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Before we get into this XEON vs Core i7 battle, the first thing we need to get an understanding of is what actually constitutes a server (hint: It’s not hardware).
Webster’s defines a server as: A computer in a network that is used to provide services (as access to files or shared peripherals or the routing of e-mail) to other computers in the network.
Wikipedia defines a server as: A server is a computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called “clients”.
You’ll notice that the definition of a server mentions nothing about the hardware it resides on, but rather the services it provides to other computers and devices on the network. As one commenter going by Jack in the comments thread so eloquently stated “A server is a function, not a piece of hardware. Anything can be a server, even a
I made a similar statement in one of my replies stating “Anything can be a server, even a
It is true that in many business situations, companies require high uptime and large processing power on their server equipment and therefore purchase more redundant systems that include Error Correcting Code Memory RAM (ECC RAM), RAID cards, redundant power supplies, and other such extras.
One of the most common processors in servers is the XEON processor. This processor may have some additional features based on its SKU number, and unlocks some additional features that may benefit servers (we’ll discuss more in the next section). That’s why you generally will find a XEON in server systems. But it’s also very common to find XEON processors in Workstation class desktop computers! If you’re doing high level critical number crunching for NASA, there’s a good chance your desktop PC will be fitted with XEONs. An example of this is the Apple Mac Pro which is designed for the professional user, such as video editors. The Mac Pro ships with either a XEON 4-core or XEON 6-core processor and ECC memory, and I don’t think any of us would confuse the Mac Pro with a server!
If the XEON unlocks additional features then you’d think it would be the choice for most computers, right? Well not exactly. Let’s explore starting with the Core i7! There are plenty of benefits to sticking with this “desktop class” processor.
In our XEON vs Core i7 showdown, some will argue, but it takes little more than a search on Amazon or NewEgg to realize that cost per gigahertz the Core series processors are always cheaper (unless there is a shortage or sale happening). At the current time of this writing, the equivalent XEON to the Core i7-6700k is almost $100 more on Amazon and $125 more on NewEgg. And the cost per gigahertz gets even more appealing when we take the next Core i7 pro into mind, overclocking.
Overclocking allows you to increase the performance of the processor by raising its clock speed from say 4.0 Ghz to 4.5 Ghz (or even 5.0 Ghz) by making some changes to the BIOS settings. In most cases it does require some additional thought put into your cooling configuration, such as the use of larger CPU coolers, or even water coolers, but in the end it still turns out to be additional horsepower that can be passed along to your applications. This become especially important if you’re application mostly relies on a single core for processing in the case of single threaded applications and many games. Every little bit will result in real world improvements. XEON processors can not be overclocked.
The Intel Core processors include integrated video on the CPU. This is something the XEON processors do not have. Even the most casual of users isn’t going to get very far without video, which means with a XEON you’ll need to add a discrete video card into a PCIe slot, or purchase a motherboard that has graphics added to it. But there is one additional benefit of the Core i7 that can be beneficial, even in certain server environments: Quick Sync Video
Intel Core processors include Intel Quick Sync Video. QSV was introduced in the Sandy Bridge line of Core processors and offers hardware based compression and decompression (CODECs) for video. This is a dedicated core on the processor and is extremely fast compared to software based CODECs that must use the general purpose cores of the processor. In the case of server running Plex or KODI, a QSV core can be of extra value and more important that other features of the XEON.
So as you can tell this battle of the XEON vs Core i7 isn’t as cut and dry as you might think. But the XEON does have some very redeeming qualities of its own. Let’s break them down.
Probably the most notable feature that the XEON enables is support for Error Correcting Code Memory RAM. This is something not supported on the Core series processors. ECC RAM is typically most important in applications where data corruption of even one bit would be catastrophic, such as financial or scientific computing, but due to the low cost you will find it in most all hardware that is sold with business data processing in mind. ECC RAM contains an extra memory chip that is used as a parity chip. This allows the memory DIMM to not only detect a bit that is incorrect, but correct it on the fly. This is why many professionals often refer to ECC incorrectly as Error Checking and Correcting RAM. ECC is nice to have, but certainly not important on your average desktop PC or home server.
