Intel Atom x7405C vs Intel Core i7-12700E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive picture: the Intel Core i7-12700E wins all six recorded head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Atom x7405C. The margin is not close; in every single test, the Core i7-12700E delivers a delta of roughly 438% to 447% over the Atom part. This is a generational and architectural gap that no amount of workload tuning can bridge.

Looking at multi-core performance, the disparity is stark. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core i7-12700E scores 23,879 points versus the Atom x7405C's 4,435 points, a delta of 438.4%. The Cinebench R20 multi-core test shows a similar story: 10,029 against 1,862, a 438.6% lead. Even in the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Core i7-12700E posts 2,406 points compared to the Atom's 446, a 439.5% advantage. The data indicates that for any heavily threaded workload, such as video rendering, 3D scene creation, or software compilation, the Core i7-12700E is in a completely different performance class.

Single-core results are equally one-sided, which is notable because single-threaded performance often reflects the efficiency of the core architecture and the height of the boost clock. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core i7-12700E scores 3,371 points, while the Atom x7405C manages only 626 points, a delta of 438.5%. The Cinebench R20 single-core test shows 1,415 versus 262, a 440.1% lead. The Cinebench R15 single-core test yields 339 against 62, a 446.8% margin, the largest delta recorded in the entire comparison. These numbers indicate that the Core i7-12700E's high-frequency performance cores vastly outperform the Atom's efficiency-oriented Gracemont cores in latency-sensitive tasks like web browsing, office productivity, and legacy application execution.

The average benchmark scores in the database place these CPUs in the same overall percentile bracket (62nd for both), but that is a quirk of the dataset composition. The Core i7-12700E holds an average benchmark score of 6,776, while the Atom x7405C sits at 6,568. The nearest rivals for the Core i7-12700E include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX (average 6,760, delta 0.2%), the Intel Xeon Gold 6154 (average 6,803, delta -0.4%), and the Intel Xeon D-2775TE (average 6,711, delta 1%). For the Atom x7405C, the nearest rivals are the Intel Core i5-13500E (average 6,586, delta -0.3%), the Intel Core i9-7960X (average 6,533, delta 0.5%), and the Intel Core i9-10940X (average 6,605, delta -0.6%). The presence of these rivals shows that the average benchmark score is heavily influenced by the specific test mix; the Atom's PassMark integer and floating-point results pull its average up, but the Cinebench results reveal its true compute limitations.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins in multi-core rendering workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700E wins decisively. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 23,879 versus the Atom x7405C's 4,435, a 438.4% delta. The R20 and R15 multi-core tests show similar margins of 438.6% and 439.5%, respectively.

Q: Is the single-core performance gap as large as the multi-core gap?

A: Yes, the single-core gap is even larger in percentage terms. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Core i7-12700E leads by 446.8% (339 versus 62). In R20 single-core, the lead is 440.1% (1,415 versus 262), and in R23 single-core, it is 438.5% (3,371 versus 626).

Q: Does the Atom x7405C have any strengths in the recorded benchmarks?

A: The recorded head-to-head data shows zero wins for the Atom x7405C. It loses all six Cinebench comparisons. Its separate PassMark results (e.g., integer math at 14,669, floating point math at 9,063) are recorded in the database, but they do not appear in the head-to-head comparison, and the Cinebench scores indicate a severe compute deficit.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in terms of thread count?

A: The Core i7-12700E has 20 threads, while the Atom x7405C has 4 threads. This 5x thread advantage contributes directly to the multi-core score gaps observed in the Cinebench tests.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The Core i7-12700E has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Atom x7405C has a TDP of 12 watts. The Atom is far more power-efficient, but it sacrifices a massive amount of performance to achieve that efficiency.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Core i7-12700E boosts up to 4.80 GHz, while the Atom x7405C boosts up to 3.40 GHz. The Core i7 also has a higher base clock at 2.10 GHz versus 1.70 GHz.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: choose the Intel Core i7-12700E for any workload where compute performance is the primary requirement. It dominates the Atom x7405C in every recorded benchmark, with deltas exceeding 438% across all six Cinebench tests. Its 12 cores and 20 threads, combined with a 4.80 GHz boost clock and a 25 MB shared L3 cache, make it suitable for desktop tasks ranging from content creation to software development. The Core i7-12700E also holds an average benchmark score of 6,776, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs in the database.

The Intel Atom x7405C is the correct choice only for scenarios where power consumption is the absolute constraint. Its 12 watt TDP is dramatically lower than the Core i7's 65 watts, and its BGA 1264 socket targets mobile and embedded applications rather than desktop towers. For a fanless or battery-powered industrial system, the Atom's 4 cores and 4 threads may suffice for lightweight control tasks, but the recorded data shows it cannot keep pace with the Core i7 in any compute-intensive scenario. The Atom's average benchmark score of 6,568 is inflated by its PassMark results, but the Cinebench scores (4,435 in R23 multi-core) reveal its true limitations.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-12700E | Intel Atom x7405C |

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

| Cores | 12 | 4 |

| Threads | 20 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 1.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.80 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 12 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel BGA 1264 |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 2 MB (shared) |

| L3 Cache | 25 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 9 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | N/A |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Part Number | SRL6D | SRNEM |

| Launch MSRP | $344 | $57 |

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different architectural lineages within Intel's lineup. The Core i7-12700E is built on Alder Lake-S, the 12th Gen Core architecture, which uses a hybrid design of performance cores and efficiency cores. This is a desktop-class silicon with a die size of 215 mm², produced on Intel's 10 nm process. The Atom x7405C, by contrast, is an Amston Lake part, with a Gracemont core generation and a 10 nm process node. It is designed for low-power mobile and embedded systems, not desktop performance.

The cache hierarchy differs significantly. The Core i7-12700E allocates 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with a large 25 MB shared L3 cache. The Atom x7405C provides 96 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of shared L2, and only 6 MB of shared L3. This smaller L3 cache, combined with a single-channel memory bus, severely limits the Atom's ability to feed data to its cores in memory-intensive workloads.

Memory support is nominally similar, as both processors support DDR4 and DDR5, but the implementation differs. The Core i7-12700E uses a dual-channel memory bus, while the Atom x7405C uses a single-channel bus. The Atom's memory bandwidth is recorded at 38.4 GB/s, a figure that is far below what the dual-channel Core i7 can achieve, although the Core i7's bandwidth is not recorded in the database.

PCIe capabilities also diverge sharply. The Core i7-12700E offers PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), enabling high-speed connectivity for modern GPUs and NVMe storage. The Atom x7405C is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only), a legacy interface that will bottleneck any high-throughput peripheral. The Core i7 also includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 770, while the Atom has no integrated graphics at all, requiring a discrete GPU or headless operation. Finally, the production status of both is Active, and neither has an unlocked multiplier, but the Core i7's launch MSRP is $344 versus the Atom's $57, reflecting their vastly different performance tiers.