CPU Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2334 and Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 are two server-class processors from different eras of Intel’s Xeon lineup. The E-2334 is a 4-core, 8-thread part built on Rocket Lake-E, while the E5-1650 v4 is a 6-core, 12-thread Broadwell-EP chip. Despite the E5-1650 v4’s higher core count, benchmark results show the newer E-2334 consistently outperforming it across all tested Cinebench workloads. This head-to-head analysis examines the performance deltas, architectural differences, and use-case implications based strictly on the provided data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clean sweep for the Intel Xeon E-2334, which wins all six head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4. The smallest margin comes in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the E-2334 scores 1041 versus 966 for the E5-1650 v4, a 7.8% advantage. Single-core performance in the same test shows a similar gap, with the E-2334 posting 146 points against 136, a 7.4% lead. These are the only two deltas below 7.7%, meaning the newer processor’s edge is consistent but not overwhelming in raw percentage terms.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the E-2334 extends its lead slightly. In multicore, it scores 4339 against 4028 for the E5-1650 v4, a 7.7% difference. Single-core results are identical in margin: 612 versus 568, again 7.7%. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23, where the E-2334 achieves 10333 in multicore and 1458 in single-core, while the E5-1650 v4 manages 9592 and 1354 respectively. Both R23 deltas are exactly 7.7%. This uniformity suggests the performance gap is driven by per-core efficiency improvements rather than workload-specific scaling.

The average benchmark score reflects this overall parity, with the E-2334 at 2988 and the E5-1650 v4 at 2978, a negligible 0.3% difference. However, this average is skewed by the E5-1650 v4’s additional Geekbench results, which are not part of the head-to-head set. In the six directly compared tests, the E-2334 wins every time, and the deltas are remarkably stable between 7.4% and 7.8%. The E5-1650 v4’s higher core count (6 versus 4) does not translate into a multicore win, indicating that the E-2334’s newer architecture and higher boost clock compensate for fewer physical cores.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E-2334 wins every benchmark category in the head-to-head comparison, making it the clear choice for raw Cinebench performance. Its single-core dominance, with scores of 146, 612, and 1458 across R15, R20, and R23 respectively, points to strengths in lightly threaded workloads such as legacy applications, database queries, or real-time processing where clock speed matters more than core count. The 4.80 GHz boost clock on the E-2334, compared to 4.00 GHz on the E5-1650 v4, is the likely driver of these single-threaded wins. Multicore performance is also superior, with the E-2334’s 10333 R23 score beating the E5-1650 v4’s 9592 by 7.7%, despite the latter having 50% more cores. This suggests the E-2334 is better suited for tasks that are latency-sensitive or where per-thread efficiency is critical.

The Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4, despite losing all head-to-head matchups, retains advantages in areas not covered by these Cinebench tests. It offers more cores and threads (6/12 versus 4/8), which could benefit workloads that scale perfectly with core count, even if Cinebench does not show that benefit. Its quad-channel memory bus provides 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth, versus 51.2 GB/s for the E-2334’s dual-channel setup, making it potentially stronger for memory-bandwidth-intensive tasks like large data analytics or virtualized environments. The E5-1650 v4 also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 40 lanes, while the E-2334 has PCIe Gen 4 with only 20 lanes; the older chip offers more total I/O lanes, which could be advantageous for systems with many expansion cards or NVMe drives. However, the E5-1650 v4 is marked as end-of-life, while the E-2334 is active production, which affects long-term availability and software optimization priorities.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct architectural generations from Intel. The Intel Xeon E-2334 uses the Rocket Lake-E architecture, built on a 14 nm process node with a die size of 276 mm². The Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 uses the Broadwell-EP architecture, also on a 14 nm node, but with a smaller die size of 246 mm² and a transistor count of 3,400 million. Both use the same process node, but Rocket Lake is a newer microarchitecture with significant IPC improvements over Broadwell, which explains the E-2334’s per-core performance advantage despite fewer cores.

Cache configurations differ notably. The E-2334 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 8 MB L3 cache. The E5-1650 v4 has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but a much larger shared 15 MB L3 cache. The larger L3 on the E5-1650 v4 could help with larger working sets, but the smaller per-core L1 and L2 caches may hurt single-threaded performance, which the benchmark results confirm. The E-2334’s smaller total cache (8 MB versus 15 MB) is offset by faster access times and higher per-core bandwidth.

Memory controllers also diverge. The E-2334 supports dual-channel DDR4 with a maximum bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the E5-1650 v4 supports quad-channel DDR4 with 76.8 GB/s. Both support ECC memory, which is critical for server reliability. The PCIe capabilities differ: the E-2334 offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the E5-1650 v4 has PCIe Gen 3 with 40 lanes. Gen 4 doubles per-lane bandwidth, but the E5-1650 v4 provides double the lane count, making it more suitable for high-density I/O configurations. The sockets are incompatible: the E-2334 uses Intel Socket 1200, while the E5-1650 v4 uses Intel Socket 2011-3.

Thermal and power characteristics are starkly different. The E-2334 has a TDP of 65 watts, while the E5-1650 v4 has a TDP of 140 watts, more than double. This makes the E-2334 far more power-efficient per unit of performance, which is a significant advantage in dense server deployments. The E-2334’s launch MSRP is $250, while the E5-1650 v4 launched at $621, but pricing comparisons are not part of this analysis. The E-2334 was released in 2021, while the E5-1650 v4 came out in 2016, a five-year gap that explains the architectural improvements. The E-2334 is still in active production, whereas the E5-1650 v4 is end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2334 scores 1458 in Cinebench R23 single-core, versus 1354 for the Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4, a 7.7% advantage for the E-2334.

Q: How do the multicore scores compare in Cinebench R20?

A: The E-2334 scores 4339 in Cinebench R20 multicore, while the E5-1650 v4 scores 4028, giving the E-2334 a 7.7% lead despite having 4 cores versus 6 cores.

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

A: The E-2334 supports dual-channel DDR4 with a maximum bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the E5-1650 v4 supports quad-channel DDR4 with 76.8 GB/s, making the E5-1650 v4 faster in this specific metric.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No. The Intel Xeon E-2334 is marked as active production, while the Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 is marked as end-of-life.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The E-2334 has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, which is higher than the E5-1650 v4’s 4.00 GHz. This contributes to the E-2334’s single-core performance wins.

Q: How many PCIe lanes does each processor provide?

A: The E-2334 provides 20 lanes of PCIe Gen 4, while the E5-1650 v4 provides 40 lanes of PCIe Gen 3. The E5-1650 v4 offers more total lanes, but the E-2334’s lanes are newer generation.

Specification Differences

The following table lists only the fields where the two processors differ, based on the supplied data:

| Field | Intel Xeon E-2334 | Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.80 GHz | 4.00 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 140 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | Intel Socket 2011-3 |

| Architecture | Rocket Lake | Broadwell |

| Codename | Rocket Lake-E | Broadwell-EP |

| Generation | Xeon E (Rocket Lake-E) | Xeon E5 (Broadwell-EP) |

| Transistors | Not specified | 3,400 million |

| Die Size | 276 mm² | 246 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 15 MB (shared) |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 76.8 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 40 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2021-09-07 | 2016-06-19 |

| Launch MSRP | $250 | $621 |

| Part Number | SRKN6 | SR2P7 |

| Geekbench Multicore | Not specified | 6060 |

| Geekbench Singlecore | Not specified | 1122 |