Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 vs Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, though narrow, advantage for the Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 across every Cinebench workload in the comparison. The E3-1225 v5 wins all six head-to-head tests, with the Bronze 3106 trailing by margins that range from 3% to 4.3%. These are not large gaps, but they are uniform across both single-core and multi-core tests, indicating a per-clock efficiency edge rather than a workload-specific quirk.

In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the E3-1225 v5 scores 510 against 495 for the Bronze 3106, a 3% lead. The single-core R15 test shows the widest gap: 72 versus 69, a 4.3% advantage for the E3-1225 v5. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore result is 2127 for the E3-1225 v5 and 2065 for the Bronze 3106, again a 3% difference. The R20 single-core test shows 300 versus 291, a 3.1% margin. Finally, in Cinebench R23, the multicore score is 5065 versus 4918 (3% delta), and the single-core score is 715 versus 694 (3% delta).

The average benchmark score across the full suite reinforces this picture. The E3-1225 v5 has an average benchmark score of 1465, while the Bronze 3106 sits at 1422. That is a difference of roughly 43 points, or about 3%. Both processors land in similar percentiles among all CPUs: the E3-1225 v5 at the 38th percentile, the Bronze 3106 at the 37th. So while the E3-1225 v5 is ahead in every measured test, the magnitude of the lead is modest, and neither chip ranks particularly high in the broader CPU landscape.

The nearest rival data places each chip in a similar performance class. The E3-1225 v5 is within 0.2% of the Intel Core i3-7350K (score 1462) and 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200GE (1461), while trailing the Intel Core i7-4710HQ (1473) by 0.5%. The Bronze 3106 sits within 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-3720QM (1421) and 0.2% of the AMD Opteron 4274 HE (1420), while trailing the Intel Core i7-3820 (1424) by 0.1%. Effectively, both Xeons perform like mid-range consumer parts from several generations ago, with the E3-1225 v5 holding a slight edge.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1225 v5 wins every single benchmark recorded in this comparison. That means it is the better choice for any workload measured here, including both lightly threaded tasks (single-core Cinebench R15, R20, R23) and fully threaded tasks (multicore versions of the same tests). The highest single-core delta is 4.3% in R15, and the lowest is 3% in R23. For multicore tests, the delta is consistently 3% across R15, R20, and R23.

There is no benchmark in the data where the Xeon Bronze 3106 takes the lead. Its eight cores and eight threads do not translate into a multicore victory, likely due to its lower clock speeds. The Bronze 3106 has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost of 3.00 GHz, whereas the E3-1225 v5 operates at 3.30 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost. For any workload that scales with frequency, the E3-1225 v5 has the advantage.

However, the Bronze 3106 does have a structural advantage that is not reflected in these Cinebench scores: it supports DDR4 memory only, while the E3-1225 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The Bronze also has a larger shared L3 cache (11 MB versus 8 MB) and a larger L2 per core (1 MB versus 256 KB). Those features could matter in memory-sensitive or cache-heavy workloads not covered by Cinebench, but the recorded benchmarks do not show a benefit.

For users focused strictly on the six Cinebench tests, the E3-1225 v5 is the clear winner in every scenario. For users with workloads that stress memory bandwidth or cache capacity, the Bronze 3106 may hold untapped potential, but the database measurements do not confirm and quantified advantage.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel's 14 nm process and use the Skylake architecture, but they come from different segments of the Skylake family. The E3-1225 v5 is a Skylake-DT design (desktop-class Xeon), while the Bronze 3106 is Skylake-SP (Scalable Platform). This difference is reflected in socket, core count, and cache hierarchy.

The E3-1225 v5 uses Intel Socket 1151, the Bronze 3106 uses Intel Socket 3647. The latter is a larger server socket designed for multi-socket platforms. The E3-1225 v5 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Bronze 3106 has 8 cores and 8 threads. The Bronze has double the core count, yet it scores lower in multicore tests, which points to the importance of clock speed and per-core efficiency.

The process node is identical at 14 nm, but the transistor counts differ substantially. The E3-1225 v5 has 1,750 million transistors on a 122 mm² die, while the Bronze 3106 has 8,000 million transistors (die size not recorded). The Bronze 3106's larger transistor budget goes toward more cores and a larger cache.

Cache layout differs significantly. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, and the Bronze 3106 has 1 MB of L2 per core, four times the 256 KB per core of the E3-1225 v5. The shared L3 is 11 MB on the Bronze 3106 versus 8 MB on the E3-1225 v5. These cache advantages could help the Bronze 3106 in some server workloads, but they do not overcome the clock deficit in the recorded Cinebench tests.

Memory support also differs. The E3-1225 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, with a dual-channel memory bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Bronze 3106 supports only DDR4, and its memory bus and bandwidth are not listed in the database. Both support ECC memory. The E3-1225 v5 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics P530), while the Bronze 3106 has no integrated graphics.

