AMD Ryzen 5 7520C vs Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C records an average benchmark score of 2127, while the Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 scores 2067. The AMD part leads by roughly 60 points, which translates to a 2.9% advantage in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: How do the two compare in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C wins all three single-core Cinebench tests. It scores 104 versus 101 in R15, 435 versus 423 in R20, and 1038 versus 1008 in R23. The deltas range from 2.8% to 3% in favor of AMD.

Q: What is the difference in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C leads in every multi-core test as well. It scores 741 versus 720 in R15, 3089 versus 3001 in R20, and 7355 versus 7146 in R23. Each delta is exactly 2.9% in AMD's favor.

Q: Which chip uses more power?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 has a rated TDP of 65 watts, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C is rated at 15 watts. The Intel part consumes over four times the thermal envelope.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C does not. This is a significant difference for workstation or server reliability use cases.

Q: What are the production statuses of these two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C is listed as Active production, while the Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 is marked End-of-life. The AMD part is a current mobile processor, whereas the Intel chip has been discontinued.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C is built on the Zen 2 architecture using the Mendocino codename, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It has a die size of 100 mm². The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 uses the older Skylake architecture with the Skylake-H codename, built on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 171 mm² and 2,300 million transistors. The manufacturing node difference is substantial, with AMD using a significantly smaller process.

Both chips feature 4 cores and 8 threads, but their cache hierarchies differ. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part matches the L1 size at 64 KB per core but has only 256 KB of L2 per core, while its L3 cache doubles to 8 MB shared. This gives Intel a larger total cache footprint, particularly at the last level.

Memory support also diverges sharply. The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C supports LPDDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, delivering a memory bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s. The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 in dual-channel mode, but its bandwidth is capped at 34.1 GB/s. That is a 2.6x bandwidth advantage for AMD, which can matter for memory-intensive workloads.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The AMD chip provides Gen 3 with 4 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel chip provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Intel offers four times the PCIe lane count, which is relevant for expansion or discrete device connectivity. The integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses the Radeon 610M, while Intel uses Iris Pro Graphics P580.

The sockets are incompatible. AMD uses AMD Socket FT6, while Intel uses Intel BGA 1440. The Intel part is in the Server/Workstation market segment, whereas AMD is in the Mobile segment. The Intel Xeon supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the AMD part. The AMD chip is rated at 15 watts TDP versus 65 watts for Intel, reflecting the former's mobile focus.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep: the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C wins all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with no wins recorded for the Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5. The margins are consistent, ranging from 2.8% to 3% across every test.

In Cinebench R15, the AMD part scores 741 in multi-core versus Intel's 720, a 2.9% lead. The single-core result is 104 versus 101, a 3% advantage. These are modest but uniform gaps, indicating that the AMD chip does not just match but slightly exceeds Intel in both threading and single-thread performance.

Cinebench R20 tells the same story. The multi-core score is 3089 for AMD versus 3001 for Intel, again a 2.9% delta. Single-core is 435 versus 423, a 2.8% gap. The pattern holds: AMD is ahead in both metrics, and the percentage difference barely moves between workloads.

Cinebench R23 confirms the trend. The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C posts 7355 in multi-core against Intel's 7146, a 2.9% lead. Single-core is 1038 versus 1008, a 3% advantage. Across all three Cinebench generations, the AMD part maintains nearly identical margins, suggesting a consistent architectural efficiency advantage rather than a workload-specific spike.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this. AMD's 2127 average sits 60 points above Intel's 2067. When placed against their nearest rivals, AMD's closest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U at 2135 with a delta of -0.4%, while the Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G at 2059 with a delta of 0.4%. Both chips land in the 46th percentile of all CPUs, meaning they occupy similar overall performance tiers despite the internal benchmark differences.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 7520C | Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 |

|----------------|-------------------|------------------------|

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.30 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 100 mm² | 171 mm² |

| Transistors | Not listed | 2,300 million |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | LPDDR5 | DDR3, DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 88.0 GB/s | 34.1 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 4 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 610M | Iris Pro Graphics P580 |

| Socket | AMD Socket FT6 | Intel BGA 1440 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Server/Workstation |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2023-05-22 | 2016-05-30 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $556 |

| Part Number | 100-000000773 | SR2RB |

The base clock favors Intel at 3.50 GHz versus 2.80 GHz, but the boost clock favors AMD at 4.30 GHz versus 3.90 GHz. The TDP difference is stark: 15 watts for AMD versus 65 watts for Intel. The cache layout differs in that Intel has larger L3 but smaller L2 per core. Memory bandwidth strongly favors AMD, while PCIe lanes strongly favor Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C wins every recorded benchmark, so its strengths are straightforward. It leads in all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both single-core and multi-core. The margins are small but consistent, with the largest lead being 3% in R15 single-core and R23 single-core. Its memory bandwidth advantage of 88.0 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s suggests it is better suited for workloads that saturate memory throughput, such as data compression or certain compute tasks. Its 15 watt TDP makes it the clear choice for power-constrained mobile environments, and its active production status means it remains available for current designs.

The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 does not win any benchmark, but the specification data reveals where it retains functional advantages. It supports ECC memory, which the AMD part lacks, making it relevant for error-sensitive server or workstation workloads. Its 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes provide far more expansion capability than AMD's 4 lanes, so systems needing multiple add-in cards or high-bandwidth peripherals would favor Intel. The larger 8 MB L3 cache could benefit workloads with large working sets, though the benchmark data does not show a measurable win in Cinebench. Its 3.50 GHz base clock is higher than AMD's 2.80 GHz, which may help in lightly threaded tasks that do not boost aggressively, but again the benchmark results do not reflect a victory.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C outperforms the Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 in every recorded Cinebench test. The 2.8% to 3% margins across all six comparisons show a consistent, not incidental, performance lead. The AMD part also delivers this advantage at a fraction of the power draw, 15 watts versus 65 watts, and with more than double the memory bandwidth. For any general-purpose computing workload measured by these benchmarks, the AMD chip is the better performer.

The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 should only be selected when its specific features are mandatory. If ECC memory support is a hard requirement, the Intel part has it and AMD does not. If a system needs 16 PCIe lanes from the CPU for expansion, Intel provides that capability. The Intel chip is also a server/workstation part, so it may fit into existing infrastructure that expects that segment, though it is end-of-life and was released in 2016.

For mobile or low-power applications, the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C is the only sensible pick. Its 15 watt TDP, active production status, and newer 2023 release date align with current platform needs. The Intel chip's 65 watt TDP and end-of-life status make it unsuitable for new mobile designs.

The verdict is straightforward: the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C wins on raw performance, efficiency, and memory bandwidth. The Intel Xeon E3-1585 v5 wins only on niche feature support like ECC and PCIe lane count. Unless those specific capabilities are non-negotiable, the AMD part is the superior choice based on the recorded data.