Intel Core i5-1130G7 vs Intel Core i5-1145GRE Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data places the Intel Core i5-1130G7 and Intel Core i5-1145GRE in essentially a statistical dead heat. Across all six Cinebench workloads, the 1130G7 wins every test, but the margins are minuscule: the largest delta is 0.2% in Cinebench R20 single-core, and the other five deltas are either 0.1% or 0%. The average benchmark scores reinforce this — the 1130G7 averages 2026, while the 1145GRE averages 2025, a 0.1% gap. Both processors occupy the 45th percentile of all CPUs, meaning they sit in the same performance tier relative to the broader market.

For buyers, the choice should hinge on platform requirements rather than raw compute. The 1130G7 uses the Intel BGA 1598 socket, while the 1145GRE uses Intel BGA 1449 — these are physically incompatible, so motherboard selection dictates which part is viable. The 1145GRE carries a launch MSRP of $362, a figure not available for the 1130G7. The 1145GRE also adds ECC memory support and a broader memory compatibility list (DDR4 and LPDDR4X), making it the more appropriate choice for reliability-sensitive environments where error-correcting memory is mandatory. The 1130G7, by contrast, offers a lower 15 W TDP compared to the 1145GRE's 28 W, making it the more power-conscious option for thermally constrained designs. If the workload is purely compute-bound and power efficiency is paramount, the 1130G7 edges ahead; if ECC or memory flexibility is a hard requirement, the 1145GRE is the only viable pick.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same Tiger Lake-U architecture, codename, and Willow Cove-U core generation, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. Each has 4 cores and 8 threads, with an identical 8 MB shared L3 cache. The integrated graphics are the same Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU on both parts. The core configs are symmetric, yet the silicon differs in several meaningful ways.

The most striking divergence is in the L1 cache layout. The 1130G7 lists 96 KB per core, while the 1145GRE lists 80 KB per core — a 16 KB per-core difference that does not appear to translate into measurable performance gains, given the near-identical benchmark scores. The L2 cache is the same at 1.25 MB per core for both. The 1145GRE reports a die size of 144 mm², while the 1130G7 does not provide a die size figure in the data.

Clock speeds favor the 1145GRE on paper. Its base clock is 1500 MHz, significantly higher than the 1130G7's 1100 MHz, and its boost clock reaches 4.10 GHz versus 4.00 GHz. Despite this 100 MHz boost advantage and a 400 MHz base-clock advantage, the 1145GRE does not translate that into a benchmark win — the 1130G7 wins every head-to-head test, albeit by fractions of a percent. The TDP disparity is notable: the 1145GRE is rated at 28 W, nearly double the 1130G7's 15 W, which explains why the lower-clocked 1130G7 can remain competitive — it may sustain boost clocks differently under the same thermal envelope.

Memory support and PCIe lanes diverge sharply. The 1130G7 supports DDR4 only, while the 1145GRE supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X. The 1130G7 lists a memory bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s, while the 1145GRE does not provide a bandwidth figure. ECC memory is absent on the 1130G7 but present on the 1145GRE. PCIe connectivity also differs: the 1130G7 offers Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the 1145GRE offers Gen 4 with just 4 lanes (CPU only). This is a major differentiator for systems that need to attach multiple high-bandwidth peripherals directly to the CPU.

Both chips share the same release date of September 1, 2020, and both are listed as Active in production status. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The 1145GRE has a part number of SRK10, while the 1130G7 does not list one. The 1145GRE is the only one with a launch MSRP of $362.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent: the 1130G7 wins all six Cinebench tests, but every margin is within noise territory. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 1130G7 scores 706 against 705 for the 1145GRE, a 0.1% delta. Single-core R15 is a tie at 99 for both, with a 0% delta — the only test where neither chip pulls ahead. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 2942 versus 2940, again 0.1% in favor of the 1130G7. The largest single delta in the entire comparison is R20 single-core: 415 versus 414, a 0.2% advantage for the 1130G7. Cinebench R23 multi-core repeats the pattern at 7006 versus 7001 (0.1%), and R23 single-core closes at 989 versus 988 (0.1%).

