AMD Ryzen 5 3500U vs Intel Core i7-1185G7 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between the Intel Core i7-1185G7 and the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is decisively lopsided, with Intel claiming 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U wins only two tests: Cinebench R15 single-core and PassMark data encryption. This creates a clear use-case separation. The Intel part is the dominant general-purpose performer, especially in multi-threaded workloads, floating-point math, and single-threaded responsiveness. The AMD part retains a narrow edge in one legacy single-core benchmark and one encryption workload, but those wins do not offset the breadth of Intel's superiority elsewhere.

For users prioritizing Cinebench R20 or R23 results, note that the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U has no recorded scores for those tests in the database, while the Intel Core i7-1185G7 posts a multicore score of 3534 in R20 and 8416 in R23. This absence means the AMD chip cannot be directly compared in those specific workloads, but the available data strongly suggests Intel would hold the advantage based on its R15 multicore margin of 30.5%. The Ryzen 5 3500U's single-core win in R15 (143 versus 119) is an anomaly when viewed against the broader single-thread results, where Intel leads by 44.4% in PassMark single-thread (2778 versus 1924) and by 82.9% in Geekbench single-core (1591 versus 870). This inconsistency suggests the R15 single-core test may favor the AMD architecture in a way that newer benchmarks do not replicate.

The use-case conclusion is straightforward: the Intel Core i7-1185G7 is the chip for productivity, content creation, and any workload that scales with multithreading or instruction-level parallelism. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is only relevant for niche scenarios where its two winning benchmarks matter more than the other 13, which is a rare configuration.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7 has an average benchmark score of 11697, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U has an average benchmark score of 11176. Intel leads by 521 points.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R15 multicore performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7 scores 848 in Cinebench R15 multicore, which is 30.5% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U's score of 650.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U beats the Intel chip by a large margin?

A: Yes, in Cinebench R15 single-core the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U scores 143 versus Intel's 119, a 16.8% advantage. In PassMark data encryption, AMD scores 6013 versus Intel's 5598, a 6.9% edge.

Q: What is the largest performance delta between the two processors?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 47 versus AMD's 15, a 213.3% advantage. The second largest is PassMark physics, where Intel leads by 107.9% (763 versus 367).

Q: How do the two processors rank against all CPUs in the database?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7 is in the 67th percentile, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is in the 66th percentile. They are nearly identical in overall ranking despite the Intel chip's higher average score.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U have any advantage in memory or PCIe support?

A: Both support DDR4 and dual-channel memory, and neither supports ECC memory. The Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD chip supports PCIe Gen 3.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Geekbench multicore, where the Intel Core i7-1185G7 scores 4816 against AMD's 2508, a 92% advantage. This nearly doubles the AMD chip's performance in a widely used cross-platform benchmark. The single-core Geekbench test shows a similar pattern: Intel scores 1591 versus AMD's 870, an 82.9% lead. These two results alone establish Intel's dominance in modern general-purpose workloads.

PassMark tests reinforce the pattern. In integer math, Intel scores 34211 versus AMD's 24732, a 38.3% lead. In floating-point math, Intel scores 20126 versus AMD's 12485, a 61.2% advantage. The extended instructions test shows Intel at 7396 versus AMD's 3560, a 107.8% lead, which indicates a significant advantage in SIMD and vectorized workloads. The physics test is even more one-sided: Intel scores 763 versus AMD's 367, a 107.9% lead.

The multithread PassMark score gives Intel 10115 versus AMD's 6858, a 47.5% lead. Random string sorting shows Intel at 12792 versus AMD's 11029, a 16% advantage. Data compression is closer: Intel scores 104630 versus AMD's 94555, a 10.7% lead. Prime number finding is the most extreme: Intel scores 47 versus AMD's 15, a 213.3% lead. This suggests Intel's architecture handles this specific workload far more efficiently.

