Intel Pentium Silver N6005 vs Intel Xeon D-1520 Comparison

The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 and Intel Xeon D-1520 occupy opposite ends of Intel’s lineup, yet benchmark results place them in the same performance tier. The N6005, a 10 nm Tremont-based mobile part, and the D-1520, a 14 nm Broadwell server chip, both achieve a 34th percentile ranking among all CPUs. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the N6005 at 1218 and the D-1520 at 1209. However, the head-to-head results reveal a consistent, if narrow, advantage for the Pentium Silver across every tested workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data shows a clean sweep: the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 wins all six head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Xeon D-1520. The margins are uniform, ranging from 6.2% to 6.8% in favor of the Pentium Silver. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the N6005 scores 447 against the D-1520’s 421, a 6.2% lead. The single-core result is slightly larger, with 63 versus 59, translating to a 6.8% advantage. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the N6005 posts 1866 multi-core and 263 single-core, beating the D-1520’s 1755 and 247 by 6.3% and 6.5%, respectively.

The most recent Cinebench R23 results continue the trend. The N6005 achieves 4444 multi-core and 627 single-core, while the D-1520 manages 4179 and 590. Both deltas sit at 6.3%. Notably, the Geekbench multi-core and single-core scores are only available for the N6005, with 1469 and 564, so no direct comparison is possible for that suite. What stands out is that the Pentium Silver, despite having only 4 threads against the Xeon’s 8 threads, maintains a consistent lead in multi-threaded rendering. This suggests the newer Tremont architecture’s per-core efficiency outweighs the Xeon’s simultaneous multithreading advantage in these specific workloads.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this picture. The N6005’s average of 1218 places it 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-3632QM and 0.5% ahead of the Intel Xeon E5-1607 v3. The D-1520’s average of 1209 ties it with the Intel Core i3-8121U and puts it 0.1% behind the Intel Xeon D-1527. Both CPUs sit in a dense cluster of processors, but the Pentium Silver’s head-to-head sweep indicates that its raw Cinebench performance is the stronger of the two.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 is the faster processor in every measured benchmark. Its wins range from 6.2% to 6.8%, which is a meaningful margin in rendering workloads. The N6005 achieves this while being a 10-watt mobile part, compared to the D-1520’s 45-watt server design. For users whose priority is raw Cinebench performance, the Pentium Silver is the clear choice. However, the Xeon D-1520 offers features the Pentium Silver lacks entirely. The Xeon supports ECC memory, which the Pentium Silver does not. The Xeon also provides 24 PCIe Gen 3 lanes against the Pentium Silver’s 8 lanes, and it comes with a launch MSRP of $199.

The verdict depends on the use case. For a mobile or low-power system where single-threaded speed and rendering performance matter, the N6005 wins outright. For a server or workstation requiring ECC memory, greater PCIe expansion, and active production status, the D-1520 is the appropriate choice despite its lower benchmark scores. The D-1520 is still in active production, while the N6005 is end-of-life. The data does not show a scenario where the D-1520 outperforms the N6005 in processing power, but its platform features are the deciding factor for enterprise applications.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 scores 4444, while the Intel Xeon D-1520 scores 4179. The Pentium Silver leads by 6.3%.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon D-1520 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Xeon D-1520 supports ECC memory. The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the single-core Cinebench R20 score difference between the two?

A: The N6005 scores 263 and the D-1520 scores 247. The Pentium Silver is 6.5% ahead.

Q: How many PCIe lanes does each processor provide?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 provides 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the Intel Xeon D-1520 provides 24 PCIe Gen 3 lanes.

Q: What is the production status of each CPU?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 is end-of-life, while the Intel Xeon D-1520 is active.

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The N6005 has an average benchmark score of 1218, while the D-1520 has an average of 1209. The difference is 0.7%.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ substantially in their core and memory specifications. The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Xeon D-1520 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The N6005’s base clock is 2.00 GHz with a boost of 3.30 GHz, whereas the D-1520 runs at 2.20 GHz base and 2.60 GHz boost. Thermal design power is a major differentiator: the N6005 is rated at 10 watts, while the D-1520 is rated at 45 watts. The sockets also differ, with the N6005 using Intel BGA 1338 and the D-1520 using Intel BGA 1667.

Memory support and bandwidth vary significantly. The N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The D-1520 supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus, but its memory bandwidth is not listed. ECC memory is supported only on the D-1520. PCIe connectivity is another point of separation: the N6005 offers 8 lanes of PCIe Gen 3, while the D-1520 offers 24 lanes. The N6005 includes integrated UHD Graphics 32EU, while the D-1520 has no integrated graphics. The market segments differ, with the N6005 classified as mobile and the D-1520 as server/workstation. Finally, the D-1520 has a launch MSRP of $199, while the N6005 has no listed launch MSRP.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is wide. The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 uses the Tremont architecture on a 10 nm process node, with a die size of 63.8 mm². Its cache layout consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 1.5 MB of shared L2, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel Xeon D-1520, in contrast, uses the Broadwell architecture on a 14 nm process node, with a die size of 246 mm² and 3,200 million transistors. Its cache is organized as 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 1.5 MB of L3 per core.

The codenames reflect their different lineages: Jasper Lake for the N6005 and Broadwell for the D-1520. The N6005’s generation is listed as "Pentium Silver (Tremont)," while the D-1520 is "Xeon D (Broadwell-DE)." The N6005 has no listed transistor count, while the D-1520’s 3,200 million transistors highlight its more complex server-oriented design. Neither CPU has an unlocked multiplier. The part numbers differ as well: SRKGU for the N6005 and SR29B for the D-1520. The D-1520 also has a release date of March 8, 2015, while the N6005’s release date is not listed.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 wins in every benchmark category where both are measured. Its advantages in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core and single-core tests range from 6.2% to 6.8%. This makes it the superior choice for rendering tasks, single-threaded applications, and any workload that benefits from higher clock speeds up to 3.30 GHz. Its 10-watt TDP and integrated graphics also make it suitable for compact, low-power mobile systems where space and cooling are limited.

The Intel Xeon D-1520 wins in platform capabilities rather than raw benchmark scores. It is the only one of the two with ECC memory support, which is critical for data integrity in server environments. Its 24 PCIe Gen 3 lanes allow for significantly more expansion options, such as additional storage controllers or network cards. The D-1520’s active production status ensures ongoing availability for new server builds, whereas the N6005 is end-of-life. The D-1520’s 8 threads, while not beating the N6005 in Cinebench, provide better multitasking potential in server workloads that the benchmarks do not capture. For a server/workstation build requiring ECC memory, extensive PCIe connectivity, and a stable supply chain, the D-1520 is the practical choice despite losing every benchmark comparison.