Intel Xeon E-2314 vs Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 leads with an average benchmark score of 1947, compared to 1911 for the Intel Xeon E-2314. That is a roughly 1.9% advantage for the older chip.

Q: How do these processors compare in multi-core rendering performance?

A: The Xeon E3-1230 v5 wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. In R15 multi-core it scores 678 against 666, in R20 multi-core it scores 2827 against 2775, and in R23 multi-core it scores 6733 against 6609. The delta in each case is between 1.8% and 1.9%.

Q: Is one processor significantly better in single-core workloads?

A: The Xeon E3-1230 v5 has a small but consistent edge. It wins R15 single-core 95 to 93, R20 single-core 399 to 391, and R23 single-core 950 to 933. The largest single-core delta is 2.2% in R15.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2314 has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, which is considerably higher than the 3.80 GHz boost clock of the Xeon E3-1230 v5. Despite this, the E3-1230 v5 still wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 and the Intel Xeon E-2314 support ECC memory. Both are classified in the server/workstation market segment.

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

A: The Xeon E-2314 supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Xeon E3-1230 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The newer processor offers a 50% higher theoretical memory bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations despite sharing the same 14 nm process node from Intel. The Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 is built on the Skylake-DT architecture, part of the Xeon E3 (Skylake-DT) generation, while the Intel Xeon E-2314 is based on the Rocket Lake-E architecture, belonging to the Xeon E-2300 series. Both are manufactured by Intel on the same 14 nm node, but the silicon itself differs significantly.

The most apparent architectural split is in threading. The Xeon E3-1230 v5 is a quad-core processor with 8 threads, meaning it supports Hyper-Threading. The Xeon E-2314 is also a quad-core part but has only 4 threads, lacking simultaneous multithreading. This directly affects multi-threaded throughput and explains part of the benchmark differences.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The Xeon E3-1230 v5 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Xeon E-2314 has larger per-core caches: 80 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, with the same 8 MB of shared L3. The die size reflects this difference: the E3-1230 v5 has a die size of 122 mm² with 1,750 million transistors, while the E-2314 has a much larger die of 276 mm² (transistor count is not recorded in the database).

Platform support diverges as well. The Xeon E3-1230 v5 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the Xeon E-2314 uses Intel Socket 1200. PCIe capabilities differ: the older chip offers Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, whereas the newer chip provides Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. Memory support is another split: the E3-1230 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the E-2314 supports only DDR4.

Clock behavior is notably different. The Xeon E3-1230 v5 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, a modest boost range. The Xeon E-2314 starts at a lower 2.80 GHz base but boosts aggressively to 4.50 GHz. This 1.70 GHz boost range is far larger than the 0.40 GHz range of the older part.

Where Each One Wins

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. Out of six recorded tests, the E3-1230 v5 takes all six wins, with deltas ranging from 1.8% to 2.2%. There is no workload category in the recorded data where the Xeon E-2314 comes out ahead.

The largest margin for the older processor appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it leads by 2.2%. The smallest margins are 1.8% in R15 multi-core and R23 single-core. The multi-core tests show consistent 1.8% to 1.9% advantages for the E3-1230 v5, which aligns with its extra threads.

For users expecting the newer Rocket Lake part to dominate due to its higher boost clock and larger caches, the recorded results tell a different story. The Xeon E3-1230 v5's 8 threads versus 4 threads appear to compensate for the E-2314's clock speed advantage. In single-core tests, the E3-1230 v5 still edges ahead despite the E-2314's 0.70 GHz higher boost clock, suggesting the older Skylake core holds its own in lightly threaded tasks.

