Intel Xeon E-2378 vs Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 Comparison
Intel Xeon E-2378
Xeon E5-2698B v3
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Xeon E-2378 vs Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3
Where Each One Wins
The benchmark data presents a clean sweep for the Intel Xeon E-2378 across all six recorded Cinebench tests, making the use-case split unusually straightforward. The E-2378 wins every head-to-head comparison, with margins ranging from 5.7% to 6.1% depending on the specific test. This means the E-2378 is the stronger choice for both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, though the size of the advantage varies.
Looking at the single-core tests, the E-2378 takes the Cinebench R15 single-core test with a score of 208 against 196 for the E5-2698B v3, a 6.1% advantage. The Cinebench R20 single-core result shows 867 versus 820, again a 5.7% gap. The Cinebench R23 single-core test records 2065 versus 1954, matching the 5.7% delta. For workloads that rely on per-thread performance, such as lightly threaded database queries, legacy application compatibility, or real-time simulation tasks, the E-2378 consistently holds the edge.
On the multi-core side, the E-2378 also wins, but the story is more nuanced because the E5-2698B v3 has twice the core and thread count. The E-2378 scores 1474 in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 1395, a 5.7% lead. In R20 multi-core, it posts 6145 against 5814, again 5.7% ahead. The R23 multi-core result is 14633 versus 13843, with the same 5.7% margin. This is remarkable: the 8-core, 16-thread E-2378 outperforms the 16-core, 32-thread E5-2698B v3 in every multi-threaded test. The practical implication is that for heavily threaded rendering, simulation, or compilation workloads, the E-2378 delivers equal or better throughput while requiring fewer physical cores to get there.
The average benchmark score reinforces this picture. The E-2378 holds an average score of 4232, while the E5-2698B v3 sits at 4004. Both parts land in the 57th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same tier overall, but the E-2378 does it with a higher raw average. The nearest rivals for the E-2378 include the Intel Core i7-1265U at 4248 (-0.4%), the Intel Core i5-12500T at 4216 (+0.4%), the Intel Xeon W-2140B at 4272 (-0.9%), and the Intel Core i5-11500H at 4187 (+1.1%). For the E5-2698B v3, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G at 4010 (-0.2%), the Intel Core i5-12400T at 4019 (-0.4%), the Intel Xeon E-2336 at 3985 (+0.5%), and the Intel Xeon D-2733NT at 3984 (+0.5%). The E-2378 sits in a slightly higher performance neighborhood, while the E5-2698B v3 clusters with lower-scoring modern parts.
Architecture Differences
The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The Intel Xeon E-2378 belongs to the Xeon E-2300 series, built on the Rocket Lake architecture, specifically the Rocket Lake-E codename. It uses a 14 nm process node from Intel and has a die size of 276 mm². The E5-2698B v3 is a Haswell-EP part, belonging to the Xeon E5 family, built on a 22 nm process with a larger 356 mm² die and 2,600 million transistors. The process node difference is significant: the E-2378's 14 nm node is two generations newer, which helps explain how it achieves higher clock speeds while consuming less power.
Core and thread counts differ sharply. The E-2378 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the E5-2698B v3 has 16 cores and 32 threads. Despite having half the cores, the E-2378 wins all benchmarks. The cache hierarchy also differs. The E-2378 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The E5-2698B v3 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 40 MB of shared L3. The E5-2698B v3's L3 cache is 2.5 times larger, but the E-2378's per-core L1 and L2 allocations are larger, which helps with per-thread performance.
Memory support is another differentiator. Both support DDR4 and ECC memory, but the E-2378 uses a dual-channel memory bus with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the E5-2698B v3 uses a quad-channel bus with 68.3 GB/s. The E5-2698B v3 has a raw memory bandwidth advantage of about 33%, but this does not translate into benchmark wins. PCIe capabilities also diverge: the E-2378 supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the E5-2698B v3 supports PCIe Gen 3 with 40 lanes. The E-2378 has the newer PCIe standard, while the E5-2698B v3 has more lanes.
Clock speeds tell a clear story. The E-2378 has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The E5-2698B v3 has a base clock of 2000.00 MHz, which is 2.00 GHz, and a boost of 3.40 GHz. The E-2378 boosts 41% higher, which drives its single-core dominance. The thermal design power also differs dramatically: the E-2378 has a 65 W TDP, while the E5-2698B v3 has a 135 W TDP. The E-2378 delivers more performance while drawing less power, a direct consequence of the newer process node and architecture.
Sockets and platform requirements differ as well. The E-2378 uses Intel Socket 1200, while the E5-2698B v3 uses Intel Socket 2011-3. These are not interchangeable. The production status also differs: the E-2378 is listed as Active, while the E5-2698B v3 is End-of-life. The E-2378 has a release date of 2021-09-07, while the E5-2698B v3 has no recorded release date. The E-2378 has a launch MSRP of $362, while the E5-2698B v3 has no recorded MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and neither has integrated graphics. The E-2378's part number is SRKN4, and the E5-2698B v3's is SR21T.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
All six head-to-head benchmark results favor the Intel Xeon E-2378. The largest single margin comes in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the E-2378 scores 208 against 196, a 6.1% delta. This is the only test where the margin exceeds 5.7%. The remaining five tests all show a 5.7% advantage for the E-2378.
In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the E-2378 posts 1474 versus 1395. The 79-point difference represents a 5.7% lead. This is notable because the E5-2698B v3 has twice the cores and threads, yet still trails. The E-2378's higher per-core efficiency, driven by its 4.80 GHz boost clock versus 3.40 GHz, more than compensates for the core deficit.
