CPU Comparison
Intel Xeon D-1520
Xeon E5-1607 v3
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Xeon D-1520 vs Intel Xeon E5-1607 v3
Where Each One Wins
The benchmark data presents an unusually lopsided picture. The Intel Xeon E5-1607 v3 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, while the Intel Xeon D-1520 does not secure a single victory. However, the margins are razor-thin across the board. In multi-core tests, the E5-1607 v3 leads by 0.2% to 0.3%, which translates to a single point in Cinebench R15 (422 vs 421) and six points in R23 (4193 vs 4179). Single-core results are even closer, with the E5-1607 v3 ahead by 0.2% to 0.4% in R20 and R23, and tied at 59 points in R15 single-core.
This near-parity means the "winner" designation in each test is almost nominal. The real differentiator is not raw performance but the context in which each chip operates. The E5-1607 v3, with a 140 W TDP and quad-channel DDR4 memory support, targets traditional socketed server/workstation platforms. The D-1520, by contrast, sips power at 45 W, supports both DDR3 and DDR4, and comes soldered to a BGA 1667 board, a hallmark of compact, embedded or low-power server designs. Benchmark results indicate that if your workload is purely about Cinebench scores, either chip delivers essentially identical numbers; the choice hinges on platform constraints, power budgets, and memory configurations rather than compute throughput.
Architecture Differences
These two processors come from different Intel families and process nodes. The E5-1607 v3 is built on the Haswell-EP architecture using a 22 nm process, with 2,600 million transistors on a 356 mm² die. The D-1520 uses Broadwell-DE (Broadwell) on a 14 nm node, packing 3,200 million transistors into a smaller 246 mm² die. The node shrink gives the D-1520 a transistor density advantage and explains its dramatically lower 45 W TDP versus 140 W for the E5-1607 v3.
Core counts are identical at 4 cores, but threading differs: the E5-1607 v3 runs 4 threads (no Hyper-Threading), while the D-1520 runs 8 threads. Base clocks differ substantially, 3.10 GHz for the E5-1607 v3 versus 2.20 GHz for the D-1520, and the D-1520 also has a boost clock of 2.60 GHz, while the E5-1607 v3 lists no boost clock at all. Cache hierarchies also diverge. Both share 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The L3, however, is organized differently: the E5-1607 v3 has 10 MB shared L3, while the D-1520 has 1.5 MB per core, which for a 4-core part totals 6 MB.
Memory support is another key split. The E5-1607 v3 supports only DDR4 over a quad-channel bus, with a rated memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. The D-1520 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, and its memory bandwidth figure is not provided in the data. PCIe lane counts also differ: the E5-1607 v3 provides 40 Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the D-1520 offers 24 Gen 3 lanes. Socket types are incompatible, the E5-1607 v3 uses Intel Socket 2011-3, whereas the D-1520 is on Intel BGA 1667, meaning the D-1520 is board-integrated rather than socketed.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The six Cinebench comparisons are the entirety of the head-to-head data, and they tell a story of negligible performance separation. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the E5-1607 v3 scores 422 against 421 for the D-1520, a delta of 0.2%. In single-core R15, both chips hit exactly 59. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core gap widens slightly to 0.3% (1761 vs 1755), and single-core shows a 0.4% edge for the E5-1607 v3 (248 vs 247). In Cinebench R23, multi-core again favors the E5-1607 v3 by 0.3% (4193 vs 4179), while single-core is 0.2% apart (591 vs 590).
The largest relative win for the E5-1607 v3 is in R20 single-core at 0.4%, yet that is still a margin of just one point. The D-1520 never leads, but its deficits are consistently under half a percent. This pattern suggests that the E5-1607 v3's higher base clock (3.10 GHz vs 2.20 GHz) provides a slight edge in lightly threaded tasks, while the D-1520's extra threads (8 vs 4) do not translate into a multi-core advantage, likely because Cinebench's scaling here is limited by other factors, or the D-1520's lower clock offsets its threading benefit. Both processors sit at the 34th percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are 1212 for the E5-1607 v3 and 1209 for the D-1520, a 0.3% difference that mirrors the head-to-head deltas.
The Verdict
The data points to a clear but narrow conclusion. For users already invested in a Socket 2011-3 platform with quad-channel DDR4, the E5-1607 v3 delivers marginally better Cinebench scores in every test, with the largest edge being 0.4% in R20 single-core. Its 40 PCIe lanes and 59.7 GB/s memory bandwidth also make it the stronger choice for bandwidth-sensitive server or workstation workloads, assuming power consumption of 140 W is acceptable.
For users building compact, low-power systems, the D-1520 is the only viable option of the two, given its BGA 1667 form factor and 45 W TDP. Its dual-channel DDR3/DDR4 support offers memory flexibility, and its 24 PCIe lanes, while fewer than the E5-1607 v3's 40, are sufficient for many embedded or storage-focused applications. The D-1520's 8 threads versus 4 do not yield a win in any benchmark, but the performance gap is so small (0.0% to 0.4%) that it will be irrelevant in real-world use. The E5-1607 v3 is end-of-life, while the D-1520 remains active in production. The launch MSRP of the D-1520 is $199.
FAQ
Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?
A: The Intel Xeon E5-1607 v3 wins all 6 head-to-head Cinebench comparisons. The Intel Xeon D-1520 wins 0.
Q: How large is the performance difference between the two in multi-core tests?
A: The E5-1607 v3 leads by 0.2% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (422 vs 421), 0.3% in R20 multi-core (1761 vs 1755), and 0.3% in R23 multi-core (4193 vs 4179).
Q: Do the two processors have the same number of threads?
A: No. The E5-1607 v3 has 4 threads, while the D-1520 has 8 threads. Both have 4 cores.
Q: What are the memory bandwidth capabilities of each?
A: The E5-1607 v3 supports quad-channel DDR4 with a rated memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. The D-1520 supports dual-channel DDR3 and DDR4, and its memory bandwidth is not listed in the data.
Q: Are both processors currently in production?
A: No. The E5-1607 v3 is end-of-life, while the D-1520 is listed as active in production.
Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?
A: The E5-1607 v3 has an average benchmark score of 1212, and the D-1520 has 1209, a difference of 0.3%.
Specification Differences
| Specification | Intel Xeon E5-1607 v3 | Intel Xeon D-1520 |
|---|---|---|
| Threads | 4 | 8 |
| Base Clock | 3.10 GHz | 2.20 GHz |
| Boost Clock | None | 2.60 GHz |
| TDP | 140 W | 45 W |
| Socket | Intel Socket 2011-3 | Intel BGA 1667 |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP | Broadwell-DE |
| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |
| Transistors | 2,600 million | 3,200 million |
| Die Size | 356 mm² | 246 mm² |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB (shared) | 1.5 MB (per core) |
| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3, DDR4 |
| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |
| Memory Bandwidth | 59.7 GB/s | Not specified |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 (Gen 3, CPU only) | 24 (Gen 3, CPU only) |
| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |
| Release Date | 2014-09-07 | 2015-03-08 |
| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $199 |
| Part Number | QGDASR20M | SR29B |