Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 vs Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, across-the-board victory for the Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5 over the Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 in every Cinebench iteration measured. The most decisive margin appears in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the newer mobile chip scores 95 against 84, a 13.1% advantage. That pattern holds in multi-core: 677 versus 601, a 12.6% lead. The gap is remarkably uniform across the other tests, with the R20 and R23 workloads showing exactly 12.7% deltas in both single and multi-threaded runs. The R20 multi-core result is 2824 versus 2506, while R23 multi-core lands at 6726 versus 5967. Single-thread R20 shows 398 against 353, and R23 single-thread closes at 949 versus 842.

What stands out is the consistency. The Xeon E3-1535M v5 wins all six head-to-head comparisons, and the narrowest margin is still 12.6%. This is not a case where one chip excels in synthetic multi-threaded stress while the other claws back ground in lighter loads; the Skylake part is simply faster everywhere the two were measured together. The Cinebench R15 single-core result is the largest relative gap, suggesting the architectural and clock advantages of the newer part are most visible when the workload scales down to one thread.

The average benchmark score in the database places the Xeon E3-1535M v5 at 1945, marginally ahead of the Xeon E3-1231 v3 at 1925. The percentile rankings are nearly identical, with the Skylake part at the 44th percentile of all CPUs and the Haswell part at the 43rd. That close percentile placement, despite the consistent Cinebench wins, reflects the broader benchmark pool used for the average, which includes tests not shared in the head-to-head set. The Geekbench results recorded for the older chip alone, 3939 multi-core and 1109 single-core, are not matched by a corresponding Geekbench entry for the newer part, so they cannot be compared directly here.

Nearest rival data reinforces the overall positioning. The Xeon E3-1535M v5 sits within 0.3% of several comparable parts: the Xeon E3-1230 v5 is 0.1% lower, the Core i5-1035G7 is 0.2% lower, the Core i7-9850HL is 0.2% higher, and the Core i7-8709G is 0.3% lower. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 faces a similar cluster: the Core i3-10305T is 0.2% higher, the Core i7-1180G7 is 0.2% lower, the AMD Opteron 6348 is 0.2% lower, and the Core i7-6700T is 0.3% higher. Both chips are essentially midfield players in the database, but the head-to-head numbers leave no ambiguity about which is faster when the same workload runs on both.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturing nodes and design generations. The Xeon E3-1535M v5 is built on the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-H variant, using a 14 nm process with 2,300 million transistors on a 122 mm² die. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 belongs to the Haswell generation, specifically Haswell-WS, fabricated on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors on a larger 160 mm² die. The transistor count difference is substantial, roughly 64% more on the newer part, while the die area is actually smaller, which reflects the density improvement from the newer node.

Both chips use four cores and eight threads, so the core configuration is identical. Cache hierarchies also match in structure: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The memory controllers differ, however. The Skylake part supports both DDR3 and DDR4 across a dual-channel bus, delivering 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The Haswell part supports only DDR3, also dual-channel, with 25.6 GB/s. That is a 33% bandwidth advantage for the newer chip, which matters for memory-bound workloads even if the core count is the same.

The sockets are entirely different, BGA 1440 for the Skylake part and Socket 1150 for the Haswell part, meaning they are not interchangeable in any system. Both are locked processors with no unlocked multiplier. Both support ECC memory and both expose Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ: the Xeon E3-1535M v5 includes HD Graphics P530, while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 has no integrated graphics at all. The newer part also carries a lower TDP of 45 watts against 80 watts for the older chip, an unusual inversion given the newer part is faster, a benefit of the 14 nm process and mobile-oriented design.

Clock speeds tell a more nuanced story. The Haswell chip has a higher base clock at 3.40 GHz versus 2.90 GHz, and a slightly higher boost clock at 3.80 GHz versus 3.70 GHz. Yet the Skylake part wins every single-thread benchmark by roughly 13%. This indicates the per-clock efficiency gain from Skylake over Haswell is enough to overcome the clock deficit, and the memory bandwidth advantage likely contributes as well. The production status is end-of-life for both, with the release dates separated by about seventeen months, the Haswell part arriving in May 2014 and the Skylake part in October 2015.

Where Each One Wins

The Xeon E3-1535M v5 wins everywhere the two are compared. There is no benchmark in the head-to-head set where the Xeon E3-1231 v3 takes the lead. That makes the use-case split fairly lopsided. For any workload that relies on Cinebench-style rendering, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, the newer chip is the clear pick. The 12.6% to 13.1% margins hold across all six tests, so there is no scenario in that benchmark family where the older part is preferable.