Cinebench R20 multi-core shows the E-2378 at 6145 and the E5-2698B v3 at 5814. The 331-point gap is again 5.7%. In R20 single-core, the E-2378 scores 867 against 820, a 47-point difference. The R23 multi-core test records 14633 for the E-2378 and 13843 for the E5-2698B v3, a 790-point margin. Finally, R23 single-core has the E-2378 at 2065 and the E5-2698B v3 at 1954, a 111-point gap.
The consistency of the 5.7% delta across multi-core tests suggests a stable performance relationship regardless of workload scaling. The R15 single-core test's 6.1% margin is slightly larger, possibly reflecting the E-2378's superior per-core resources at lower thread counts. The E5-2698B v3's larger L3 cache and quad-channel memory bandwidth do not translate into any test victory, indicating that the architectural efficiency of the Rocket Lake design outweighs these raw resource advantages.
Average benchmark scores place the E-2378 at 4232 and the E5-2698B v3 at 4004, a difference of 228 points. Both sit at the 57th percentile among all CPUs, so neither is an outlier in the broader market. The E-2378's nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1265U, scores 4248, which is 0.4% higher. The E5-2698B v3's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G, scores 4010, which is 0.2% higher. These rival comparisons show both parts are competitive within their performance tiers, but the E-2378 occupies a slightly higher absolute position.
FAQ
Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?
A: The Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2378 has 8 cores and 16 threads.
Q: Why does the 8-core E-2378 beat the 16-core E5-2698B v3 in multi-core benchmarks?
A: The E-2378 has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz compared to 3.40 GHz for the E5-2698B v3, and it is built on a 14 nm process versus 22 nm. The higher per-core performance allows it to post a 5.7% lead in every multi-core test despite having half the cores.
Q: What are the single-core benchmark results for both processors?
A: In Cinebench R15 single-core, the E-2378 scores 208 and the E5-2698B v3 scores 196. In R20 single-core, the E-2378 scores 867 and the E5-2698B v3 scores 820. In R23 single-core, the E-2378 scores 2065 and the E5-2698B v3 scores 1954. The E-2378 wins all three.
Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?
A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E-2378 and the Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 support ECC memory. Both also support DDR4, but the E-2378 uses a dual-channel bus while the E5-2698B v3 uses a quad-channel bus.
Q: What is the thermal design power difference?
A: The Intel Xeon E-2378 has a TDP of 65 W, while the Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 has a TDP of 135 W. The E-2378 delivers higher benchmark scores with lower power consumption.
Q: Are these processors on the same socket?
A: No. The Intel Xeon E-2378 uses Intel Socket 1200, and the Intel Xeon E5-2698B v3 uses Intel Socket 2011-3. They are not platform-compatible.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The E-2378 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the E5-2698B v3 has 16 cores and 32 threads. The base clock is 2.60 GHz for the E-2378 and 2000.00 MHz for the E5-2698B v3. The boost clock is 4.80 GHz versus 3.40 GHz. TDP is 65 W versus 135 W. The socket is Intel Socket 1200 for the E-2378 and Intel Socket 2011-3 for the E5-2698B v3.
The architecture differs: Rocket Lake with the Rocket Lake-E codename for the E-2378, versus Haswell with the Haswell-EP codename for the E5-2698B v3. The process node is 14 nm versus 22 nm. The die size is 276 mm² versus 356 mm². The E5-2698B v3 has 2,600 million transistors, while the E-2378 has no recorded transistor count. L1 cache is 80 KB per core for the E-2378 and 64 KB per core for the E5-2698B v3. L2 cache is 512 KB per core versus 256 KB per core. L3 cache is 16 MB shared versus 40 MB shared.
Memory bus width differs: dual-channel for the E-2378 and quad-channel for the E5-2698B v3. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s versus 68.3 GB/s. PCIe support is Gen 4 with 20 lanes for the E-2378 and Gen 3 with 40 lanes for the E5-2698B v3. Production status is Active for the E-2378 and End-of-life for the E5-2698B v3. The E-2378 has a release date of 2021-09-07 and a launch MSRP of $362, while the E5-2698B v3 has no recorded release date or MSRP. The part numbers are SRKN4 for the E-2378 and SR21T for the E5-2698B v3. Neither has integrated graphics or an unlocked multiplier.
The Verdict
The data points to a clear winner for most use cases. The Intel Xeon E-2378 wins all six head-to-head benchmark tests, holds a higher average benchmark score of 4232 versus 4004, and does so with a 65 W TDP compared to 135 W. It is the better choice for workloads that benefit from high single-thread performance, given its 4.80 GHz boost clock and 6.1% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core. It is also the better choice for multi-threaded workloads, since it leads by 5.7% in every multi-core test despite having only half the cores of the E5-2698B v3.
The E5-2698B v3 does retain some theoretical advantages. It has 40 MB of L3 cache versus 16 MB, and it has a quad-channel memory bus with 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth versus 51.2 GB/s. It also offers 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus 20 Gen 4 lanes. These features may matter in memory-bandwidth-sensitive or expansion-heavy server configurations, but they do not produce any benchmark wins in the recorded data. The E-2378 is also actively produced, while the E5-2698B v3 is end-of-life, which matters for long-term platform support.
For buyers choosing between these two server processors, the E-2378 is the data-supported pick for raw compute performance, power efficiency, and platform longevity. The E5-2698B v3 remains a viable option only if the specific requirements involve its larger L3 cache, quad-channel memory bandwidth, or higher PCIe lane count, none of which translate into Cinebench victories. The 57th percentile ranking for both parts suggests they are comparable in the broader market, but within this direct comparison, the E-2378 is the superior processor across every measured benchmark.