AMD Ryzen 3 5400U vs Intel Core i7-1185G7E Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data splits this comparison cleanly by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U wins six of the eight head-to-head benchmark comparisons, all of them in Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i7-1185G7E wins the two Geekbench tests, and by a larger margin in percentage terms than the AMD chip's Cinebench victories. The Ryzen 3 5400U leads by 12.6% to 12.7% in five of the six Cinebench tests, while the Intel part leads by 18.1% and 19.2% in the Geekbench tests. The average benchmark score for the AMD chip is 2765, slightly above the Intel part's 2703, but both sit at the 50th percentile of all CPUs in the database. For users prioritizing Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the Ryzen 3 5400U is the clear choice. For those whose software relies on Geekbench-style integer and floating-point patterns, the Intel Core i7-1185G7E holds a substantial advantage. Neither chip is a universal winner; the decision hinges entirely on which benchmark family reflects the target application.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different process nodes and design generations. The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U uses the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne-U, built on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-1185G7E uses the Willow Cove architecture, codenamed Tiger Lake-U, built on a 10 nm process from Intel, with a 144 mm² die size. Both are 4-core, 8-thread parts with a 15 W TDP and dual-channel memory support, but the cache structures differ significantly. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory, while the AMD part lists DDR4 only. The AMD chip lists a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s; the Intel chip has no bandwidth figure recorded. PCIe support also differs: the AMD chip provides Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes, while the Intel chip provides Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are distinct as well, with the AMD part featuring Radeon Vega 6 and the Intel part featuring Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD socket is AMD Socket FP6, the Intel socket is Intel BGA 1449.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7E boosts to 4.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U boosts to 4.00 GHz. The Intel chip also has a much lower base clock of 1800.00 MHz compared to 2.60 GHz for the AMD chip.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U win every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The AMD chip wins all six Cinebench tests, but the Intel Core i7-1185G7E wins both Geekbench tests. The Intel lead is 18.1% in Geekbench multicore and 19.2% in Geekbench singlecore.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i7-1185G7E has 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U is fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i7-1185G7E is fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The AMD chip supports DDR4 memory. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: Which chip has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U has an average benchmark score of 2765, compared to 2703 for the Intel Core i7-1185G7E. The AMD chip's nearest rival in the database is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350GE with an average score of 2767, a delta of -0.1%, while the Intel chip's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 with an identical average score of 2703.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 3 5400U | Intel Core i7-1185G7E |

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

| Base clock | 2.60 GHz | 1800.00 MHz |

| Boost clock | 4.00 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP6 | Intel BGA 1449 |

| Architecture | Zen 3 | Tiger Lake (Willow Cove) |

| Process node | 7 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| Die size | 180 mm² | 144 mm² |

| Transistors | 10,700 million | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 64 KB per core | 80 KB per core |

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

| L3 cache | 8 MB shared | 12 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR4, LPDDR4X |

| Memory bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 4 lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Vega 6 | Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU |

| Release date | 2021-01-11 | 2020-09-01 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $431 |

| Part number | 100-000000288 | SRK0X |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results form a consistent block of AMD victories. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Ryzen 3 5400U scores 942 against 836 for the Intel chip, a 12.7% lead. In Cinebench R15 singlecore, the AMD chip scores 132 against 118, an 11.9% lead. The R20 tests show the AMD chip at 3927 multicore versus 3487, a 12.6% lead, and 554 singlecore versus 492, also 12.6%. The R23 tests repeat the pattern: 9350 versus 8303 multicore, and 1320 versus 1172 singlecore, both with a 12.6% delta. The consistency across all three Cinebench generations suggests the AMD chip's Zen 3 architecture delivers a stable performance advantage in this particular workload family, likely due to its higher base clock and efficient core design.

The Geekbench results flip the outcome decisively. In Geekbench multicore, the Intel Core i7-1185G7E scores 5459 against 4473 for the AMD chip, a 18.1% lead. In Geekbench singlecore, the Intel chip scores 1756 against 1419, a 19.2% lead. These are larger percentage margins than any of the AMD Cinebench wins. The Intel chip's higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz likely contributes to its Geekbench advantage, as does its larger L2 and L3 cache pools. The gap between the two chips in Geekbench is nearly 1.5 times the gap in Cinebench, indicating that the Intel part's architecture handles the Geekbench test patterns significantly better than the AMD part handles them, and vice versa for Cinebench.

The overall win count stands at 6 for the AMD chip and 2 for the Intel chip. However, the magnitude of the Intel wins in Geekbench is larger than the magnitude of any individual AMD win in Cinebench. The AMD chip's best delta is 12.7%, while the Intel chip's best delta is 19.2%. This asymmetry matters for users: if the target application is closer to Geekbench's workload profile, the Intel chip offers a more pronounced advantage than the AMD chip offers for Cinebench-like workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U wins all six Cinebench tests, spanning R15, R20, and R23 in both singlecore and multicore. These tests are heavily used for evaluating rendering and 3D animation performance. The data shows a consistent 11.9% to 12.7% advantage across all six, which suggests the Zen 3 architecture with its 2.60 GHz base clock and 4.00 GHz boost clock is well-suited to sustained multi-threaded rendering and single-threaded render tasks alike. The AMD chip also has a slightly higher average benchmark score (2765 versus 2703) and sits at the same 50th percentile as the Intel chip. Users running Cinebench-based workflows, such as CPU rendering in applications that use Cinema 4D's benchmark engine, should favor the AMD part.

The Intel Core i7-1185G7E wins both Geekbench tests, with a multicore score of 5459 and a singlecore score of 1756. These are the only two benchmarks where the Intel chip leads, but the margins are substantial: 18.1% and 19.2% respectively. Geekbench exercises a broader mix of integer, floating-point, and memory-access patterns, and the Intel chip's 4.40 GHz boost clock, 12 MB L3 cache, and 1.25 MB L2 per core likely drive its advantage. Users running general-purpose productivity software, web browsing, office suites, or any application whose performance correlates with Geekbench scores should prefer the Intel part. The Intel chip also supports LPDDR4X memory, which may appear in thinner, lower-power designs, and it has a recorded launch MSRP of $431, which can be stated once for reference.

In summary, the database shows no overall winner. The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U dominates rendering-style benchmarks with six wins, while the Intel Core i7-1185G7E dominates Geekbench with two larger-margin wins. The choice depends on which benchmark family better predicts real-world performance for the intended software stack.