The Xeon E-2314 does have advantages outside of raw Cinebench scores: it supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes versus Gen 3 with 16 lanes, offers higher memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s, and consumes less power with a 65 W TDP versus 80 W. However, in the benchmark tests recorded in the database, those advantages do not translate into performance wins.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Threads: Xeon E3-1230 v5 has 8 threads; Xeon E-2314 has 4 threads.
• Base Clock: 3.40 GHz on the E3-1230 v5; 2.80 GHz on the E-2314.
• Boost Clock: 3.80 GHz on the E3-1230 v5; 4.50 GHz on the E-2314.
• TDP: 80 W for the E3-1230 v5; 65 W for the E-2314.
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 for the E3-1230 v5; Intel Socket 1200 for the E-2314.
• Architecture: Skylake-DT for the E3-1230 v5; Rocket Lake-E for the E-2314.
• Process Node: Both are 14 nm, but the die sizes differ: 122 mm² for the E3-1230 v5; 276 mm² for the E-2314.
• Transistors: 1,750 million for the E3-1230 v5; not recorded for the E-2314.
• L1 Cache: 64 KB per core for the E3-1230 v5; 80 KB per core for the E-2314.
• L2 Cache: 256 KB per core for the E3-1230 v5; 512 KB per core for the E-2314.
• Memory Support: DDR3 and DDR4 for the E3-1230 v5; only DDR4 for the E-2314.
• Memory Bandwidth: 34.1 GB/s for the E3-1230 v5; 51.2 GB/s for the E-2314.
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 lanes for the E3-1230 v5; Gen 4, 20 lanes for the E-2314.
• Release Date: 2015-10-18 for the E3-1230 v5; 2021-09-07 for the E-2314.
• Launch MSRP: The E3-1230 v5 launched at $261; the E-2314 launched at $182.
• Production Status: E3-1230 v5 is end-of-life; E-2314 is active.
• Part Number: SR2LE for the E3-1230 v5; SRKN8 for the E-2314.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table shows a clean sweep for the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the E3-1230 v5 scores 678 against 666 for the E-2314, a 1.8% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a score of 95 versus 93, with the largest delta of the entire comparison at 2.2%.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core test has the E3-1230 v5 at 2827 and the E-2314 at 2775, a 1.9% difference. The single-core R20 result is 399 versus 391, a 2.0% margin. These margins are consistent across generations of the Cinebench suite.

In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 6733 for the E3-1230 v5 and 6609 for the E-2314, another 1.9% gap. The single-core R23 result is 950 versus 933, a 1.8% difference. Across all six tests, the average delta is just under 2%, with the E3-1230 v5 never dipping below a 1.8% advantage.

The most striking aspect is that the E-2314, despite having a 0.70 GHz higher boost clock and larger L1 and L2 caches, cannot overtake the older part in any recorded test. The E3-1230 v5's advantage in threading (8 threads versus 4) likely explains the multi-core results, but the single-core wins are more surprising given the clock deficit. The data suggests that the Skylake core's higher base clock (3.40 GHz versus 2.80 GHz) may help in short single-threaded bursts, even if the E-2314 has a higher peak boost.

In terms of overall standing, the E3-1230 v5 sits at the 44th percentile of all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 1947. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-1035G7 (1948, 0.1% ahead), the Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5 (1945, 0.1% behind), and the Intel Core i7-8709G (1950, 0.2% ahead). The E-2314 sits at the 43rd percentile with an average score of 1911, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E3-1575M v5 (1910, 0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2400GE (1910, 0% delta), and the Intel Xeon E3-1285 v4 (1908, 0.2% behind).

The Verdict

The benchmark data is decisive: the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 is the faster processor in every recorded test. It wins all six Cinebench comparisons with margins between 1.8% and 2.2%, despite being from an older architecture, having a lower boost clock, and supporting less capable memory and PCIe standards. The extra four threads (8 versus 4) give it a clear multi-core advantage, and even in single-core tests it manages to outperform the E-2314 despite the newer chip's 4.50 GHz boost clock.

For users who prioritize raw Cinebench rendering performance, the Xeon E3-1230 v5 is the better choice. It also carries a higher launch MSRP of $261 compared to $182 for the E-2314, which reflects its original positioning. The E-2314, however, is not without merit: it has a lower 65 W TDP, supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, offers 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth versus 34.1 GB/s, and is still in active production. It also has a larger die size of 276 mm² and larger per-core caches.

The choice depends on the workload. If the task is heavily threaded and the software scales with core count, the E3-1230 v5's 8 threads win out. If the system relies on newer platform features like PCIe Gen 4, or if power consumption is a primary concern, the E-2314 offers a modern feature set. But for pure CPU compute performance as measured by Cinebench, the older Xeon E3-1230 v5 remains ahead in every single test. The E-2314 is the more efficient and modern platform, but the E3-1230 v5 is the performance leader in this comparison.