Intel Xeon E5-2618L v3

The Intel Xeon E5-2618L v3 is an 8-core, 16-thread Haswell-EP processor built for the server and workstation segment on Intel's 22 nm process. Its average benchmark score is 2780, placing it at the 53rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, and its four nearest rivals sit within 0.2% of that figure in either direction. Benchmark results indicate a processor that trades blows with mainstream desktop silicon on aggregate while bringing quad-channel DDR4, ECC memory, and 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes to the table. The 75 W TDP is the other headline number: this is a 16-thread Xeon that fits in a power envelope normally associated with far smaller parts.

How It Compares

The nearest rival by average score is the Intel Core i5-8600K at 2783. The delta is -0.1%, meaning the E5-2618L v3 trails the 8600K by 0.1% on aggregate — a statistical tie rather than a real gap.

The Intel Core i7-5930K averages 2776, and the Xeon leads it by 0.1%. The Intel Core i7-9700T also averages 2776, and the Xeon leads it by 0.1% as well, so the two i7 parts and the Xeon occupy the same performance tier.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G averages 2774, with the Xeon ahead by 0.2% — the largest margin in the rival set, and still negligible. The cluster spans average scores from 2774 to 2783, meaning all five parts produce nearly identical aggregate results; the 53rd percentile describes the whole group as much as the Xeon itself.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The E5-2618L v3 runs 8 cores with 16 threads at a 2.30 GHz base clock and a 3.40 GHz boost clock. The single-thread scores in Cinebench are 136 in R15, 569 in R20, and 1357 in R23. The multi-core scores are 968 in R15, 4037 in R20, and 9613 in R23 — each far above its single-thread counterpart.

Across every Cinebench version, the multi-core result dominates, which is the signature of a processor designed for parallel throughput rather than per-core latency. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache supports that design, giving all 16 threads a large common pool for working data. The gap between the 2.30 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost is wide, so lightly loaded work gets substantial clock headroom while sustained all-core loads settle where the power envelope allows.

Real workloads follow the same split. Threaded rendering, compilation, and virtualization that scale beyond a few cores will approach what the multi-core numbers suggest. Lightly threaded tasks are capped by the 3.40 GHz boost ceiling; the R23 single-core result of 1357 is a modest figure for a CPU sitting at the database midpoint.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 75 W. For an 8-core, 16-thread part on a 356 mm² die containing 2,600 million transistors, that envelope is low, and the cooling implications follow directly: a capable air cooler is sufficient, and dense server chassis with restricted airflow can accommodate it.

The multiplier is locked, so there is no overclocking headroom; the thermal design is about sustaining the stock envelope, not about headroom for enthusiast tuning. Production status is listed as Active, and the market segment is Server/Workstation, consistent with a part that remains listed for current deployment.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the E5-2618L v3 have?

A: 8 cores and 16 threads, with a 2.30 GHz base clock and a 3.40 GHz boost clock.

Q: What memory configuration does it support?

A: DDR4 on a quad-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported.

Q: Does it include integrated graphics?

A: No — the data lists no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU or compute accelerator is required for display output.

Q: What is the TDP and what does it imply for cooling?

A: The TDP is 75 W, which for a 16-thread processor implies modest cooling requirements; the locked multiplier means there is no overclocking overhead to plan for.

Q: How many PCIe lanes does it provide?

A: 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, CPU only.

Q: Is the processor still in production?

A: Production status is listed as Active, with a release date of September 2014 and part number SR200.

Benchmark Performance

The average benchmark score is 2780. Against the nearest rivals, the deltas are exact: -0.1% versus the Intel Core i5-8600K (2783), +0.1% versus the Intel Core i7-5930K (2776), +0.1% versus the Intel Core i7-9700T (2776), and +0.2% versus the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G (2774). Every margin is at or below 0.2%.

In Cinebench R15 the chip scores 968 multi-core and 136 single-core. In R20 the scores are 4037 multi-core and 569 single-core. In R23 they are 9613 multi-core and 1357 single-core. The R23 multi-core result is the high-water mark, while the R23 single-core result is the low point — exactly the profile of a throughput-oriented part.

The 53rd percentile versus all CPUs places this processor just above the database midpoint. Because the rival cluster averages 2774–2783, the aggregate score is not what separates the E5-2618L v3 from its competition; platform features are the differentiators.

Who Should Consider It

Buyers with multithreaded server or workstation workloads are the primary audience. The 16 threads, the R23 multi-core score of 9613, and the R20 multi-core score of 4037 qualify it for rendering, video encoding, compilation, and virtualized server roles.

Memory-sensitive workloads are also a fit. Quad-channel DDR4 at 59.7 GB/s with ECC is a server-grade memory subsystem, and the 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes provide expansion room for storage or accelerator devices.

For gaming, the profile is less suitable. The single-thread scores are the weak side, the base clock is 2.30 GHz, there is no integrated graphics, and the multiplier is locked, so a gaming build would carry the platform entry requirements without standout per-core performance to show for it.

For office and general productivity, the part is over-provisioned rather than under-powered; typical office activity will not saturate 16 threads, and the platform targets the server and workstation segment.

Platform and Compatibility

The E5-2618L v3 is a Haswell-EP Xeon E5 part on the Intel Socket 2011-3 platform, built on Intel's 22 nm process. The die is 356 mm² and contains 2,600 million transistors. Cache is organized as 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3.

Memory support is DDR4 through a quad-channel interface with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC support. PCIe is Gen 3 with 40 lanes available from the CPU, and there is no integrated graphics block.

The part number is SR200, the release date is September 2014, and production status remains Active, so it is still listed as a current product. The launch MSRP was $779.

Upgrade considerations follow from the socket and generation: the platform is the Haswell-EP Xeon E5 generation on Socket 2011-3, and the locked multiplier means any performance increase requires a different processor or platform rather than overclocking.