AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 vs Intel Core i7-3740QM Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 and the Intel Core i7-3740QM land within a fraction of a percent of each other in aggregate benchmark scoring, with the AMD chip averaging 1379 points and the Intel chip averaging 1378 points. That places both at the 36th percentile among all CPUs, making them statistical equals in overall performance, but the head-to-head data reveals a consistent edge for the Intel part across every single test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-3740QM wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, though the margins are consistently narrow. In Cinebench R15, the Intel chip scores 489 in multi-core versus the AMD's 480, a delta of -1.8% from the AMD's perspective. The single-core R15 result shows Intel ahead at 69 versus 67, a 2.9% gap. These are the kinds of differences that would be imperceptible in real-world use but show a pattern of Intel superiority.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the Intel part posts 2040 multi-core against the AMD's 2002, a 1.9% deficit for the Ryzen. Single-core R20 sees Intel at 288 versus AMD's 282, a 2.1% gap. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23, where Intel scores 4859 multi-core versus AMD's 4767 (1.9% behind) and 686 single-core versus 673 (1.9% behind). The Intel chip is consistently ahead by roughly 2% in every workload, which is a remarkably uniform performance profile.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200's best showing relative to the Intel part is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it trails by just 1.8%. Its worst relative result is in R15 single-core, where the 2.9% gap is the largest of any test. The Intel i7-3740QM also has additional Geekbench scores in its benchmark list — 1993 multi-core and 599 single-core — though the AMD chip has no corresponding Geekbench results in the data, so no direct comparison is possible there.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, winner: the Intel Core i7-3740QM. It wins every benchmark in the head-to-head set, with margins ranging from 1.8% to 2.9%. The aggregate average scores are nearly identical — 1378 for Intel versus 1379 for AMD — but the Intel part's lead in every individual test is decisive. If you are choosing strictly on benchmark performance, the Intel chip is the better pick.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is not without merit, however. It matches the Intel chip's aggregate score within 0.1% and sits at the same 36th percentile. For workloads where a 2% difference is noise, the AMD part is functionally equivalent. The Ryzen also brings features the Intel chip lacks, including ECC memory support, an unlocked multiplier, and a newer platform. But on raw compute, the Intel part wins outright.

The Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 makes sense if you need ECC memory, plan to overclock via the unlocked multiplier, or prefer the AM4 socket platform. The Intel i7-3740QM makes sense if you want the slight performance edge, integrated graphics, or lower 45W TDP. For pure performance, the data says Intel.

Architecture Differences

These two chips come from different eras and design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is built on the Zen architecture (Summit Ridge) using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The Intel Core i7-3740QM uses the Ivy Bridge architecture on Intel's 22 nm process, with 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. It also has 4 cores but 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, with a lower base clock of 2.70 GHz but a higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz.

Cache configurations differ notably. The AMD chip has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD part has more cache at every level, yet still loses to Intel in performance, suggesting the Intel architecture extracts more efficiency from less cache. The AMD chip supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel bus and 4256 MB/s bandwidth, plus ECC memory. The Intel chip's memory support is not listed in the data, but it also uses a dual-channel bus and lacks ECC support.

The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses AM4 while Intel uses BGA 1224, which is a soldered mobile socket. The AMD chip is a desktop part with a 65W TDP and 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. The Intel chip is a mobile part with a 45W TDP and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics. The AMD chip has no integrated graphics. The Ryzen has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel does not. The AMD part was released in 2017 and is still in active production, while the Intel part was released in 2012 with no production status listed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-3740QM boosts to 3.70 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 boosts to 3.40 GHz.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD chip supports ECC memory, whereas the Intel Core i7-3740QM does not.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i7-3740QM has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i7-3740QM includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has a 65W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-3740QM has a 45W TDP.

Q: Which chip has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-3740QM has 8 threads from its 4 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has 4 threads from its 4 cores.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-3740QM wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, so its case is straightforward. It takes the lead in all six Cinebench tests, covering both single-core and multi-core workloads across R15, R20, and R23. The margins are consistent at roughly 2%, with the largest edge in R15 single-core at 2.9%. This makes the Intel chip the pick for any application that relies on Cinebench-style rendering performance, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded. Its higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz and 8 threads likely contribute to this advantage.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 finds its wins outside the benchmark suite. It offers ECC memory support, which the Intel chip lacks, making it the choice for systems requiring error-correcting memory. Its unlocked multiplier enables overclocking, something the locked Intel part cannot do. The AMD chip also has a larger cache footprint — more L1, L2, and L3 per core — and sits on the AM4 platform, which is still in active production. Its 65W TDP is higher than Intel's 45W, but for a desktop part that is less of a concern.

In practical terms, the AMD chip wins on platform flexibility and server-style features, while the Intel chip wins on raw compute. For a user who values the ability to overclock and use ECC memory, the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is the correct choice despite its benchmark deficit. For a user who wants maximum performance in existing workloads and can use integrated graphics, the i7-3740QM is the data-backed recommendation. The two chips are close enough that the aggregate scores are nearly identical, but the Intel part's sweep of the head-to-head tests gives it the performance crown.