Intel Core i7-8706G vs Intel Xeon E3-1545M v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1545M v5 and the Intel Core i7-8706G are both 4-core, 8-thread processors built on Intel's 14 nm process, but they serve different market segments. Benchmark results show the Xeon winning all six recorded Cinebench tests, with leads ranging from 2% to 2.2% despite the i7's higher base and boost clocks. The Xeon also carries a lower TDP, ECC support, and a server/workstation designation, while the i7 is a mobile part with a Radeon integrated GPU and active production status.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Xeon E3-1545M v5 is the faster CPU in every recorded benchmark. It wins Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core tests. The largest margin is 2.2% in R15 single-core, the smallest is 2% in several tests. The i7-8706G, despite its higher base clock of 3.10 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz, trails the Xeon's 2.90 GHz and 3.80 GHz in all tests. This suggests the Xeon's architecture or other features provide a performance advantage that clock speed alone does not overcome.

For users prioritizing raw CPU compute, the Xeon is the clear choice. The i7-8706G, however, offers a Radeon RX Vega M GL integrated GPU, which the Xeon lacks, and it is listed as active production while the Xeon is end-of-life. So the i7 is the only option for systems that need that specific GPU or require a currently produced part. But on CPU performance, the Xeon wins every time.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel's 14 nm process and share the same core configuration: 4 cores, 8 threads, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The Xeon uses the Skylake architecture (Skylake-H) while the i7 uses Kaby Lake (Kaby Lake-G). They use different sockets: the Xeon is on Intel BGA 1440, the i7 on Intel BGA 2270.

The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s; the i7 supports only DDR4 and has no recorded memory bus or bandwidth. The Xeon supports ECC memory, the i7 does not. The Xeon integrates Iris Pro Graphics P580, while the i7 integrates Radeon RX Vega M GL. The Xeon is classified as a server/workstation part, the i7 as mobile. The Xeon is end-of-life, the i7 is active. The Xeon was released in January 2016, the i7 in January 2018. The Xeon has a TDP of 45 W, the i7 has 65 W. The Xeon has a recorded transistor count of 2,300 million and a die size of 171 mm²; the i7 has no such data. The Xeon also lists a PCIe Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) interface, while the i7 has no PCIe data. The Xeon's generation is "Xeon E3 (Skylake-H)" and the i7's is "Core i7 (Kaby Lake-G)". The Xeon has a part number SR2QU, the i7 has none.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 654 against the i7's 641, a 2% lead. In R15 single-core, the Xeon scores 92 to 90, a 2.2% lead. In R20 multi-core, the Xeon scores 2728 to 2674, a 2% lead. In R20 single-core, 385 to 377, a 2.1% lead. In R23 multi-core, 6497 to 6368, a 2% lead. In R23 single-core, 917 to 899, a 2% lead. The Xeon wins all six tests, with a total win count of 6 to 0.

The average benchmark score for the Xeon is 1879, for the i7 it is 1842. The Xeon sits at the 43rd percentile of all CPUs, the i7 at the 42nd. The Xeon's nearest rival is the Intel Processor U300 with an average score of 1881, a delta of -0.1%, meaning the Xeon is essentially tied with that processor. The i7's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-7600 with 1844, also a -0.1% delta. These close margins indicate that both processors are near the middle of the performance distribution, but the Xeon holds a slight edge over the i7.

Specification Differences

| Feature | Intel Xeon E3-1545M v5 | Intel Core i7-8706G |

| Base clock | 2.90 GHz | 3.10 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.80 GHz | 4.10 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | Intel BGA 2270 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Kaby Lake |

| Generation | Xeon E3 (Skylake-H) | Core i7 (Kaby Lake-G) |

| Memory support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR4 |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Not specified |

| Memory bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | Not specified |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Not specified |

| Integrated graphics | Iris Pro Graphics P580 | Radeon RX Vega M GL |

| Market segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

| Production status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release date | 2016-01-23 | 2018-01-31 |

| Launch MSRP | $679 | Not specified |

| Part number | SR2QU | Not specified |

| Transistors | 2,300 million | Not specified |

| Die size | 171 mm² | Not specified |

Both processors have the same core count, thread count, and cache hierarchy, so those are not listed as differences.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher single-core performance?

A: The Xeon E3-1545M v5 leads in Cinebench R23 single-core with 917 points versus 899 for the i7-8706G, a 2% advantage. It also wins R15 and R20 single-core tests.

Q: Does the i7-8706G support ECC memory?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1545M v5 supports ECC memory, while the i7-8706G does not.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The Xeon has a TDP of 45 W, the i7 has 65 W, so the Xeon is more power-efficient on paper.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The i7-8706G was released on 2018-01-31, while the Xeon was released on 2016-01-23, so the i7 is newer.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The Xeon has an average benchmark score of 1879, the i7 has 1842, a difference of 37 points in favor of the Xeon.

Q: Which processor has a higher percentile ranking?

A: The Xeon is at the 43rd percentile of all CPUs, the i7 at the 42nd, so the Xeon ranks slightly higher.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1545M v5 wins every recorded CPU benchmark, so it is the superior choice for any workload that relies on processor compute, such as rendering, compilation, or multi-threaded applications. The i7-8706G, however, includes a Radeon RX Vega M GL integrated GPU, which the Xeon does not have. For systems that need that specific GPU capability, the i7 is the only option. Additionally, the i7 is listed as active production, while the Xeon is end-of-life. The i7 also has higher base and boost clocks, but those do not translate into higher benchmark scores. In summary, the Xeon wins on CPU performance, while the i7 offers a different feature set with its Radeon graphics and newer production status.