Intel Xeon D-1587 vs Intel Xeon E-2146G Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2146G and the Intel Xeon D-1587 occupy very different positions within Intel’s server and workstation lineup, yet they land within a few percentage points of each other in the database’s averaged benchmark scores. The E-2146G is a Coffee Lake-S WS part with 6 cores and 12 threads, while the D-1587 is a Broadwell-DE system-on-chip with 16 cores and 32 threads. Their average benchmark scores are 3410 and 3350 respectively, placing both at the 54th percentile among all CPUs tracked by the database. That near-identical percentile ranking hides a more interesting story when the individual workload results are examined, as the D-1587 edges out its rival in every single recorded test despite its much lower clock speeds.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results in the database show a clean sweep for the Intel Xeon D-1587 across all six recorded tests, though the margins are consistently narrow. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the D-1587 scores 1167 against 1130 for the E-2146G, a difference of roughly 3.2 percent. The single-core result in the same test is closer still, with the D-1587 at 164 and the E-2146G at 159, a 3 percent gap. Moving to Cinebench R20, the D-1587 again takes the multicore test with 4865 versus 4709, and the single-core test with 686 versus 664, both representing the same 3.2 percent margin. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23, where the D-1587 posts 11585 in multicore against 11214, and 1635 in single-core against 1583. In every case, the D-1587 leads by a margin between 3 and 3.2 percent.

What makes this sweep notable is the architectural disparity between the two chips. The D-1587 runs at a base clock of 1700 MHz and a boost of 2.30 GHz, while the E-2146G runs at 3.50 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost. Despite the E-2146G having roughly double the clock speed in both metrics, it cannot overcome the D-1587’s core and thread advantage. The D-1587 has 16 cores and 32 threads, more than two and a half times the core count of the E-2146G, and that parallelism appears to compensate for the lower frequency in these specific workloads. The single-core results are more surprising, as the E-2146G’s higher boost clock would normally be expected to dominate a single-threaded test. Yet the D-1587 still leads by 3 percent in Cinebench R15 single-core, 3.2 percent in R20 single-core, and 3.2 percent in R23 single-core. The database does not record a single test where the E-2146G comes out ahead, giving the D-1587 six wins out of six head-to-head comparisons.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite, the E-2146G has additional recorded results that are not part of the head-to-head table. In Geekbench multicore it scores 6283 and in single-core 1540, giving it an average benchmark score of 3410. The D-1587 has no Geekbench entries in the database, so its average of 3350 is derived solely from the Cinebench tests. The E-2146G’s nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2236 at an identical average score of 3410, the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I at 3406, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7530U at 3394, and the Intel Core i7-10875H at 3432. The D-1587’s nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-7800X at 3333, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U at 3369, the Intel Core i5-11400T at 3309, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7530U at 3394. The two chips share one neighbor in the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7530U, which sits between them in overall average score.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for most workloads: the Intel Xeon D-1587 is the stronger performer in the Cinebench tests recorded in the database. It wins every head-to-head comparison, even if the margins are modest. A 3.2 percent lead in multicore and single-core tests across three versions of Cinebench is consistent and reproducible, not the result of a single outlier workload. The D-1587 achieves this with a 65 watt TDP, lower than the E-2146G’s 80 watt TDP, and with a much lower clock speed, which makes the result all the more striking. Any buyer prioritizing raw Cinebench performance in these specific versions should choose the D-1587 based on the recorded measurements.

The E-2146G is not without its own arguments, but those arguments come from outside the head-to-head benchmark table. It has an integrated GPU in the form of HD Graphics P630, while the D-1587 has no integrated graphics at all. It also uses the Intel Socket 1151, which is a mainstream desktop socket, whereas the D-1587 uses Intel BGA 1667, a soldered embedded form factor. The E-2146G supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the D-1587 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 but has no bandwidth figure listed in the database. For systems that need a discrete GPU, the D-1587 requires an external graphics solution, while the E-2146G can drive a display on its own. The E-2146G also has a higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz, which could favor lightly threaded tasks not represented in the recorded benchmarks, though the single-core Cinebench results do not reflect that advantage.

The verdict from the recorded data is that the D-1587 wins the benchmark comparison outright, while the E-2146G wins on platform flexibility and integrated features. Neither chip dominates the other across every axis that matters, but for pure compute performance as measured by the database, the D-1587 is the pick.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel microarchitectures and die designs. The E-2146G is built on Coffee Lake, specifically the Coffee Lake-S WS variant, and belongs to the Xeon E-2100 series. The D-1587 is built on Broadwell, specifically the Broadwell-DE variant, and belongs to the Xeon D series. Both use a 14 nm process node and are fabricated by Intel, but the die sizes differ substantially. The E-2146G has a die size of 154 mm², while the D-1587 has a die size of 246 mm². The D-1587 also lists a transistor count of 3,200 million, while the E-2146G has no transistor figure in the database.

