Physical vs Logical / Virtual

• Logical core performance is generally less than that of Physical cores.

• Logical cores can improve multitasking and parallel prcoessing.

• Logical cores are the result of hyperthreading/SMT or virtualisation.

TDP (Thermal Design Power)

The higher the TDP the more cooling (and power) will be required.

"Thermal Design Power is a measurement of the maximum amount of heat a CPU or GPU generates under an intense workload "(1). 

"TDP is the maximum power that a subsystem is allowed to draw for a 'real world' application, and also the maximum amount of heat generated by the component that the cooling system can dissipate under real-world conditions." (2). 

"Intel bases its TDP ratings on when the processor runs at the base frequency rather than boost. So, an Intel processor frequently runs hotter than what Intel says you can expect on the box." (1)

Hyper-Threading

Intel Xeon Silver vs Gold vs Platinum

• Bronze - entry-level -  lower core count, lower clock speed, no Hyper-Threading or Turbo Boost.

• Silver - mid-range - higher core count, clock speed, memory speed, more memory channels than bronze, Hyper-Threading, Turbo Boost.

• Gold - high-end - higher core count, clock speed, memory speed, more memory channels than silver, advanced features (e.g. AVX-512, QuickAssist).

• Platinum - top-of-the-line - highest core count, clock speed, memory speed, memory channels. Advanced features (e.g. Deep Learning Boost, Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory).

Intel Core vs Xeon

• Intel Core processors tend to be best value (GHz per $) for single threaded operations and have onboard graphics.

• Intel Xeon processors tend to be best for multi-threaded operations but need discrete graphics. Xeon also has more L3 cache, support for ECC RAM, higher RAM density options, and better power efficiency.

i.e. Intel Core is probably better suited to your work laptop whereas Intel Xeon is probably better suited to your database server, graphics workstation or gaming rig.

Bibliography