AMD Ryzen 5 7520U vs Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits cleanly along workload type. The Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 takes the multi-threaded endurance crown, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U dominates every single-thread test and the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test.

For sustained all-core rendering in modern benchmarks, the Xeon wins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 7179 against the Ryzen's 5149, a 39.4% advantage. This is the Xeon's only head-to-head victory, but it is decisive. The 8-core, 16-thread Haswell-EP part leverages its thread count and 20 MB shared L3 to pull ahead in workloads that scale beyond four cores.

The Ryzen 5 7520U wins everywhere else. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 834 versus 723, a 13.3% lead. This is notable because the R15 test is older and less demanding on memory bandwidth, allowing the Ryzen's higher per-core clocks to show through. The single-core results are even more lopsided: R15 single-core goes 168.8 to 102 (39.6% lead for AMD), and R23 single-core goes 1171 to 1013 (13.5% lead for AMD). The Ryzen also has Geekbench results in the database (3766 multi-core, 1185 single-core), which the Xeon lacks entirely, further indicating the AMD part's strength in latency-sensitive, lightly threaded applications.

The percentile ranking tells a similar story. The Xeon sits at the 46th percentile of all CPUs, the Ryzen at the 45th. Despite the Xeon's massive R23 multi-core win, the average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 2076 for Intel, 2046 for AMD. This is because the Ryzen's consistent wins across more tests balance the Xeon's single large victory. The data suggests a use-case split: choose the Xeon for heavily parallel compute, choose the Ryzen for responsiveness, single-threaded workloads, and mobile deployment.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from opposite ends of the design spectrum. The Xeon E5-2628 v3 is a server part built on Intel's 22 nm Haswell-EP architecture, manufactured in-house by Intel. It packs 8 cores and 16 threads on a 356 mm² die with 2,600 million transistors. The Ryzen 5 7520U is a mobile part on AMD's 6 nm Zen 2 architecture, built by TSMC. It uses a much smaller 100 mm² die, though the database does not list a transistor count. The process node advantage is significant: 6 nm versus 22 nm means the Ryzen achieves its performance in a fraction of the silicon area.

Core configuration differs sharply. The Xeon has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen has 4 cores and 8 threads. Cache layouts reflect this: the Xeon offers 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus a 20 MB shared L3. The Ryzen matches the 64 KB L1 but doubles L2 to 512 KB per core, while its shared L3 drops to just 4 MB. The smaller cache pool on the Ryzen is compensated by higher clock speeds: 2.80 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost, versus the Xeon's 2.50 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost.

Memory subsystems diverge completely. The Xeon uses DDR4 on a quad-channel bus with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. The Ryzen uses LPDDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 88.0 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC. The Ryzen actually has higher peak memory bandwidth despite fewer channels, thanks to faster memory technology. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Xeon provides Gen 3 with 40 lanes, the Ryzen only Gen 3 with 4 lanes. The Xeon supports a server/workstation socket (Intel Socket 2011-3), while the Ryzen uses the mobile AMD Socket FT6.

Integrated graphics are exclusive to the AMD part, which includes a Radeon 610M. The Xeon has no integrated graphics listed, relying on discrete GPUs. Market segments confirm the intent: the Xeon is marked Server/Workstation, the Ryzen is Mobile. Production status also differs, with the Xeon end-of-life and the Ryzen active.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The four shared Cinebench tests provide the full comparative picture. The largest margin belongs to the AMD part in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Ryzen scores 168.8 against the Xeon's 102, a 39.6% deficit for Intel. This is the clearest demonstration of the clock speed advantage: the Ryzen's 4.30 GHz boost versus the Xeon's 3.00 GHz boost translates directly into a massive single-thread gap.

In Cinebench R23 single-core, the margin narrows but still favors AMD. The Ryzen scores 1171, the Xeon 1013, giving AMD a 13.5% lead. The R23 test is newer and more demanding, which may explain the reduced gap, but the direction remains consistent.

The R15 multi-core test is the surprise. Despite having half the cores, the Ryzen wins 834 to 723, a 13.3% margin. This suggests that the R15 workload does not scale perfectly with core count, and the Ryzen's higher clocks and faster memory (88.0 GB/s versus 68.3 GB/s) compensate for its fewer threads.

The reverse happens in R23 multi-core. Here the Xeon dominates with 7179 versus 5149, a 39.4% lead. This test scales aggressively with core count, and the Xeon's 8 cores and 16 threads overwhelm the Ryzen's 4 cores and 8 threads. The delta is larger than the single-core margins, confirming that the Xeon's advantage is purely in parallel throughput.

Overall, the head-to-head record is 1 win for Intel, 3 for AMD. But the single Intel win carries the largest absolute point difference (2030 points in R23 multi-core), while AMD's wins are spread across three tests with smaller margins.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7520U wins all single-core tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core it scores 168.8 versus 102 (39.6% faster), and in R23 single-core it scores 1171 versus 1013 (13.5% faster).

Q: How do the multi-core scores compare?

A: The results depend on the test version. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen wins 834 to 723 (13.3% faster). In R23 multi-core, the Xeon wins 7179 to 5149 (39.4% faster).

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2628 v3 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 7520U has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Xeon supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U does not.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications?

A: The Xeon uses quad-channel DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth. The Ryzen uses dual-channel LPDDR5 with 88.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U has integrated graphics, listed as Radeon 610M. The Intel Xeon has no integrated graphics in the database.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 8 (Intel) versus 4 (AMD)
• Threads: 16 (Intel) versus 8 (AMD)
• Base clock: 2.50 GHz (Intel) versus 2.80 GHz (AMD)
• Boost clock: 3.00 GHz (Intel) versus 4.30 GHz (AMD)
• TDP: 85 W (Intel) versus 15 W (AMD)
• Socket: Intel Socket 2011-3 versus AMD Socket FT6
• Architecture: Haswell (Intel) versus Zen 2 (AMD)
• Codename: Haswell-EP (Intel) versus Mendocino (AMD)
• Process node: 22 nm (Intel) versus 6 nm (AMD)
• Foundry: Intel versus TSMC
• Die size: 356 mm² (Intel) versus 100 mm² (AMD)
• Transistors: 2,600 million (Intel); not listed for AMD
• L2 cache: 256 KB per core (Intel) versus 512 KB per core (AMD)
• L3 cache: 20 MB shared (Intel) versus 4 MB shared (AMD)
• Memory support: DDR4 (Intel) versus LPDDR5 (AMD)
• Memory bus: Quad-channel (Intel) versus Dual-channel (AMD)
• Memory bandwidth: 68.3 GB/s (Intel) versus 88.0 GB/s (AMD)
• ECC memory: Supported (Intel) versus not supported (AMD)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 40 lanes (Intel) versus Gen 3, 4 lanes (AMD)
• Integrated graphics: None (Intel) versus Radeon 610M (AMD)
• Market segment: Server/Workstation (Intel) versus Mobile (AMD)
• Production status: End-of-life (Intel) versus Active (AMD)
• Release date: 2014-09-07 (Intel) versus 2022-09-19 (AMD)
• Part number: SR201 (Intel) versus 100-000000770 (AMD)

The remaining fields are identical or unlisted: both have 64 KB L1 cache per core, neither has a 3D V-Cache, neither supports an unlocked multiplier, and neither has a launch MSRP in the database.