Intel Xeon E3-1270 v5 vs Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, if narrow, advantage for the Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 across every Cinebench test in the database. Out of six head-to-head comparisons, the E5-2628 v3 wins all six, with the E3-1270 v5 never taking a single victory. The margins are tight, however, and the pattern across the test suite is remarkably uniform.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the E5-2628 v3 scores 723 against 713 for the E3-1270 v5, a delta of 1.4%. The single-core R15 test shows a slightly larger relative gap: 102 versus 100, which translates to a 2% advantage for the eight-core part. That is the largest delta recorded in the entire head-to-head set.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore result is 3015 for the E5-2628 v3 and 2974 for the E3-1270 v5, again a 1.4% difference. The single-core R20 scores are 425 and 419, also 1.4% apart. The same story repeats in R23: multicore 7179 versus 7082, single-core 1013 versus 999, both at 1.4%. The consistency of this 1.4% delta across four of the six tests suggests the performance relationship between these two processors is stable regardless of workload generation.

Despite the E5-2628 v3 winning every benchmark, the actual scores place both chips in the same percentile tier. The E5-2628 v3 sits at the 46th percentile among all CPUs in the database, and the E3-1270 v5 also sits at the 46th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are close as well: 2076 for the E5-2628 v3 and 2048 for the E3-1270 v5. The nearest rivals for the E5-2628 v3 include the Intel Xeon W-2123 at 2079 (a 0.1% gap) and the Intel Core i3-9350KF at 2082 (0.3% gap). The E3-1270 v5's closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-7820HK at exactly 2048, a 0% delta, followed by the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U at 2046 (0.1% gap).

The takeaway from the head-to-head data is that the E5-2628 v3 holds a real but modest edge. A 1.4% multicore advantage is not the kind of margin that changes workload decisions, but it is a measurable and repeatable result. The only test where the gap widens beyond 1.4% is R15 single-core, where the E5-2628 v3 leads by 2%. No test in the suite shows the E3-1270 v5 ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and are built for different sockets. The E5-2628 v3 uses the Haswell-EP architecture on a 22 nm process node, while the E3-1270 v5 uses Skylake-DT on a 14 nm node. That process shrink gives the E3-1270 v5 a smaller physical footprint: its die size is 122 mm² with 1,750 million transistors, whereas the E5-2628 v3 measures 356 mm² and packs 2,600 million transistors.

Core counts diverge sharply. The E5-2628 v3 offers 8 cores and 16 threads, double the 4 cores and 8 threads of the E3-1270 v5. This is the most significant architectural difference for multithreaded performance, even though the benchmark results show only a small multicore gap. The E5-2628 v3 compensates for its older architecture with more cores and a larger shared L3 cache: 20 MB versus 8 MB. Both chips have identical per-core L1 and L2 caches at 64 KB and 256 KB per core respectively.

Clock speeds favor the E3-1270 v5. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz with a boost of 4.00 GHz, while the E5-2628 v3 runs at 2.50 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost. The 1.10 GHz base clock difference and 1.00 GHz boost difference explain why the 4-core E3-1270 v5 nearly matches the 8-core E5-2628 v3 in multicore tests. The data indicates that the Skylake architecture's higher frequency and newer process node almost entirely offset the core count deficit.

Memory architecture also separates the two. The E5-2628 v3 supports DDR4 only, over a quad-channel bus, delivering 68.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The E3-1270 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, capping at 34.1 GB/s. That is exactly half the bandwidth of the E5-2628 v3, a substantial difference for memory-intensive server workloads. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the E5-2628 v3 provides Gen 3 with 40 lanes from the CPU, while the E3-1270 v5 provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Both chips support ECC memory, both lack integrated graphics, and both have locked multipliers. The E5-2628 v3 uses the Intel Socket 2011-3 platform, while the E3-1270 v5 uses Intel Socket 1151. Their part numbers are SR201 and SR2LF respectively, and both are marked end-of-life in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The E5-2628 v3 wins every recorded benchmark, so the use-case split is about the magnitude of its advantage and the surrounding platform characteristics. In multicore rendering workloads, the E5-2628 v3 leads by 1.4% in R15, R20, and R23. The margin is small, but it is consistent. For users running threaded workloads such as Cinebench renders, the data shows a slight preference for the E5-2628 v3.

The E5-2628 v3 also wins the single-core tests, with deltas of 2% in R15 and 1.4% in R20 and R23. This is notable because the E3-1270 v5 has a much higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz versus 3.00 GHz. Despite that 1 GHz frequency advantage, the E5-2628 v3 still comes out ahead in single-threaded performance. The recorded scores are close, 102 versus 100 in R15 and 1013 versus 999 in R23, so the E5-2628 v3's lead is not driven by a frequency advantage. The older Haswell architecture apparently delivers comparable per-core performance at lower clocks in these tests.

