Difference between Xeon and i7
It seems that there is no end in sight to the blinding outpouring of new and ever more powerful processors in the consumer market, and the Xeon and i7 are proving to be the two hottest contenders in the arena. Sheer brute force isn't what the game is all about however, and each will ultimately be judged by the public on various other features and capabilities. Let's see what both have to offer!
On Paper
The Intel Xeon is a 64-bit multi-core processor with multi-thread capability. It is based on the Nehalem design and is intended mainly for use in servers and workstations. Xeon comes equipped with Data Center Management or DCM software that makes it better suited for those tasks than other processors. The Xeon also offers the ability to be run in multi-socket and multi-core systems and to manage its power in order to adapt to specific server workloads.
The i7 from Intel is also a 64-bit processor comprised of four cores. The i7 is generally better suited to desktop PCs than the Xeon, thanks to its ability to efficiently handle multi-tasking applications. The i7 also comes with a number of features that should make it more attractive to gamers, such as the innovative HD Boost technology. It must be said though that the popularity of the i7 is partly due to the inapplicability of 8-core processors for most games. In fact, many games still work better on dual core systems.
Past, Present And Future
The Xeon comes from a long line of distinguished AMD processors that include P6-based systems, Dual Core processors, Pentium M-based systems, and Core Xeons. The Xeon actually has a lot in common with the Pentium II, which is why they were given the same name prior to the increase in the cache memory of the Xeon line. This made the Xeon more suitable for server use.
The Core i7 for its part is descended from the Intel Core 2 line of processors. In this family are the quadcore processors code-named Bloomfield, Lynnfield, Clarksfield, and the yet-to-be-released Arrandale, which is reportedly a 2-core design.
Cost
Xeon processors are quite a bit more expensive than i7 processors, although this is probably due to its intended market. Xeon processors are priced from $167 to $3,157, while Core i7 processors command price tags of $284 to $562.
Summary
Xeon
- Descended from the Pentium II
- Mostly used for servers and workstations
- While the lower end versions are cheaper than the i7's low-end version, most models are quite a bit more expensive
i7
- Descended from the Core 2 line
- Intended mainly for desktop PCs
- Has a number of features that make it well suited to photo editing, video encoding and gaming
- Moderately priced compared to the Xeon
