Intel Core i3-1115G4E vs Intel Core i7-970 Comparison

The Intel Core i3-1115G4E and Intel Core i7-970 represent two very different points in Intel’s product history. The i3-1115G4E is a modern Tiger Lake-U mobile processor built on a 10 nm process, while the i7-970 is a Gulftown desktop part from 2010 built on 32 nm. The recorded benchmark data shows a consistent winner across all tested workloads, but the margin and the context behind it matter for anyone comparing these two parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is unambiguous. The Intel Core i7-970 wins every single benchmark in the comparison, taking all six recorded tests. The Intel Core i3-1115G4E does not win a single test. The margins are consistent, hovering just under 20 percent across the board.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7-970 scores 5577 while the i3-1115G4E scores 4493. That is a 19.4 percent advantage for the older desktop chip. The single-core result in the same test shows the i7-970 at 787 versus 634 for the i3-1115G4E, again a 19.4 percent lead. This consistency is notable: the older chip does not just win on multi-threaded workloads where its six cores and twelve threads should help, it also wins in single-core performance where the newer architecture might be expected to close the gap.

Cinebench R20 tells the same story. The i7-970 posts 2342 in multi-core against 1887 for the i3-1115G4E, a 19.4 percent difference. In single-core R20, the i7-970 scores 330 and the i3-1115G4E scores 266, also 19.4 percent apart. Cinebench R15 repeats the pattern: multi-core shows 562 for the i7-970 versus 452 for the i3-1115G4E, a 19.6 percent gap, and single-core shows 79 versus 63, a 20.3 percent gap. The R15 single-core margin is the largest of any test, slightly wider than the others.

The average benchmark score in the database reinforces this. The i7-970 has an average score of 1613, while the i3-1115G4E averages 1559. That puts the two parts in a similar overall performance tier, with the i7-970 holding a modest lead of roughly 3.5 percent in the aggregate. Both CPUs sit at the 39th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they land in the same performance neighborhood despite the very different hardware underneath.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database provides additional context. The i3-1115G4E’s closest competitor is the AMD Opteron 6276, which has an average score of 1560, a 0.1 percent difference from the i3’s 1559. The AMD FX-8350 and Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 both score 1557, putting them 0.1 percent behind the i3. The AMD Ryzen 3 1300X scores 1562, 0.2 percent ahead. These are extremely tight margins, meaning the i3-1115G4E sits in a crowded field where tiny deltas separate chips. The i7-970’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-10610U at 1611, just 0.2 percent behind, and the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v5 at 1609, 0.3 percent behind. The Intel Core i3-9100T scores 1620, 0.5 percent ahead of the i7-970, while the Intel Core i3-9100E scores 1605, 0.5 percent behind. These ranges show that both CPUs are competitive with parts from different eras, but the i7-970 holds a slight edge in its peer group.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i7-970 is the faster processor in every benchmark recorded. Any workload that relies on CPU compute, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, favors the older chip by roughly 19 to 20 percent. There is no recorded test where the i3-1115G4E takes the lead.

That said, the choice is not simply about raw performance. The i7-970 is a desktop part with a 130 W TDP, while the i3-1115G4E is a mobile part with a 15 W TDP. The i7-970 was released in 2010 and is marked as end-of-life, while the i3-1115G4E was released in 2020 and remains active. The i3-1115G4E includes integrated UHD Graphics G4 with 48 execution units, whereas the i7-970 has no integrated graphics at all. The i3-1115G4E supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory with a dual-channel bus, while the i7-970 uses DDR3 with a triple-channel bus. The i3-1115G4E has PCIe Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes, while the i7-970 has PCIe Gen 2.

For a system where performance is the only criterion and power consumption is not a concern, the i7-970 is the pick. For a compact, low-power mobile system where the i3-1115G4E’s integrated graphics and 15 W TDP are more important than the 20 percent performance shortfall, the i3-1115G4E is the sensible choice. The database shows that the i7-970 wins the performance comparison outright, but the two chips are designed for different environments and different priorities.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors spans over a decade of Intel design. The i3-1115G4E uses the Tiger Lake architecture with Willow Cove cores, built on a 10 nm process. The i7-970 uses the Westmere architecture with Gulftown cores, built on a 32 nm process. The die sizes reflect this: the i3-1115G4E has a die size of 144 mm², while the i7-970 has a die size of 239 mm². The i7-970 has 1,170 million transistors, while the i3-1115G4E does not have a transistor count listed in the database.

Core counts differ substantially. The i3-1115G4E has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7-970 has 6 cores and 12 threads. This is a 3x difference in cores and threads, which explains why the older chip can hold a multi-core advantage despite its older architecture. The i7-970’s base clock is 3.20 GHz with a boost clock of 3.47 GHz, while the i3-1115G4E has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The i3-1115G4E has a higher boost clock, yet it still loses single-core tests, indicating that the i7-970’s higher base clock and older but higher-power design deliver better single-thread performance in the recorded benchmarks.

