Intel Xeon D-1540 vs Intel Xeon E-2234 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture: the Intel Xeon D-1540 wins every single head-to-head comparison across all six Cinebench tests. The Intel Xeon E-2234 does not record a single victory in any metric, with the Xeon D-1540 taking all six tests. The margins are narrow but uniform, ranging from a 3.7% to a 4.1% advantage depending on the workload.

In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Xeon D-1540 scores 859 against the E-2234's 827, a 3.7% edge. The single-core R15 result shows a slightly larger gap, with the D-1540 at 121 versus 116 for the E-2234, a 4.1% difference. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the D-1540 leads 3583 to 3448 in multi-core (3.8%) and 505 to 486 in single-core (3.8%). The most recent Cinebench R23 results continue the trend: the D-1540 posts 8531 multi-core against 8210 for the E-2234 (3.8%), and 1204 single-core against 1159 (3.7%).

The consistency across generations of the Cinebench test is notable. Whether the workload scales with thread count or relies on a single thread, the Xeon D-1540 maintains its advantage. This indicates the performance gap is not an artifact of one particular workload but reflects a genuine overall edge in these rendering benchmarks.

Looking at average benchmark scores, the D-1540 sits at 2467 while the E-2234 averages 2374. This puts the D-1540 roughly 3.9% higher on average, consistent with the individual test deltas. Both processors occupy the 48th percentile among all CPUs in the database, placing them at the same level relative to the broader market, even though the D-1540 consistently finishes ahead in direct comparison.

The nearest rivals for each processor confirm their respective competitive positions. The E-2234's closest competitor, the Intel Xeon E-2226GE, averages 2365, just 0.4% behind. The Intel Core i5-8600T sits 0.4% ahead at 2383, while the AMD Ryzen 5 2500X trails by 0.6% at 2361 and the Core i5-9600 is 0.8% behind at 2354. The D-1540's nearest rival, the Core i3-12100TE, averages 2475, a 0.3% lead over the D-1540. The Core i5-8600 trails by 0.5% at 2454, the Core i3-1125G4 by 0.7% at 2451, and the Xeon D-1541 by 0.8% at 2447.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon D-1540 is the faster processor in every measured benchmark. It wins all six Cinebench tests, with margins between 3.7% and 4.1%. For anyone selecting purely on rendering performance as measured by these benchmarks, the D-1540 is the correct choice.

This holds despite the E-2234 having a substantially higher boost clock. The E-2234 boosts to 4.80 GHz while the D-1540 peaks at 2.60 GHz, yet the D-1540 still wins even the single-core tests. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration of the D-1540 compared to the 4-core, 8-thread E-2234 explains the multi-core results, but the single-core advantage is more surprising given the clock disparity. The architecture differences, detailed below, likely account for this.

The E-2234 does have a higher launch MSRP of $250, while the D-1540 carries a launch MSRP of $581. But the performance data shows the more expensive part is also the faster part in these tests. The E-2234's only advantages lie in areas outside raw benchmark scores, such as its integrated graphics and socket compatibility, which are discussed in the specification section.

Neither processor can claim a meaningful edge in market positioning. Both sit at the 48th percentile among all CPUs, and both have average scores clustered with immediate rivals within a percentage point. The D-1540 is ahead, but the gap between these two is smaller than the gap between the D-1540 and its own nearest rival, the Core i3-12100TE, which leads it by 0.3%.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon D-1540 wins every benchmark category in the dataset. It leads in multi-core rendering across all three Cinebench versions (R15, R20, R23) and leads in single-core rendering across all three as well. There is no test in the recorded data where the E-2234 comes out ahead. The D-1540's multi-core advantage ranges from 3.7% to 3.8%, and its single-core advantage ranges from 3.7% to 4.1%. This makes the D-1540 the pick for any workload that resembles these Cinebench rendering tasks, whether heavily threaded or lightly threaded.

The E-2234 does not win any benchmark, so its case rests entirely on non-performance factors. It includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics P630) while the D-1540 has none, which matters for systems that need a display output without a discrete GPU. It uses the Intel Socket 1151, a common desktop socket, rather than the D-1540's BGA 1667, which is soldered and not upgradeable. The E-2234 also has a higher base clock of 3.60 GHz versus the D-1540's 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz), and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 2.60 GHz. For workloads not captured by these Cinebench tests, the higher clocks could translate to better performance, but the recorded data does not support that claim for these benchmarks.