The Xeon E3-1231 v3 does have one recorded advantage in the database: it has Geekbench results, while the Xeon E3-1535M v5 does not. The Geekbench multi-core score of 3939 and single-core score of 1109 cannot be compared to anything for the newer part, so those numbers stand alone. For a buyer considering the older chip, those scores are the only positive evidence in its favor, but they do not constitute a win against the Skylake part, only an unmeasured area.

The lower TDP of the Xeon E3-1535M v5, 45 watts against 80 watts, makes it the more attractive option for thermally constrained systems. The Haswell part draws nearly double the power, which matters in compact chassis or always-on workstation builds. The Skylake part also includes integrated graphics, so a system can be built without a discrete GPU for basic display output, whereas the Haswell part requires a separate graphics card. The memory support difference, DDR4 on the newer part versus DDR3-only on the older, gives the Skylake chip a path to newer memory platforms and higher bandwidth. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 retains one practical edge: it uses the Socket 1150 platform, which may be more familiar to builders of that era, and its higher base clock could appeal in workloads that run at fixed frequencies. But in the recorded benchmark data, no workload favors it.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5 wins all multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15 it scores 677 versus 601, a 12.6% lead. In R20 it scores 2824 versus 2506, and in R23 it scores 6726 versus 5967, both also 12.7% ahead.

Q: How do the single-core results compare?

A: The Xeon E3-1535M v5 leads in every single-core test. Cinebench R15 shows 95 versus 84, a 13.1% margin. R20 shows 398 versus 353, and R23 shows 949 versus 842, both 12.7% ahead.

Q: Does the Xeon E3-1231 v3 win any benchmark in the head-to-head set?

A: No. The Xeon E3-1535M v5 wins all six recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 has Geekbench scores in the database, 3939 multi-core and 1109 single-core, but the Skylake part has no Geekbench entry, so those cannot be compared.

Q: What are the TDP differences?

A: The Xeon E3-1535M v5 is rated at 45 watts, while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 is rated at 80 watts. The newer part draws less power despite being faster in the recorded benchmarks.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both support ECC memory. The memory types differ, however: the Xeon E3-1535M v5 supports DDR3 and DDR4, while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 supports only DDR3.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Xeon E3-1535M v5 includes HD Graphics P530. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 has no integrated graphics, so it requires a discrete GPU for display output.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5 | Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 |

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

| Base clock | 2.90 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 80 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | Intel Socket 1150 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Haswell |

| Process node | 14 nm | 22 nm |

| Transistors | 2,300 million | 1,400 million |

| Die size | 122 mm² | 160 mm² |

| Memory support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 25.6 GB/s |

| Integrated graphics | HD Graphics P530 | None |

| Release date | 2015-10-26 | 2014-05-10 |

| Launch MSRP | $623 | $250 |

The specification table shows exactly where the two diverge. The core count, thread count, L1 and L2 cache sizes, L3 cache size, memory bus width, ECC support, PCIe generation and lane count, and unlocked multiplier status are all identical. The differences are concentrated in the process node, clock speeds, power envelope, socket, memory type, graphics, and physical dimensions.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner. The Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5 outperforms the Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 in every benchmark where both were measured, with margins between 12.6% and 13.1%. It does so while drawing 45 watts against 80 watts, supporting DDR4 memory, including integrated graphics, and using a smaller die on a more advanced node. The only recorded advantages for the older chip are its higher base and boost clocks, 3.40 GHz and 3.80 GHz versus 2.90 GHz and 3.70 GHz, and its lower launch MSRP of $250 against $623. Neither clock advantage translates into a benchmark win, and the price difference is historical data, not a current purchase consideration given both are end-of-life.

For a system builder choosing between these two on performance alone, the Xeon E3-1535M v5 is the rational pick. The Cinebench results are unambiguous, and the efficiency profile is superior. The Xeon E3-1231 v3 remains a functional quad-core with ECC support and a familiar platform, but the recorded evidence gives no workload where it comes out ahead. The Skylake part also offers a path to DDR4 memory, which the Haswell part cannot use, and its integrated graphics remove the need for a discrete GPU in basic configurations. The percentile rankings, 44th versus 43rd, are so close that they obscure the head-to-head reality; the direct comparison is what matters, and it is one-sided. The verdict from the database: choose the Xeon E3-1535M v5 unless the Socket 1150 platform or the lower launch price is a decisive factor, and neither is supported by the benchmark record.