AMD Ryzen 5 7520C vs Intel Core i5-1145G7E Comparison

The Intel Core i5-1145G7E and AMD Ryzen 5 7520C are both 4-core, 8-thread mobile processors, but they target different priorities. Benchmark data from the Cinebench suite shows the Intel part winning all six head-to-head comparisons, yet the margins are consistently narrow—between 1.9% and 2.3%—and the AMD chip counters with a significantly higher boost clock and a more modern process node. The overall average benchmark scores place the Intel at 2174 against AMD's 2127, a difference of roughly 2.2%, which is reflected in their respective percentile rankings of 47 and 46 among all CPUs.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-1145G7E wins every single benchmark test recorded in this comparison. Its advantage is most pronounced in the Cinebench R20 single-core test, where it scores 445 against AMD's 435, a 2.3% lead. The Intel part also shows a 2.2% edge in multicore workloads across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, with scores of 757, 3156, and 7516 respectively, versus AMD's 741, 3089, and 7355. In single-core R15 and R23, the Intel leads by 1.9% and 2.2%, respectively, with scores of 106 and 1061 against 104 and 1038.

Despite the clean sweep, the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C wins in architectural efficiency and platform features. It operates at a 15W TDP compared to Intel's 28W, a substantial power draw difference that suggests better energy efficiency for sustained mobile workloads. The AMD chip also boasts a higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz versus Intel's 4.10 GHz, and its base clock of 2.80 GHz far exceeds Intel's 1.50 GHz. For tasks that rely on memory bandwidth, the AMD supports LPDDR5 with a rated 88.0 GB/s, whereas Intel is limited to DDR4 and LPDDR4X without a listed bandwidth figure. In practice, the data indicates that Intel wins on raw Cinebench scores, but AMD's design leans toward lower power consumption and faster memory technology.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. Intel's Tiger Lake-U architecture, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry, uses a die size of 144 mm². It features a Willow Cove core design with 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C, part of the 7000 series, uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 6 nm process manufactured by TSMC, with a smaller die size of 100 mm². Its cache hierarchy is more modest: 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and just 4 MB of shared L3.

Memory support diverges sharply. The Intel chip supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X over a dual-channel bus, while the AMD chip supports LPDDR5 over dual-channel with a specified 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics also differ: Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 execution units, while AMD pairs the CPU with a Radeon 610M. PCIe connectivity favors Intel with Gen 4 lanes (4 CPU-only lanes), whereas AMD provides Gen 3 with the same lane count. The AMD chip is smaller in die size and built on a more advanced process node, which likely contributes to its much lower 15W TDP. The Intel part, released on 2020-09-01, is older than the AMD's 2023-05-22 launch, and it carries a launch MSRP of $312, while the AMD has no listed launch price.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for performance: the Intel Core i5-1145G7E is the faster processor in Cinebench workloads, winning all six tests by margins ranging from 1.9% to 2.3%. Its average benchmark score of 2174 places it in the 47th percentile, slightly ahead of the AMD's 2127 and 46th percentile. If the primary goal is maximum multicore or single-core throughput in rendering-style benchmarks, the Intel part is the clear choice. The Intel also leads its nearest rivals in context—it sits within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-1185GRE and 0.3% of the Intel Core i5-7640X, while the AMD sits within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-1160G7.

However, the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C should be selected for scenarios prioritizing power efficiency and modern platform features. Its 15W TDP is nearly half of Intel's 28W, making it better suited for fanless or compact designs where thermal headroom is tight. The AMD's support for LPDDR5 with 88.0 GB/s memory bandwidth offers a newer memory standard, and its smaller 100 mm² die on a 6 nm node from TSMC suggests manufacturing efficiency. For users who value battery life and cooler operation over a 2% performance delta, the AMD is the data-backed choice. The Intel wins on raw scores, but the AMD wins on efficiency and memory technology.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Core i5-1145G7E scores 7516 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C scores 7355, giving Intel a 2.2% lead.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-1145G7E has a TDP of 28W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C has a TDP of 15W, making AMD the lower-power part.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C support faster memory than the Intel?

A: Yes. The AMD supports LPDDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s, while the Intel supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X with no bandwidth figure listed.

Q: How do the boost clocks compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core i5-1145G7E's 4.10 GHz.

Q: What process nodes are used for each processor?

A: The Intel uses a 10 nm process at Intel's foundry, while the AMD uses a 6 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Which chip has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-1145G7E has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, which is double the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C's 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the Intel Core i5-1145G7E comes in the Cinebench R20 single-core test, where it scores 445 against the AMD's 435. That 10-point gap translates to a 2.3% advantage, the largest delta in the entire head-to-head set. The Intel also achieves a 2.2% lead in both Cinebench R15 multicore (757 vs. 741) and Cinebench R20 multicore (3156 vs. 3089). In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Intel posts 7516 versus the AMD's 7355, again a 2.2% difference. The single-core R15 test shows Intel ahead by 1.9% (106 vs. 104), and the R23 single-core test shows Intel ahead by 2.2% (1061 vs. 1038).

The AMD's best relative performance appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where its 104 score trails the Intel's 106 by just 1.9%. That is the narrowest margin in the comparison, though it still results in a loss. Even in the multicore tests, where the AMD's higher base clock of 2.80 GHz might be expected to help, the Intel's architecture holds a consistent 2.2% edge. Across all six benchmarks, the Intel wins by a total of six tests to zero, yet the largest single margin is only 2.3%. This suggests the Intel's advantage is real but small, and the AMD's lower TDP and faster memory support could offset that performance gap in real-world mobile use cases.