AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE vs Intel Core i7-1185GRE Comparison

The Intel Core i7-1185GRE and AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE are both 4-core, 8-thread processors, yet they serve fundamentally different market segments. The benchmark data shows a clear performance hierarchy between the two, with the AMD part winning every Cinebench test in the head-to-head comparison. However, the Intel chip operates at a significantly lower TDP and targets a different platform, making the choice between them a matter of workload and system requirements rather than raw performance alone.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is the outright winner in every benchmark category recorded. Across all six Cinebench tests, it maintains a consistent advantage over the Intel Core i7-1185GRE. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD part scores 7520 against Intel's 6635, an 11.8% delta. The single-core R23 test shows a similar pattern: 1061 for AMD versus 936 for Intel, also an 11.8% delta. This consistency extends through R15 and R20, with the AMD chip posting 757 versus 668 in R15 multi-core and 3158 versus 2786 in R20 multi-core. The single-core tests follow suit, with AMD leading 106 to 94 in R15 and 445 to 393 in R20. The performance gap is remarkably uniform, hovering around 11.3% to 11.8% across all tests, suggesting a fundamental architectural difference rather than workload-specific behavior.

The Intel Core i7-1185GRE does not win any of the six head-to-head benchmarks. Its wins are contextual rather than performance-based. It operates at a 15 W TDP compared to the AMD chip's 35 W, which makes it suitable for fanless or ultra-low-power designs. The Intel part also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the AMD chip, and it uses a more advanced 10 nm process node compared to AMD's 12 nm. Additionally, Intel's integrated graphics, the Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, is a newer design than AMD's Radeon RX Vega 11, though no graphics benchmarks are included in the data to quantify this difference.

The Verdict

The data presents an unambiguous performance verdict: the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is the faster processor in every measured workload. Its 11.8% lead in both single-core and multi-core Cinebench R23 tests is substantial and consistent. The average benchmark score reflects this, with AMD at 2175 and Intel at 2178, a negligible 0.1% difference in aggregate, but the head-to-head results tell the real story. The AMD chip wins all six tests, and no amount of interpretation can flip that outcome.

However, the verdict is not purely about speed. The Intel Core i7-1185GRE has a TDP of 15 W, less than half of the AMD chip's 35 W. For a system designer prioritizing thermal budget or battery life, the Intel part is the only viable choice among these two. The Intel chip also supports ECC memory, which is critical for error-sensitive workloads like financial calculations or scientific computing. Its memory support includes both DDR4 and LPDDR4X, while the AMD chip is limited to DDR4. The Intel part uses an Intel BGA 1449 socket, which is soldered to the board, whereas the AMD chip uses the standard AM4 socket and is user-upgradeable.

Who should pick which? The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is for anyone who needs maximum compute performance in a 35 W envelope and has the thermal headroom to accommodate it. The Intel Core i7-1185GRE is for embedded or mobile systems where power consumption is the primary constraint and where ECC memory support is non-negotiable. The Intel chip's 10 nm process and newer Tiger Lake architecture do not translate into a performance win in these benchmarks, but they do enable its lower TDP. The Intel part also has a launch MSRP of $490, while the AMD chip has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant margin comes in the multi-core tests, where the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE leads by 11.8% in both Cinebench R20 and R23. In R20 multi-core, AMD scores 3158 against Intel's 2786. In R23 multi-core, the gap widens in absolute terms: 7520 versus 6635, a difference of 885 points. The R15 multi-core test shows AMD ahead at 757 versus 668, also an 11.8% delta. These results indicate that the AMD chip's higher base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.00 GHz provide a sustained advantage over Intel's 1.80 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost. Despite Intel's higher boost frequency, the AMD part wins every single-core test by a similar margin, suggesting that the Zen+ architecture's per-core efficiency outperforms Tiger Lake in these specific Cinebench workloads.

The single-core results are equally telling. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD scores 1061 versus Intel's 936, an 11.8% delta. The R20 single-core test shows 445 versus 393, an 11.7% delta. The R15 single-core test has AMD at 106 and Intel at 94, an 11.3% delta. These margins are slightly smaller than the multi-core deltas in R15, but they are still decisive. The Intel chip's 4.40 GHz boost clock does not translate into a win, which points to a significant IPC (instructions per clock) advantage for the AMD Zen+ architecture in this benchmark suite. The data does not include Geekbench scores for the AMD chip, so the comparison is limited to Cinebench variants, but within that suite, the AMD part is uniformly superior.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has an average benchmark score of 2175, while the Intel Core i7-1185GRE scores 2178, a 0.1% difference in Intel's favor. Despite this, the AMD chip wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185GRE has a TDP of 15 W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has a TDP of 35 W. This makes the Intel part more suitable for power-constrained designs.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-1185GRE support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-1185GRE supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE does not list ECC memory support in its specifications.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185GRE uses a 10 nm process node from Intel, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE uses a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. The Intel part is manufactured with a smaller node.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185GRE has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has 4 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel's cache allocation is three times larger.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185GRE has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Despite this, the AMD chip wins all single-core Cinebench tests.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different architectural generations and design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-1185GRE is based on the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically the Willow Cove-U core, fabricated on a 10 nm process node. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is 144 mm², and it uses an Intel BGA 1449 socket. The integrated graphics are Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units. It supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it has ECC memory support. The PCIe interface is Gen 4 with 4 lanes (CPU only), and the market segment is mobile.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is based on the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, fabricated on a 12 nm process node by GlobalFoundries. It also has 4 cores and 8 threads, but with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The cache hierarchy differs significantly: 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is larger at 210 mm², with 4,940 million transistors. It uses an AMD Socket AM4, which is a desktop socket, and the market segment is desktop. The integrated graphics are Radeon RX Vega 11. Memory support is limited to DDR4, with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. ECC memory is not listed as supported. The PCIe interface is Gen 3, and the multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking.

The architectural differences explain the performance and power characteristics. The Intel part's 10 nm node and newer Tiger Lake design enable a much lower TDP of 15 W, but the data shows this efficiency does not translate to higher Cinebench scores. The AMD chip's higher TDP of 35 W allows for higher sustained clocks, which is reflected in its 11.8% lead across all multi-core tests. The Intel chip's larger L3 cache (12 MB versus 4 MB) and Gen 4 PCIe do not compensate for the clock speed and IPC advantage of the AMD part in these benchmarks. The AMD chip's unlocked multiplier offers overclocking potential, while the Intel part is locked. The socket difference is also notable: BGA 1449 is soldered, while AM4 is socketed and replaceable. The AMD part's transistor count of 4,940 million exceeds the Intel part's unspecified count, though the Intel die is smaller at 144 mm² versus 210 mm².