Cache layouts differ as well. The E-2146G has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The D-1587 also has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but its L3 is organized as 1.5 MB per core, which over 16 cores totals more L3 in aggregate than the E-2146G’s 12 MB shared pool. The L3 distribution reflects the different design philosophies, with the E-2146G using a shared pool and the D-1587 using a per-core allocation.

Memory support also diverges. The E-2146G supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The D-1587 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, though no bandwidth figure is recorded for it. Both processors support ECC memory, which is expected for server and workstation parts. PCIe connectivity differs, with the E-2146G offering Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the D-1587 offers Gen 3 with 24 lanes from the CPU. The D-1587 provides more PCIe lanes, which is typical for an embedded server processor designed to connect to multiple peripherals without a separate chipset.

The E-2146G includes integrated graphics in the form of HD Graphics P630, while the D-1587 has no integrated graphics listed. This is a significant architectural difference, as the E-2146G can serve as a complete system with a display output, while the D-1587 requires a discrete GPU for any graphical output. The sockets are also incompatible, with the E-2146G using Intel Socket 1151 and the D-1587 using Intel BGA 1667, meaning the two chips cannot be swapped into the same motherboard. The production status differs, with the E-2146G listed as end-of-life and the D-1587 listed as active. The release dates are 2018-07-11 for the E-2146G and 2016-02-23 for the D-1587, making the D-1587 the older design despite its active status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1587 has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2146G has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher clock speed?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2146G has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The Intel Xeon D-1587 has a base clock of 1700 MHz and a boost clock of 2.30 GHz.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1587 scores 11585 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Intel Xeon E-2146G scores 11214, giving the D-1587 a 3.2 percent lead.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon E-2146G have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Xeon E-2146G includes HD Graphics P630. The Intel Xeon D-1587 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1587 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The Intel Xeon E-2146G supports DDR4 only.

Q: What are the TDP values for these processors?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2146G has a TDP of 80 watts, and the Intel Xeon D-1587 has a TDP of 65 watts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon D-1587 wins every recorded benchmark comparison in the head-to-head table. It leads in Cinebench R15 multicore with 1167 against 1130, in R15 single-core with 164 against 159, in R20 multicore with 4865 against 4709, in R20 single-core with 686 against 664, in R23 multicore with 11585 against 11214, and in R23 single-core with 1635 against 1583. The margins are uniform at 3 to 3.2 percent, indicating that the D-1587’s advantage is consistent across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads in the Cinebench suite. The D-1587 achieves this with a lower TDP of 65 watts and a lower boost clock of 2.30 GHz, making it the more efficient choice for these specific tests.

The Intel Xeon E-2146G wins outside the recorded benchmark results. It has integrated graphics, which the D-1587 lacks, making it suitable for systems that need a display output without a discrete GPU. It uses the Intel Socket 1151, a more common desktop socket, while the D-1587 uses the soldered Intel BGA 1667. The E-2146G has a higher base clock of 3.50 GHz and a higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz, which could provide an advantage in workloads that are not represented in the recorded Cinebench tests, though the single-core results in the database do not show such an advantage. The E-2146G also has a smaller die size of 154 mm² compared to the D-1587’s 246 mm², and a higher recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, though the D-1587 has no bandwidth figure in the database. The E-2146G was released in 2018, later than the D-1587’s 2016 release, but is listed as end-of-life, while the D-1587 is listed as active.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field in the database. The E-2146G has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the D-1587 has 16 cores and 32 threads. The E-2146G has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, while the D-1587 has a base clock of 1700 MHz and a boost clock of 2.30 GHz. The TDP is 80 watts for the E-2146G and 65 watts for the D-1587. The socket is Intel Socket 1151 for the E-2146G and Intel BGA 1667 for the D-1587. The architecture is Coffee Lake for the E-2146G and Broadwell for the D-1587, with codenames Coffee Lake-S WS and Broadwell respectively. The generation is listed as Xeon E (Coffee Lake) for the E-2146G and Xeon D (Broadwell-DE) for the D-1587. The process node is 14 nm for both, and the foundry is Intel for both, but the die size is 154 mm² for the E-2146G and 246 mm² for the D-1587. The D-1587 lists a transistor count of 3,200 million, while the E-2146G has none recorded.

Cache configurations differ in L3 only. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. The E-2146G has 12 MB of shared L3, while the D-1587 has 1.5 MB per core. Memory support is DDR4 for the E-2146G and DDR3 plus DDR4 for the D-1587. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, but the E-2146G records a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the D-1587 has no bandwidth listed. Both support ECC memory. PCIe is Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the E-2146G and Gen 3 with 24 lanes for the D-1587. The E-2146G has integrated HD Graphics P630, while the D-1587 has none. The market segment is server or workstation for both, but the production status is end-of-life for the E-2146G and active for the D-1587. The release date is 2018-07-11 for the E-2146G and 2016-02-23 for the D-1587. The launch MSRP is $317 for the E-2146G and 1549 for the D-1587. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The part numbers are SR3WT for the E-2146G and SR2M1 for the D-1587.