Intel Atom x7835RE vs Intel Core i5-1135G7 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture: the Intel Core i5-1135G7 dominates the Intel Atom x7835RE across nearly every measured workload. Out of 17 head-to-head comparisons, the Core i5 wins 16, while the Atom manages a single narrow victory. The margins are not trivial either; the Core i5 is often ahead by double-digit percentages, and in some cases the gap approaches half the Atom’s performance.

The most decisive differences appear in single-threaded tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core i5 scores 1116 against the Atom’s 854, a 23.5% advantage. The same delta shows up in Cinebench R20 single-core (468 vs 358, also 23.5%) and Cinebench R15 single-core (112 vs 85, 24.1% ahead). PassMark single-thread tells an even harsher story: 2640 for the Core i5 versus 1599 for the Atom, meaning the Core i5 is 39.4% faster. This is the largest percentage gap in the entire dataset, and it underscores how much faster the Willow Cove cores are per thread compared to the Gracemont efficiency cores.

Multi-threaded workloads still favor the Core i5, but by a smaller margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 7909 for the Core i5 against 6051 for the Atom, a 23.5% lead. R20 multi-core is 3321 versus 2541 (23.5%), and R15 multi-core is 797 versus 609 (23.6%). PassMark multithread shows 9512 versus 7119, a 25.2% edge. Interestingly, the Atom has 8 cores against the Core i5’s 4 cores, yet the Core i5 still wins multi-threaded tests. That indicates the Core i5’s hyper-threading (8 threads) combined with much higher per-core throughput overcomes the Atom’s raw core count advantage.

The PassMark suite reveals where the Core i5 excels most. Extended instructions show 7406 versus 3617, a massive 51.2% lead, the largest delta in any test. Find prime numbers is 34 versus 23 (32.4% ahead), data compression is 103380 versus 76736 (25.8%), and random string sorting is 12625 versus 10180 (19.4%). Floating point math is 19221 versus 16236 (15.5%), integer math is 31814 versus 26623 (16.3%), and physics is 577 versus 500 (13.3%). These are all solid wins for the Core i5, though none approach the single-thread gap.

The Atom’s only win comes in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 5579 against the Core i5’s 5465, a 2.1% advantage. This is a narrow margin and likely reflects the Atom’s 8 physical cores handling encryption workloads slightly better than the Core i5’s 4 cores with hyper-threading. Still, it is the sole bright spot for the Atom in this comparison.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-1135G7 is the clear winner for almost any general-purpose computing task. Its single-thread performance is far superior, which translates directly into faster application launches, snappier web browsing, and better responsiveness in lightly threaded software. The 39.4% lead in PassMark single-thread is not a minor detail; it means the Core i5 will feel noticeably faster in everyday use. The extended instructions score, 51.2% higher, also suggests better support for modern SIMD and encryption instruction sets, which benefits media encoding and scientific workloads.

For multi-threaded productivity, the Core i5 still comes out ahead, but the margin narrows. The 8-thread Core i5 beats the 8-thread Atom in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 23.5%, but the Atom’s 8 physical cores keep it competitive in tasks that scale well across threads, like data compression (25.8% behind) and integer math (16.3% behind). The Core i5 cannot simply rely on core count; it wins through higher clock speeds and better architecture.

The Atom x7835RE’s only meaningful win is data encryption, where it edges ahead by 2.1%. This suggests that for specific encryption-heavy workloads, the Atom’s physical core layout provides a slight advantage. But the margin is small, and no other test shows the Atom ahead. For workloads that are purely single-threaded or require heavy floating-point or instruction-level parallelism, the Atom is at a severe disadvantage, often 20% to 30% behind.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different design philosophies. The Atom x7835RE uses the Amston Lake architecture, built on the Gracemont microarchitecture, which is Intel’s efficiency-focused core design. It is a 10 nm part with 8 cores and 8 threads. The Core i5-1135G7 uses the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically the Willow Cove core design, also on a 10 nm process but with only 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to hyper-threading.

The cache layouts differ significantly. The Atom has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i5 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. Despite having fewer cores, the Core i5 carries more total L3 cache, which helps with larger working sets. The Atom’s L2 is organized per module rather than per core, reflecting its Gracemont design. The Core i5’s die size is listed at 144 mm², while the Atom’s is not recorded.

The integrated graphics are also a major differentiator. The Atom ships with UHD Graphics with 32 execution units, while the Core i5 includes Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 execution units. That is a substantial difference in GPU capability, though the database does not provide graphics benchmark scores. For any light gaming or media work that relies on the iGPU, the Core i5 is clearly better equipped.

