Intel Core i5-1145G7E vs Intel Core i5-7640X Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-1145G7E wins every single head-to-head comparison. Across all six Cinebench tests, the mobile Tiger Lake part dominates the desktop Kaby Lake-X chip. The largest margins come in single-core workloads, where the i5-1145G7E posts a 24.7% advantage in both Cinebench R15 and R23 single-core tests. Multi-core results are nearly identical in relative terms, with the i5-1145G7E leading by 24.6% to 24.7% across R15, R20, and R23 multicore workloads.

The i5-7640X does not win a single benchmark in this comparison. Its only advantage lies in platform features, not raw compute. The desktop chip offers quad-channel memory support and an unlocked multiplier, while the mobile chip is locked. But in every measurable performance test, the i5-1145G7E is ahead. The average benchmark score tells the same story: the i5-1145G7E averages 2174, while the i5-7640X averages 2167, a margin of 0.3% in favor of the mobile part.

Both processors sit at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are statistically equivalent in overall performance distribution. The nearest rivals for both are the same set of chips: AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE, Intel Core i7-1185GRE, and Intel Core i7-5950HQ. The i5-1145G7E is 0.3% ahead of the i5-7640X, while the i5-7640X is 0.3% behind the i5-1145G7E. This is a statistical dead heat in aggregate, yet the individual benchmark results tell a very different story.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-1145G7E is the clear performance winner. It leads in every benchmark category, with margins ranging from 24.6% to 24.7% across all six Cinebench tests. If your priority is raw compute throughput in rendering or CPU-bound tasks, the mobile chip is the only rational choice based on this data.

The i5-7640X, despite its desktop pedigree, higher base clock (3.90 GHz vs 1.50 GHz), and higher boost clock (4.30 GHz vs 4.10 GHz), falls behind consistently. The reason is thread count: the i5-1145G7E has 8 threads, while the i5-7640X has only 4. This 2x thread advantage more than compensates for the clock speed deficit. The i5-1145G7E also benefits from a smaller 10 nm process node versus the 14 nm node of the i5-7640X.

The i5-7640X does have redeeming platform qualities. It supports quad-channel DDR4 memory, has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, and uses the Intel Socket 2066 platform. If those features matter more than raw benchmark scores, the desktop chip has a case. But the data shows no performance scenario where the i5-7640X wins. For anyone choosing strictly on benchmark results, the i5-1145G7E is the pick.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for the i5-1145G7E comes in Cinebench R15 multicore, where it scores 757 against the i5-7640X's 607 — a 24.7% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows the same margin: 106 versus 85. In Cinebench R20 multicore, the mobile chip scores 3156 against 2533, a 24.6% lead. The R20 single-core test follows suit: 445 versus 357, also 24.6%.

Cinebench R23 multicore shows the i5-1145G7E at 7516 versus 6031 for the desktop chip, a 24.6% difference. The R23 single-core test is the most decisive: 1061 versus 851, a 24.7% margin. Every single benchmark, regardless of workload type or test generation, lands within a tight band of 24.6% to 24.7%. This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural, not workload-dependent.

The i5-7640X's only additional benchmark data comes from Geekbench, where it scores 5137 multicore and 1736 single-core. The i5-1145G7E has no Geekbench scores in the data pack, so no direct comparison is possible there. But across all six Cinebench tests, the mobile part wins by a nearly identical margin, indicating a systematic advantage in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has better single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-1145G7E wins all three single-core Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23) with a 24.6% to 24.7% margin over the i5-7640X.

Q: Does the i5-7640X win any benchmark?

A: No. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the i5-1145G7E wins every time. The i5-7640X has zero wins in this comparison.

Q: Why does the i5-1145G7E perform better despite lower clock speeds?

A: The i5-1145G7E has 8 threads versus 4 threads for the i5-7640X. It also uses a newer 10 nm process node versus the 14 nm node of the i5-7640X, and has a larger 8 MB shared L3 cache versus 6 MB.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The i5-1145G7E averages 2174, while the i5-7640X averages 2167. The i5-1145G7E is 0.3% ahead in aggregate average score.

Q: Which chip has better memory support?

A: The i5-7640X supports quad-channel DDR4 memory, while the i5-1145G7E supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X in dual-channel mode. The i5-7640X has the wider memory bus.

Q: Can the i5-7640X be overclocked?

A: Yes, the i5-7640X has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-1145G7E's multiplier is locked, so it cannot be overclocked.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures and product families. The i5-1145G7E is built on Tiger Lake (codename Tiger Lake-U) using a 10 nm process node, while the i5-7640X is a Kaby Lake part (codename Kaby Lake-X) on a 14 nm node. The process shrink gives the mobile chip a transistor density advantage, which helps explain its performance gains despite lower clock speeds.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The i5-1145G7E has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, while the i5-7640X has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. Total L3 cache is 8 MB shared on the i5-1145G7E versus 6 MB shared on the i5-7640X. The larger per-core L2 cache on the mobile chip is particularly notable, as it can reduce memory latency in performance-critical loops.

The i5-1145G7E includes integrated Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 execution units. The i5-7640X has no integrated graphics at all. The mobile chip also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes, while the desktop chip uses PCIe Gen 3. The i5-1145G7E supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory, whereas the i5-7640X supports only DDR4.

The i5-1145G7E targets the mobile market segment with a 28-watt TDP, while the i5-7640X is a desktop part with a 112-watt TDP. Despite the 4x TDP difference, the mobile chip still outperforms the desktop chip in every Cinebench test. The i5-7640X is unlocked for overclocking, while the i5-1145G7E is locked. The i5-1145G7E was released in September 2020 with a launch MSRP of $312; the i5-7640X was released in June 2017.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-1145G7E | Intel Core i5-7640X |

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

| Cores | 4 | 4 |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 1500.00 MHz | 3.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.10 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 112 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1449 | Intel Socket 2066 |

| Architecture | Tiger Lake | Kaby Lake |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, LPDDR4X | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Quad-channel |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 4 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3 |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU | None |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2020-09-01 | 2017-06-25 |

| Launch MSRP | $312 | — |

The most consequential differences are thread count, process node, and L2 cache size. The i5-1145G7E doubles the thread count, uses a more advanced process node, and has nearly 5x the L2 cache per core. These factors combine to produce the consistent 24.6% performance advantage across all Cinebench tests. The i5-7640X counters with higher base and boost clocks, quad-channel memory, and an unlocked multiplier — features that do not translate into benchmark wins in this comparison.