CPU question for cMP - difference between 5,1 CPUs & i series CPU on MBP?

the answer to your narrow question: the Xeon processor used in the Mac Pro is way better than an i7.

The answer to the broader question: its caches are larger, some internal pathways are wider, and it supports error-correcting code RAM.

While they both use Intel CPUs, they are different types of CPUs and both contain certain features that are better than the other CPU. The Xeon CPUs are made more for high end work stations and servers, while the i3/5/7 CPUs are made for desktop & laptop use. Each usage mode has its own special needs and one CPU is better at some things than another one.

In general you would be amazed to learn that some "new" Intel CPUs may not actually be using new technology, but are just rebranded versions of last years technology. And two "i7" CPUs from this generation may have completely different features in them. Intel likes have people pay for every extra feature which makes it very hard to compare two Intel CPUs unless you read the data sheets carefully. Of course as an Apple user you don't have to worry about this since Apple picks the CPUs for you, but in the general PC world it is a mess trying to figure out what Intel CPU you are really getting (or which one you really want).

DJstylus wrote:

Thanks for the info!

I would make the (uneducated guess) that as the Xeons from the Mac Pro are "server/workstation grade" CPUs they should be infact better than the "i" series? As I mentioned before, both my Mac Pro & MBP (non retina) are 2012 machines.

Having said that, I was told in another group that the single core score for the i7 CPUs were better than the Xeon, & since gaming normally requires single core CPUs... :(

Which CPU is better many times depends on the work load, just like different engines in a car perform better in some situations. An engine in a standard consumer car is good for daily driving on the road, but not as good on a track and definitely won't cut it on a drag strip going up against an engine made for the track or drag strip. Same thing the other way around. They each have something a bit different that can be good or bad depending their use.

For gaming single core performance is generally one of the most important features, but the CPU also needs to have the necessary CPU instructions used by the game itself. Intel many times will remove certain instructions from some of their CPUs so you cannot always assume two different model i7s even from the same generation will only be different in speed.

You always want to meet or exceed the Recommended System Requirements for a game. While having a system with specs in between Minimum requirements & Recommended may technically work, the gameplay experience is usually subpar. Very few games requirements will specifically mention a Xeon CPU.

More than enough, yes.

The i7 may have newer CPU instructions that the game requires to operate. It is not always about speed. If you already own the game then you can test to see how it works.

If you bought a high-end i7 Mac today, yes, it might score higher in single core performance than a Mac Pro released in 2010.

¿i7 is better than Xeon? no, that is not the case in general.