Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 vs Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 has 4 cores and 8 threads. This gives the Bronze 3106 double the physical core count, though both handle the same number of threads.

Q: What are the base and boost clock speeds for each processor?

A: The Xeon Bronze 3106 has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz. The Xeon E3-1240L v3 has a base clock of 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz) and the same boost clock of 3.00 GHz.

Q: How does the power consumption compare between the two?

A: The Xeon Bronze 3106 has a TDP of 85 watts, while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 has a TDP of 25 watts. The E3-1240L v3 consumes significantly less power, making it a much more energy-efficient option.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Xeon Bronze 3106 features 11 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the Xeon E3-1240L v3 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Bronze 3106 offers more on-die cache for its eight cores.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The Xeon Bronze 3106 supports DDR4 memory, while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 supports DDR3 memory. The E3-1240L v3 also has a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the Bronze 3106's memory bus details are not specified.

Q: What are the release dates for these chips?

A: The Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 was released on 2017-07-10, and the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 was released on 2014-05-10. There is a gap of roughly three years between their launches.

Architecture Differences

These two Xeon processors come from different architectural generations and target different platform ecosystems. The Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 is built on the Skylake-SP architecture and uses a 14 nm process node. It is part of the Xeon Bronze (Skylake-SP) generation and fits into the Intel Socket 3647 platform. In contrast, the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3 is based on the older Haswell architecture, specifically the Haswell-WS variant, and uses a 22 nm process node. It belongs to the Xeon E3 (Haswell-WS) generation and uses the Intel Socket 1150 platform.

The transistor counts tell a story of scale. The Bronze 3106 integrates 8,000 million transistors, while the E3-1240L v3 has 1,400 million transistors. That is a substantial difference, driven by the newer process and the larger core count. The E3-1240L v3 does have a recorded die size of 160 mm², while the Bronze 3106's die size is not listed in the database.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache is 1 MB per core on the Bronze 3106 versus 256 KB per core on the E3-1240L v3. The shared L3 cache is 11 MB on the Bronze 3106 and 8 MB on the E3-1240L v3. The Bronze 3106 clearly offers a more generous cache layout for its eight cores.

Memory support diverges as well. The Bronze 3106 supports DDR4 memory, while the E3-1240L v3 supports DDR3. The E3-1240L v3 has a dual-channel memory bus and a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; the Bronze 3106's memory bus and bandwidth figures are not recorded. Both chips support ECC memory, which is expected for server and workstation parts.

The E3-1240L v3 includes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Bronze 3106's PCIe configuration is not specified in the database. The E3-1240L v3 is marked as end-of-life in terms of production status, while the Bronze 3106's production status is not listed. Neither chip has integrated graphics, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear, if narrow, picture. The Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests against the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v3, with margins ranging from 1.5% to 1.9%. The Bronze 3106 is the faster processor across single-core and multi-core workloads in every recorded benchmark category.

For users who prioritize raw processing throughput, the Bronze 3106 is the stronger choice. Its eight physical cores give it an advantage in multi-threaded applications, and its newer Skylake architecture provides a modest but consistent edge in single-threaded tasks. The data shows the Bronze 3106 leads by 1.9% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which translates to a score of 4918 versus 4827, and by 1.9% in single-core as well, with 694 versus 681.

However, the E3-1240L v3 has its own compelling argument. With a TDP of 25 watts versus 85 watts, it consumes roughly a fraction of the power while delivering only slightly lower performance. The recorded benchmark scores are close enough that in power-constrained environments, the E3-1240L v3 could be the better fit. Its end-of-life production status is a consideration, but its efficiency profile remains strong.

Users building a new system around a modern platform with DDR4 support should look toward the Xeon Bronze 3106 on Socket 3647. Those upgrading or maintaining an older DDR3-based Socket 1150 system, or those with strict power budgets, will find the Xeon E3-1240L v3 to be a capable, low-power alternative. The Bronze 3106 is the performance winner; the E3-1240L v3 is the efficiency pick.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across several key specifications. The Xeon Bronze 3106 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Xeon E3-1240L v3 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The base clock on the Bronze 3106 is 2.10 GHz, compared to 2000.00 MHz on the E3-1240L v3. Both share a boost clock of 3.00 GHz.

Power draw is a major differentiator: the Bronze 3106 is rated at 85 watts TDP, while the E3-1240L v3 is rated at 25 watts. The sockets are incompatible, with the Bronze 3106 using Intel Socket 3647 and the E3-1240L v3 using Intel Socket 1150.

Architecturally, the Bronze 3106 is Skylake-SP on a 14 nm node with 8,000 million transistors, whereas the E3-1240L v3 is Haswell-WS on a 22 nm node with 1,400 million transistors and a die size of 160 mm². The L2 cache is 1 MB per core on the Bronze 3106 versus 256 KB per core on the E3-1240L v3, and the L3 cache is 11 MB versus 8 MB.

Memory support differs: DDR4 for the Bronze 3106 and DDR3 for the E3-1240L v3, with the latter having a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth. The E3-1240L v3 has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the Bronze 3106's PCIe data is not recorded. The E3-1240L v3 is end-of-life and has a launch MSRP of $278, while the Bronze 3106 has no recorded launch MSRP. The Bronze 3106 was released in 2017, and the E3-1240L v3 in 2014.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite provides the full comparison between these two chips, and the results are remarkably consistent. In every single test, the Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 comes out ahead, but by a narrow margin.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Bronze 3106 scores 495 against 486 for the E3-1240L v3, a delta of 1.9%. The single-core test shows a similar story: 69 versus 68, a 1.5% advantage. These are small gaps, but they are consistent across all recorded runs.

Cinebench R20 multi-core sees the Bronze 3106 at 2065 versus 2027, again a 1.9% lead. The single-core result is 291 versus 286, a 1.7% margin. The trend continues into Cinebench R23, where the multi-core score is 4918 versus 4827 (1.9% delta) and the single-core score is 694 versus 681 (1.9% delta).

The data shows that despite having twice the core count, the Bronze 3106 only manages a roughly 2% advantage in multi-core workloads. This suggests that the E3-1240L v3's hyper-threading and higher efficiency per core keep it competitive, even with half the physical cores. The Bronze 3106 also edges ahead in single-core tests, indicating that the newer Skylake architecture provides a slight IPC advantage over Haswell.

Looking at the broader database context, the Bronze 3106 has an average benchmark score of 1422, placing it at the 37th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-3720QM at 1421 (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i7-3820 at 1424 (-0.1% delta), the AMD Opteron 4274 HE at 1420 (0.2% delta), and the Intel Core i7-2700K at 1419 (0.2% delta). The E3-1240L v3 has an average score of 1396, also at the 37th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i5-6500TE at 1399 (-0.2% delta), the Intel Xeon E3-1220 v5 at 1401 (-0.4% delta), the Intel Xeon E-2104G at 1402 (-0.4% delta), and the Intel Pentium Gold G7400TE at 1404 (-0.6% delta).

In short, the Bronze 3106 wins every head-to-head benchmark, but the margins are slim. The E3-1240L v3 is not far behind, and its dramatically lower power draw makes it a formidable competitor in efficiency-focused deployments.