AMD Athlon Gold 7220U vs Intel Atom x7425E Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data delivers a clear verdict: the Intel Atom x7425E wins every recorded head-to-head test against the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U. Across all six Cinebench comparisons, the Atom x7425E holds a consistent advantage, with no single test going to the AMD part. This is not a case of mixed strengths; the Intel chip simply outperforms in every measured workload.

For users prioritizing multi-threaded performance, the Atom x7425E is the choice. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 4403 against the Athlon Gold's 4164 shows a 5.4% lead, and the pattern repeats in R20 (1849 vs 1748, a 5.5% gap) and R15 (443 vs 419, a 5.4% gap). The Intel part also takes single-threaded wins, though by similarly narrow margins: R23 single-core 621 vs 587 (5.5% ahead), R20 260 vs 246 (5.4% ahead), and R15 62 vs 59 (4.8% ahead).

The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U does not win a single benchmark category in the database. Its Geekbench scores are recorded (2221 multi-core, 1046 single-core), but no Geekbench result exists for the Atom x7425E in the head-to-head set, so those cannot be compared directly. Within the available data, every measurable win belongs to Intel.

What this means in practice: if the workload is rendering, encoding, or any task that scales with Cinebench-style multi-core performance, the Atom x7425E is the safer pick. If single-thread responsiveness is the focus, the Atom again leads, but by a smaller amount. The AMD chip's only potential advantage lies outside the recorded benchmarks, such as its dual-channel memory bus and higher memory bandwidth, which the database lists at 88.0 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s for the Intel part.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U uses the Zen 2 architecture, built on a 6 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 100 mm². It is part of the Mendocino codename family within the 7000 series. The Intel Atom x7425E uses Alder Lake-N architecture with Gracemont cores, built on a 10 nm process at Intel. This is a notable process node gap: 6 nm versus 10 nm suggests AMD has a manufacturing density advantage, yet the benchmark results do not reflect that in performance.

Core counts differ significantly. The Athlon Gold has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Atom x7425E has 4 cores and 4 threads. Both have equal thread counts on the Atom, meaning no Hyper-Threading equivalent, while the AMD part uses simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count. Despite the AMD chip having fewer physical cores, the benchmark results still favor the Intel part, which benefits from having double the physical cores.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The AMD chip provides 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. The Intel part has 96 KB L1 per core, 2 MB shared L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The Atom has more total L1 (384 KB across four cores versus 128 KB across two) and more L3 (6 MB versus 4 MB), but the AMD chip has more L2 per core (512 KB versus effectively 500 KB per core if shared evenly). The Intel design also uses a shared L2, which is a departure from the per-core L2 on the AMD side.

Memory support differs substantially. The Athlon Gold supports LPDDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Atom x7425E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, but only with a single-channel bus, delivering 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. This is a major architectural difference: the AMD part has over twice the memory bandwidth on paper, yet it still loses in CPU-bound benchmarks. The integrated graphics also differ, with the AMD using Radeon 610M and the Intel using UHD Graphics 24EU.

PCIe lanes and sockets are distinct as well. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FT6 with 4 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 1264 with 9 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. Neither supports ECC memory. The AMD chip has a higher base clock of 2.40 GHz versus 1.50 GHz for the Atom, but the Intel part has a slightly lower boost clock of 3.40 GHz versus 3.70 GHz. TDP is close: 15 W for AMD, 12 W for Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows the Atom x7425E scoring 4403 against the Athlon Gold's 4164, a 5.4% advantage. This is the largest absolute gap in points, though the percentage lead is consistent with other tests. In R20 multi-core, the Intel part scores 1849 versus 1748, a 5.5% lead. R15 multi-core shows 443 versus 419, again 5.4% ahead. The margin is remarkably uniform across multi-core tests, suggesting the performance delta is consistent regardless of workload length or complexity.

Single-core results tell a similar story with slightly more variation. Cinebench R23 single-core has the Atom at 621 and the Athlon Gold at 587, a 5.5% lead for Intel. R20 single-core shows 260 versus 246, a 5.4% gap. R15 single-core is the closest test in the entire set: 62 versus 59, a 4.8% advantage for Intel. Even in the tightest contest, the Intel chip still wins.

