CPU Comparison

# Intel Xeon E-2226GE vs Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6

The Intel Xeon E-2226GE and Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6 are two server/workstation processors that, despite being separated by two years of release dates, land remarkably close in overall benchmark performance. The E-2226GE, released in 2019, carries a 48th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the E3-1285 v6, released in 2017, also sits at the 48th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 2365 and 2348 respectively, a gap of just 0.7%. The E-2226GE wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, but the margins are consistently narrow, ranging from 0.6% to 0.9%. This is not a generational leap; it is a subtle repositioning of cores, threads, and clocks within the same Intel Socket 1151 platform.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but modest preference for the Intel Xeon E-2226GE. It wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, from Cinebench R15 multicore (824 vs 818) to Cinebench R23 singlecore (1154 vs 1146). The largest single victory is in Cinebench R15 singlecore, where the E-2226GE leads by 0.9%. Multicore margins are consistent at 0.7% across R15, R20, and R23, while R20 singlecore shows the smallest gap at 0.6%.

For workloads that scale with physical cores, the E-2226GE's 6-core, 6-thread configuration provides a structural advantage over the E3-1285 v6's 4-core, 8-thread design. The E-2226GE also boosts higher, reaching 4.60 GHz versus 4.50 GHz on the E3-1285 v6. Yet the E3-1285 v6 counters with a higher base clock of 4.10 GHz versus 3.40 GHz, which partially explains why the single-core scores stay so close.

The E3-1285 v6 is not without merit. Its 8 threads give it a different scheduling profile, and its 79 W TDP is nearly identical to the E-2226GE's 80 W. Users with existing Socket 1151 platforms from the Kaby Lake era might find the E3-1285 v6 a straightforward drop-in, but the benchmark data shows the E-2226GE as the faster part in every measured scenario. For anyone choosing between these two solely on performance, the E-2226GE wins unanimously, but the margins are so thin that real-world differences will be imperceptible in most applications.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel's 14 nm process node, but they hail from different architectural families. The E-2226GE uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-S WS codename, belonging to the Xeon E-2200 series. The E3-1285 v6 is based on Kaby Lake, with the Kaby Lake-DT codename, from the Xeon E3 family. Both use the same Intel Socket 1151, which means physical compatibility is shared, but the underlying designs differ in core organization.

The most significant architectural split is in core and thread counts. The E-2226GE offers 6 physical cores and 6 threads, meaning no hyper-threading is enabled. The E3-1285 v6 offers 4 physical cores but 8 threads, indicating hyper-threading is active. This creates an interesting dynamic: the E-2226GE has 50% more physical cores, while the E3-1285 v6 has 33% more threads than physical cores. In multi-threaded workloads that don't scale perfectly with core count, the E3-1285 v6's hyper-threading can compensate for its fewer physical cores.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The E-2226GE provides 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the E3-1285 v6 offers 8 MB. Per-core L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB respectively. The larger L3 on the E-2226GE gives it an advantage in workloads with repeated data access patterns. Die size is similar, 154 mm² for the E-2226GE versus 160 mm² for the E3-1285 v6, but the transistor count is only listed for the E3-1285 v6 at 1,400 million.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The E-2226GE ships with UHD Graphics P630, while the E3-1285 v6 carries HD Graphics P630. Both support DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration, and both support ECC memory. The E-2226GE lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the E3-1285 v6 does not specify a bandwidth figure. PCIe support is identical: Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Where Each One Wins

The E-2226GE wins every benchmark in this comparison, so its advantages are universal across the tested Cinebench workloads. The largest margin, 0.9% in Cinebench R15 singlecore, suggests that its higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz provides a slight edge in lightly-threaded tasks. The consistent 0.7% multicore advantage across R15, R20, and R23 indicates that the 6-core design scales better than the 4-core/8-thread configuration of the E3-1285 v6, even when hyper-threading is factored in.

The E3-1285 v6's strengths are not visible in the benchmark scores, but they exist in the specification sheet. Its higher base clock of 4.10 GHz means that under sustained all-core loads without boost, it will run faster than the E-2226GE's 3.40 GHz base. This could matter in thermally constrained environments where boost clocks cannot be maintained. Additionally, its 8 threads provide a different scheduling landscape for operating systems that favor thread count over physical core count.

