AMD Athlon Silver 7120U vs Intel Atom C5315 Comparison

The Intel Atom C5315 and AMD Athlon Silver 7120U sit at opposite ends of the computing spectrum, yet their average benchmark scores are nearly identical. The Atom C5315, a 4-core server part, and the Athlon Silver 7120U, a 2-core mobile chip, both land at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, with average scores of 871 and 881 respectively. This places them in the same performance tier as aging desktop processors like the Intel Core i7-3540M and the AMD Athlon PRO 3045B, according to the nearest rival data. Despite the statistical tie, the head-to-head benchmark results reveal two completely different performance profiles that cater to distinct workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result comes from the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, where the Intel Atom C5315 delivers a decisive victory. The Atom scores 2533 points, a full 51.4% ahead of the Athlon Silver's 1673 points. This is the largest margin in any benchmark between the two chips, and it highlights the fundamental advantage of having four physical cores versus two. The Atom's extra cores allow it to chew through parallel workloads with ease, while the Athlon Silver's dual-core design holds it back in heavily threaded scenarios.

The single-core picture is reversed, and it is equally emphatic. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U scores 886 points, dwarfing the Atom's 357 points. The delta here is -59.7% from the Atom's perspective, meaning the AMD chip is roughly 2.5 times faster in this test. This massive single-thread advantage comes from the Athlon's 3.50 GHz boost clock and more modern Zen 2 architecture, and it makes the AMD part far more responsive in everyday tasks that rely on one or two threads.

The oldest benchmark in the set, Cinebench R15 multi-core, tells a closer story. The Intel Atom C5315 edges out a win with 255 points versus 250 points for the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U, a margin of just 2%. This near-tie is surprising given the 51.4% gap in the newer R23 test, but it reflects how the two chips scale differently with workload intensity. The Atom's lead grows as the benchmark becomes more demanding, suggesting its four cores are better utilized over longer, more complex renders.

The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U also has benchmark data that the Atom lacks entirely. It scores 1457 points in Geekbench multi-core and 892 points in Geekbench single-core, while the Atom has no Geekbench results listed. The Athlon's single-core score of 892 in Geekbench aligns closely with its Cinebench R23 single-core result of 886, confirming consistent single-thread strength across different test suites. The Atom's absence from Geekbench means its single-core weakness cannot be directly compared there, but the Cinebench data is sufficient to establish the pattern.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Atom C5315 wins in multi-core tests, scoring 2533 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 1673 for the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U, a 51.4% advantage. It also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core with 255 points versus 250, though by a much smaller margin of 2%.

Q: Which processor has better single-core performance?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is far superior in single-core tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 886 points compared to the Atom's 357, a 59.7% deficit for the Intel part. The Athlon also posts 892 points in Geekbench single-core.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U has an average benchmark score of 881, slightly ahead of the Intel Atom C5315's 871. Both chips sit at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rivals include similar-scoring parts like the AMD Athlon PRO 3045B and Intel Core i3-5157U.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Atom C5315 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U has 2 cores and 2 threads. This difference explains the Atom's multi-core advantage despite its weaker single-core performance.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The Intel Atom C5315 supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel access and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U supports LPDDR5 memory with dual-channel access and 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD chip also has ECC memory disabled, whereas the Intel part supports ECC.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U includes Radeon 610M integrated graphics, while the Intel Atom C5315 has no integrated graphics (listed as N/A). This makes the AMD chip more suitable for systems without a discrete GPU.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Atom C5315 is built on the Parker Ridge codename and uses the Atom (Tremont) generation architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node at Intel's own foundry. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U uses the Zen 2 architecture under the Mendocino codename, built on TSMC's 6 nm process node. This process advantage gives AMD a significant transistor density and efficiency edge, though the Atom's larger core count compensates in multi-threaded tests.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially between the two. The Intel Atom C5315 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 4.5 MB of L2 cache per module, with no L3 cache listed. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U also has 64 KB of L1 per core but only 512 KB of L2 per core, plus 2 MB of shared L3 cache. The Atom's larger L2 allocation per module helps feed its four cores, while the Athlon relies on its L3 cache to share data between its two cores more efficiently.

Memory support also diverges sharply. The Intel part uses DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth and supports ECC memory, making it suitable for server environments where data integrity is critical. The AMD part uses LPDDR5 memory with 88.0 GB/s bandwidth, a 129% increase in theoretical bandwidth, but lacks ECC support entirely. The Athlon's LPDDR5 support is typical for mobile designs, where low power and high bandwidth are prioritized over error correction.

PCIe connectivity also differs, with the Intel Atom C5315 offering Gen 3 with 8 lanes versus the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U's Gen 3 with just 4 lanes. Both use CPU-only lane counts, but the Atom's double the lane allocation gives it more room for expansion in server or workstation configurations. The AMD chip's die size is listed at 100 mm², while no die size is provided for the Intel part, further illustrating the different physical designs.

Specification Differences

The Intel Atom C5315 and AMD Athlon Silver 7120U differ in nearly every core specification. The Atom has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Athlon has 2 cores and 2 threads. Both have a base clock of 2.40 GHz, but the Athlon adds a boost clock of 3.50 GHz, while the Atom has no boost clock listed. The Intel part carries a TDP of 38 watts, while the AMD part draws just 15 watts, a significant power efficiency advantage for the mobile chip.

The sockets are incompatible: the Atom uses Intel BGA 2106, while the Athlon uses AMD Socket FT6. The process nodes differ as noted, with Intel at 10 nm and AMD at 6 nm. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $213, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP listed. The market segments also differ, with the Atom aimed at Server/Workstation and the Athlon at Mobile. The Intel part supports ECC memory, while the AMD part does not. Integrated graphics are present on the AMD chip (Radeon 610M) but absent on the Intel chip. The Intel part uses a 4.5 MB per module L2 cache, while the AMD part uses 512 KB per core L2 plus 2 MB shared L3. Release dates are close, with the Intel part coming on 2022-06-05 and the AMD part on 2022-09-19.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice based on workload type. The Intel Atom C5315 is the pick for multi-threaded, server-style workloads where its 4-core design delivers a 51.4% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core and supports ECC memory. Its 38-watt TDP and 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes also suit always-on server environments, and the $213 launch MSRP reflects its positioning as a low-cost entry server processor.

The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is the better choice for mobile or desktop use where single-thread responsiveness and power efficiency matter more. Its 59.7% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core, 15-watt TDP, and integrated Radeon 610M graphics make it a far more versatile everyday chip. The 88.0 GB/s LPDDR5 memory bandwidth also gives it a major advantage in memory-intensive tasks, despite the lower core count.

For users who need to run heavily threaded applications like video rendering or server virtualization, the Intel Atom C5315 is the obvious winner. For general computing, web browsing, or light productivity, the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U will feel faster in most interactions due to its superior single-core performance. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, but the experience of using each chip will be very different depending on the software being run. Choose the Atom for raw parallel throughput, and choose the Athlon for snappy single-threaded performance and energy efficiency.