The average benchmark scores in the database place the two chips nearly identically. The Athlon Gold has an average score of 1311, while the Atom x7425E averages 1273. This is surprising given the head-to-head results, but it reflects that the AMD chip has Geekbench scores included (2221 multi-core, 1046 single-core) which pull its average up, while the Intel part has no Geekbench results in the dataset. Both sit at the 35th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Looking at nearest rivals confirms the competitive positioning. The Athlon Gold's closest comparable is the Intel Core i7-3770T (avg score 1314, delta -0.2%) and the Intel Core i5-6400 (avg 1307, delta 0.3%). The Atom x7425E sits near the Intel Core i5-4430S (avg 1274, delta 0%) and the Intel Core i5-4670T (avg 1271, delta 0.2%). This puts the two chips in the same performance class as older desktop i5 and i7 parts, despite being low-power mobile processors.

The Verdict

The data points to one conclusion: choose the Intel Atom x7425E for any workload measured in the database. It wins all six Cinebench tests, with leads ranging from 4.8% to 5.5%. The consistency of the margin, across both single and multi-core tests, suggests a structural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. The Atom's 4 physical cores versus the Athlon Gold's 2 cores likely explains the multi-core wins, while its higher single-core scores indicate better per-core efficiency despite a lower base clock.

The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U does have theoretical advantages not reflected in these benchmarks. Its dual-channel memory bus and 88.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 38.4 GB/s for the Atom could benefit memory-intensive workloads, but no such benchmarks are recorded in the database. Similarly, the AMD chip's 6 nm process and higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz do not translate into benchmark wins. The Radeon 610M integrated graphics versus UHD Graphics 24EU is a comparison not covered by any recorded test.

For users who prioritize CPU performance as measured by Cinebench, the Atom x7425E is the clear pick. The AMD part might be considered if the memory bandwidth or integrated graphics matter more, but the database provides no evidence for those advantages. The Atom also has a launch MSRP of $58, which can be stated once as a reference point. The Athlon Gold has no recorded launch MSRP.

The percentile ranking of 35 for both chips indicates they are entry-level performers in the broader CPU landscape. Neither chip will challenge mainstream desktop processors, but within this comparison, the Intel part is the stronger option by every measurable benchmark.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has better multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Atom x7425E wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 4403 in R23 multi-core versus 4164 for the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U, a 5.4% lead. The R20 and R15 multi-core tests show the same pattern with 5.5% and 5.4% advantages respectively.

Q: Is the AMD chip better in single-core performance?

A: No. The Atom x7425E also leads in single-core tests, though by a slightly smaller margin. The R23 single-core score is 621 versus 587 (5.5% ahead), R20 is 260 versus 246 (5.4% ahead), and R15 is 62 versus 59 (4.8% ahead).

Q: How do their memory systems differ?

A: The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U supports LPDDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Atom x7425E supports DDR4 and DDR5 but only with a single-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD part has over twice the theoretical memory bandwidth.

Q: What are their core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U has 2 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Atom x7425E has 4 cores and 4 threads. Both have the same thread count, but the Intel part achieves it with more physical cores and no multithreading, while the AMD part uses simultaneous multithreading on fewer cores.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, while the Intel Atom x7425E boosts to 3.40 GHz. The AMD chip also has a higher base clock at 2.40 GHz versus 1.50 GHz for the Intel part.

Q: Are they in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both CPUs are at the 35th percentile among all processors in the database. Their average benchmark scores are also close: the Athlon Gold averages 1311 and the Atom x7425E averages 1273, though the head-to-head Cinebench results consistently favor the Intel chip.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon Gold 7220U | Intel Atom x7425E |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.40 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 12 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FT6 | Intel BGA 1264 |

| Architecture | Zen 2 | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Mendocino | Alder Lake-N |

| Process Node | 6 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB per core | 96 KB per core |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB per core | 2 MB shared |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB shared | 6 MB shared |

| Memory Support | LPDDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 88.0 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 4 Lanes | Gen 3, 9 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 610M | UHD Graphics 24EU |

| Release Date | 2022-09-19 | 2023-01-02 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $58 |

| Part Number | 100-000000771 | SRMLN |