AMD EPYC 7402 vs Intel Core i5-1145G7 Comparison

AMD EPYC 7402 and Intel Core i5-1145G7 occupy opposite ends of the computing spectrum, yet their average benchmark scores place them within a fraction of a percentage point of each other. The EPYC 7402 is a 24-core, 48-thread server processor built on TSMC's 7 nm process for AMD Socket SP3, while the i5-1145G7 is a 4-core, 8-thread mobile chip on Intel's 10 nm process for BGA 1449. Their aggregate scores (11312 vs. 11279) differ by just 0.3%, but that statistical tie masks a fundamental split: the EPYC wins every Cinebench test by a factor of roughly five, while the i5 counters with a suite of PassMark and Geekbench results the EPYC never recorded. The data shows two chips that happen to land at the same 66th percentile of all CPUs, but achieve that standing through entirely different workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite delivers a decisive, one-sided verdict. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7402 scores 3942 against the i5-1145G7's 783, a 403.4% advantage. The single-core R15 test is equally lopsided: 556 vs. 110, a 405.5% delta. Moving to R20, the EPYC posts 16426 versus 3266 (402.9% ahead), and in R23 multi-core the gap widens to 39110 against 7777, again 402.9%. Even the R23 single-core results show the EPYC at 5521 versus 1098, a 402.8% margin. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, the EPYC 7402 wins 100% of the time, with deltas consistently hovering around 403%. The i5-1145G7 never closes the gap to less than 400 percentage points in any Cinebench workload.

The i5-1145G7's only numerical ammunition comes from benchmarks absent from the EPYC's record. The i5 scores 4066 in Geekbench multi-core and 1463 in single-core. In PassMark tests, it hits 103172 in data compression, 5406 in data encryption, 7235 in extended instructions, and 33 in find prime numbers. Floating point math yields 19233, integer math 32087, and multithread 9452. Physics scores 568, random string sorting 12658, and single-thread 2713. None of these tests appear in the EPYC 7402's benchmark list, so no direct head-to-head percentage can be calculated. The data simply shows the i5 has recorded results in these areas while the EPYC has not, not that one outperforms the other in them.

What the numbers do show is that the EPYC's 24 cores and 48 threads deliver a raw throughput that the i5's 4 cores and 8 threads cannot approach in rendering workloads. The EPYC's base clock of 2.80 GHz and boost of 3.35 GHz are lower than the i5's 2.60 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost, yet the EPYC still wins every Cinebench test decisively. The i5's higher boost clock does not translate into single-core Cinebench victories, where it trails by over 400% in every version. The EPYC's 128 MB total L3 cache, spread across 32 MB per die, dwarfs the i5's 8 MB shared L3, and the EPYC's eight-channel DDR4 memory bus with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth is in a different class from the i5's dual-channel support.

The Verdict

Benchmark results indicate the AMD EPYC 7402 is the clear choice for any workload represented by Cinebench. It wins all six head-to-head tests by roughly 403% each, making it the only processor with a documented victory in this comparison. The i5-1145G7 has zero wins in the head-to-head data. Anyone running Cinebench R15, R20, or R23, whether multi-core or single-core, should select the EPYC 7402 without hesitation. The margin is not close; it is a factor of five.

However, the i5-1145G7 is the only chip in this pair with any recorded data in Geekbench or PassMark tests. The EPYC 7402 has no scores for those workloads, meaning the database contains no evidence of EPYC performance in data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multithread PassMark, physics, random string sorting, or Geekbench tasks. For users whose primary software relies on those specific tests, the i5-1145G7 is the only option with measurable results. The EPYC's average benchmark score of 11312 versus the i5's 11279 reflects a 0.3% difference, but that average includes only Cinebench for the EPYC and a broader mix for the i5.

