Intel Xeon E-2146G vs Intel Xeon E-2246G Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2146G and Intel Xeon E-2246G are both 6-core, 12-thread workstation processors built on the same Coffee Lake architecture, but the data reveals a clear generational split in performance. The E-2246G wins 7 out of 8 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the E-2146G manages a single victory. The overall average benchmark score tells a similar story: the E-2246G records 3492 against the E-2146G’s 3410, a difference that places them in adjacent percentile brackets at 55 and 54 respectively. For builders deciding between these two, the choice is mostly about whether the E-2246G’s consistent lead justifies its position as the newer part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head results is how uniform the E-2246G’s victories are across the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the E-2246G scores 1181 against the E-2146G’s 1130, a 4.3% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows the same gap: 166 versus 159, also 4.2% ahead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the delta remains fixed at 4.3% for both multicore (4922 vs 4709) and single-core (694 vs 664). Cinebench R23 repeats the exact same 4.3% margin in both tests: multicore at 11720 versus 11214, and single-core at 1654 versus 1583. This consistency across three generations of Cinebench suggests a stable clock-for-clock improvement rather than an application-specific quirk.

The one exception to the E-2246G’s sweep is Geekbench multicore, where the E-2146G actually wins. It scores 6283 against the E-2246G’s 5988, a 4.9% lead. That is the largest single delta in either direction across all eight tests, and it flips the expected outcome. In Geekbench single-core, however, the E-2246G returns to form with a 1613 score versus 1540, a 4.5% advantage. So the E-2146G’s multicore win is isolated, and it does not carry over into the single-threaded portion of the same benchmark suite.

Looking at the broader database context, the E-2246G’s average score of 3492 puts it in a tight cluster with the Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 at 3494 (0% delta), the Intel Core i9-9900T at 3499 (0.2% behind), and the Intel Xeon D-1732TE at 3486 (0.2% ahead). The E-2146G’s average of 3410 lands it alongside the Intel Xeon E-2236 at 3410 (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I at 3406 (0.1% behind), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7530U at 3394 (0.5% behind). Both chips are effectively trading blows with their nearest rivals, but the E-2246G sits in a slightly higher performance neighborhood.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2246G boosts to 4.80 GHz, while the Intel Xeon E-2146G tops out at 4.50 GHz. The base clocks also differ, with the E-2246G at 3.60 GHz and the E-2146G at 3.50 GHz.

Q: Are these processors identical in core count and cache?

A: Yes, both have 6 cores and 12 threads. They also share the same cache layout: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3.

Q: Which chip won more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2246G won 7 of the 8 head-to-head tests. The Intel Xeon E-2146G won only the Geekbench multicore test, with a 4.9% advantage.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both support ECC memory and use dual-channel DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The E-2246G has an average benchmark score of 3492, while the E-2146G scores 3410. The E-2246G also sits at the 55th percentile versus the E-2146G’s 54th.

Q: Are both chips on the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both are built on Intel’s 14 nm process with the same 154 mm² die size and use the Intel Socket 1151.

Where Each One Wins

The E-2246G is the clear winner for multi-threaded rendering workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11720 versus 11214 represents a 4.3% improvement, which translates directly into faster export times in 3D applications that scale across all 12 threads. The same margin appears in Cinebench R20 multicore (4922 vs 4709) and Cinebench R15 multicore (1181 vs 1130), making it the safer pick for anyone running prolonged CPU-render tasks.

For single-threaded performance, the E-2246G again leads across every benchmark in the database. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1654 beats 1583, and the R20 result of 694 beats 664. This matters for older software or lightly threaded applications where the boost clock does most of the work, and the E-2246G’s 4.80 GHz boost gives it a measurable edge over the E-2146G’s 4.50 GHz.

The E-2146G’s only win is in Geekbench multicore, where it posts 6283 against the E-2246G’s 5988. That 4.9% margin is notable, but it is a single data point against seven losses. For buyers who specifically rely on Geekbench-style workloads, the E-2146G might hold some appeal, but the broader Cinebench suite consistently favors the E-2246G. The data does not support choosing the E-2146G for general productivity or rendering.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in only a handful of recorded specifications. The E-2246G has a base clock of 3.60 GHz compared to the E-2146G’s 3.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 4.50 GHz. The E-2246G was released on 2019-05-28, while the E-2146G came out on 2018-07-11. Their launch MSRP values also differ: the E-2246G launched at $311, and the E-2146G at $317. The part numbers are SRF7G for the E-2246G and SR3WT for the E-2146G.

Everything else in the specification sheet is identical. Both have 6 cores, 12 threads, an 80 W TDP, and use the Intel Socket 1151. Both feature the HD Graphics P630 integrated GPU, support dual-channel DDR4 memory with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, and offer PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Both support ECC memory, both are locked multipliers, and both are marked as end-of-life production status. The cache hierarchy is the same, the process node is the same 14 nm, and the die size is the same 154 mm².

Architecture Differences

At the architecture level, there is almost nothing separating these two chips. Both are built on the Coffee Lake architecture with the Coffee Lake-S WS codename, and both belong to the Xeon E (Coffee Lake) generation. They share the same 14 nm process node from Intel, the same foundry, and the same 154 mm² die size. The memory controller is identical, offering dual-channel DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC support. PCIe connectivity is also unchanged at Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The only architectural differentiators are the clock speeds and the series generation. The E-2146G belongs to the Xeon E-2100 series, while the E-2246G is part of the Xeon E-2200 series. Given that the cores, threads, cache sizes, process node, and memory features are all identical, the performance gap observed in the benchmarks can be attributed almost entirely to the clock speed increases on the E-2246G. There is no additional cache, no new instruction set advantage, and no change in power envelope to explain the results.

The Verdict

For a new workstation build, the Intel Xeon E-2246G is the better choice according to the recorded data. It wins 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, has a higher average score (3492 vs 3410), and reaches the 55th percentile versus the E-2146G’s 54th. The consistent 4.3% lead across all three Cinebench versions, in both multicore and single-core tests, makes it the safer pick for rendering and general CPU workloads. The only scenario where the E-2146G shows an advantage is Geekbench multicore, where its 6283 score beats the E-2246G by 4.9%, but that single result does not outweigh the broader trend.

The E-2146G remains a viable option only for buyers who specifically value that Geekbench multicore result or who already own the chip and are deciding whether to upgrade. The E-2246G’s higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 4.50 GHz and its newer release date make it the more capable part on paper, and the benchmarks confirm that. Builders pairing these with the HD Graphics P630 for light GPU tasks will find both chips equal in that regard, but the compute performance clearly favors the E-2246G. If the choice is between these two and the price difference is negligible, the data says take the E-2246G.