Cache layouts are also very different. The i3-1115G4E has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The i7-970 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The i7-970 has twice the L3 cache, which contributes to its performance in cache-sensitive workloads. The i3-1115G4E’s larger per-core L1 and L2 are typical of newer architectures, but the total cache capacity favors the i7-970.

Memory support differs by generation. The i3-1115G4E supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X with a dual-channel bus. The i7-970 supports DDR3 with a triple-channel bus. PCIe support also differs: the i3-1115G4E has PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes from the CPU, while the i7-970 has PCIe Gen 2. Neither chip supports ECC memory. The i3-1115G4E includes integrated UHD Graphics G4 with 48 execution units, while the i7-970 has no integrated graphics. The i3-1115G4E uses the Intel BGA 1449 socket, while the i7-970 uses Intel Socket 1366. The i3-1115G4E is a mobile part, and the i7-970 is a desktop part.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-970 wins all multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 5577 versus 4493 for the i3-1115G4E, a 19.4 percent lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, it scores 2342 versus 1887, also 19.4 percent ahead.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-970 wins all single-core tests as well. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 787 versus 634, a 19.4 percent advantage. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 79 versus 63, a 20.3 percent lead.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-970 has an average benchmark score of 1613, while the i3-1115G4E has an average of 1559. Both sit at the 39th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Do these CPUs support the same memory?

A: No. The i3-1115G4E supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X with a dual-channel bus. The i7-970 supports DDR3 with a triple-channel bus. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: Does either CPU include integrated graphics?

A: The i3-1115G4E includes UHD Graphics G4 with 48 execution units. The i7-970 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i3-1115G4E has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7-970 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-970 wins every recorded benchmark, so the use-case split comes down to system context rather than test results. In any workload where raw CPU performance is the priority, the i7-970 is the clear choice. Its six cores and twelve threads give it a structural advantage in multi-threaded rendering, and its single-core results are also ahead. The i7-970’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and triple-channel DDR3 memory support make it suitable for desktop systems where memory bandwidth and cache capacity matter.

The Intel Core i3-1115G4E wins in scenarios where its characteristics outside of CPU performance matter more. It is a mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, making it suitable for laptops and compact systems where power draw is a major constraint. It includes integrated UHD Graphics G4 with 48 execution units, so a system built around it does not require a separate graphics card for basic display output. It supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory, which are modern memory types, and it has PCIe Gen 4 support, which enables faster connectivity for compatible devices. The i3-1115G4E is also an active production part, while the i7-970 is end-of-life.

The market segments reflect this split. The i3-1115G4E is listed as a mobile part, and the i7-970 is listed as a desktop part. A user building a new low-power system would choose the i3-1115G4E for its efficiency and integrated graphics. A user with a desktop motherboard that supports Socket 1366 and who prioritizes compute performance would choose the i7-970. The benchmark data does not show a single area where the i3-1115G4E outperforms the i7-970, so any choice in favor of the i3-1115G4E must be based on power, platform, or feature considerations rather than measured CPU speed.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The i3-1115G4E has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-970 has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i3-1115G4E has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The i7-970 has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.47 GHz. The i3-1115G4E has a TDP of 15 W, while the i7-970 has a TDP of 130 W.

The sockets are different: the i3-1115G4E uses Intel BGA 1449, and the i7-970 uses Intel Socket 1366. The architectures differ, with Tiger Lake and Willow Cove cores on the i3-1115G4E versus Westmere and Gulftown on the i7-970. The process nodes are 10 nm for the i3-1115G4E and 32 nm for the i7-970. The die sizes are 144 mm² and 239 mm² respectively, and the i7-970 has 1,170 million transistors while the i3-1115G4E has no listed transistor count.

Cache configurations differ. The i3-1115G4E has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The i7-970 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. Memory support differs, with the i3-1115G4E using DDR4 and LPDDR4X on a dual-channel bus, and the i7-970 using DDR3 on a triple-channel bus. PCIe support differs, with Gen 4 and 4 CPU lanes on the i3-1115G4E versus Gen 2 on the i7-970. The i3-1115G4E has integrated UHD Graphics G4 with 48 execution units, while the i7-970 has no integrated graphics. The market segments are mobile and desktop respectively. The production statuses differ as well: the i3-1115G4E is active, and the i7-970 is end-of-life. The i3-1115G4E has a launch MSRP of $285, while the i7-970 has no recorded launch MSRP. The release dates are September 2020 for the i3-1115G4E and July 2010 for the i7-970. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.