The E3-1225 v5 has a PCIe Gen 3 interface with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the PCIe details for the Bronze 3106 are not recorded. The E3-1225 v5 was released in October 2015 and is marked as end-of-life, while the Bronze 3106 was released in July 2017 and its production status is not listed.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 wins every single-core test. It scores 72 versus 69 in Cinebench R15 (4.3% lead), 300 versus 291 in R20 (3.1% lead), and 715 versus 694 in R23 (3% lead).

Q: Does the 8-core Bronze 3106 beat the 4-core E3-1225 v5 in multicore?

A: No. Despite having twice the cores, the Bronze 3106 scores lower in all multicore tests: 495 versus 510 in R15, 2065 versus 2127 in R20, and 4918 versus 5065 in R23. Each is a 3% lead for the E3-1225 v5.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The E3-1225 v5 has an average benchmark score of 1465, while the Bronze 3106 has 1420. The difference is 45 points, placing the E3-1225 v5 at the 38th percentile versus the 37th for the Bronze 3106.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the E3-1225 v5 and the Bronze 3106 support ECC memory. The E3-1225 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the Bronze 3106 supports DDR4 only.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Bronze 3106 has 11 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 8 MB on the E3-1225 v5. The Bronze 3106 also has 1 MB of L2 per core versus 256 KB per core on the E3-1225 v5.

Q: What is the release timeline?

A: The E3-1225 v5 was released on October 18, 2015, and is marked as end-of-life. The Bronze 3106 was released on July 10, 2017.

The Verdict

Based on the recorded data, the Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 is the better performer for the tested Cinebench workloads. It wins all six head-to-head tests, with margins ranging from 3% to 4.3%. Its average benchmark score of 1465 is higher than the Bronze 3106's 1420, and it holds a higher percentile rank (38th versus 37th). For any user relying on the six Cinebench scores, the E3-1225 v5 is the logical choice.

The Bronze 3106, however, is not without justification. It has twice the cores (8 versus 4), a larger L3 cache (11 MB vs 8 MB), and a much larger L2 per core (1 MB vs 256 KB). It also supports only DDR4, which can be an advantage in a fully modern memory platform. These features are not reflected in the Cinebench scores, but they could be relevant for server workloads that scale with threads and cache capacity. The Bronze 3106 also has a higher transistor count (8,000 million vs 1,750 million), suggesting more complex silicon.

The E3-1225 v5 is the safer pick for single-threaded and lightly-threaded tasks, as well as for the specific Cinebench tests. The Bronze 3106 is the better consideration for multi-threaded server environments where the additional cores and cache might be utilized beyond what the benchmark suite measures. The data does not show a scenario where the Bronze 3106 wins, so any choice in its favor must be based on unmeasured workload characteristics.

Specification Differences

• Cores: E3-1225 v5 has 4, Bronze 3106 has 8
• Threads: E3-1225 v5 has 4, Bronze 3106 has 8
• Base Clock: E3-1225 v5 is 3.30 GHz, Bronze 3106 is 2.10 GHz
• Boost Clock: E3-1225 v5 is 3.70 GHz, Bronze 3106 is 3.00 GHz
• TDP: E3-1225 v5 is 80 W, Bronze 3106 is 85 W
• Socket: E3-1225 v5 is Intel Socket 1151, Bronze 3106 is Intel Socket 3647
• Architecture: E3-1225 v5 is Skylake, Bronze 3106 is Skylake-SP
• Transistors: E3-1225 v5 has 1,750 million, Bronze 3106 has 8,000 million
• Die Size: E3-1225 v5 is 122 mm², Bronze 3106 is not recorded
• L2 Cache: E3-1225 v5 has 256 KB per core, Bronze 3106 has 1 MB per core
• L3 Cache: E3-1225 v5 has 8 MB shared, Bronze 3106 has 11 MB shared
• Memory Support: E3-1225 v5 supports DDR3 and DDR4, Bronze 3106 supports DDR4 only
• Memory Bus: E3-1225 v5 is dual-channel, Bronze 3106 is not recorded
• Memory Bandwidth: E3-1225 v5 is 34.1 GB/s, Bronze 3106 is not recorded
• PCIe: E3-1225 v5 has Gen 3, 16 lanes (CPU only), Bronze 3106 is not recorded
• Integrated Graphics: E3-1225 v5 has HD Graphics P530, Bronze 3106 has none
• Release Date: E3-1225 v5 is 2015-10-18, Bronze 3106 is 2017-07-10
• Launch MSRP: E3-1225 v5 is $224, Bronze 3106 is not recorded
• Part Number: E3-1225 v5 is SR2LJ, Bronze 3106 is SR3GLBX806733106CD8067303561900