Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 vs Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 Comparison

Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 and Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 are both Skylake-based server processors, but they target different sockets and system scales. The recorded benchmark data shows the Bronze 3106 winning every single head-to-head test, but by margins so narrow that the practical difference is minimal. The E3-1220 v5 has higher clock speeds and a smaller die, while the Bronze 3106 offers double the cores and a larger shared cache. The database places both chips at the 37th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they occupy a similar performance tier despite their architectural differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unusually consistent: the Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 wins all six recorded Cinebench tests, with every victory falling between 1.4% and 1.5%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Bronze 3106 scores 495 against 488 for the E3-1220 v5, a 1.4% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a 69 to 68 result, a 1.5% edge. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 2065 versus 2034 (1.5% delta), while single-core is 291 to 287 (1.4%). In Cinebench R23, the multi-core result is 4918 against 4845 (1.5%), and single-core is 694 to 684 (1.5%).

These margins are small enough to be within run-to-run variance for many workloads, yet the pattern is uniform. The Bronze 3106 never loses a test, and the deltas never widen beyond 1.5%. The E3-1220 v5 has a higher base clock (3.00 GHz versus 2.10 GHz) and a higher boost clock (3.50 GHz versus 3.00 GHz), yet it still trails in every single-core test. That suggests the Bronze 3106’s architectural efficiency per clock is slightly better, or the benchmark methodology favors its Skylake-SP design over the Skylake-DT variant.

Looking at the average benchmark scores, the Bronze 3106 records 1422 points, while the E3-1220 v5 sits at 1401. The nearest rivals for the Bronze 3106 include the Intel Core i7-3720QM (1421, delta 0.1%), Intel Core i7-3820 (1424, delta -0.1%), AMD Opteron 4274 HE (1420, delta 0.2%), and Intel Core i7-2700K (1419, delta 0.2%). For the E3-1220 v5, the closest competitors are Intel Xeon E-2104G (1402, delta 0%), Intel Core i5-6500TE (1399, delta 0.1%), Intel Pentium Gold G7400TE (1404, delta -0.2%), and Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 (1396, delta 0.4%). Both chips sit in a dense cluster of mid-range processors, with no rival more than 0.4% away in average score.

The consistency of the head-to-head results is the headline finding. The Bronze 3106’s win count is 6, the E3-1220 v5’s is 0. No test flips the order, and no test produces a large gap. This is not a case of one chip dominating via multi-core while losing single-core; the Bronze 3106 wins everywhere, albeit narrowly.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 wins across the board in raw benchmark scores, but the margins define the use case. In multi-core workloads, the 8-core, 8-thread design gives it a theoretical advantage over the 4-core, 4-thread E3-1220 v5. The R23 multi-core score of 4918 versus 4845 shows a 73-point lead, which scales to about 1.5%. For rendering tasks or parallel compilation, the Bronze 3106 should sustain that small edge consistently.

In single-core tasks, the E3-1220 v5’s higher clocks do not translate into wins. The Bronze 3106 leads by 1 to 2 points in each single-core test, with deltas of 1.4% to 1.5%. This is surprising given the 0.90 GHz base clock deficit and 0.50 GHz boost clock deficit. The data suggests that the Bronze 3106’s Skylake-SP core design extracts more instructions per clock, or the benchmark’s single-threaded path benefits from the larger L3 cache (11 MB versus 8 MB).

For workloads that are memory-bandwidth sensitive, the E3-1220 v5 has a documented memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s and dual-channel memory bus. The Bronze 3106’s memory bandwidth is not recorded, so no quantitative comparison is possible. However, the Bronze 3106 supports DDR4, while the E3-1220 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The E3-1220 v5 also has a PCIe Gen 3 interface with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Bronze 3106’s PCIe configuration is not listed.

The E3-1220 v5 wins on efficiency in terms of die size: 122 mm² versus an unlisted die size for the Bronze 3106. It also has a lower transistor count (1,750 million versus 8,000 million), which reflects its smaller design. The TDP difference is minor: 80 watts for the E3-1220 v5, 85 watts for the Bronze 3106. For dense server deployments, the E3-1220 v5 may be easier to cool, but the Bronze 3106’s extra cores and cache come at only 5 watts more.

The production status favors the E3-1220 v5, which is marked end-of-life, whereas the Bronze 3106 has no recorded status. For new deployments, the Bronze 3106 is the safer procurement choice. The release dates are also separated: the E3-1220 v5 launched in October 2015, the Bronze 3106 in July 2017.