For users running software that is licensed per core, the E3-1285 v6's 4-core design could be more economical, though pricing is not part of this analysis. The E3-1285 v6 also has a slight edge in TDP at 79 W versus 80 W, a negligible difference in practice but technically the lower figure.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2226GE has 6 cores, while the Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6 has 4 cores. The E-2226GE also has 6 threads, matching its core count, whereas the E3-1285 v6 has 8 threads from its 4 cores.

Q: Is the E-2226GE significantly faster than the E3-1285 v6?

A: No. The E-2226GE wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, but the margins are narrow. The largest win is 0.9% in Cinebench R15 singlecore, and the smallest is 0.6% in Cinebench R20 singlecore. The average benchmark scores differ by only 0.7%.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E-2226GE and the Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6 support ECC memory. Both also use DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard socket?

A: Yes, both use Intel Socket 1151. They also share the same PCIe configuration: Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2226GE has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively.

Q: What are the integrated graphics on each processor?

A: The E-2226GE uses UHD Graphics P630, while the E3-1285 v6 uses HD Graphics P630. Both are integrated graphics solutions from Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably uniform. Across six Cinebench tests, the E-2226GE wins by margins that cluster tightly between 0.6% and 0.9%. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the E-2226GE scores 824 against 818 for the E3-1285 v6, a 0.7% advantage. The R15 singlecore test shows a 116 to 115 result, yielding the largest margin of 0.9%.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore test produces 3434 for the E-2226GE and 3409 for the E3-1285 v6, again 0.7%. The R20 singlecore test shows 484 versus 481, a 0.6% difference. Cinebench R23 multicore follows the same pattern: 8177 against 8119, a 0.7% edge. The R23 singlecore test rounds out the set with 1154 versus 1146, another 0.7%.

The uniformity of these results is striking. It suggests that the performance gap between these two processors is consistent across different Cinebench versions and workload types. The 6-core E-2226GE does not pull away in multicore tests as one might expect from a 50% core advantage; instead, the E3-1285 v6's hyper-threading and higher base clock keep it within striking distance. The E-2226GE's 4.60 GHz boost clock gives it a slight but consistent edge in single-core tests, but the E3-1285 v6's 4.10 GHz base clock means it starts from a higher floor.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. Core count is the most obvious: 6 for the E-2226GE versus 4 for the E3-1285 v6. Threads follow a different pattern, 6 for the E-2226GE and 8 for the E3-1285 v6, reflecting the E3-1285 v6's hyper-threading capability. Base clocks differ substantially: the E-2226GE runs at 3.40 GHz, while the E3-1285 v6 runs at 4.10 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with the E-2226GE at 4.60 GHz and the E3-1285 v6 at 4.50 GHz.

TDP values are nearly identical at 80 W for the E-2226GE and 79 W for the E3-1285 v6. The architecture field separates them as Coffee Lake versus Kaby Lake, with codenames Coffee Lake-S WS and Kaby Lake-DT respectively. The E-2226GE belongs to the Xeon E-2200 series, while the E3-1285 v6's series is not specified. L3 cache differs at 12 MB for the E-2226GE and 8 MB for the E3-1285 v6.

The E-2226GE lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the E3-1285 v6 does not provide this figure. Transistor count is only specified for the E3-1285 v6 at 1,400 million. Die size is 154 mm² for the E-2226GE and 160 mm² for the E3-1285 v6. Integrated graphics differ: UHD Graphics P630 on the E-2226GE versus HD Graphics P630 on the E3-1285 v6. Release dates also differ, with the E-2226GE launching in 2019 and the E3-1285 v6 in 2017. The E-2226GE has a launch MSRP of $286, while the E3-1285 v6 has no listed launch MSRP. Production status shows the E-2226GE as end-of-life, while the E3-1285 v6's status is not specified. Part numbers are SRGQW for the E-2226GE and SR373 for the E3-1285 v6.