Level 3 cache is a small amount of memory set aside directly on the processor chip that allows the CPU to quickly fetch subsequent retrievals of certain stored items much faster than reaching out to the system bus and asking a DIMM to return a piece of data. XEON processors typically have double the amount of cache that comes on the Core i7. For high demand applications, more L3 cache can make a large difference in CPU performance.
If cost is of no concern to you, then the XEON will always win in number of cores. Current XEONs go as high as 48 cores where the current Core i7 tops out at 8 cores. That sounds amazing until you find out that the 48 Core XEON will cost you almost $10,000 USD.
For many of you this article may have made your choice even harder, and unfortunately for some uses cases the choice can be daunting. There is good news though. For many use cases the decision is quite simple. If you are building a gaming rig to play the latest Doom or Titanfall, the Core i7 is the clear winner. If you’re building a home server where ECC isn’t really important, and on-board video is a plus, or for that awesome homebrew plex server, you’ll probably still want to stick with the Core i7. If you’re building a server for your business that is mission critical, XEON all the way. If you’re building a business class workstation for Computer Aided Design (CAD) or 3D Modeling, again, the XEON is the way to go.
I hope this article helps you make the decision on which CPU is right for you! Leave a comment below to let us know which CPU you chose, and why!
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26 Responses
The ability to use ECC is my most important need. That’s why I chose the xeon. I can’t see the average home server needing that though.
Earlier this year, I needed to reload a file from a backup. Turns out my non-ECC i7 had bad memory and my backups were corrupt going back 8 months. I did find an old backup that worked. However, around the same time, my RAID card also went flaky. Turns out there is no memory test in the good old MegaRaid cards (Broadcom or Avago or whatever now). Luckily I could copy everything from my old primary drives to a new Micro 5200 SSD with “RAIN” (with an “N”). No RAID. No RAID Card, brand new memory set that ran memtest for a week. Next machine will have ECC.
What happened here has nothing to do with memory, ECC or otherwise. That’s not how it works.
Good read, but there is a couple of things that are wrong.
1. Some core processors do support ECC RAM but they do not support VT-d (I have a i3 just for the ECC RAM). But in general core processors do not have ECC support.
2. Some xeon processors have integrated graphics (I have one in my server now). If the sku ends in a 5 it has integrated graphics and if it ends in a 0 it does not.
You’re mistaken about VT-d. It is supported on virtually all Core series processors. https://ark.intel.com/search/advanced?VTD=true
Hi Mike.
I will be building a trading computer and i am stuck between these options, the xeon and i7. I see that most other people is going for the i7700k with a, say 150$ motherboard and 8-16gb ram.
Would it be more correct to get a xeon with 8-16gb of ECC and a fairly nice motherboard with that? I am looking at the amd firepro w5100 since it supports 4k and that would make me get more info on the screens, with 4k monitors?
What do you advice on this matter?
I just bought a Titan Computer CAD workstation. Both Core i7 and Xeon processors were available; I chose the Core i7 due to its over-clock ratings. It is intended to be used as a 3D graphics workstation and has a GTX 1080ti graphics card..
Usually, I build frankenbox servers for my SOHO operations. However, my next target for build is a render farm (1-4 boxen). Would I be better off sticking with Core i7 or going with Xeon?
As a small business or home user the i7 seems more versatile in the long run, as you clearly state (though people always find a way to get the most out of old server hardware – I’m still running an old Opteron 180 as a casual use machine out in the shop).
My basic conclusion is i7 if you want speed with say 4 maximum cpu intensive programs running at the same time. If more, gotta go with Xeon.
hi looking to buy solidworks, please suggest what would be better xeon or i7 and what should be the config
Solidworks (from what I understand) cares more about core speed than number of cores. In that case, i7 all the way. But I am not an expert on solidworks.
If the criteria for CAD usage is number of cores vs clock speed, i think Most CAD/ CAM systems prefer clock speed to number of cores. What i have heard is that parallel processing is very difficult in CAD and is not yet fully implemented, only some functions / features does use parallel processing but not all. / Tomas
As you stated Mike, core speed is critical to fast performance for software such as Solidworks, or Solid Edge, which can only process a single thread at once. Unless the CAD user is doing high resolution rendering there is no point in making the investment in a Xeon processor.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for all the information. Learned a lot. I have been researching about buying a good desktop only for 3D Modeling, Simulation and Programming. If I use Solidworks and some programming at the same time, would i7 be the way to go still. I understand as core speed will be handling the performance load on that given time. If I choose to add any additional performance, such as programming at the same time, wouldn’t be the Solidworks core speed get shared and reduce the performance capability. In this case, will Xeon be a better option to go for. I am looking for a solid upgrade-able (in the future, if I need to) desktop for my personal professional skills development. I don’t intend to use the computer under any network server. Any advice valuable advice from you will be very helpful. Thanks a lot Mike!