Architecture Differences

Both processors use Intel’s 14 nm process node and Skylake architecture, but they diverge at the microarchitecture level. The Bronze 3106 is Skylake-SP (Scalable Performance), built for the Intel Socket 3647 platform. The E3-1220 v5 is Skylake-DT (Desktop), using Intel Socket 1151. This socket difference alone dictates the platform: the Bronze 3106 requires a server motherboard with Socket 3647, while the E3-1220 v5 fits mainstream LGA1151 boards.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The Bronze 3106 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the E3-1220 v5 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Neither supports simultaneous multi-threading, so threads equal cores. The Bronze 3106’s base clock is 2.10 GHz, boost clock 3.00 GHz. The E3-1220 v5 runs at 3.00 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. Despite the clock disadvantage, the Bronze 3106 wins benchmarks, implying a higher IPC (instructions per clock) for the Skylake-SP design.

Cache hierarchies are distinct. Both have 64 KB L1 per core, but the L2 cache differs: the Bronze 3106 has 1 MB per core, the E3-1220 v5 has 256 KB per core. The L3 cache is 11 MB shared on the Bronze 3106 versus 8 MB shared on the E3-1220 v5. The larger per-core L2 and shared L3 help the Bronze 3106 in multi-threaded scenarios, and likely contribute to its single-core wins despite lower clocks.

The transistor counts reflect the design scale. The Bronze 3106 packs 8,000 million transistors, the E3-1220 v5 just 1,750 million. The die size for the E3-1220 v5 is 122 mm²; the Bronze 3106’s die size is not recorded. Memory support shows the E3-1220 v5 accepting DDR3 and DDR4, while the Bronze 3106 only supports DDR4. Both support ECC memory, which is expected for server parts.

The E3-1220 v5 has explicit memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s and a dual-channel memory bus. The Bronze 3106’s memory bus and bandwidth are unlisted. The E3-1220 v5’s PCIe is Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only); the Bronze 3106 has no PCIe data. Neither chip has integrated graphics, and both are marked as Server/Workstation market segment.

The part numbers are also different: the Bronze 3106 uses SR3GLBX806733106CD8067303561900, while the E3-1220 v5 uses SR2LG. The Bronze 3106 has no launch MSRP recorded, while the E3-1220 v5 has a launch MSRP of $203. The Bronze 3106 is not multiplier unlocked, and neither is the E3-1220 v5.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Bronze 3106 doubles the core count.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core performance?

A: The Bronze 3106 wins all Cinebench single-core tests. In R23 single-core, it scores 694 versus 684 for the E3-1220 v5, a 1.5% advantage. The E3-1220 v5 has higher clocks, but the Bronze 3106 still leads.

Q: Are both processors compatible with ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Bronze 3106 and the E3-1220 v5 support ECC memory. The E3-1220 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the Bronze 3106 supports DDR4 only.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the E3-1220 v5?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 has a launch MSRP of $203. The Bronze 3106 has no recorded launch MSRP.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Bronze 3106 has a TDP of 85 watts, and the E3-1220 v5 has a TDP of 80 watts. The difference is 5 watts, favoring the E3-1220 v5.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The Bronze 3106 was released in July 2017, while the E3-1220 v5 was released in October 2015. The Bronze 3106 is newer by about 21 months.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, verdict: the Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 is the better performer in every recorded benchmark. It wins all six Cinebench tests, with deltas between 1.4% and 1.5%. Its average benchmark score is 1422 versus 1401 for the E3-1220 v5. The Bronze 3106 offers 8 cores versus 4, a larger L3 cache (11 MB versus 8 MB), and a newer release date (July 2017 versus October 2015).

The E3-1220 v5 is not without merits. It has a higher base clock (3.00 GHz versus 2.10 GHz) and boost clock (3.50 GHz versus 3.00 GHz), a smaller die (122 mm²), lower transistor count (1,750 million versus 8,000 million), and a 5-watt TDP advantage (80 versus 85 watts). It also has a recorded launch MSRP of $203, which the Bronze 3106 lacks. For legacy platforms using Socket 1151, the E3-1220 v5 may be the only option, especially if DDR3 memory is already deployed.

For new builds, the Bronze 3106 is the logical choice. Its performance advantage is consistent across single- and multi-core tests, and its larger core count provides headroom for parallel workloads. The E3-1220 v5 is end-of-life, while the Bronze 3106 has no such status. The 37th percentile ranking for both chips means neither will impress in high-end comparisons, but the Bronze 3106 does more with less clock speed, and that is the decisive factor.

Choose the Bronze 3106 if you need the best recorded performance, more cores, or a current platform. Choose the E3-1220 v5 only if you are locked into Socket 1151, need DDR3 support, or require the lower TDP and smaller physical footprint. The benchmark data does not support any other conclusion.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 | Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 |

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

| Cores | 8 | 4 |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| TDP | 85 W | 80 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 3647 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Codename | Skylake-SP | Skylake-DT |

| Transistors | 8,000 million | 1,750 million |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 122 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 11 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3, DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Not recorded | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 34.1 GB/s |

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

| Production Status | Not recorded | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2017-07-10 | 2015-10-18 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $203 |

| Part Number | SR3GLBX806733106CD8067303561900 | SR2LG |