Unleash up to 2x Performance on the PowerEdge T160 & R260 with the Latest Intel® Xeon® E-2400 Processors
Download PDFTue, 14 May 2024 15:02:13 -0000
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Summary
The PowerEdge T160 and R260 are powered by Intel Xeon E-2400 processors. With the integration of the latest processors and DDR5 memory, these one-socket servers offer a significant performance upgrade. These servers are designed to cater to the cost-effective performance needs of Small and Medium Businesses (SMB), Remote Office/Branch Office (ROBO), and Near-Edge deployments.
Intel Xeon E-2300 processors, launched as part of the Rocket Lake family, offered a range of four to eight core processors. Transitioning to Intel Xeon E-2400 processors, also known as the Raptor Lake family, we see a continuation of the entry-level workstation CPUs with a focus on P-Core only configurations.
In this tech note, we describe how the PowerEdge T160 and PowerEdge R260, powered by Intel Xeon E-2400 processors, builds on the solid foundation of Intel Xeon E-2300 processors by offering improved performance, higher memory speeds, and higher performance per watt on the PowerEdge T160. This makes it compelling to upgrade to the PowerEdge T160 and PowerEdge R260 entry-level servers and workstations. We also show the details behind the performance testing conducted in our labs.
Key performance highlights
Table 1. Gen-over-gen technology comparison
Technology | Previous generation | Latest generation | Performance boost |
Memory[1] | DDR4 – Speeds up to 3200 MT/s | DDR5 – Speeds up to 4400 MT/s | Up to 40% |
CPU[2] | Intel Xeon E-2300 processors | Inten Xeon E-2400 processors | Up to 100% |
Performance per dollar | Intel Xeon E-2300 processors | Intel Xeon E-2400 processors | Up to 60% |
Performance per watt[3] | PowerEdge T150 | PowerEdge T160 | Up to 23% |
CPU Performance evaluation
The Dell Solutions Performance Analysis Lab (SPA) ran the SPEC CPU® 2017 benchmark on both the PowerEdge T160 and R260 servers with the latest Intel Xeon E-2400 processors. SPEC CPU is an industry-standard benchmark that measures compute performance for both floating point (FP) and integer operations. We compared these new results with the prior-generation products that supported Intel Xeon E-2300 processors[2].
Results
We reported the SPEC CPU’s integer rate metric and FP rate metric which measures throughput in terms of work per unit of time (so higher results are better). Across all CPU comparisons and for both FP and Int rates, there was a 10% or greater uplift in performance gen-over-gen. Overall, customers can expect up to 100% better CPU performance when upgrading to the T160/R260. The following figure shows the results for the FP base metric; Table 2 contains the results for integer rates and FP rates. 
Figure 1. SPEC CPU results for Intel Xeon E-2300 vs E-2400 processors
Table 2. Integer rate and floating-point rate comparisons
Comparison # | Intel Xeon E-2300 vs E-2400 | Int Rate (B) | Int Rate (P) | FP Rate (B) | FP Rate (P) |
1 | E-2388G | 68.1 | 71.2 | 55.8 | 60.2 |
E-2488 | 92 | 96 | 106 | 107 | |
% change | 35.1% | 34.8% | 89.9% | 77.7% | |
2 | E-2356G | 53.6 | 55.8 | 49.3 | 52.5 |
E-2456G | 68.6 | 71.2 | 89.5 | 89.8 | |
% change | 27.9% | 27.5% | 81.5% | 71.0% | |
3 | E-2378 | 60.2 | 62.9 | 51.8 | 55.8 |
E-2478 | 88.2 | 91.9 | 104.0 | 104.0 | |
% change | 46.5% | 46.1% | 100.7% | 86.3% | |
4 | E-2378G | 64.6 | 67.5 | 54 | 58.2 |
E-2478 | 88.2 | 91.9 | 104 | 104 | |
% change | 36.5% | 36.1% | 92.5% | 78.6% | |
5 | E-2336G | 52.2 | 54.4 | 48.6 | 51.8 |
E-2436 | 68.1 | 70.8 | 87.1 | 87.4 | |
% change | 30.4% | 30.1% | 79.2% | 68.7% | |
6 | E-2314 | 29.4 | 30.1 | 38.6 | 39.1 |
E-2414 | 39.6 | 41 | 64.6 | 65.1 | |
% change | 34.6% | 36.2% | 67.3% | 66.4% |
After observing the sample set in Figure 1 and analyzing the data in Table 2, we can clearly see how Intel Xeon E-2400 provides a performance upgrade. Intel Xeon E-2400 processors bring several enhancements over E-2300 processors, including improved performance and memory support. Depending on your specific workload requirements, you may find E-2400 processors to be a better fit for your needs.
Performance per dollar with the latest Intel Xeon E-2400 processors
In addition to better performance, Figure 2 illustrates the high return on investment associated with these new Intel Xeon E-2400 processors. Specifically, customers gain up to 1.6x the performance per every dollar spent on CPUs[2], [4]. We calculated performance by dollar by dividing the FP base results reported in Table 2 by the US list price for the corresponding CPU. Note that pricing varies by region and is subject to change.
Figure 2. Performance per dollar gain for gen over gen
Performance/watt evaluation for the T160
The Dell Solutions Performance Analysis Lab (SPA) ran the SPECpower_ssj® 2008 benchmark on both the PowerEdge T160 (Intel Xeon E-2488, 3.2 GHz) and the PowerEdge T150 (Intel Xeon E-2388G 3.20 GHz). The SPECpower_ssj 2008 benchmark is the first industry-standard SPEC benchmark that evaluates the power and performance characteristics of volume server class computers. The initial benchmark addresses the performance of server-side Java, and additional workloads are planned.
The T160 achieved an impressive score of 10,179 ssj_ops/watt while the T150 scored 8,259 ssj_ops/watt. When we compared these results, the PowerEdge T160 server demonstrated energy efficiency, particularly at higher workloads when compared to PowerEdge T150. The PowerEdge T160 helps gain up to 23% more performance per watt as compared to the PowerEdge T150.
Figure 3. Comparison of performance per watt for T150 vs T160
Conclusion
All these results demonstrate PowerEdge T160 and R260 servers’ ability to deliver top-tier performance without compromising on performance or energy consumption, and align with our sustainability goals.
References
[1] Based on comparing the speeds of DDR4 vs DDR5 memory. Actual results will vary.
[2] Based on SPEC CPU® 2017 benchmarking of the floating-point rates of the E-2378 and E-2478 Intel Xeon E2400 processors with the PowerEdge T350 and T160, respectively. Testing was conducted in April 2024 on the T160 by Dell Performance Analysis Labs, available on spec.org/cpu2017. Actual results will vary, subject to change.
[3] Based on SPECpower_ssj® 2008 benchmark on both the PowerEdge T160 (Intel Xeon E-2488, 3.2 GHz) and the PowerEdge T150 (Intel Xeon E-2388G 3.20 GHz). Testing was conducted in March 2024 on the T150 and T160 by Dell Performance Analysis Labs, available on spec.org. Actual results will vary, subject to change.
[4] Pricing is based on Dell US list prices for Intel Xeon E processors and varies by region. Contact your local sales representative for more information.