AMD Ryzen 3 5300U vs Intel Core i7-1160G7 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U and Intel Core i7-1160G7 are both 4-core, 8-thread mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but benchmark results reveal distinctly different performance profiles. The AMD chip wins three of four head-to-head comparisons, yet the Intel part delivers the single largest margin of victory. Both processors sit at the 46th percentile of all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 2135 and 2124 respectively, making them statistically inseparable in overall performance despite their divergent architectural approaches.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result in this matchup comes from Cinebench R15 single-core testing, where the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U scores 170 against the Intel Core i7-1160G7's 104. That is a 63.5% advantage for AMD, a massive gap that dwarfs every other delta in this comparison. The Ryzen 3 5300U also wins the R15 multi-core test, posting 906 versus 740, a 22.4% lead. These two R15 results establish AMD's dominance in that legacy rendering workload, with the Ryzen part delivering substantially higher throughput in both single-threaded and multi-threaded execution.

The picture flips dramatically in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Core i7-1160G7 scores 7343 against AMD's 5341. That represents a 27.3% advantage for Intel, the largest margin of victory in either direction across all four benchmarks. This is a significant reversal: the same two processors that were separated by 22.4% in AMD's favor in R15 multi-core are now separated by 27.3% in Intel's favor in R23 multi-core. The newer R23 workload clearly rewards whatever architectural advantages the Tiger Lake design brings to sustained multi-threaded rendering.

Cinebench R23 single-core is closer, with AMD winning 1115 to 1036, a 7.6% margin. This result is notable because it shows AMD maintaining its single-core lead even in the newer benchmark version, though the gap is far narrower than the 63.5% spread seen in R15 single-core. The overall head-to-head tally favors AMD 3 wins to 1, but the magnitude of Intel's R23 multi-core victory means the aggregate picture is far from one-sided. The average benchmark scores tell the same story: AMD's 2135 and Intel's 2124 are separated by only 0.5%, with AMD holding a razor-thin edge.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U establishes its strongest case in legacy Cinebench R15 workloads, both single-core and multi-core. The 63.5% single-core margin suggests that older applications and workflows that rely on single-threaded performance will see a substantial benefit from choosing the AMD part. Similarly, the 22.4% multi-core advantage in R15 indicates that legacy rendering tasks, particularly those built around older Cinebench versions, will run noticeably faster on the Ryzen 3 5300U. For users whose software stacks are anchored to older benchmark methodologies or similarly structured applications, AMD's consistent R15 dominance is a compelling reason to choose the Ryzen part.

The Intel Core i7-1160G7 wins decisively in Cinebench R23 multi-core, posting 7343 versus 5341. This 27.3% lead suggests that modern multi-threaded rendering workloads, which are better represented by the R23 test, will favor the Intel processor. The R23 multi-core result is particularly significant because it represents the most current rendering benchmark in this comparison, and Intel's substantial margin here indicates that contemporary content creation tasks with heavy multi-threading will run better on the i7-1160G7. The Intel part also edges closer in R23 single-core, trailing by only 7.6% after losing R15 single-core by 63.5%, which shows the Tiger Lake architecture closing the single-threaded gap as workloads modernize.

Looking at the head-to-head data, AMD wins the older benchmarks decisively while Intel wins the newest multi-threaded test decisively. This split suggests that users running legacy applications will prefer the Ryzen 3 5300U, while those working with current-generation multi-threaded software should lean toward the Core i7-1160G7. The R23 single-core result, where AMD retains a 7.6% advantage, complicates the picture slightly, but the overall trend points to Intel gaining ground in newer workloads.

The Verdict

The data supports choosing the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U for users prioritizing legacy workload performance and consistent single-threaded speed. With wins in three of four head-to-head benchmarks, including a 63.5% margin in R15 single-core and a 22.4% margin in R15 multi-core, the AMD part is the safer choice for older applications and general single-threaded responsiveness. The 7.6% lead in R23 single-core reinforces this recommendation, as does the 0.5% overall average score advantage over the Intel chip.

The Intel Core i7-1160G7 is the better pick for modern multi-threaded rendering workloads, based on its 27.3% victory in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Users whose primary applications resemble the R23 workload—current-generation rendering, video encoding, or other heavily threaded content creation—will see meaningfully better performance from the Intel processor. The i7-1160G7's status as an end-of-life product with a launch MSRP of $426 is worth noting, though the benchmark data does not suggest any performance penalty from its production status.

For most users, the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is the more balanced recommendation because it wins more benchmarks and maintains a single-core edge across both Cinebench versions. However, the magnitude of Intel's R23 multi-core victory means that users with modern multi-threaded workloads should seriously consider the i7-1160G7 despite losing the overall benchmark count. Both processors sit at the 46th percentile of all CPUs, confirming that neither offers class-leading performance, but each has a distinct use case where it excels.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U wins three of four head-to-head comparisons, taking Cinebench R15 multi-core, R15 single-core, and R23 single-core. The Intel Core i7-1160G7 wins only Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in either direction?

A: The largest margin is AMD's 63.5% advantage in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Ryzen 3 5300U scores 170 versus the i7-1160G7's 104. Intel's biggest win is 27.3% in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has an average benchmark score of 2135, while the Intel Core i7-1160G7 scores 2124. This represents a 0.5% difference, with AMD holding a slight edge.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-1160G7 is better for modern multi-threaded rendering, scoring 7343 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 5341 for the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U, a 27.3% advantage.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-1160G7 still in production?

A: No, the Intel Core i7-1160G7 is marked as end-of-life in the production status data. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is listed as active.

Q: What is the release timing for these processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-1160G7 was released on September 1, 2020, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U was released on January 11, 2021, roughly four months later.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U and Intel Core i7-1160G7 diverge significantly at the architectural level, starting with their manufacturing processes. AMD uses a 7 nm process node from TSMC, while Intel fabricates the i7-1160G7 on its own 10 nm process. The Ryzen 3 5300U is built on the Zen 2 architecture with the codename Lucienne and belongs to the 5000 series, while the Intel part uses the Tiger Lake architecture with the codename Tiger Lake-U and is based on Willow Cove cores.

Cache configurations differ substantially between the two processors. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 4 MB L3 cache. The Intel Core i7-1160G7 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 12 MB L3 cache. Intel's larger L2 cache per core and triple the L3 cache give it a notable cache advantage, which may contribute to its strong R23 multi-core performance.

The integrated graphics solutions are also fundamentally different. AMD pairs the Ryzen 3 5300U with Radeon Graphics featuring 384 shader processors, while Intel equips the i7-1160G7 with Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 featuring 96 execution units. Memory support differs as well, with the AMD chip using DDR4 memory while the Intel part supports LPDDR4X. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but AMD's memory bandwidth is rated at 51.2 GB/s compared to Intel's 34.1 GB/s.

Socket and PCIe configurations add further separation. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U uses AMD Socket FP6 and provides PCIe Gen 3 with 12 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel Core i7-1160G7 uses Intel BGA 1598 and provides PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes. The Intel part's PCIe Gen 4 support offers newer connectivity, though with fewer lanes. The AMD processor has a die size of 156 mm² with 9,800 million transistors, while Intel's die is smaller at 144 mm² with transistor count not listed. Both processors run at a 15 W TDP and have 4 cores and 8 threads, but the Intel chip's base clock is listed at 1200 MHz with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while AMD's base clock is 2.60 GHz with a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.