Intel Xeon E3-1241 v3

The Intel Xeon E3-1241 v3 is a 4-core, 8-thread processor for the server/workstation market, using the Haswell architecture with the Haswell-WS codename. It fits Intel Socket 1150, has a 3.50 GHz base clock and a 3.90 GHz boost clock, and carries an 80 W TDP. The release date is 2014-05-10, and the launch MSRP was $273. It supports DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration with 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth, ECC memory is supported, and the CPU provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. There is no integrated graphics. Its average benchmark score is 1758, placing it at the 43rd percentile of all CPUs.

Benchmark Performance

The average benchmark score of 1758 is the central performance indicator. Against the nearest rivals in the data, this places the E3-1241 v3 in a very tight cluster. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has an average score of 1752, and the E3-1241 v3 is 0.3% ahead. The AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE has an average score of 1766, and the E3-1241 v3 is 0.5% behind. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE has an average score of 1750, and the E3-1241 v3 is 0.5% ahead. The Intel Core 3 N350 has an average score of 1749, and the E3-1241 v3 is 0.5% ahead. These deltas are small; the processor is neither clearly ahead nor clearly behind any of these rivals.

Cinebench results provide a more detailed view. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score is 612 and the single-core score is 86. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 2553 and the single-core score is 360. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 6080 and the single-core score is 858. The multi-core scores are much larger than the single-core scores in every version, which is consistent with a 4-core, 8-thread design. The R23 multi-core result of 6080 is the strongest single number in the benchmark list, while the R15 single-core score of 86 is the weakest relative to the multi-core results. The 43rd percentile ranking means the majority of CPUs in the database have a higher average score, so this is a mid-range result overall.

Platform and Compatibility

The processor uses the Intel Socket 1150, and the architecture is Haswell with the codename Haswell-WS. It is described as part of the Xeon E3 generation and targets the server/workstation segment. The manufacturing process is 22 nm, with 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. The cache layout consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Memory support is DDR3 over a dual-channel memory bus with 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth. ECC memory is supported, which is a meaningful feature for server and workstation use. The PCIe implementation is Gen 3, and the CPU provides 16 lanes. The phrase “CPU only” in the data indicates that these 16 lanes come directly from the processor itself. The processor has no integrated graphics, so a separate graphics solution is required in any system built around it.

The multiplier is locked, meaning the 3.90 GHz boost clock is the highest frequency available without platform-level clock adjustments. The part number is SR1R4. Production status is end-of-life, and the release date of 2014-05-10 places this chip firmly in the legacy segment. The platform is therefore best understood as a fixed, mature Socket 1150 combination rather than a path to newer processor generations. The existence of DDR3 memory support and ECC further defines the platform: this is a build aimed at older server/workstation motherboards, not a current-generation desktop or server platform.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 80 W. This is a moderate thermal envelope for a 4-core processor, and the data shows no integrated graphics to add extra heat. The 22 nm process and the 160 mm² die size are the physical constraints; 1,400 million transistors are concentrated into that die area. The base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz are sustained within that 80 W design target. A capable air cooler is sufficient for this TDP class. The locked multiplier means there is no unlocked ratio headroom in the data, so thermal solutions do not need to accommodate overclocking above the listed boost clock.

The server/workstation segment also implies that sustained load behavior matters more than short burst performance. The 80 W TDP, combined with 4 physical cores, keeps cooling requirements straightforward. Because there is no integrated GPU, all thermal load comes from the CPU cores rather than from a combined CPU-GPU package. For a legacy server/workstation processor, the thermal profile is manageable in a standard chassis with conventional airflow.

Who Should Consider It

This processor is a fit for workloads that match a 4-core, 8-thread CPU with a 43rd percentile average score. The 1758 average benchmark score and the Cinebench results suggest a mid-range processor: capable of responsive single-threaded work and capable of moderate parallel work. The single-core scores of 86 in R15, 360 in R20, and 858 in R23 indicate that lightly threaded applications will run at a level determined by the 3.90 GHz boost clock. The multi-core scores of 612 in R15, 2553 in R20, and 6080 in R23 show that applications able to use all 8 threads will see significantly more throughput.

For office-style productivity, the 4 cores and 8 threads are enough for multitasking, and the lack of integrated graphics means any system must include a dedicated GPU. For creation workloads such as rendering or video encoding, the multi-core Cinebench results are the relevant data; the R23 multi-core score of 6080 is the strongest available indicator in the pack. For gaming, the single-core scores matter more, and the 86-point R15 single-core result is a modest figure.

The ECC memory support is a key consideration. Users who need error-checking memory on a DDR3 platform will find that combination here. The server/workstation market segment further points to stability-oriented use. Because the production status is end-of-life, this part is suited for existing Socket 1150 systems or specialized legacy builds rather than new high-performance platforms. It is not suited for high-core-count workloads, since only 4 cores are present, and it is not suited for systems that cannot accommodate a discrete GPU.

How It Compares

Against the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, the E3-1241 v3 has an average score of 1758 versus 1752 for the Ryzen. The 0.3% delta places the two processors effectively at the same level in aggregate terms. The E3-1241 v3 is nominally ahead, but the difference is minimal.

Against the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE, the E3-1241 v3 is 0.5% behind. The Ryzen 5 2400GE has an average score of 1766, making it the only rival in the nearest list that out-scores the Xeon. The gap is still small, but the direction favors the AMD part.

Against the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE, the E3-1241 v3 is 0.5% ahead. The Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE has an average score of 1750. The Xeon’s advantage is identical in magnitude to its disadvantage against the Ryzen 5 2400GE.

Against the Intel Core 3 N350, the E3-1241 v3 is 0.5% ahead. The Core 3 N350 has an average score of 1749, the lowest average in the rival group. The Xeon edges past it by the same 0.5% margin it holds over the Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The data separates clearly into single-core and multi-core results. Cinebench R15 reports a multi-core score of 612 and a single-core score of 86. Cinebench R20 reports a multi-core score of 2553 and a single-core score of 360. Cinebench R23 reports a multi-core score of 6080 and a single-core score of 858. In all three versions, the multi-core score is substantially higher, which is the expected pattern for a processor with 4 cores and 8 threads. The relationship between the single and multi scores is consistent across Cinebench generations, indicating that the CPU scales in a stable way when all threads are engaged.

This split has direct workload implications. Applications that use only a single thread will stay near the lower single-core scores, and their performance is bounded by the 3.50 GHz base clock, the 3.90 GHz boost clock, and the Haswell architecture. Applications that can distribute work across all threads will move toward the higher multi-core scores, with the R23 multi-core result of 6080 as the upper bound in this dataset. The 8 threads provide the parallel headroom that separates the multi-core scores from the single-core scores.

The locked multiplier reinforces the single-thread ceiling: the 3.90 GHz boost clock is the highest frequency listed in the data. The practical behavior is therefore predictable: light workloads run at moderate speed, and threaded workloads improve substantially. The server/workstation positioning of the chip matches this profile, as many server tasks involve a mix of latency-sensitive single-threaded requests and throughput-oriented multi-threaded batches. The 4-core count prevents this part from competing with high-core-count server processors, but the 8 threads give it a clear advantage over a purely single-threaded workload pattern.