Intel Xeon E-2356G vs Intel Xeon W-1290E Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents an unusually clear-cut picture: the Intel Xeon W-1290E wins all six head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Xeon E-2356G. There are no mixed results, no workload-dependent reversals, and no single test where the E-2356G takes the lead. The W-1290E's advantage is consistent across every Cinebench generation, both single-core and multi-core, with a uniform delta of approximately 5.3% in most cases.

For the Xeon E-2356G, the data indicates that its strengths do not manifest in the recorded benchmark suite. It does have a higher boost clock (5.00 GHz versus 4.80 GHz), which would typically favor single-threaded workloads, but the Cinebench single-core scores tell a different story. The W-1290E scores 234 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 222 for the E-2356G, a 5.1% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap is 2330 versus 2206, again favoring the W-1290E by 5.3%. This suggests that the E-2356G's clock advantage does not translate into a measured performance win, likely due to architectural differences in instruction handling and cache efficiency.

The W-1290E also wins in multi-core workloads, where its 10 cores and 20 threads provide a substantial parallel processing advantage over the E-2356G's 6 cores and 12 threads. The multi-core deltas are consistently around 5.3%, which is smaller than what one might expect from a 67% core count advantage. This indicates that the E-2356G's Rocket Lake architecture is more efficient per core, narrowing the gap despite having fewer physical resources.

In terms of overall positioning, the E-2356G sits at the 58th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the W-1290E sits at the 59th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 4548 and 4775 respectively, a difference of 227 points. The W-1290E's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-1350P (delta 0%), AMD EPYC 7252 (delta 0.1%), Intel Xeon E-2386G (delta -0.5%), and AMD Ryzen 9 3950X (delta -0.7%). The E-2356G's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-10700KF (delta 0%), Intel Core i5-1340P (delta 0.1%), AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 (delta 0.4%), and Intel Xeon W-2145 (delta -0.6%).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon W-1290E has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2356G has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Xeon E-2356G and the Xeon W-1290E support ECC memory, making them suitable for server and workstation environments where data integrity is critical.

Q: What is the difference in boost clock speed?

A: The Xeon E-2356G has a higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Xeon W-1290E boosts to 4.80 GHz. Despite this, the W-1290E wins all single-core benchmarks in the recorded data.

Q: Which processor has a newer architecture?

A: The Xeon E-2356G uses the Rocket Lake architecture (Rocket Lake-E codename), while the Xeon W-1290E uses the Comet Lake architecture. The E-2356G was released in September 2021, while the W-1290E was released in May 2020.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Xeon W-1290E has an average benchmark score of 4775, which is higher than the Xeon E-2356G's average of 4548. The W-1290E also has a slightly higher percentile ranking at 59 versus 58.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Xeon E-2356G wins?

A: No. In the head-to-head benchmark data, the Xeon W-1290E wins all six tests: three multi-core and three single-core Cinebench runs. The E-2356G has zero wins in the recorded comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent two distinct generations of Intel's Xeon portfolio, built on the same 14 nm manufacturing process but with different core designs and platform capabilities.

The Xeon E-2356G is based on the Rocket Lake architecture (codename Rocket Lake-E), which was released in September 2021. This architecture features a per-core L1 cache of 80 KB and a per-core L2 cache of 512 KB, with a shared L3 cache of 12 MB. The die size is 276 mm². Rocket Lake introduced a newer core microarchitecture compared to its predecessor, which explains its higher per-core efficiency despite having fewer cores.

The Xeon W-1290E is based on the Comet Lake architecture, released in May 2020. This older design uses smaller per-core caches: 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core. However, it compensates with a larger shared L3 cache of 20 MB, which is 66% larger than the E-2356G's 12 MB. The die size is 206 mm², smaller than the Rocket Lake chip due to the simpler core design.

The process node is identical for both: 14 nm, produced by Intel's own foundry. This means the performance differences are not attributable to manufacturing improvements but rather to architectural choices and core counts.