The consistency of these results is instructive. The 1145GRE's higher base clock (1500 MHz vs 1100 MHz) and higher boost clock (4.10 GHz vs 4.00 GHz) should theoretically give it an edge in single-threaded workloads, yet it loses or ties in every single-core test. This suggests that the 1130G7's lower 15 W TDP may allow for more aggressive boost behavior under short bursts, or that the benchmark environment normalized thermals in a way that erased the clock advantage. Either way, the data shows no meaningful compute difference between the two parts.

The average benchmark score comparison places the 1130G7 at 2026 and the 1145GRE at 2025, with the 1130G7 listed as a rival to the 1145GRE at a -0.1% delta from the 1145GRE's perspective. Both chips sit at the 45th percentile of all CPUs, confirming they are mid-pack performers in the broader processor landscape. The nearest rivals for both include the Intel Xeon E3-1260L v5 (2029 average score) and the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 (2029 average score), both of which slightly outscore the two Tiger Lake parts, as well as the Intel Xeon E3-1240 v5 at 2030. This places the 1130G7 and 1145GRE in a cluster where they trail those older Xeon parts by roughly 0.2% to 0.3% in average score.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1145GRE has a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, compared to 4.00 GHz for the Intel Core i5-1130G7.

Q: Do these CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Only the Intel Core i5-1145GRE supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-1130G7 does not list ECC support in its specifications.

Q: Which chip has more PCIe lanes?

A: The Intel Core i5-1130G7 offers 16 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel Core i5-1145GRE offers only 4 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only).

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i5-1130G7 has a TDP of 15 W, while the Intel Core i5-1145GRE has a TDP of 28 W.

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-1130G7 wins all 6 head-to-head Cinebench tests, with deltas ranging from 0% to 0.2%. The Intel Core i5-1145GRE wins none.

Q: Are the sockets interchangeable?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-1130G7 uses the Intel BGA 1598 socket, while the Intel Core i5-1145GRE uses the Intel BGA 1449 socket.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-1130G7 wins in every measured benchmark category, but the victories are so narrow (0.1% or 0.2% deltas) that they are unlikely to be perceptible in real-world use. Its more meaningful wins come from platform characteristics. The 15 W TDP is a decisive advantage for fanless designs, ultra-thin notebooks, or any system where thermal dissipation is tightly budgeted. The 68.3 GB/s memory bandwidth figure gives it a stated memory throughput advantage, since the 1145GRE has no bandwidth figure listed. The 16 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only) are a substantial win for systems that need to connect multiple NVMe drives, a discrete GPU, or other high-speed peripherals directly to the CPU. For a compact mobile workstation or a dense edge device where power is scarce and I/O expansion is needed, the 1130G7 is the clear pick from the data.

The Intel Core i5-1145GRE, despite losing every benchmark, wins on feature comprehensiveness. Its ECC memory support is the standout feature — this is a hard requirement for certain industrial, medical, or financial workloads where data integrity is non-negotiable. The memory support list includes both DDR4 and LPDDR4X, giving system designers more flexibility in choosing memory types compared to the 1130G7's DDR4-only support. The 1145GRE also has the higher base clock (1500 MHz vs 1100 MHz) and higher boost clock (4.10 GHz vs 4.00 GHz), which could be advantageous in scenarios where the chip is power-limited but clock-limited — though the benchmark data does not show this translating into wins. The 28 W TDP suggests it is designed for systems that can sustain higher continuous power draw, potentially making it more suitable for always-on compute tasks in a chassis with active cooling. The 144 mm² die size is listed for the 1145GRE, which may be relevant for thermal modeling. The launch MSRP of $362 provides a reference point for procurement, though no comparable figure exists for the 1130G7.

The use-case split is clean. For power-sensitive, I/O-heavy mobile devices, the 1130G7 is the data-backed choice. For ECC-required, memory-flexible industrial or embedded systems with adequate cooling, the 1145GRE is the only option that meets those specifications. In raw compute, the two are effectively identical; the decision must be made on the platform-level differences that the benchmark scores cannot capture.