The D-1540, by contrast, offers more cores and threads (8/16 versus 4/8), a larger die (246 mm² versus 126 mm²), more transistors (3,200 million versus no figure recorded for the E-2234), and more PCIe lanes (24 versus 16). Its production status is listed as Active, while the E-2234 is End-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1540, with an average benchmark score of 2467 compared to 2374 for the Intel Xeon E-2234.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon E-2234 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The Xeon D-1540 wins all six Cinebench tests, including both single-core and multi-core variants of R15, R20, and R23.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is 4.1% in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the D-1540 scores 121 against the E-2234's 116.

Q: How do the two processors compare in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The D-1540 scores 8531 while the E-2234 scores 8210, giving the D-1540 a 3.8% advantage.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2234 has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the Intel Xeon D-1540 has a boost clock of 2.60 GHz. Despite this, the D-1540 wins all single-core benchmarks.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the E-2234 and the D-1540 support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Xeon E-2234, which includes UHD Graphics P630. The Intel Xeon D-1540 has no integrated graphics.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations. The Intel Xeon E-2234 is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-S WS variant, and belongs to the Xeon E-2200 series. The Intel Xeon D-1540 uses the Broadwell architecture, specifically the Broadwell-DE variant, and belongs to the Xeon D family. Both are manufactured on a 14 nm process at Intel, but the similarities end there.

The core configurations differ significantly. The E-2234 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the D-1540 has 8 cores and 16 threads. This doubles the thread count for the D-1540, which is the primary reason it wins the multi-core benchmarks despite much lower clock speeds. The E-2234 runs at a 3.60 GHz base clock and 4.80 GHz boost, while the D-1540 runs at 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz) base and 2.60 GHz boost. The clock advantage belongs entirely to the E-2234, yet the D-1540 still wins single-core tests, suggesting architectural efficiency differences between Coffee Lake and Broadwell in these workloads.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs in organization: the E-2234 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the D-1540 has 1.5 MB of L3 cache per core. With 8 cores, the D-1540's total L3 amounts to 12 MB, though the per-core allocation means each core has its own dedicated slice rather than a shared pool.

The die size and transistor count reveal the physical differences. The E-2234 has a die size of 126 mm² with no transistor count recorded. The D-1540 has a die size of 246 mm² and packs 3,200 million transistors. This larger, more complex die aligns with the D-1540's additional cores and integrated memory controller features.

Memory support varies as well. The E-2234 supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The D-1540 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, though no memory bandwidth figure is recorded for it. Both support ECC memory, appropriate for their server/workstation market segment.

PCIe connectivity differs: the E-2234 provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the D-1540 provides Gen 3 with 24 lanes (CPU only). The D-1540 offers more PCIe lanes for additional expansion devices.

Integrated graphics is a major differentiator. The E-2234 includes UHD Graphics P630, while the D-1540 has no integrated graphics at all. This makes the E-2234 viable for systems requiring a display output without a discrete GPU, while the D-1540 requires a separate graphics solution.

The release dates are far apart. The D-1540 was released on 2015-03-08, while the E-2234 arrived on 2019-05-28. The D-1540 remains in Active production status, while the E-2234 is listed as End-of-life. Both have locked multipliers and target the server/workstation market segment.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification field. The most important difference is core count: the E-2234 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the D-1540 has 8 cores and 16 threads. Clock speeds also differ dramatically: the E-2234 runs at 3.60 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost, while the D-1540 runs at 2000.00 MHz base and 2.60 GHz boost.

Thermal design power differs in favor of the D-1540, which has a TDP of 45 watts compared to 71 watts for the E-2234. This makes the D-1540 more power-efficient per core, though it also reflects the D-1540's much lower clock speeds.

The sockets are incompatible. The E-2234 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the D-1540 uses Intel BGA 1667. The BGA socket means the D-1540 is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded, while the LGA socket on the E-2234 allows for replacement.

Memory support differs: the E-2234 supports only DDR4, while the D-1540 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The E-2234 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s; the D-1540 has no bandwidth figure recorded. Both use dual-channel memory buses and support ECC.

PCIe lanes differ, with the E-2234 offering 16 lanes and the D-1540 offering 24 lanes, both Gen 3 and CPU-only. Integrated graphics is present only on the E-2234, which includes UHD Graphics P630. The D-1540 has none.

The die size and transistor counts differ: the E-2234 has a 126 mm² die with no transistor count recorded, while the D-1540 has a 246 mm² die with 3,200 million transistors. The L3 cache organization differs, with the E-2234 using 8 MB shared and the D-1540 using 1.5 MB per core.

Production status and release dates differ: the E-2234 is End-of-life, released 2019-05-28, while the D-1540 is Active, released 2015-03-08. The launch MSRP for the E-2234 is $250, while the D-1540 launched at $581. Both have locked multipliers and belong to the server/workstation market segment. The part numbers are SRFAX for the E-2234 and SR29A for the D-1540.