AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX vs Intel Core i3-1115G4 Comparison

# Intel Core i3-1115G4 vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

This is a lopsided comparison in nearly every measurable way. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX wins 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, often by margins exceeding 80%. The Intel Core i3-1115G4 claims a single victory in Geekbench single-core, but that win is narrow (7.6%) and does little to offset the Threadripper’s overwhelming multi-core dominance. The two processors occupy entirely different market segments — a 15 W mobile chip versus a 250 W desktop flagship — and the benchmark data reflects that chasm.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-1115G4 wins exactly one head-to-head test: Geekbench single-core, scoring 1330 against the Threadripper’s 1236. That is a 7.6% advantage, and it represents the only benchmark where Intel’s newer Tiger Lake architecture (10 nm, Willow Cove cores) outruns AMD’s older Zen+ design. This single-core win matters for lightly threaded workloads like everyday desktop responsiveness, legacy application compatibility, or any task that cannot utilize more than one or two threads. The i3’s PassMark single-thread score of 2585 sits at the 63rd percentile among all CPUs, which is respectable for a low-power mobile part.

Everything else belongs to the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX. The Threadripper wins all three Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23) in both single-core and multi-core variants, plus Geekbench multi-core. Its wins are not marginal — they are decisive, with deltas of -81.3% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core and multi-core (except R23 multi-core at -81.2%), and -65.7% in Geekbench multi-core. The Threadripper’s 24 cores and 48 threads simply overwhelm the i3’s 2 cores and 4 threads in any throughput-oriented scenario. Rendering, video encoding, scientific computing, compilation, or any parallel workload will see massive gains on the AMD part.

The data also shows where the i3 has no hope. In PassMark-specific tests not present in the head-to-head table, the i3 scores 5915 in multithread, 17472 in integer math, and 10791 in floating-point math — numbers that are far below what a 24-core part would produce, even though the Threadripper’s PassMark scores are not listed in the FACT PACK. The i3’s strength is efficiency and single-core agility, not raw throughput.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is generational and physical. The Intel Core i3-1115G4 uses Tiger Lake-U, built on Intel’s 10 nm process, with a die size of 144 mm². It features 2 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. The i3 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory in a dual-channel configuration, has no ECC support, and offers PCIe Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes. It includes integrated Iris Xe-LP Graphics G4, making it a complete system-on-chip for thin-and-light laptops. The TDP is 15 W, and it is not multiplier-unlocked.

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is a completely different beast. Built on GlobalFoundries’ 12 nm process with Zen+ architecture (codename Colfax), it packs 24 cores and 48 threads. The base clock is 3.00 GHz, boosting to 4.20 GHz. It uses a massive 4x 213 mm² die configuration with 19,200 million transistors. Cache is generous: 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR4 in a quad-channel configuration with a rated bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s. It has no integrated graphics, relies on PCIe Gen 3 with 60 CPU lanes, and is multiplier-unlocked. The TDP is 250 W, and it uses the AMD Socket SP3r2.

The process node difference (10 nm vs 12 nm) explains why the i3 can achieve competitive single-core performance at a fraction of the power draw, while the Threadripper needs 16.7x the TDP to feed its 12x core count. The i3’s Willow Cove cores are newer and more efficient per clock, but the Threadripper’s sheer core count and higher boost clock (4.20 GHz vs 4.10 GHz) make it unbeatable in multi-threaded tasks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are the clearest illustration of the performance gap. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Threadripper scores 2651 against the i3’s 497 — a -81.3% delta for Intel. The single-core R15 test tells the same story: 374 vs 70, again -81.3%. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Threadripper posts 11048 multi-core and 1559 single-core, while the i3 manages 2071 and 292 respectively, with identical -81.3% deltas. Cinebench R23 shows the Threadripper at 26305 multi-core and 3713 single-core, versus the i3’s 4933 and 696, with deltas of -81.2% and -81.3%.

These numbers are stark because the i3’s single-core scores are also lower than the Threadripper’s, not just its multi-core. The i3’s best single-core Cinebench result is 696 in R23, while the Threadripper reaches 3713 — over 5x higher. This indicates that even in lightly threaded workloads, the Threadripper’s higher boost clock and older-but-wider Zen+ cores outperform the i3’s newer architecture. The only exception is Geekbench single-core, where the i3 wins 1330 to 1236, a 7.6% margin. That test appears to favor the i3’s higher IPC and newer instruction set, but it is the sole bright spot.

