Intel Core i5-1035G1 vs Intel Core i7-1165G7 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-1035G1 and Intel Core i7-1165G7 are both quad-core mobile processors, but the benchmark data reveals they are not close competitors. Across the 17 head-to-head benchmarks recorded, the i7-1165G7 wins every single one, with the i5-1035G1 failing to claim a single victory. The margin of victory is consistently significant, often hovering around 20-27%, but reaching as high as 58.7% in one specialized test. This is a one-sided matchup where the newer architecture and higher clock speeds of the i7-1165G7 deliver a decisive performance advantage across all measured workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the uniformity of the i7-1165G7's dominance. In Cinebench tests, the gap is remarkably consistent. For instance, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7-1165G7 scores 8293 compared to the i5-1035G1's 6062, a 26.9% lead. The single-core result in the same test is nearly identical in percentage: 1170 versus 855, also a 26.9% advantage. This consistency suggests the performance difference is not workload-specific but rather a fundamental throughput advantage, likely stemming from the higher boost clock.

The physics test shows the most extreme divergence. The i7-1165G7 scores 712, while the i5-1035G1 manages only 423, a 40.6% gap. This suggests a substantial difference in computational efficiency per clock cycle. Even more dramatic is the prime number search test, where the i7-1165G7 scores 46 versus the i5-1035G1's 19, a 58.7% advantage. This test is often sensitive to instruction set extensions and memory latency, hinting that the architectural improvements in Tiger Lake provide a major boost for this kind of integer-heavy, branch-dependent workload.

In more common productivity tasks, the lead narrows but remains decisive. Integer math shows a 20.1% difference (33349 vs 26645), while floating-point math is 21.9% apart (19830 vs 15483). Data compression is 22.2% apart (103497 vs 80534), and random string sorting is 23% apart (12698 vs 9782). The smallest gap is 20.1% in integer math, still a massive margin. Even the single-threaded Passmark score, which often shows smaller deltas between generations, is 20.4% higher for the i7-1165G7 (2763 vs 2198), confirming that the newer chip's per-core performance is substantially superior, not just its multi-core scaling.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architecture shift explains the benchmark results. The i5-1035G1 is built on the Ice Lake architecture, codenamed Ice Lake-U, while the i7-1165G7 uses the newer Tiger Lake architecture, codenamed Tiger Lake-U. Both are manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process, but that is where the similarities end. The die size increases from 123 mm² to 144 mm² on the newer chip, reflecting the addition of more complex logic and cache.

The most critical architectural difference is the cache hierarchy. While both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core, the L2 cache jumps from 256 KB per core on the i5-1035G1 to 1.25 MB per core on the i7-1165G7, a fivefold increase. The shared L3 cache also doubles from 6 MB to 12 MB. This substantial increase in cache capacity likely contributes significantly to the performance gains, especially in the physics and prime number tests where data locality is crucial.

Clock speeds also differ dramatically. The i5-1035G1 has a base clock of 1.00 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while the i7-1165G7 has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The higher boost clock is a direct contributor to the single-thread performance advantage, but the higher base clock suggests the i7-1165G7 can sustain higher performance under sustained load. The i7-1165G7 also carries a higher TDP of 28 W versus 15 W, which allows it to maintain those higher clocks under load.

Memory support also differs. The i5-1035G1 supports only DDR4, while the i7-1165G7 supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X. The i5-1035G1 has a listed memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i7-1165G7 does not have a bandwidth figure in the data. PCIe support also advances from Gen 3 on the older chip to Gen 4 with 4 CPU-only lanes on the newer one. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the i5-1035G1 featuring UHD Graphics and the i7-1165G7 featuring Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, a significant upgrade for any GPU-accelerated tasks.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-1165G7 is the superior processor in every measured benchmark. With 17 wins out of 17 head-to-head comparisons, there is no workload category in this dataset where the i5-1035G1 comes out ahead. The i7-1165G7 is not just faster; it is faster by a consistent and substantial margin, ranging from 20.1% to 58.7%. Anyone choosing between these two for a new system should select the i7-1165G7 based on performance alone, provided the higher TDP and newer socket are acceptable.

The i5-1035G1, while it is an older and slower chip, still holds a position in the market. It has a lower TDP of 15 W versus 28 W, which could be an advantage in fanless or ultra-portable designs where power efficiency is paramount. However, the benchmark data shows that the i7-1165G7's performance advantage is so large that it would likely complete tasks faster and return to idle sooner, potentially negating some of the power draw difference in real-world usage. The i5-1035G1 is best suited for basic productivity tasks where its lower power envelope is more critical than raw speed, but for any demanding application, the i7-1165G7 is the clear choice.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The base clock is 1000.00 MHz on the i5-1035G1 versus 2800.00 MHz on the i7-1165G7, and the boost clock is 3.60 GHz versus 4.70 GHz. The TDP is 15 W versus 28 W. The socket changes from Intel BGA 1526 to Intel BGA 1449. The architecture is Ice Lake versus Tiger Lake, with codenames Ice Lake-U and Tiger Lake-U respectively. The process node is the same 10 nm for both.

The cache configuration differs significantly. L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, but L2 cache jumps from 256 KB per core to 1.25 MB per core. L3 cache doubles from 6 MB shared to 12 MB shared. Memory support expands from DDR4 only to DDR4 and LPDDR4X. The memory bandwidth is listed for the i5-1035G1 at 51.2 GB/s, while it is not listed for the i7-1165G7. PCIe support is Gen 3 on the older chip and Gen 4 with 4 CPU-only lanes on the newer one. The integrated graphics differ, with UHD Graphics versus Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU. The production status is Active for the i5-1035G1 and End-of-life for the i7-1165G7. The release date is 2019-07-31 for the i5-1035G1 and 2020-09-01 for the i7-1165G7. The launch MSRP of the i7-1165G7 is $426; no launch MSRP is listed for the i5-1035G1.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-1165G7 is faster, scoring 8293 compared to the i5-1035G1's 6062, a 26.9% advantage.

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

A: Yes, the gap is nearly identical. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-1165G7 scores 1170 versus 855 for the i5-1035G1, also a 26.9% difference.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache size?

A: The i5-1035G1 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-1165G7 has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, a doubling of capacity.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock?

A: The i7-1165G7 has a significantly higher base clock of 2.80 GHz compared to the i5-1035G1's 1.00 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The i5-1035G1 supports only DDR4, while the i7-1165G7 supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X.

Q: How many benchmark tests does the i5-1035G1 win?

A: The i5-1035G1 wins zero out of the 17 head-to-head benchmark tests recorded, with the i7-1165G7 winning all 17.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-1165G7 wins in every single benchmark category measured. This includes all Cinebench versions (R15, R20, R23) for both single and multi-core tests. It also wins all Passmark tests, including integer math, floating-point math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, find prime numbers, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread. The 3DMark tests are only listed for the i7-1165G7, so no comparison is possible, but its presence in the data suggests strong multi-threaded scaling across 2, 4, 8, and 16 threads.

The i5-1035G1 has no benchmark wins to claim. Its only potential advantage is the lower 15 W TDP, which could make it a better fit for passively cooled or extremely thin laptops, but this is not reflected in any performance metric. The i5-1035G1's active production status versus the i7-1165G7's end-of-life status could also be a factor for system integrators looking for long-term supply, but again, this is not a performance consideration. For raw processing capability, the i7-1165G7 is the only choice according to the data.