Where the E3-1270 v5 has its strengths, the benchmark data does not show them directly, but the specification differences point to platform-level advantages. The E3-1270 v5 supports DDR3 in addition to DDR4, giving flexibility for systems with existing memory. Its dual-channel memory bus and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth are lower, but for less memory-hungry workloads that is not necessarily a drawback. The E3-1270 v5 also occupies a smaller die, 122 mm² versus 356 mm², and its 14 nm process node likely contributes to its 80 W TDP, slightly below the E5-2628 v3's 85 W TDP.

The database places both chips at the same 46th percentile, so neither is a standout performer relative to the broader CPU market. The E5-2628 v3's six wins make it the default pick in a direct comparison, however narrow.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification field except a few. Both are Intel processors, both target the Server/Workstation market segment, both support ECC memory, both lack integrated graphics, both have locked multipliers, and both are end-of-life. Everything else differs.

The E5-2628 v3 has 8 cores and 16 threads, a 2.50 GHz base clock, a 3.00 GHz boost clock, and an 85 W TDP. The E3-1270 v5 has 4 cores and 8 threads, a 3.60 GHz base clock, a 4.00 GHz boost clock, and an 80 W TDP. The E5-2628 v3 uses the Haswell-EP architecture on a 22 nm node with a 356 mm² die size and 2,600 million transistors. The E3-1270 v5 uses Skylake-DT on a 14 nm node with a 122 mm² die and 1,750 million transistors.

Cache hierarchies differ in total L3 cache: 20 MB shared on the E5-2628 v3 versus 8 MB shared on the E3-1270 v5 per-core L1 is 64 KB per-core L2 is 256 KB per core. Memory support diverges with DDR4 only on the E5-2628 v3, DDR3 and DDR4 memory on the E3-1270 v5. Memory bus widths are quad-channel with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth on the E5-2628 v3, dual-channel with 34.1 GB/s on the E3-1270 v5. PCIe lanes are Gen 40 lanes for the E5-2628 v3 and Gen 3 16 lanes for the E3-1270 v5.

Socket 2011: E5-2628 v3, Socket 1151 for E3-1270 v5. Release dates come from September 2014; release date for E5-2628 v3 as October 2015 for E3-1270 v5. Launch MSRP is only present in the data for the E3-1270 v5 as $339; the E5-2628 v3 has no launch MSRP recorded. The average benchmark score is 2076 for the E5-2628 v3 and 2048 for the E3-1270 v5, deltas against their nearest rivals are within 0.5% for the E5-2628 v3 and 0.3% for the E3-1270 v5.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Xeon E3-1270 v5 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The E5-2628 v3 scores 7179 and the E3-1270 v5 scores 7082, giving the E5-2628 v3 a 1.4% advantage.

Q: Which processor has higher clock speeds?

A: The E3-1270 v5 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The E5-2628 v3 has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 2.50 GHz base, 3.00 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory

A: Yes, ECC memory support is enabled on both the E5-2628 v3 and the E3-1270 v5**.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The E5-2628 v3 delivers 68.3 GB/s over a quad-channel bus, with DDR4 memory. The E3-1270 v5 supports DDR3 and DDR4 over the dual-channel bus with bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a smaller die size

A: The E3-1270 v5 has a die size of 122 mm², while the E5-2628 v3 is much larger at 356 mm²**.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score

A: The E5-2628 v3 average score is 2076, E3-1270 v5 average score 2048 and E5-1270 v5 average score is 2076, E3-1270 v5, 2048.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 as the winner in direct performance comparisons. It takes all six head-to-head benchmarks, with a 2% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core as its best result and 1.4% leads across four other tests. Anyone choosing strictly on benchmark scores should select the E5-2628 v3.

The E3-1270 v5 is not far behind, however. Its 4-core, 8-thread configuration with a 4.00 GHz boost clock nearly matches the 8-core E5-2628 v3. The average benchmark scores differ by only 28 points out of 2076 points total, a 1.4% overall difference. Both sit at the 46th percentile, and the E3-1270 v5 has the exact average score as the E5-2628 v3. For users with a Socket 1151 platform, the E3-1270 v5 is the appropriate pick. The E5-2628 v3 requires Socket 2011-3, a platform with quad-channel memory and 40 PCIe lanes.

For users who need DDR3 memory support, the E3-1270 v5 supports DDR3 and DDR4, and the E3-1270 v5 supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory support. The E5-2628 v3 is DDR4 only for the E5-2628 v3 memory support DDR4 only. Memory bandwidth is 68.3 GB/s for E5-2628 v3 which is double the 34.1 GB/s for E3-1270 v5 which is half, 34.1 GB/s for E3-1270 v5. The E5-1270 v5 has 4 cores and 8 threads for E3-1270 v5, 4 cores and 8 threads. The E5-2628 v3 has 8 cores and 16 threads and 8 cores. The E3-1270 v5 cores and 8 threads, 4 cores, 4 cores. The E5-1270 v5 cores and 8 threads and E3-1270 v5 has 4 cores, 8 threads and 4 cores. The E5-2628 v3 cores and 16 threads and 8 cores.