Geekbench multi-core reinforces the trend: Threadripper scores 7195, i3 scores 2465, a -65.7% delta. While the percentage gap is smaller than in Cinebench, the absolute difference is nearly 3x in the Threadripper’s favor. The i3’s PassMark single-thread score of 2585 (at the 63rd percentile) and its PassMark multithread score of 5915 indicate a processor that is adequate for everyday tasks but far from high-end. The Threadripper’s percentile rank is 62, nearly identical to the i3’s 63, but its average benchmark score of 6760 versus the i3’s 6851 reflects a different distribution — the Threadripper wins big in throughput tests while losing slightly in single-core.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-1115G4 | AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX |

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

| Cores | 2 | 24 |

| Threads | 4 | 48 |

| Base Clock | 2.20 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.10 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 250 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1449 | AMD Socket SP3r2 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 12 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Die Size | 144 mm² | 4x 213 mm² |

| Transistors | Not listed | 19,200 million |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 64 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4, LPDDR4X | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Quad-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 93.9 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 4 Lanes | Gen 3, 60 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe-LP Graphics G4 | None |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2020-09-01 | 2018-10-01 |

| Launch MSRP | $281 | $1299 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

The most consequential differences are core count (2 vs 24), TDP (15 W vs 250 W), and memory bandwidth (dual-channel vs quad-channel with 93.9 GB/s). The Threadripper’s 64 MB L3 cache is over 10x the i3’s 6 MB. The i3 has integrated graphics; the Threadripper does not. The i3 uses PCIe Gen 4 but only 4 lanes, while the Threadripper uses Gen 3 with 60 lanes — a tradeoff between speed and quantity.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is dramatically faster. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 26305 versus the Intel Core i3-1115G4’s 4933, a -81.2% delta. The Threadripper also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core (2651 vs 497) and R20 multi-core (11048 vs 2071).

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-1115G4 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins Geekbench single-core with a score of 1330 against the Threadripper’s 1236, a 7.6% advantage. This is the only head-to-head test where Intel comes out ahead.

Q: How do their single-core Cinebench scores compare?

A: The Threadripper wins all three Cinebench single-core tests. In R15, it scores 374 vs 70; in R20, 1559 vs 292; in R23, 3713 vs 696. All deltas are -81.3%.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Intel Core i3-1115G4 has a TDP of 15 W, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX is rated at 250 W. That is a 16.7x difference in power envelope.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No, neither the Intel Core i3-1115G4 nor the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX supports ECC memory.

Q: Which CPU has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX has 60 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the Intel Core i3-1115G4 has only 4 PCIe Gen 4 lanes.

The Verdict

The data points to a single conclusion: choose the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX for any multi-threaded workload, and choose the Intel Core i3-1115G4 only if single-core Geekbench performance is your sole criterion and power efficiency is paramount. The Threadripper wins 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, with margins of 65-81% in most tests. Its 24 cores, 48 threads, 64 MB L3 cache, and quad-channel memory with 93.9 GB/s bandwidth make it a workstation-class part. The i3’s 2 cores and 4 threads, 6 MB L3, and dual-channel memory are suited for light mobile use.

The i3’s single Geekbench single-core win (7.6%) is real but isolated. In Cinebench single-core tests, the Threadripper is 5x faster, which suggests the i3’s advantage is specific to that benchmark’s workload. The i3’s 15 W TDP and integrated Iris Xe-LP Graphics G4 make it a sensible choice for a thin laptop where battery life matters and heavy compute is rare. The Threadripper’s 250 W TDP, lack of integrated graphics, and desktop socket demand a serious cooling solution and a dedicated GPU.

The launch MSRP difference ($281 vs $1299) reflects the target markets — a mobile i3 versus a desktop HEDT chip — but the performance gap is even larger in absolute terms. For rendering, simulation, or any parallel task, the Threadripper is the only rational choice. For a portable secondary machine, the i3 is adequate but cannot compete in throughput. The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Threadripper is the performance king, while the i3 is a niche single-core efficiency specialist.