AMD Athlon Silver 7120U vs Intel Xeon W3520 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear split between the two processors depending on workload type. The Intel Xeon W3520 takes the win in multi-threaded tests, while the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U dominates single-threaded performance.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the result is nearly a tie. The Intel Xeon W3520 scores 252 against the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U's 250, a margin of only 0.8 percent. This is effectively a statistical dead heat, despite the Intel part having twice as many cores and four times as many threads. The data indicates that the older architecture of the Xeon cannot leverage its extra parallelism meaningfully in this particular workload, or the AMD processor's efficiency compensates for its deficit in core count.

The gap widens dramatically in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Here the Intel Xeon W3520 posts a score of 2505, which is 33.2 percent higher than the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U's 1673. This result shows that in longer, more demanding multi-threaded render workloads, the Xeon's four cores and eight threads provide a decisive advantage. The benchmark results indicate a clear winner for sustained parallel compute, likely due to the Intel part's ability to maintain higher aggregate throughput over extended render sessions.

The single-core comparison flips entirely. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U scores 886, which is 151 percent higher than the Intel Xeon W3520's 353. This is a massive delta and the single biggest win in the data. The AMD processor is more than two and a half times faster in this scalar workload. This result highlights the massive architectural leap between a modern low-power mobile chip and a legacy server part. The Athlon's per-core performance is in a completely different league, making it the obvious choice for lightly threaded applications.

Looking at the overall benchmark summary, the Intel part wins two tests (Cinebench R15 and R23 multi-core), while the AMD wins one (Cinebench R23 single-core). However, the magnitude of the AMD's win in single-core is so large that it shapes the overall average. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U's average benchmark score is 881, while the Intel Xeon W3520's average is 862. Both sit at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs in the database. The delta between the two is about 2.2 percent in favor of the AMD part, driven almost entirely by the single-core dominance.

The database also places both processors near comparable rivals. The AMD's nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-1000NG4 and the AMD Phenom II X6 1035T, both with an identical average score. The Intel Xeon W3520 sits near the Intel Core i5-3470T, with a negligible 0.1 percent difference. These rival placements reinforce that these are two low-to-mid-tier processors from very different eras, with the AMD leaning on modern IPC and the Intel leaning on older core-count advantages.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two parts is stark and explains every benchmark delta. The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is built on Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Mendocino, and is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Xeon W3520 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Bloomfield, manufactured on a 45 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is enormous: 6 nm versus 45 nm, which directly impacts power efficiency, thermal output, and clock headroom.

The AMD part is a 2-core, 2-thread chip with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The Intel part is a 4-core, 8-thread chip with a base clock of 2.67 GHz and a boost clock of 2.93 GHz. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD clock speeds are higher, particularly the boost clock, which is nearly 600 MHz above the Intel's. This is why the AMD wins single-core: it combines a higher boost frequency with a much more efficient instruction pipeline.

Cache configurations also differ significantly. The AMD has 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with a 2 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel has 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, with a much larger 8 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel's larger L3 is typical for server-class parts of its era, meant to hold more working data for multi-threaded tasks. The AMD's smaller L3 is a trade-off for lower power and die size, but it is faster in latency on a per-access basis.

Memory support is another major differentiator. The AMD supports LPDDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s. The Intel supports DDR3 with a triple-channel configuration; its bandwidth is not recorded in the database. The AMD's memory type is significantly newer and faster per channel, though the Intel's triple-channel bus can compensate with more physical memory paths. ECC memory support is present only on the Intel, which is typical for the server/workstation segment.

The AMD's integrated graphics is a Radeon 610M, whereas the Intel has no integrated graphics at all. This means the AMD is a complete mobile/embedded solution, while the Intel requires a discrete GPU. The PCIe support also differs: the AMD has Gen 3 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel has Gen 2 without a lane count listed. The AMD's PCIe generation is newer, but the Intel's server platform likely supports more lanes via its chipset, though the data does not confirm that on the CPU side.

