstation part on Socket 1151.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Every recorded head-to-head result went to the Xeon E3-1260L v5, and the margins clustered tightly:

• Cinebench R15 Multi-core: Xeon 707 vs Core i7 651, a 7.9% win for the Xeon.
• Cinebench R15 Single-core: Xeon 99 vs Core i7 91, an 8.1% win for the Xeon.
• Cinebench R20 Multi-core: Xeon 2946 vs Core i7 2714, a 7.9% win for the Xeon.
• Cinebench R20 Single-core: Xeon 415 vs Core i7 383, a 7.7% win for the Xeon.
• Cinebench R23 Multi-core: Xeon 7015 vs Core i7 6464, a 7.9% win for the Xeon.
• Cinebench R23 Single-core: Xeon 990 vs Core i7 912, a 7.9% win for the Xeon.

The consistency is the story. A margin that holds near 8% across three Cinebench generations and both single- and multi-core modes indicates a stable, real-world performance gap rather than test-specific noise. The single-core results are slightly surprising given the Core i7's higher boost clock of 4.10 versus the Xeon's 3.90, but the recorded data is unambiguous: the Xeon converts its silicon into more rendering throughput in every case.

For context against the wider field, the Core i7-8705G sits at the 46th percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 2058, statistically level with rivals such as the Intel Core i3-10105T (average score 2058, delta 0%), the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G (2059, -0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 (2055, 0.2%), and the Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 (2067, -0.4%). The Xeon E3-1260L v5 sits at the 45th percentile with an average of 2029, level with the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 (2029, 0%), the Intel Xeon E3-1240 v5 (2030, -0.1%), the Intel Core i7-5775R (2031, -0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-1130G7 (2026, 0.1%).

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in benchmarks?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1260L v5. It won all six head-to-head Cinebench tests against the Core i7-8705G, by margins between 7.7% and 8.1%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-8705G have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. It includes Intel HD Graphics 630. The Xeon E3-1260L v5 has no integrated graphics listed in the database, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for display output.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: Only the Xeon E3-1260L v5. ECC support is a hallmark of its server/workstation positioning. The Core i7-8705G does not support ECC.

Q: Which CPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Core i7-8705G, at 38.4 GB/s versus the Xeon's 34.1 GB/s. Both use dual-channel memory, but the Core i7 supports DDR4 only while the Xeon supports DDR3 and DDR4.

Q: Are these CPUs still in production?

A: No. Both are end-of-life parts. The Core i7-8705G launched in January 2018, while the Xeon E3-1260L v5 launched in October 2015.

Q: Can either CPU be overclocked?

A: No. Both have locked multipliers, so neither supports multiplier-based overclocking.

Architecture Differences

Both chips come from Intel on the same 14 nm process node, but they represent different architecture generations. The Core i7-8705G is built on Kaby Lake (codename Kaby Lake G), while the Xeon E3-1260L v5 is built on Skylake (codename Skylake-DT). Kaby Lake is the newer of the two generations, yet the recorded benchmarks show the older Skylake-based Xeon delivering consistently higher throughput.

The two parts also target fundamentally different markets. The Core i7-8705G is a mobile-segment processor on the Intel BGA 2270 package, meaning it is soldered to its board. The Xeon E3-1260L v5 is a server/workstation processor on Intel Socket 1151, a replaceable socketed design intended for professional systems.

Feature-wise, the Xeon carries ECC memory support, appropriate for its workstation role, while the Core i7 carries integrated graphics, appropriate for mobile systems where a discrete GPU is not guaranteed. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier. The Xeon's die is listed at 122 mm² with 1,750 million transistors; the Core i7's die is listed at 125 mm², with no transistor count recorded.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs share a great deal on paper: 4 cores, 8 threads, 14 nm Intel fabrication, identical cache hierarchies (64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, 8 MB shared L3), dual-channel memory buses, PCIe Gen 3, locked multipliers, and end-of-life production status. The differences are as follows:

| Field | Intel Core i7-8705G | Intel Xeon E3-1260L v5 |

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

| Base clock | 3.10 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.10 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2270 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Kaby Lake (Kaby Lake G) | Skylake (Skylake-DT) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR3, DDR4 |

| Memory bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 34.1 GB/s |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe lanes | Gen 3, 8 lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Intel HD Graphics 630 | None listed |

| Market segment | Mobile | Server/Workstation |

| Release date | January 2018 | October 2015 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $294 |

| Part number | SR3RK | SR2LH |

| Percentile vs all CPUs | 46th | 45th |

| Average benchmark score | 2058 | 2029 |

One specification contrast deserves emphasis: the Xeon carries a lower TDP at 45 W versus the Core i7's 65 W, and lower base and boost clocks, yet still outperforms the Core i7 in every measured workload. The Xeon also doubles the CPU PCIe lane count at 16 versus 8, giving it more headroom for add-in devices, while the Core i7 counters with higher memory bandwidth and DDR4-only support. The Xeon's launch MSRP was $294; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core i7-8705G.

In sum, the specification table favors the Core i7 on clocks, bandwidth, and graphics, while the benchmark table favors the Xeon across the board. The database is clear on which matters for performance: the Xeon E3-1260L v5 wins where it counts, and the Core i7-8705G wins on the features that surround the cores rather than the throughput of the cores themselves.