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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X and Intel Core i7-1185G7 are designed for entirely different segments: the former is a desktop part built around AMD's Zen 2 architecture, while the latter is a low-power mobile chip from Intel's Tiger Lake family. The benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD part, which wins 15 of the 19 head-to-head comparisons, but the Intel chip does claim notable single-threaded victories. Both processors sit at the 67th percentile in the database, indicating similar standing globally, yet their performance profiles are anything but similar.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X dominates in multi-threaded tests. It scores 11,196 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 8,416 for the Intel Core i7-1185G7, a 33% advantage. In Geekbench multi-core, the AMD part leads with 6,331 against 4,816, a 31.5% margin.

Q: Does the Intel chip have any performance advantages?

A: Yes, the Core i7-1185G7 wins in single-threaded tests. It scores 1,591 in Geekbench single-core versus 1,539 for the AMD, a 3.3% edge. It also leads in PassMark single-thread with 2,778 versus 2,502, a 9.9% difference, and in PassMark integer math with 34,211 versus 32,564, a 4.8% margin.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1185G7 has 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. Despite having fewer physical cores, the Intel part's additional threads do not overcome the AMD's raw core advantage in most workloads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7 has a significantly higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz compared to the AMD's 4.10 GHz. This explains its wins in single-threaded benchmarks, despite the AMD's higher base clock of 3.60 GHz versus Intel's 3.00 GHz.

Q: Are these processors from the same generation?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X is from the 3000 series, codenamed Matisse, released on 2019-09-23. The Intel Core i7-1185G7 is a Tiger Lake-U part released on 2020-09-01. They also use different sockets: AMD Socket AM4 for the desktop chip and Intel BGA 1449 for the mobile chip.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X is listed as "Active" in production, while the Intel Core i7-1185G7 is marked as "End-of-life". This suggests the AMD part is still in the market, whereas the Intel mobile chip has been phased out.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing processes. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm TSMC process node, packing 3,800 million transistors into a 74 mm² die. In contrast, the Intel Core i7-1185G7 uses the Willow Cove-U architecture (Tiger Lake) on Intel's 10 nm process, with a much larger 144 mm² die size. The smaller process node and lower transistor count for AMD hint at greater efficiency per transistor, though the Intel chip compensates with a higher boost clock.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, plus a large 32 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel part features 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but only 12 MB of shared L3. The AMD's larger L3 cache is a significant advantage for workloads that benefit from frequent data reuse, while Intel's larger per-core L2 helps with lower-latency access to frequently used data.

Memory support also diverges. Both support DDR4, but the Intel chip adds LPDDR4X support for mobile power efficiency. The AMD part has a rated memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel chip's bandwidth is not specified in the data. The AMD processor supports PCIe Gen 4 with 24 lanes from the CPU, whereas the Intel chip offers PCIe Gen 4 with only 4 lanes, reflecting its mobile, power-constrained design.

The Intel chip includes integrated Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU. The AMD multiplier is unlocked for overclocking; the Intel multiplier is locked. The AMD part is a desktop component with a 65 W TDP, while the Intel is a mobile part rated at just 28 W, which explains the performance differences in sustained multi-core loads.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X is the superior processor for multi-threaded and most single-threaded workloads. It wins 15 of the 19 benchmark comparisons, with margins ranging from 14.8% in floating point math to a staggering 176.6% in prime number finding. The Intel Core i7-1185G7, despite its higher boost clock and single-thread wins, cannot match the AMD's six physical cores in rendering, compression, or encryption tasks. For any desktop build where CPU throughput matters, the Ryzen 5 3500X is the clear choice.

The Intel part has its place, but it is narrow. Its wins in PassMark single-thread (9.9% ahead) and Geekbench single-core (3.3% ahead) make it a better fit for lightly threaded applications that cannot leverage more than one or two cores. In a mobile context, its 28 W TDP and integrated graphics make it a practical option for thin-and-light laptops, where the AMD's 65 W TDP and lack of iGPU would be prohibitive. However, as a desktop replacement, the Intel chip's 4 cores and 8 threads are outmatched by the AMD's 6 cores in virtually every multithreaded scenario.