Such a great article Mike! There are so many stupid people today commenting on the forums and YouTube who think that just because something costs more it is better. With that logic I should buy a M1 Abrahms tank to drive to work, since it costs a fortune, even though for my 30+ mile commute the Prius is the best for me. Thanks again for setting the record straight. For almost any home computer, workstation, gaming rig, or server the Core i7 is the way to go. There’s just no good reason to use XEON at home.
I’d like to build a machine that will run a hyper-visor (ESXi 6/6.5) for home use as a lab environment for studying. I don’t care about oversubscribing the CPU/RAM resources. Both i7 and Xeon E3/E5 have virtualization features enabled. What do you think it would be best?
It’s really just personal preference at that point. I’d probably go Core i7 so that I could use it in a gaming rig later.
I found this article attempting to discover and understand the processors and my needs. I currently am using an old Lenovo S20 with a Xeon. I want and need the solidity and reliability of a business machine even though it’s for home use. I will be getting a dedicated video card for my next rig. Would the Xeon be the best choice for durability, longevity, and processing speed/needs? The computer runs 24/7 and is heavily used for research/photos/many running apps/progs/tabs….important stuff (to my wife sooooo yeah, no issues allowed). Overkill/overbuild is good.
QSV is available on Xeon’s which have a 5 or 6 in the part number, we have a HP Moonshot with dozens of E3s doing transcoding.
You are right. But in all fairness, that wasn’t the case when this article was written. Here’s a link to a list of all Intel processors with QSV: https://ark.intel.com/Search/FeatureFilter?productType=processors&QuickSyncVideo=true
Thanks for the article. There are some corrections you can make. Some Xeons do support integrated graphics (last digit in model number ending in 5 or 6). And most of the Xeons allow overclocking and they are built better in terms they can handle more heat.
Jay GTFO you fud spreading moron. Everything you said is bullshit.
First, the 5/6 models didn’t exist when this was written. Second the Core series comes in unlocked variants, while no Xeon can be multiplier overclocked. They can only be base clock overclocked which won’t yield high gains and is more likely to cause instability because bclk effects the entire system. They use the exact same die and have no additional protection against heat.
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Good read! Thanks for sharing.
And to help the author drive his point. My company is small but our data processing is huge. That being said we have Xeon deployed for servers but also for end user workstation (developers) and at the same time our phone system is running Linux Sangoma FreePBX on a small intel Atom (dual core 3rd or 4th gen maybe), for us we rarely use the phones most of us use our mobile for that exact reason it doesn’t make sense to spend so much money on a Xeon or even an i7, i5…. for this “Server” no we don’t need high availability/uptime we have process in place if it goes down and from an operations perspective its an opportunity cost, I have SQL servers, Load Balancers, Firewalls, Domain Controllers etc etc… IT is a costly operation and some orgs see it as an expense and not an investment (this is becoming less true i feel but that is a different conversation i don’t even want to touch)
“over engineering/designing/configuring (whatever word you want to use) = wasted resource ($$$$)” Also I assume your article is somewhat positioning from an IT Ops perspective.
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Where it gets more interesting is when the machines are second hand. The majority of buyers are looking for I7 bargains and have never heard of the Xeon as a result much higher resale prices for the core machine. Great if you are the seller.. not so great if you are buying. There the Xeon based workstations are much better value for money, and the integrated graphics not such a great feature as you will probably want something more recent. That has been my buying habit for some time now for my home machines, look for what was a high end xeon workstation at 3-4 years old, just out of warrantee so being off loaded and then fit it with a current medium price GFX card. (Yes many years ago I was buying SGI/SUN workstations as compared to high end new PCs they were dirt cheap second hand because no one knew what they were, £5 for a nice purple Deep Impact SGI Indigo 2 R10K.. nice! It was ex Industrial Light and Magic)