AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX vs Intel Core i7-1250U Comparison

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-1250U and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX represent opposite ends of the processor spectrum. Intel's chip is a mobile part built on Intel's 10 nm process, using the Alder Lake-U architecture. It packs 10 cores and 12 threads, with a 12 MB shared L3 cache. The cache hierarchy uses 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core. This is a hybrid design aimed at efficiency, with a 9 W TDP and integrated Iris Xe 96EU graphics. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and it uses PCIe Gen 4. The chip is soldered to Intel BGA 1781, meaning it is not upgradeable in a traditional socket sense.

AMD's Threadripper PRO 3975WX is a desktop workstation monster. It uses the Zen 2 architecture on TSMC's 7 nm process, with 32 cores and 64 threads. The L3 cache is a massive 128 MB, while L1 and L2 are 64 KB and 512 KB per core, respectively. The chip is built from four 74 mm² dies, totaling 15,200 million transistors. It supports DDR4 memory over an eight-channel bus, with a rated memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s. ECC memory is supported, and it offers 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes from the CPU. The TDP is 280 W, and it uses the AMD Socket WRX8. There is no integrated graphics on this part. The Threadripper launched in July 2020, while the i7-1250U came later in February 2022.

The process node difference is significant: 7 nm versus 10 nm. The Threadripper's transistor count of 15,200 million dwarfs anything Intel's mobile chip could contain, but the i7-1250U compensates with higher clocks. Intel boosts to 4.70 GHz versus AMD's 4.20 GHz, and the base clocks tell the same story: 1.10 GHz for Intel versus 3.50 GHz for AMD. The i7-1250U is strictly a mobile part, while the Threadripper is a desktop-only processor. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The memory channels, cache sizes, and PCIe lane counts are fundamentally different design philosophies: one for thin-and-light laptops, the other for multi-GPU workstations.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is lopsided. The Threadripper wins 7 out of 8 head-to-head tests, including every single Cinebench test across R15, R20, and R23. The i7-1250U wins only one test: Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1661 against 1570, a 5.8% advantage. That is the only place where Intel's higher boost clock and newer architecture translate into a victory.

For the Threadripper, the wins are enormous. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 52,895 versus 7,069, a 86.6% lead. That is not a marginal difference; it is a categorical gap. The same pattern holds in R20 multi-core (22,215 versus 3,983, an 82.1% lead) and R15 multi-core (5,331 versus 1,172.94, a 78% lead). The Threadripper also dominates single-core Cinebench scores, which is surprising given Intel's clock advantage. In R23 single-core, AMD scores 7,467 versus Intel's 1,574, a 78.9% lead. In R20 single-core, it is 3,136 versus 562, an 82.1% lead. Even in R15 single-core, AMD wins with 752 versus 226, a 69.9% lead.

Geekbench multi-core also goes to AMD: 16,922 versus 5,777, a 65.9% lead. The Threadripper's 32 cores and 64 threads simply overwhelm the i7-1250U's 10 cores and 12 threads in any multi-threaded workload. The only area where Intel's chip wins is Geekbench single-core, and even there the margin is modest. The data suggests that for any sustained compute workload, the Threadripper is the clear choice. For light, bursty single-threaded tasks, the i7-1250U edges ahead slightly.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX has 32 cores and 64 threads. The Intel Core i7-1250U has 10 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Does the i7-1250U have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-1250U includes Iris Xe 96EU graphics. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX has no integrated graphics at all.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-1250U does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Threadripper PRO 3975WX has a rated memory bandwidth of 204.8 GB/s over an eight-channel DDR4 bus. The i7-1250U uses dual-channel memory with no bandwidth figure listed in the data.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The AMD chip has 128 MB of L3 cache. The Intel chip has 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which CPU wins in single-core Geekbench?

A: The Intel Core i7-1250U wins Geekbench single-core with a score of 1661 versus 1570, a 5.8% advantage.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-1250U | AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX |

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

| Cores | 10 | 32 |

| Threads | 12 | 64 |

| Base Clock | 1.10 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.70 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 9 W | 280 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1781 | AMD Socket WRX8 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 15,200 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 4x 74 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

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

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 128 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Eight-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 204.8 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4 | Gen 4, 128 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe 96EU | None |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2022-02-22 | 2020-07-13 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $2749 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is a one-sided affair. The Threadripper wins 7 of 8 tests, and the margins are staggering. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD scores 5,331 against Intel's 1,172.94, a 78% delta. That is a 4.5x raw score difference. In R15 single-core, AMD wins 752 to 226, a 69.9% delta. The i7-1250U's single-core score is less than a third of the Threadripper's.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the gap widens. Multi-core shows AMD at 22,215 versus 3,983, an 82.1% lead. Single-core is 3,136 versus 562, also an 82.1% lead. The pattern is consistent: AMD's Zen 2 cores, despite lower boost clocks, outperform Intel's Alder Lake cores in Cinebench across the board.

Cinebench R23 is where the Threadripper truly flexes. Multi-core: 52,895 versus 7,069, an 86.6% delta. That is nearly 7.5x the performance. Single-core: 7,467 versus 1,574, a 78.9% delta. These are not close calls; the Threadripper is in a different performance class entirely.

Geekbench tells a slightly different story. Multi-core goes to AMD with 16,922 versus 5,777, a 65.9% lead. This is the smallest multi-core margin in the entire comparison, but still a massive gap. Single-core, however, goes to Intel: 1,661 versus 1,570, a 5.8% win. This is the only test where the i7-1250U comes out ahead, and the margin is small. The data shows that Intel's chip has a narrow single-threaded advantage in Geekbench, but AMD's architecture wins every Cinebench test, including all single-core variants.

The benchmark results indicate that the Threadripper's raw core count and cache size overwhelm Intel's clock speed advantage. The i7-1250U simply cannot compete in any sustained workload, and even its single-core wins are limited to one specific benchmark.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX is the performance king in this comparison. It wins 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, and the victories are by massive margins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 52,895 versus 7,069, an 86.6% lead. Any workload that scales with cores and threads will favor the Threadripper overwhelmingly. The 32-core, 64-thread configuration with 128 MB of L3 cache and eight-channel memory is built for heavy rendering, scientific computing, and virtual machine hosts. The 280 W TDP and 204.8 GB/s memory bandwidth are the price of admission for that performance.

The Intel Core i7-1250U is a different tool. It is a 9 W mobile chip with integrated graphics, designed for battery-powered laptops. Its single Geekbench win (1,661 versus 1,570, a 5.8% delta) shows it can edge out the Threadripper in a narrow single-threaded scenario, but that is the only benchmark where it leads. In every Cinebench test, it loses by at least 69.9%. The i7-1250U is not a workstation processor, and the data reflects that.

Who should pick which? If you are building a desktop workstation for multi-threaded workloads, the Threadripper PRO 3975WX is the only choice. The benchmark results show it is 65.9% to 86.6% faster than the i7-1250U across all multi-core tests. If you need a mobile chip for a thin laptop, the i7-1250U is the only viable option—the Threadripper is a desktop-only part. For single-threaded Geekbench tasks, the i7-1250U has a slight edge, but that is a narrow use case. The data suggests that the Threadripper is the superior processor for virtually all compute-intensive work, while the i7-1250U serves a completely different mobile market segment.