The production status matters too. The EPYC 7402 is listed as Active, while the i5-1145G7 is End-of-life. The EPYC was released on 2019-08-06, the i5 on 2020-09-01. The EPYC targets the Server/Workstation market segment, the i5 targets Mobile. These are not interchangeable parts. The verdict from the data is straightforward: for Cinebench workloads, the EPYC 7402 wins by an enormous margin; for PassMark and Geekbench workloads, only the i5 has any recorded performance at all.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7402 wins every benchmark where both chips have scores. That means all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both multi-core and single-core variants. The EPYC's 24 cores and 48 threads, combined with 128 MB total L3 cache and eight-channel DDR4 memory at 204.8 GB/s, make it the dominant part for rendering, simulation, and any CPU-bound server task that Cinebench represents. Its 180 W TDP and AMD Socket SP3 form factor suit it for rack-mounted servers and workstation builds where power and space are not constraints. The 7 nm process from TSMC and 15,200 million transistors across a 4x 74 mm² die layout give it a density advantage that the 10 nm Intel chip cannot match.

The Intel Core i5-1145G7 wins in the sense that it is the only chip with scores in non-Cinebench categories. Its PassMark results range from 33 in find prime numbers to 103172 in data compression, and its Geekbench scores of 4066 multi-core and 1463 single-core provide a baseline for general-purpose mobile computing. The i5's integrated Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU gives it a graphics capability the EPYC lacks entirely, since the EPYC has no integrated graphics. The i5's 28 W TDP and BGA 1449 socket target thin-and-light laptops, where the EPYC's 180 W TDP and SP3 socket would be physically impossible to install. The i5 also supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory, while the EPYC supports only DDR4, though the EPYC adds ECC memory support while the i5 does not.

For use-case splits, the data supports this: choose the EPYC 7402 for any server, workstation, or rendering workload that uses Cinebench as a proxy. Choose the i5-1145G7 for mobile computing with PassMark or Geekbench workloads, or when integrated graphics are required. The EPYC's PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes versus the i5's PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes further separates their intended uses — the EPYC can drive massive I/O, the i5 is limited to a single device or two.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD EPYC 7402 has an average benchmark score of 11312, versus 11279 for the Intel Core i5-1145G7, a difference of 0.3%.

Q: How many Cinebench tests did the Intel Core i5-1145G7 win?

A: The i5-1145G7 won zero out of six head-to-head Cinebench tests. The AMD EPYC 7402 won all six.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two chips?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the EPYC 7402 scores 556 versus 110 for the i5-1145G7, a 405.5% advantage for the EPYC.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-1145G7 have any benchmark wins recorded?

A: The head-to-head data shows 0 wins for the i5-1145G7. However, it has recorded scores in Geekbench and PassMark tests that the EPYC 7402 does not have, including 4066 in Geekbench multi-core and 103172 in PassMark data compression.

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

A: The AMD EPYC 7402 has 24 cores and 48 threads. The Intel Core i5-1145G7 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 7402 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-1145G7 does not support ECC.

Architecture Differences

The AMD EPYC 7402 uses the Zen 2 architecture under the codename Rome, belonging to the EPYC 7002 series. It is built on a 7 nm process at TSMC with 15,200 million transistors spread across a 4x 74 mm² die size. The Intel Core i5-1145G7 uses the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically the Willow Cove-U generation, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 144 mm². The EPYC's 24 cores each have 64 KB of L1 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache, plus 32 MB of L3 per die totaling 128 MB. The i5's 4 cores each have 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2, with a shared 8 MB L3. The EPYC's cache hierarchy is dramatically larger, especially the 128 MB total L3 versus 8 MB shared.

Memory support diverges sharply. The EPYC 7402 supports DDR4 over an eight-channel bus with 204.8 GB/s theoretical bandwidth and ECC. The i5-1145G7 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X over a dual-channel bus with no listed bandwidth and no ECC. PCIe connectivity also differs: the EPYC provides Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the i5 provides Gen 4 with just 4 lanes (CPU only). The EPYC has no integrated graphics; the i5 includes Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU. The EPYC's socket is AMD Socket SP3 with a 180 W TDP, while the i5 uses Intel BGA 1449 with a 28 W TDP. The EPYC's base clock is 2.80 GHz and boost is 3.35 GHz; the i5's base is 2.60 GHz and boost is 4.40 GHz. The EPYC's launch MSRP is $1783, while the i5's launch MSRP is $309. The EPYC is an Active production part released on 2019-08-06, and the i5 is End-of-life released on 2020-09-01. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier, and neither has 3D V-Cache. The EPYC's part number is 100-000000046, and the i5's is SRK03. The EPYC has a 66th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and the i5 also has a 66th percentile ranking.