The production status seals the deal: the Intel Core i7-1185G7 is end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X remains active. For anyone choosing between these two today, the data points squarely at the AMD part for performance, with the Intel chip only making sense in power-constrained or legacy mobile designs.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X offers 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1185G7 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 3.60 GHz for AMD and 3.00 GHz for Intel, but boost clocks reverse the order: 4.10 GHz for AMD versus 4.80 GHz for Intel. The TDP figures are polar opposites: 65 W for the desktop AMD part versus 28 W for the mobile Intel chip.

The process nodes are distinct, with AMD using 7 nm from TSMC and Intel using its own 10 nm process. Die sizes are 74 mm² for AMD and 144 mm² for Intel, with the AMD chip containing 3,800 million transistors; the Intel transistor count is not provided. Cache quantities differ per level: L1 is 64 KB per core for AMD versus 80 KB per core for Intel, L2 is 512 KB per core for AMD versus 1.25 MB per core for Intel, and L3 is 32 MB shared for AMD versus 12 MB shared for Intel.

Memory support shows AMD limited to DDR4, while Intel adds LPDDR4X. Memory bandwidth is specified only for AMD at 51.2 GB/s. PCIe lanes are a major split: AMD provides Gen 4 with 24 lanes from the CPU, Intel only 4 lanes. The AMD part has no integrated graphics; the Intel chip includes Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU. The AMD multiplier is unlocked, Intel's is locked. The AMD part has a launch MSRP that is not listed, while the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $426.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X delivers its most crushing victories in computational tasks. In PassMark find prime numbers, it scores 130 versus 47 for Intel, an 176.6% advantage that reflects the AMD's raw integer throughput. The extended instructions test shows a 90% lead (14,053 versus 7,396), indicating better SIMD and encryption instruction handling. PassMark physics shows a 61.7% win (1,234 versus 763), and data compression is 37.3% ahead (143,701 versus 104,630).

Multi-core rendering tests are consistently one-third faster on the AMD side. Cinebench R15 multi-core is 1,128 versus 848 (33% higher), R20 multi-core is 4,702 versus 3,534 (33.1% higher), and R23 multi-core is 11,196 versus 8,416 (33% higher). Geekbench multi-core follows the same pattern with a 31.5% lead (6,331 versus 4,816). PassMark multithread shows a 30.2% advantage (13,172 versus 10,115), and data encryption is 30% ahead (7,276 versus 5,598).

The Intel Core i7-1185G7 takes its wins in single-threaded and specific math tasks. PassMark single-thread is its best result: 2,778 versus 2,502, a 9.9% lead. Geekbench single-core shows a narrower 3.3% win (1,591 versus 1,539). In PassMark integer math, Intel scores 34,211 versus 32,564, a 4.8% edge. These wins are notable but limited in scope, as the AMD part wins the floating point math test by 14.8% (23,095 versus 20,126) and random string sorting by 27.1% (16,263 versus 12,792).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X is the winner for any workload that scales across cores. This includes 3D rendering, video encoding, scientific simulations, and data compression — all areas where its 6 physical cores outmuscle the Intel's 4 cores and 8 threads. The 33% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core makes it the obvious pick for content creators, while the 37.3% advantage in data compression suits archival and database workloads. The 90% lead in extended instructions indicates superior performance for cryptography and complex math libraries.

The Intel Core i7-1185G7 wins in narrow, latency-sensitive scenarios. Its 9.9% lead in PassMark single-thread makes it better for legacy applications that run on a single core, such as older games or simple office tools. The 3.3% edge in Geekbench single-core reinforces this. The 4.8% win in integer math suggests an edge in specific financial or integer-heavy algorithms that are not multi-threaded. However, these wins are isolated; the AMD part dominates 15 out of 19 tests.

For mobile use, the Intel chip's 28 W TDP and integrated Iris Xe graphics make it the only viable option of the two, as the AMD part requires a discrete GPU and a desktop platform. But for pure computational performance, the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X is ahead in almost every measurable way, with the Intel chip only taking the crown in tasks that refuse to use more than one or two threads.