CPU Comparison

The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 and Intel Xeon E5645 represent two very different eras and design philosophies from Intel, yet their benchmark scores place them in a remarkably similar performance class. The N6005 is a modern, power-sipping mobile part built on a 10 nm process, while the E5645 is a legacy server/workstation chip from 2010 built on 32 nm. The data shows a consistent, if narrow, victory for the newer Pentium across every Cinebench test, despite the Xeon having more cores and threads. This makes for a fascinating comparison of how architecture efficiency can overcome raw core-count advantages.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test with a score of 4444, which is 6.1% higher than the Intel Xeon E5645’s score of 4187.

Q: Does the Xeon E5645 have more cores?

A: Yes, the Xeon E5645 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Pentium Silver N6005 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Despite this disadvantage, the N6005 still wins all head-to-head benchmark comparisons.

Q: What is the performance gap in single-core tests?

A: The N6005 leads in single-core performance as well. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 263 versus the E5645’s 248, a delta of 6%. The gap is similar in Cinebench R15 single-core, with a 6.8% advantage for the N6005.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E5645 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 does not. This is a key feature for the server/workstation segment that the Xeon targets.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Pentium Silver N6005 has an average benchmark score of 1218, while the Xeon E5645 has an average score of 1211. This places them at nearly the same level, with both holding the 34th percentile against all CPUs.

Q: Which processor has a more advanced manufacturing process?

A: The Pentium Silver N6005 is built on a 10 nm process, whereas the Xeon E5645 is built on a 32 nm process. This difference in process technology is a major factor in the N6005’s efficiency and performance.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two processors is vast. The Pentium Silver N6005 utilizes the Tremont architecture, part of the Jasper Lake codename family. It is built on a 10 nm process by Intel, yielding a die size of 63.8 mm². In contrast, the Xeon E5645 is based on the Westmere architecture (Westmere-EP) and uses a 32 nm process, resulting in a much larger die size of 239 mm² and containing 1,170 million transistors.

The core configurations are also fundamentally different. The N6005 is a 4-core, 4-thread part with a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1.5 MB of shared L2, and 4 MB of shared L3. The E5645, on the other hand, offers 6 cores and 12 threads, with a lower base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of just 2.67 GHz. Its cache layout features 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a larger 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

The memory support and platform features further highlight their different roles. The N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus, with a maximum memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. It also includes integrated UHD Graphics 32EU and PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes. The E5645 supports only DDR3 memory over a triple-channel bus, has no listed memory bandwidth figure, and lacks integrated graphics entirely. It uses PCIe Gen 2. The N6005 is a mobile part on the Intel BGA 1338 socket, while the E5645 is a server/workstation part on the older Intel Socket 1366.

Where Each One Wins

Despite the N6005 winning every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, the Xeon E5645 still holds a distinct advantage in specific use cases based on its feature set. The Xeon’s support for ECC memory makes it suitable for mission-critical server environments where data integrity is paramount. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration, while not translating to a win in the tested Cinebench workloads, suggests it could handle heavily threaded server tasks differently, though the data here does not confirm this. The E5645 is a server/workstation chip, and its triple-channel DDR3 memory bus is a legacy feature that was designed for high bandwidth in its era.

The Pentium Silver N6005 is the clear winner for general consumer and mobile workloads. Its integrated UHD Graphics 32EU eliminates the need for a discrete GPU in basic systems. The significantly lower 10 W TDP makes it ideal for fanless or low-power designs, a massive advantage over the 80 W TDP of the Xeon. The N6005’s modern process node and higher boost clock give it the edge in single-threaded performance, which is critical for everyday responsiveness. In every benchmark where data is available, the N6005 outperforms the E5645, making it the superior choice for any task that relies on the metrics in this comparison.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two CPUs diverge on nearly every point, reflecting their different generations and purposes.

• Cores: The N6005 has 4 cores, while the E5645 has 6 cores.
• Threads: The N6005 has 4 threads, while the E5645 has 12 threads.
• Base Clock: The N6005 runs at 2000.00 MHz, while the E5645 runs at 2.40 GHz.
• Boost Clock: The N6005 boosts to 3.30 GHz, while the E5645 boosts to 2.67 GHz.
• TDP: The N6005 has a TDP of 10 W, while the E5645 has a TDP of 80 W.
• Socket: The N6005 uses Intel BGA 1338, while the E5645 uses Intel Socket 1366.
• Process Node: The N6005 uses a 10 nm process, while the E5645 uses a 32 nm process.
• Die Size: The N6005 has a die size of 63.8 mm², while the E5645 has a die size of 239 mm².
• L2 Cache: The N6005 has 1.5 MB (shared), while the E5645 has 256 KB (per core).
• L3 Cache: The N6005 has 4 MB (shared), while the E5645 has 12 MB (shared).
• Memory Support: The N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4, while the E5645 supports DDR3.
• Memory Bus: The N6005 uses Dual-channel, while the E5645 uses Triple-channel.
• Memory Bandwidth: The N6005 has a bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, while the E5645 has no listed figure.
• ECC Memory: The N6005 does not support ECC, while the E5645 does.
• PCIe: The N6005 uses Gen 3 with 8 Lanes (CPU only), while the E5645 uses Gen 2.
• Integrated Graphics: The N6005 has UHD Graphics 32EU, while the E5645 has none.
• Market Segment: The N6005 is for Mobile, while the E5645 is for Server/Workstation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is consistent and unambiguous: the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 wins all six head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Xeon E5645. The victories are narrow but uniform, with deltas ranging from 6.0% to 6.8%.

In multi-core workloads, the N6005’s advantage is steady. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 447 against the E5645’s 421, a 6.2% lead. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the N6005 scores 1866 versus 1758, a 6.1% delta. The most recent Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows the N6005 scoring 4444, which is 6.1% higher than the E5645’s 4187. This is a significant result, as the E5645 has 50% more cores and three times the threads, yet still loses to a lower-core-count part.

The single-core results are even more telling for the modern architecture. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the N6005 scores 63 versus the E5645’s 59, a 6.8% delta. The Cinebench R20 single-core test shows a 6% lead, with scores of 263 and 248. Finally, Cinebench R23 single-core confirms the trend, with the N6005 scoring 627 against the E5645’s 591, another 6.1% delta. The consistency of the margin across all tests suggests a fundamental architectural efficiency advantage for the Tremont-based N6005, rather than a workload-specific anomaly. The data clearly shows that the modern 10 nm process and higher boost clocks of the N6005 overcome the core-count deficit, making it the unequivocal winner in this benchmark suite.