The Intel Xeon W3520 is built with 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die, while the AMD's transistor count is not recorded, but its die size is 100 mm². This size difference reflects the manufacturing era: Intel's 45 nm process required a much larger die for a similar core count. The Intel part has a 130 W TDP, while the AMD part has a 15 W TDP. The power efficiency gap is immense, over eight fold, which is a direct consequence of the process node and target market.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the choice between these two processors depends entirely on workload characteristics. For multi-threaded render workloads, the Intel Xeon W3520 is the better performer. It leads in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 33.2 percent and edges out the AMD in Cinebench R15 multi-core by a 0.8 percent margin. Users running heavily parallel tasks, such as video encoding or 3D rendering, will see a tangible advantage from the Intel part's four cores and eight threads.

For single-threaded and lightly threaded workloads, the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is significantly superior. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 151 percent higher, which means faster application startup, quicker web browsing, and better performance in legacy software that does not scale across cores. The data also shows the AMD has a higher average benchmark score (881 versus 862), so on balance it is the faster chip for mixed or typical desktop usage.

The AMD also wins decisively on power efficiency and platform integration. Its 15 W TDP versus the Intel's 130 W TDP makes it suitable for fanless or low-power mobile designs, while the Intel requires a robust cooling solution and substantial power delivery. The AMD's integrated Radeon 610M graphics eliminates the need for a separate GPU, whereas the Intel requires one. The AMD is also an active production part, while the Intel is end-of-life.

The verdict is clear: the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is the better choice for nearly all modern, power-conscious, single-threaded and mobile applications. The Intel Xeon W3520 is only preferable if the workload is exclusively multi-threaded and the user can tolerate its power draw and lack of integrated graphics. For a server or workstation environment with sustained parallel load, the Intel's multi-core lead is meaningful. For anything else, the AMD is the superior processor.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U and the Intel Xeon W3520 :

• Cores: 2 (AMD) vs 4 (Intel)
• Threads: 2 (AMD) vs 8 (Intel)
• Base clock: 2.40 GHz (AMD) vs 2.67 GHz (Intel)
• Boost clock: 3.50 GHz (AMD) vs 2.93 GHz (Intel)
• TDP: 15 W (AMD) vs 130 W (Intel)
• Socket: AMD Socket FT6 (AMD) vs Intel Socket 1366 (Intel)
• Architecture: Zen 2 (AMD) vs Nehalem (Intel)
• Codename: Mendocino (AMD) vs Bloomfield (Intel)
• Process node: 6 nm (AMD) vs 45 nm (Intel)
• Foundry: TSMC (AMD) vs Intel (Intel)
• Transistors: not recorded (AMD) vs 731 million (Intel)
• Die size: 100 mm² (AMD) vs 263 mm² (Intel)
• L2 cache: 512 KB per core (AMD) vs 256 KB per core (Intel)
• L3 cache: 2 MB shared (AMD) vs 8 MB shared (Intel)
• Memory support: LPDDR5 (AMD) vs DDR3 (Intel)
• Memory bus: Dual-channel (AMD) vs Triple-channel (Intel)
• Memory bandwidth: 88.0 GB/s (AMD) vs not recorded (Intel)
• ECC memory: false (AMD) vs true (Intel)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 4 lanes (AMD) vs Gen 2 (Intel)
• Integrated graphics: Radeon 610M (AMD) vs none (Intel)
• Market segment: Mobile (AMD) vs Server/Workstation (Intel)
• Production status: Active (AMD) vs End-of-life (Intel)
• Release date: 2022-09-19 (AMD) vs 2009-03-29 (Intel)
• Part number: 100-000000772 (AMD) vs SLBEW (Intel)

The L1 cache is identical, at 64 KB per core for both. The Intel's core count is double, but the AMD's L2 and per-core L1 are larger. The AMD's socket is a mobile BGA-style, while the Intel uses a standard LGA 1366. The Intel's memory bandwidth is not listed, so no comparison can be made there.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is significantly faster. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 886 versus the Intel Xeon W3520's 353, a 151 percent difference.

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon W3520 has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23, scoring 2505 versus the AMD's 1673, a 33.2 percent lead. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel also wins by 252 to 250, a 0.8 percent margin.

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

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U has 2 cores and 2 threads. The Intel Xeon W3520 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor consumes less power?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U has a TDP of 15 W, while the Intel Xeon W3520 has a TDP of 130 W. The AMD uses far less power.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon W3520 supports ECC memory, while the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U has a Radeon 610M integrated GPU. The Intel Xeon W3520 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are the production statuses of these processors?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is active and in production. The Intel Xeon W3520 is end-of-life.