Intel Xeon E-2174G vs Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 wins every recorded head-to-head test, taking six out of six comparisons. The E5-4650 v3 leads by roughly 12% across all Cinebench workloads, both single-core and multi-core. The Intel Xeon E-2174G does not claim a single win in the recorded benchmarks.

For workloads that prioritize raw throughput, the E5-4650 v3 is the clear choice. Its 12 cores and 24 threads provide a substantial advantage in multi-threaded tasks. The E-2174G, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, is suited for lighter, single-threaded duties, but the data shows it trails even in those scenarios. The E5-4650 v3 also holds a higher percentile ranking among all CPUs, at 50 compared to the E-2174G's 49.

The decision is straightforward: if the workload can use many cores, the E5-4650 v3 wins. If the workload is single-threaded, the E5-4650 v3 still wins, albeit by a smaller margin. The E-2174G's higher clock speeds do not translate into a benchmark victory in this data set.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different design philosophies from different eras. The Intel Xeon E-2174G is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, using a 14 nm process node. It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its thermal design point (TDP) is 71 watts. The chip uses the Intel Socket 1151 and has a die size of 126 mm².

The Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 is based on the older Haswell architecture, specifically the Haswell-EP design, and uses a 22 nm process node. It packs 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz. Its TDP is higher at 105 watts. This processor uses the larger Intel Socket 2011-3 and has a significantly larger die size of 356 mm², housing 2,600 million transistors.

Cache configurations also differ. The E-2174G has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the E5-4650 v3 offers a much larger 30 MB of shared L3 cache. Both have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The E5-4650 v3's larger cache is a direct result of its additional cores and larger physical footprint.

Memory support also separates the two. The E-2174G uses a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The E5-4650 v3 uses a quad-channel bus, doubling the memory channels and achieving a bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s. Both support DDR4 memory and ECC. The E5-4650 v3 offers more PCIe lanes (40) compared to the E-2174G's 16 lanes, both using Gen 3. The E-2174G includes integrated graphics in the form of HD Graphics P630, while the E5-4650 v3 has no integrated graphics.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 wins in every benchmark category. There is no workload in which the E-2174G emerges as the victor. This is notable because the E-2174G has a significant clock speed advantage, with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz compared to the E5-4650 v3's 2.80 GHz.

The E5-4650 v3's wins are consistent, with a delta of approximately -12.2% to -13% against the E-2174G in all Cinebench tests. This suggests that the E5-4650 v3's extra cores and threads, combined with its larger cache and higher memory bandwidth, offset the E-2174G's clock speed advantage in both multi-core and single-core workloads.

The E-2174G's closest rivals in the database include the Intel Xeon E5-4620 v3, which matches its average score of 2588, and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE, which is 0.3% behind. The E5-4650 v3's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-9750HF, which is 0.1% behind, and the Intel Core i7-9700T, which is 0.1% ahead.

For users, this means the E5-4650 v3 is the better option for any compute-intensive task, including rendering, simulation, and server workloads. The E-2174G, despite its higher clocks, does not provide a competitive advantage in the tests recorded. Its role may be limited to applications where its integrated graphics or lower TDP are essential, but from a pure performance standpoint, the E5-4650 v3 dominates.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2174G has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the performance difference in multi-core workloads?

A: The E5-4650 v3 leads by 12.2% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests. For example, in Cinebench R23, the E5-4650 v3 scores 9212 compared to the E-2174G's 8091.

Q: Does the E-2174G win in any single-core test?

A: No. The E5-4650 v3 wins all single-core tests, leading by 13% in Cinebench R15 single-core (131 vs 114) and by 12.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1300 vs 1142).

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The E5-4650 v3 has a quad-channel memory bus with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth, while the E-2174G has a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has a smaller manufacturing process?

A: The E-2174G uses a 14 nm process, while the E5-4650 v3 uses a 22 nm process. The E-2174G also has a smaller die size at 126 mm² compared to 356 mm² for the E5-4650 v3.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The E-2174G has a TDP of 71 watts, and the E5-4650 v3 has a TDP of 105 watts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is remarkably consistent. Across all six recorded Cinebench benchmarks, the Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 wins every time, with deltas ranging from -12.2% to -13%. There are no wins for the E-2174G.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the E5-4650 v3 scores 928 against the E-2174G's 815, a 12.2% advantage. The single-core test in R15 shows the E5-4650 v3 at 131 versus 114, a 13% lead. This pattern continues in Cinebench R20: the multi-core score is 3869 for the E5-4650 v3 and 3398 for the E-2174G, again a 12.2% difference. The R20 single-core test shows 546 against 479, a 12.3% gap.

Cinebench R23 results follow the same trend. The multi-core score for the E5-4650 v3 is 9212, while the E-2174G scores 8091, a 12.2% difference. In the R23 single-core test, the E5-4650 v3 scores 1300, and the E-2174G scores 1142, also a 12.2% gap.

The consistency of these deltas is striking. The E5-4650 v3's advantage does not shrink in single-core tests, despite the E-2174G's higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz versus 2.80 GHz. This suggests that architectural efficiency, cache size, and memory bandwidth play a larger role in these benchmarks than raw clock speed alone.

The average benchmark score for the E-2174G is 2588, placing it at the 49th percentile of all CPUs. The E5-4650 v3 has an average score of 2664, at the 50th percentile. This small overall difference is amplified in the Cinebench suite, where the E5-4650 v3's lead is consistent.

In the database, the E-2174G's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E5-4620 v3, with a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is 0.6% ahead, and the Intel Core i7-8850H is 0.6% behind. For the E5-4650 v3, the Intel Core i7-9750HF is 0.1% behind, and the Intel Core i7-9700T is 0.1% ahead. These rivalries show that both processors sit in a competitive performance band, but the E5-4650 v3 consistently outperforms the E-2174G in direct comparison.