AMD Athlon Silver 7120U vs Intel Core i7-3540M Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors along clear generational and architectural lines. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U wins three of the five recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-3540M takes two. The wins are not evenly distributed; they cluster by workload type.

The AMD part dominates in single-threaded and modern multi-core scaling tests. Its most decisive victories come in Cinebench R23 single-core (886 vs 356, a 148.9% advantage) and Geekbench single-core (892 vs 565, a 57.9% advantage). It also wins Geekbench multi-core (1457 vs 1160, a 25.6% advantage). These results point to a processor that handles latency-sensitive tasks, everyday responsiveness, and lightly threaded applications with far greater efficiency.

The Intel Core i7-3540M wins the two Cinebench multi-core tests. It edges out the AMD chip in Cinebench R15 multi-core (254 vs 250, a 1.6% margin) and delivers a much larger win in Cinebench R23 multi-core (2525 vs 1673, a 33.7% margin). This suggests that in sustained, heavily threaded rendering workloads, the older Intel part still holds a measurable advantage, likely due to its four threads versus the AMD part's two threads.

For use-case planning, the split is straightforward. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is better suited for general productivity, web browsing, office applications, and any workload that benefits from modern single-thread performance. The Intel Core i7-3540M is the stronger choice for multi-threaded batch rendering or CPU-bound tasks that can utilize four threads, where its Cinebench R23 result shows a substantial lead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design eras. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 6 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 100 mm². The Intel Core i7-3540M uses the Ivy Bridge architecture on Intel's 22 nm process, with a die size of 118 mm². The process node difference alone explains much of the performance-per-clock and efficiency gap.

Both parts have 2 physical cores, but the Intel chip supports 4 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the AMD chip runs 2 threads total. Cache configurations also differ. The AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core and 2 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 256 KB of L2 per core and 4 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on Intel may contribute to its multi-threaded Cinebench showing, while AMD's larger L2 per core benefits single-thread responsiveness.

Memory support diverges sharply. The AMD chip uses LPDDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration with a recorded bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s. The Intel chip uses DDR3 memory in dual-channel configuration with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. This memory generation gap likely explains the AMD part's strong Geekbench memory-sensitive scores.

The integrated graphics differ as well. AMD pairs the CPU with Radeon 610M graphics, while Intel uses HD 4000 graphics. The AMD part also lists PCIe Gen 3 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part has no PCIe data recorded. The AMD processor is built for socket FT6, the Intel for socket G2 (988B). Both are mobile-segment parts, both lack ECC support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head tests reveal a lopsided pattern once the workload shifts from multi-threaded rendering to single-thread and general multi-core tasks.

Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel Core i7-3540M wins by the narrowest margin in the entire comparison: 254 vs 250, a 1.6% delta. This is essentially a statistical tie, showing that in this older rendering test, the two parts are comparable despite their architectural differences.

Cinebench R23 multi-core tells a different story. The Intel part scores 2525 against the AMD part's 1673, a 33.7% advantage. This is the Intel chip's largest win. The four threads on the Intel part likely carry this result, as Cinebench R23 scales well with thread count.

The remaining three tests all go to the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U, and two of them are blowouts. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD scores 886 vs Intel's 356, a 148.9% advantage. That is nearly two and a half times the Intel score. In Geekbench single-core, AMD scores 892 vs 565, a 57.9% advantage. In Geekbench multi-core, AMD scores 1457 vs 1160, a 25.6% advantage.

The pattern is consistent. The Intel part wins where thread count matters most, but loses decisively where per-core throughput or memory bandwidth matters. The AMD part's 88.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and modern Zen 2 cores give it a clear edge in Geekbench's mixed workload and in single-thread tests. The Intel part's 4 MB L3 and four threads give it a rendering edge but cannot compensate for its older architecture in latency-sensitive tests.

Averaging the five deltas (ignoring direction) gives a mean margin of about 53.5%, but this is skewed by the massive single-core Cinebench R23 delta. The median delta is 25.6%, which better represents the typical gap. The data shows the AMD part is not just faster in single-thread, it is dramatically faster, while the Intel part's multi-thread win is more modest in one test and substantial in the other.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear recommendation for most use cases: the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is the better processor for general mobile computing. It wins three of five head-to-head tests, including both Geekbench tests and the more modern Cinebench R23 single-core test. Its single-thread scores are more than double the Intel part's in Cinebench R23, and its Geekbench multi-core score is 25.6% higher despite having two fewer threads. The 6 nm Zen 2 architecture with LPDDR5 memory provides a modern foundation that the Intel Ivy Bridge part cannot match.

The Intel Core i7-3540M remains relevant only for a specific workload: multi-threaded Cinebench rendering. Its 33.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is real and substantial. For users running batch rendering or CPU-bound tasks that scale to four threads, the Intel part holds an advantage. However, its single-thread scores are poor by comparison, and its Geekbench multi-core score lags the AMD part by 25.6% despite the thread advantage.

The database percentile ranking places both parts at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating they are both entry-level performers. Their average benchmark scores are close, 881 for AMD and 867 for Intel, a 1.6% difference. But the distribution of wins matters more than the average. The AMD part wins the tests that matter for everyday responsiveness, while the Intel part wins only in a narrow rendering niche.

Choose the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U for a balanced mobile experience, better single-thread performance, faster memory, and superior Geekbench results. Choose the Intel Core i7-3540M only if your primary workload is multi-threaded Cinebench rendering and you can tolerate its much weaker single-thread performance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-core performance?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U wins both single-core tests. It scores 886 vs 356 in Cinebench R23 single-core (148.9% ahead) and 892 vs 565 in Geekbench single-core (57.9% ahead).

Q: Which processor is better for multi-threaded rendering?

A: The Intel Core i7-3540M wins both multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 254 vs 250 in Cinebench R15 and 2525 vs 1673 in Cinebench R23, a 33.7% advantage in the newer test.

Q: Why does the Intel part win Cinebench R23 multi-core but lose Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel part has 4 threads versus 2 on the AMD part, which helps in thread-scaling rendering tests. However, the AMD part has a 25.6% higher Geekbench multi-core score (1457 vs 1160), likely due to its faster memory and newer architecture.

Q: What are the process node differences?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is built on TSMC's 6 nm process, while the Intel Core i7-3540M uses Intel's 22 nm process. The die sizes are 100 mm² for AMD and 118 mm² for Intel.

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The Intel part has 4 MB of shared L3 versus 2 MB on the AMD part. However, the AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core versus 256 KB on Intel. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: No. The AMD part supports LPDDR5 dual-channel memory with 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel part supports DDR3 dual-channel memory with no bandwidth figure recorded.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon Silver 7120U | Intel Core i7-3540M |

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

| Cores | 2 | 2 |

| Threads | 2 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.40 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 35 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FT6 | Intel Socket G2 (988B) |

| Architecture | Zen 2 | Ivy Bridge |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 22 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 100 mm² | 118 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 2 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | LPDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 88.0 GB/s | Not recorded |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 610M | Intel HD 4000 |

| Release Date | 2022-09-19 | 2013-01-07 |

| Part Number | 100-000000772 | SR0X6 |