The Atom was released in April 2024 and is still active in production. The Core i5 was released in September 2020 and is now marked as end-of-life. This means the Atom is a newer product, but the Core i5 remains the higher-performing part in almost every metric.

Specification Differences

The specification table shows several key differences beyond performance.

• Cores: Atom has 8, Core i5 has 4.
• Threads: Both have 8.
• Base clock: Atom is 1.30 GHz, Core i5 is 1500.00 MHz (1.50 GHz).
• Boost clock: Atom is 3.60 GHz, Core i5 is 4.20 GHz.
• TDP: Atom is 12 W, Core i5 is 15 W. The Atom draws less power, but the Core i5 uses the extra headroom for higher clocks.
• Socket: Atom uses Intel BGA 1264, Core i5 uses Intel BGA 1449. They are not interchangeable.
• Process node: Both are 10 nm.
• Memory support: Atom supports DDR4 and DDR5, while Core i5 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X. The Atom has a single-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth; the Core i5 has a dual-channel bus, though its bandwidth is not listed.
• ECC memory: Neither supports ECC.
• PCIe: Atom has Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only); Core i5 has Gen 4 with 4 lanes (CPU only). The Atom offers more lanes, but the Core i5 has a newer PCIe generation.
• Integrated graphics: Atom has UHD Graphics 32EU, Core i5 has Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU.
• Release date: Atom is April 2024, Core i5 is September 2020.
• Production status: Atom is active, Core i5 is end-of-life.
• Launch MSRP: Atom was $127, Core i5 was $309.
• Part number: Atom is SRNER, Core i5 is SRK05.

The dual-channel memory on the Core i5 is likely a significant contributor to its performance advantage, especially in memory-sensitive benchmarks. The Atom’s single-channel bus is a bottleneck that no amount of extra cores can fully overcome.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: The Intel Core i5-1135G7 is significantly faster. PassMark single-thread shows 2640 versus 1599, a 39.4% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core confirms this with 1116 versus 854, a 23.5% lead.

Q: Does the Atom x7835RE’s 8-core count beat the Core i5’s 4 cores in multi-threaded work?

A: No. Despite having twice the physical cores, the Atom still loses every multi-threaded test. Cinebench R23 multi-core is 6051 for the Atom versus 7909 for the Core i5, a 23.5% deficit. PassMark multithread shows 7119 versus 9512, a 25.2% gap.

Q: Is there any test where the Atom wins?

A: Yes, PassMark data encryption. The Atom scores 5579 against the Core i5’s 5465, a 2.1% edge. That is the only head-to-head win for the Atom out of 17 comparisons.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The biggest gap is in PassMark extended instructions, where the Core i5 scores 7406 against the Atom’s 3617, a 51.2% difference. PassMark single-thread is close behind at 39.4%.

Q: How do the TDP ratings compare?

A: The Atom has a 12 W TDP, while the Core i5 has a 15 W TDP. The Atom is more power-efficient on paper, but the Core i5 uses the extra power budget for higher clock speeds and better performance.

Q: Which CPU has better integrated graphics?

A: The Core i5-1135G7 has Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 execution units, while the Atom has UHD Graphics with 32 execution units. The Core i5’s iGPU has more than double the execution units.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-1135G7 is the superior processor in nearly every measurable way. It wins 16 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, often by substantial margins. The only exception is data encryption, where the Atom ekes out a 2.1% win. For any user prioritizing performance, the Core i5 is the obvious choice.

The Core i5 excels in single-threaded workloads by 23.5% to 39.4%, in multi-threaded workloads by 13.3% to 25.8%, and in instruction-heavy workloads by up to 51.2%. It also has a much stronger integrated GPU (80EU versus 32EU) and dual-channel memory support, which further widens the practical gap. The fact that it achieves all this with only 4 cores against the Atom’s 8 reflects the Willow Cove architecture’s efficiency and the higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz versus 3.60 GHz.

The Atom x7835RE is not without merit. Its 12 W TDP is lower than the Core i5’s 15 W, making it a candidate for power-constrained embedded or fanless designs. Its 8 physical cores and single-channel DDR5 support could suit very specific low-power workloads, particularly if data encryption is a priority. But the performance gap is too large to recommend it for general computing. The Core i5, despite being end-of-life, remains a far more capable part.

The launch MSRP reflects this: the Atom launched at $127 and the Core i5 at $309. The price difference aligns with the performance difference. For anyone building a system where CPU throughput matters, the Core i5-1135G7 wins outright. The Atom should only be considered for niche, low-power applications where its encryption edge and lower TDP are worth the massive trade-off in every other benchmark.