Memory support is DDR4 for both processors, with dual-channel memory buses. However, the E-2356G has a higher memory bandwidth rating of 51.2 GB/s, compared to 46.9 GB/s for the W-1290E. This suggests the Rocket Lake memory controller is more efficient or supports faster DDR4 modules.

PCI Express support differs significantly. The E-2356G provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the W-1290E provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). This gives the E-2356G a substantial I/O advantage for modern expansion cards, NVMe storage, and GPU connectivity, even though its raw compute performance is lower.

Integrated graphics also differ: the E-2356G includes UHD Graphics P750, while the W-1290E includes Intel UHD Graphics P630. Both are workstation-class integrated GPUs, but the P750 is a newer generation with expected improved media and display capabilities.

Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not supported on either platform. Both are classified as Server/Workstation market segments, and both are currently listed as Active in production status.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon E-2356G | Intel Xeon W-1290E |

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

| Cores | 6 | 10 |

| Threads | 12 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 80 W | 95 W |

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

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

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 20 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 46.9 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics P750 | Intel UHD Graphics P630 |

| Die Size | 276 mm² | 206 mm² |

| Release Date | September 2021 | May 2020 |

| Launch MSRP | $311 | $552 |

The W-1290E has a higher base clock (3.50 GHz versus 3.20 GHz) and a lower boost clock (4.80 GHz versus 5.00 GHz). The E-2356G has a lower TDP of 80 W compared to 95 W for the W-1290E, despite having fewer cores. This reflects the Rocket Lake architecture's higher power density per core.

The cache hierarchy differences are notable: the E-2356G has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, while the W-1290E has a larger shared L3 cache. This means the E-2356G is better optimized for per-thread working sets that fit in private caches, while the W-1290E can share more data across its 10 cores.

The E-2356G supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, which doubles the per-lane bandwidth compared to the W-1290E's PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. This is a significant differentiator for applications that rely on high-bandwidth I/O, such as data analytics accelerators or multiple high-speed NVMe drives.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data covers six Cinebench tests, spanning three generations of the benchmark (R15, R20, and R23), with both single-core and multi-core variants. The results are remarkably consistent.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the W-1290E scores 1664 versus 1575 for the E-2356G, a delta of -5.3% from the perspective of the E-2356G. This is the same delta seen in Cinebench R20 multi-core (6934 versus 6565) and Cinebench R23 multi-core (16510 versus 15632). The uniformity of the 5.3% gap across all three multi-core tests suggests a systematic advantage for the W-1290E, likely driven by its 10 cores versus 6 cores, even though per-core efficiency favors the E-2356G.

In single-core tests, the pattern is similar but slightly more varied. Cinebench R15 single-core shows the W-1290E at 234 versus 222 for the E-2356G, a delta of -5.1%. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 978 versus 926, a delta of -5.3%. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2330 versus 2206, again a delta of -5.3%. The R15 single-core gap is slightly smaller at 5.1%, but the overall trend is consistent.

What is striking is that the E-2356G's higher boost clock (5.00 GHz versus 4.80 GHz) does not result in a single-core win. This indicates that the Comet Lake architecture used by the W-1290E has better single-threaded performance at similar clock frequencies, likely due to deeper out-of-order execution resources or better branch prediction. The recorded data shows that clock speed alone does not determine benchmark outcomes.

The W-1290E's win tally is 6 out of 6 head-to-head tests, with zero wins for the E-2356G. This is a decisive result that aligns with the average benchmark scores: 4775 for the W-1290E versus 4548 for the E-2356G. The percentile rankings also reflect this, with the W-1290E at the 59th percentile and the E-2356G at the 58th percentile.

For users deciding between these two processors, the benchmark data clearly favors the W-1290E in CPU-bound compute workloads. However, the E-2356G offers a more modern platform with PCIe Gen 4 support, higher memory bandwidth, and a newer integrated GPU, which may matter for system-level considerations beyond raw CPU benchmarks. The data does not capture I/O performance, graphics capabilities, or power efficiency in real-world scenarios.