AMD EPYC 7742 vs Intel Core i7-1260U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 7742 dominates every single recorded benchmark in this comparison. The data shows a clean sweep: six head-to-head tests, six wins for the EPYC 7742, and zero wins for the Intel Core i7-1260U. The margin is not close in any test. The smallest recorded delta is 73.7% in single-core Cinebench R15, and the largest is 86.5% in multi-core Cinebench R23.

This is not a case of one chip winning some workloads and the other winning others. The EPYC 7742 wins decisively across both single-threaded and multi-threaded tests. The Intel Core i7-1260U does not post a single victory in any benchmark category, whether that is single-core rendering, multi-core rendering, or any of the broader workload tests available in its benchmark set.

The use-case split is therefore stark. The EPYC 7742 is the only viable choice for any workload where raw compute throughput matters. The i7-1260U, by contrast, appears to be a processor designed for a different class of device entirely, one where power draw and physical footprint matter more than peak performance. But in a pure performance comparison, the EPYC 7742 wins every measurable category.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from opposite ends of the hardware spectrum. The Intel Core i7-1260U uses Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node, with a core configuration of 10 cores and 12 threads. Its base clock is 1.10 GHz, boosting up to 4.70 GHz. It is a mobile part, socketed into Intel BGA 1781, and belongs to the Alder Lake-U generation. Its thermal design power is 9 watts. The chip supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, includes integrated Iris Xe graphics with 96 execution units, and offers PCIe Gen 4 connectivity. Its cache layout is 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. It does not support ECC memory.

The AMD EPYC 7742 is a server and workstation processor built on Zen 2 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process. It has 64 cores and 128 threads, with a base clock of 2.25 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. It fits into AMD Socket SP3 and belongs to the EPYC 7002 series, codenamed Rome. The thermal design power is 225 watts. It supports DDR4 memory over an eight-channel bus, providing a recorded memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. It supports ECC memory, which is a critical feature for server workloads. The chip has no integrated graphics. Its cache is substantially larger: 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is recorded at 74 mm², and the transistor count is 3,800 million. It also offers PCIe Gen 4.

The architectural gap is enormous. The EPYC 7742 has 6.4 times the cores, 10.7 times the threads, and 21.3 times the shared L3 cache. The process node advantage belongs to AMD, with 7 nm versus 10 nm. The memory subsystem is also fundamentally different: eight channels versus two, and 204.8 GB/s versus no recorded bandwidth figure for the Intel part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7742 scores 5923 against the i7-1260U's 1203, a delta of 79.7% in favor of AMD. In single-core R15, the EPYC scores 836 against 219.5, a 73.7% lead.

Cinebench R20 tells a similar story. Multi-core: EPYC 7742 scores 24682, Intel scores 4736, a delta of 80.8%. Single-core: EPYC scores 3484, Intel scores 668, again an 80.8% delta.

Cinebench R23 shows the largest multi-core margin. The EPYC 7742 posts 58769, while the i7-1260U manages 7912.5. That is an 86.5% difference. In single-core R23, the EPYC scores 8296 against 1601, a delta of 80.7%.

The pattern is consistent. The EPYC 7742 leads by roughly 74% to 87% across all Cinebench tests. The multi-core advantage is slightly larger than the single-core advantage in most tests, but even in pure single-threaded workloads, the EPYC 7742 is far ahead. The i7-1260U's higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz versus 3.40 GHz does not translate into a win, as the Zen 2 core is substantially more efficient per clock in these recorded results.

Beyond Cinebench, the Intel part has additional benchmark data that the EPYC 7742 lacks. The i7-1260U posts a Geekbench multi-core score of 6320 and a single-core score of 1936. It also has PassMark scores: 152217 for data compression, 9480 for data encryption, 8280 for extended instructions, 67 for finding prime numbers, 31456 for floating point math, 45887 for integer math, 14011 for multithread, 1046 for physics, 16726 for random string sorting, and 3153 for single-thread. These numbers are recorded only for the Intel part, so they cannot be directly compared with the EPYC 7742. The head-to-head comparison relies solely on the six Cinebench tests.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD EPYC 7742 is faster in every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 58769 against 7912.5 for the Intel Core i7-1260U, an 86.5% difference. The R20 multi-core delta is 80.8%, and the R15 multi-core delta is 79.7%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-1260U win any benchmark?

A: No. The recorded head-to-head data shows zero wins for the i7-1260U. The EPYC 7742 wins all six tests, with deltas ranging from 73.7% to 86.5%.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The EPYC 7742 has 64 cores and 128 threads. The i7-1260U has 10 cores and 12 threads. The EPYC 7742 has 54 more cores and 116 more threads.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The EPYC 7742 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s over an eight-channel DDR4 bus. The i7-1260U supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5, but no memory bandwidth figure is recorded for it.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The EPYC 7742 supports ECC memory. The i7-1260U does not.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The EPYC 7742 has 256 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-1260U has 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The EPYC 7742 has 21.3 times more L3 cache.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category.

| Specification | Intel Core i7-1260U | AMD EPYC 7742 |

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

| Cores | 10 | 64 |

| Threads | 12 | 128 |

| Base clock | 1.10 GHz | 2.25 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.70 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Thermal design power | 9 W | 225 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1781 | AMD Socket SP3 |

| Architecture | Alder Lake | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Alder Lake-U | Rome |

| Generation | Core i7 (Alder Lake-U) | EPYC (Zen 2 (Rome)) |

| Process node | 10 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not recorded | 3,800 million |

| Die size | Not recorded | 74 mm² |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 12 MB (shared) | 256 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Eight-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | Not recorded | 204.8 GB/s |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4 | Gen 4 |

| Integrated graphics | Iris Xe 96EU | None |

| Market segment | Mobile | Server/Workstation |

| Release date | 2022-02-22 | 2019-08-06 |

| Part number | Not recorded | 100-000000053 |

The Verdict

The data makes the choice straightforward. The AMD EPYC 7742 is the superior processor in every recorded benchmark. It wins all six head-to-head tests by margins of at least 73.7% and up to 86.5%. It offers 64 cores and 128 threads, 256 MB of L3 cache, eight-channel memory with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC support. It is a server and workstation part built for sustained, high-throughput compute.

The Intel Core i7-1260U is a mobile processor with 10 cores and 12 threads, a 9 watt thermal design power, and integrated Iris Xe graphics. It targets a completely different use case: thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermals take priority over raw performance. Its benchmark scores are far lower, and it has no recorded wins against the EPYC 7742.

Who should pick which? The EPYC 7742 is the obvious choice for any server, workstation, or data-center workload where the recorded Cinebench deltas matter. The i7-1260U is the choice for a mobile device where the 9 watt thermal envelope, integrated graphics, and compact BGA socket are the deciding factors. But if performance is the only criterion, the EPYC 7742 wins without exception.

The average benchmark score tells a similar story. The EPYC 7742 has an average score of 16998, while the i7-1260U has an average of 16320. Both sit at the 70th percentile among all CPUs, but the EPYC 7742's average is 678 points higher. The nearest rivals for each chip reflect their respective weight classes: the i7-1260U sits near the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H and Intel Core i5-10600KF, while the EPYC 7742 sits near the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Core i5-1240U. The comparison is between a compact mobile part and a full server processor, and the server processor wins every measurable test.