CPU Comparison

The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 and Intel Xeon E-2186G represent two different eras of Intel’s professional processor lineup, with the former being a Broadwell-EP part for the high-end desktop platform and the latter a Coffee Lake-S based workstation chip. Benchmark data shows a consistent, if narrow, performance advantage for the older, larger E5-1680 v4 across all tested Cinebench workloads, despite the E-2186G’s higher clock speeds and newer architecture. The two processors are closely matched in overall average benchmark scores, with the E5-1680 v4 sitting at 3494 and the E-2186G at 3462, placing them within 0.9% of each other in aggregate performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the uniformity of the E5-1680 v4’s victories. Across six Cinebench tests, it wins every single one, with the margin locked at either 5.1% or 4.9%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the E5-1680 v4 scores 1217 against the E-2186G’s 1158, a 5.1% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 171 versus 163, a 4.9% advantage. This pattern repeats exactly in Cinebench R20, where the multi-core score is 5073 for the E5-1680 v4 versus 4826 for the E-2186G (5.1%), and the single-core score is 716 versus 681 (also 5.1%).

Moving to Cinebench R23, the results are consistent with the older tests. The E5-1680 v4 posts 12080 in multi-core, while the E-2186G manages 11492, again a 5.1% delta. In single-core R23, the scores are 1705 and 1622, respectively, maintaining that same 5.1% gap. The fact that the delta is nearly identical across every generation of the Cinebench test suggests the performance difference is structural rather than workload-specific. The E5-1680 v4 wins all six head-to-head matchups, with zero wins for the E-2186G.

However, the aggregate average benchmark score paints a slightly different picture. The E5-1680 v4 has an average score of 3494, while the E-2186G is at 3462. This gap is smaller than the Cinebench deltas suggest, partly because the E-2186G has additional Geekbench results in its profile that are not available for the E5-1680 v4. In Geekbench, the E-2186G scores 6204 multi-core and 1550 single-core, which helps pull its average up. The E5-1680 v4’s nearest rival, the Intel Xeon E-2246G, has an average score of 3492 (0.1% behind), while the E-2186G’s closest competitor, the Intel Core i7-9700F, sits at 3464 (0% delta).

Where Each One Wins

The E5-1680 v4 wins decisively in all multi-threaded Cinebench workloads, which is expected given its 8 cores and 16 threads versus the E-2186G’s 6 cores and 12 threads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 588-point gap (12080 vs 11492) represents the largest absolute difference in the dataset, and the 5.1% margin is consistent with the extra two physical cores providing a proportional throughput advantage. For workloads that scale with core count, rendering, video encoding, or simulation, the E5-1680 v4 is the clear choice. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache also gives it an edge in data-heavy multi-threaded tasks.

The E-2186G’s wins are more subtle and are not reflected in the head-to-head Cinebench results, where it loses every test. However, its higher base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz, compared to 3.40 GHz and 4.00 GHz for the E5-1680 v4, suggest it would be competitive in lightly threaded tasks that rely on raw clock speed. The fact that it loses single-core Cinebench by only 4.9% despite having a 17.5% higher boost clock indicates that the E5-1680 v4’s older Broadwell architecture is more efficient per clock in this specific workload, or that the E-2186G’s thermal headroom is limited by its 95 W TDP. The E-2186G also includes integrated HD Graphics P630, which the E5-1680 v4 lacks entirely, making it a more practical choice for systems that need basic display output without a discrete GPU.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural families and are built for different sockets. The E5-1680 v4 uses the Broadwell-EP architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 14 nm process, with a die size of 246 mm² and 3,400 million transistors. It fits into the Intel Socket 2011-3 platform and is part of the Xeon E5 (Broadwell-EP) generation. In contrast, the E-2186G uses the Coffee Lake architecture, also on 14 nm, but with a much smaller die size of 154 mm² and no transistor count listed. It uses the Intel Socket 1151 and belongs to the Xeon E (Coffee Lake) generation.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. Both have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the E5-1680 v4 has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the E-2186G has only 12 MB. This 8 MB difference can matter in workloads with large working sets. The E5-1680 v4 also supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, whereas the E-2186G is limited to dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This gives the E5-1680 v4 a massive 79.8% advantage in raw memory bandwidth, which is critical for server-class workloads.

PCIe connectivity is another major split. The E5-1680 v4 offers 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the E-2186G offers 16 lanes. This makes the E5-1680 v4 far more suitable for multi-GPU configurations or high-speed storage arrays. The E-2186G compensates with an integrated GPU, a feature absent from the E5-1680 v4. Both support ECC memory, which is standard for the Xeon brand, but the E5-1680 v4’s quad-channel controller is a clear architectural advantage for memory-bound applications.

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is core count: the E5-1680 v4 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the E-2186G has 6 cores and 12 threads. Clock speeds favor the E-2186G, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz versus 3.40 GHz and 4.00 GHz for the E5-1680 v4. TDP is also very different: the E5-1680 v4 draws 140 W, while the E-2186G is rated at 95 W. This makes the E-2186G easier to cool and more efficient per watt, though the E5-1680 v4’s higher power budget enables its additional cores.

Memory channels differ, with the E5-1680 v4 supporting quad-channel and the E-2186G dual-channel. This leads to the large bandwidth gap noted earlier: 76.8 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. Sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 2011-3 for the E5-1680 v4 and Intel Socket 1151 for the E-2186G. The E-2186G includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics P630), while the E5-1680 v4 has none. PCIe lanes also differ, 40 versus 16. The E5-1680 v4 has a larger die (246 mm² vs 154 mm²) and more transistors (3,400 million vs no listed count). Release dates are two years apart: the E5-1680 v4 launched on 2016-06-19, and the E-2186G on 2018-05-30. Both are end-of-life and have locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2186G has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the performance gap in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The E5-1680 v4 scores 12080, while the E-2186G scores 11492, giving the E5-1680 v4 a 5.1% lead.

Q: Does the E-2186G have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the E-2186G includes HD Graphics P630, while the E5-1680 v4 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The E5-1680 v4 supports quad-channel memory with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the E-2186G supports dual-channel memory with 42.7 GB/s.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No, both have locked multipliers, so neither is designed for overclocking.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The E-2186G has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, compared to 4.00 GHz for the E5-1680 v4, but it still loses in single-core Cinebench tests.