CPU Comparison

The benchmark data presents an unexpected outcome: the older, 12-core Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 (Haswell) consistently edges out the newer, 8-core Intel Xeon E-2278GE (Coffee Lake) in every single Cinebench test, though by razor-thin margins of only 0.5%. While the E-2278GE offers a significantly higher boost clock, the E5-2669 v3’s additional four cores and larger 30 MB L3 cache compensate fully in these workloads, making it the nominal performance leader. However, the real-world difference is negligible, and the choice between them should be dictated by platform needs, memory bandwidth requirements, and the presence of integrated graphics, rather than raw compute scores.

The Verdict

For pure multi-threaded and single-threaded Cinebench performance, the data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, from Cinebench R15 to R23, each by a 0.5% margin. This is a statistical tie in practice, but the E5-2669 v3 is the definitive winner on paper. Choose the E5-2669 v3 if your primary concern is maximum core count (12 vs 8), larger shared cache (30 MB vs 16 MB), and quad-channel memory bandwidth (68.3 GB/s vs 42.7 GB/s), which can be critical for memory-intensive server workloads. Choose the Intel Xeon E-2278GE if you need a lower TDP (80 W vs 120 W), a much higher boost clock (4.70 GHz vs 3.10 GHz) for lightly-threaded tasks, or require integrated graphics (UHD Graphics P630) to avoid a discrete GPU. The E-2278GE also supports only DDR4, while the E5-2669 v3 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, offering more flexibility in legacy systems. The E-2278GE carries a launch MSRP of $519, whereas the E5-2669 v3 has no listed launch price. Ultimately, the E5-2669 v3 is the higher-performing part in this benchmark suite, but the E-2278GE is the more modern, efficient, and feature-rich option for specific use cases.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct design eras from Intel. The E5-2669 v3 is built on the 22 nm Haswell-EP architecture, with a massive die size of 356 mm² and 2,600 million transistors. In contrast, the E-2278GE uses the 14 nm Coffee Lake architecture, with a much smaller die size of 180 mm² and no transistor count listed. The E5-2669 v3 employs a 12-core, 24-thread configuration on the Intel Socket 2011-3 platform, while the E-2278GE is an 8-core, 16-thread part on the Intel Socket 1151. Cache layouts differ significantly: both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but the E5-2669 v3 features 30 MB of shared L3 cache, nearly double the E-2278GE’s 16 MB. Memory support is a key divergence, the E5-2669 v3 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 over a quad-channel bus, whereas the E-2278GE supports only DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, resulting in a memory bandwidth gap of 68.3 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. PCIe lane allocation also differs: the E5-2669 v3 provides 40 Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the E-2278GE offers only 16 Gen 3 lanes (CPU only). The E-2278GE includes integrated UHD Graphics P630, a feature entirely absent from the E5-2669 v3. Both support ECC memory, and both are end-of-life products with locked multipliers.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark results, the E5-2669 v3 wins every single workload tested, but the margins are so small that the wins are more nominal than practical. The E5-2669 v3’s victories come from its core and cache advantage: 12 cores versus 8, and 30 MB L3 versus 16 MB, which helps in fully-threaded rendering tasks like Cinebench R23 multi-core (13,690 vs 13,619). The E-2278GE, despite losing, holds its own due to its superior clock speeds: a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost of 4.70 GHz, versus the E5-2669 v3’s 2.30 GHz base and 3.10 GHz boost. In single-core tests, the E-2278GE trails by only 0.5% (e.g., 811 vs 807 in R20 single-core), suggesting that its higher frequency nearly offsets the architectural age. For real-world use, the E-2278GE wins on platform efficiency: its 80 W TDP is 33% lower than the E5-2669 v3’s 120 W, and it supports integrated graphics, making it suitable for compact workstations without a dedicated GPU. The E5-2669 v3 wins on memory bandwidth and expansion: its quad-channel bus and 40 PCIe lanes are superior for server-grade I/O. The E-2278GE also has a documented release date of June 2019, while the E5-2669 v3’s release date is not provided, indicating a newer platform.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 scores 13,690, which is 0.5% higher than the Intel Xeon E-2278GE’s 13,619.

Q: Does the E-2278GE have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Xeon E-2278GE includes integrated UHD Graphics P630, while the E5-2669 v3 has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The E5-2669 v3 supports quad-channel memory with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth, while the E-2278GE uses dual-channel memory with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, a difference of 25.6 GB/s.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The E5-2669 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads, compared to the E-2278GE’s 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Are both CPUs end-of-life products?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 and the Intel Xeon E-2278GE are listed as end-of-life in production status.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The E5-2669 v3 has a TDP of 120 W, while the E-2278GE has a TDP of 80 W.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 across all six Cinebench tests, but every victory is by a marginal 0.5% delta. In Cinebench R15, the E5-2669 v3 scores 1,379 in multi-core and 194 in single-core, versus 1,372 and 193 for the E-2278GE. Moving to Cinebench R20, the E5-2669 v3 posts 5,749 multi-core and 811 single-core, while the E-2278GE records 5,719 and 807. The largest absolute gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core: 13,690 for the E5-2669 v3 against 13,619 for the E-2278GE, a difference of 71 points. In single-core R23, the scores are 1,932 versus 1,922. These results indicate that the E5-2669 v3’s extra four cores and 14 MB of additional L3 cache provide a consistent, albeit small, advantage over the E-2278GE’s higher clock speed. The E-2278GE’s boost clock of 4.70 GHz is 1.60 GHz higher than the E5-2669 v3’s 3.10 GHz, yet it cannot overcome the core deficit in these multi-threaded benchmarks. Notably, the E5-2669 v3 wins the single-core tests too, by the same 0.5% margin, suggesting that its Haswell architecture is at parity with Coffee Lake in this specific workload. The average benchmark scores mirror this: the E5-2669 v3 has an average of 3,959, while the E-2278GE averages 3,939, a 20-point difference that places both in the 57th percentile of all CPUs. In the nearest rivals list, the E5-2669 v3 sits between the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U (3,958, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i7-6900K (3,970, -0.3% delta), while the E-2278GE trails the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS (3,924, 0.4% delta) and matches the E5-2669 v3 at -0.5% delta in its own rival list.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 | Intel Xeon E-2278GE |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 12 | 8 |

| Threads | 24 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 2.30 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.10 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 120 W | 80 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 2011-3 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Coffee Lake |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 356 mm² | 180 mm² |

| Transistors | 2,600 million | Not listed |

| L3 Cache | 30 MB (shared) | 16 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 68.3 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 3, 40 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | None | UHD Graphics P630 |

| Release Date | Not listed | 2019-06-10 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $519 |

| Part Number | SR1XU | SRGDY |