The AMD wins deserve attention. In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD scores 143 versus Intel's 119, a 16.8% advantage. This is the only single-threaded test where AMD wins, and it contradicts the Geekbench single-core result where Intel leads by 82.9%. The data encryption test shows AMD at 6013 versus Intel's 5598, a 6.9% lead, which is a modest but real advantage in that specific cryptographic workload. These two wins do not change the overall picture, but they highlight that the AMD chip is not universally slower.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in almost every fundamental specification. The Intel Core i7-1185G7 has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. Intel's clocks are substantially higher, which explains its single-threaded dominance in most tests. The thermal design power (TDP) also differs: Intel is rated at 28 watts, AMD at 15 watts. This means the AMD chip is designed for lower power consumption, but the Intel chip uses the extra power budget for higher performance.

The sockets are different: Intel uses BGA 1449, AMD uses Socket FP5. Both are mobile sockets, so they are not interchangeable. The Intel chip uses a 10 nm process node from Intel's foundry, while the AMD chip uses a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. The AMD chip has 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Intel chip has no transistor count listed but has a die size of 144 mm². The smaller die on a more advanced node gives Intel a density advantage.

Cache configurations differ significantly. Intel has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. AMD has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and only 4 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel's larger L3 cache is a major factor in its multithreaded performance, especially in workloads that benefit from shared data. The memory support is similar (both DDR4, dual-channel), but Intel also supports LPDDR4X, while AMD only lists DDR4. Intel supports PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes, while AMD supports PCIe Gen 3.

The integrated graphics differ: Intel has Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, while AMD has Radeon Vega 8. The release dates are also different: Intel launched on 2020-09-01, AMD on 2019-01-05. Intel is end-of-life, while AMD is active. Intel has a launch MSRP of $426; AMD has no launch MSRP in the database.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-1185G7 is built on the Tiger Lake architecture with the Willow Cove microarchitecture, specifically the Tiger Lake-U codename. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is built on the Zen+ architecture with the Picasso codename. These are fundamentally different design generations, with Intel's Tiger Lake being a newer architecture that emphasizes higher IPC and faster memory access. The process node difference (10 nm versus 12 nm) means Intel packs more transistors per area, which contributes to its higher performance despite the larger L3 cache.

The cache hierarchy differences are architectural, not just numerical. Intel's per-core L2 cache is 1.25 MB, which is 2.5 times larger than AMD's 512 KB per core. Intel's L3 cache is 12 MB shared, which is 3 times larger than AMD's 4 MB shared. This larger cache reduces memory latency and improves performance in data-intensive workloads. The L1 cache is slightly smaller on Intel (80 KB per core versus 96 KB per core), but the overall cache strategy favors Intel.

The integrated graphics architectures are also different: Intel uses Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, while AMD uses Radeon Vega 8. Both are integrated into the same die, but the Intel implementation has more execution units, which suggests better graphics performance, though no graphics benchmarks are in the database to confirm this. The PCIe support difference (Gen 4 versus Gen 3) is architectural, with Intel offering double the bandwidth per lane for compatible devices.

The AMD chip uses a monolithic die with 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while Intel's die is 144 mm². This means Intel achieves higher performance with a smaller die, which reflects the 10 nm process efficiency. The Intel chip also supports LPDDR4X memory, which is not listed for AMD, giving it an advantage in low-power mobile designs that require high-bandwidth memory.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-1185G7 is the superior processor in virtually every measurable way. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks, including the most demanding multi-threaded and single-threaded tests. Its average benchmark score of 11697 is higher than AMD's 11176, and it holds a 67th percentile rank versus AMD's 66th. For users who need a mobile processor for heavy workloads, the Intel chip is the clear choice.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U wins only two benchmarks: Cinebench R15 single-core and PassMark data encryption. The R15 single-core win is puzzling given Intel's dominance in other single-threaded tests, but it does not compensate for the 92% Geekbench multicore deficit or the 44.4% PassMark single-thread deficit. The encryption win is modest at 6.9% and is unlikely to matter for most users. The AMD chip's lower TDP of 15 watts versus Intel's 28 watts suggests it may be better for fanless or ultra-low-power designs, but the database has no power consumption measurements, so this cannot be quantified.

The Intel chip's higher clocks, larger caches, and newer architecture make it the obvious choice for anyone who values performance. The AMD chip's only real advantage is its lower TDP, which may appeal to users prioritizing battery life over speed. However, based strictly on the recorded benchmark data, the Intel Core i7-1185G7 is the winner in almost every scenario. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is a capable processor for light tasks, but it is outclassed by the Intel chip in all but two niche benchmarks.