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AMD Ryzen 5 7520U vs AMD Ryzen 5 8540U: Comparison
What is the difference between Ryzen 5 7520U and Ryzen 5 8540U?
The gap that matters here is l3 cache: Ryzen 5 7520U 4 MB against Ryzen 5 8540U 16 MB, which puts Ryzen 5 8540U 75% ahead. Base power is not the same on both, 15 W on the Ryzen 5 7520U versus 28 W on the Ryzen 5 8540U. They differ on memory type too, LPDDR5 on the Ryzen 5 7520U versus DDR5, LPDDR5x on the Ryzen 5 8540U.
Who each one is for
Buy the Ryzen 5 7520U for low-cost laptops for browsing, email and schoolwork and streaming video and video calls, though it is the wrong buy for heavy multitasking, video editing or 3D work and gaming beyond very light or older titles. It is the wrong buy for buyers who want to add RAM later, since it uses soldered LPDDR5 only. The Ryzen 5 8540U is the one to take for ultraportable laptops and business travel, though it is not built for gaming laptops and heavy content creation. Our rating of the Ryzen 5 7520U (7.8/10): the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U is a well-balanced ultraportable chip that prioritizes battery life and everyday responsiveness. Our rating of the Ryzen 5 8540U (7.8/10): the AMD Ryzen 5 8540U is a well-balanced ultraportable chip that prioritizes battery life and everyday responsiveness.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: p-core boost clock, p-core base clock, integrated graphics, socket and form factor are identical here. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Ryzen 5 7520U and Ryzen 5 8540U differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 4 on the Ryzen 5 7520U versus 6 on the Ryzen 5 8540U.
Is the iGPU the same on the Ryzen 5 7520U and Ryzen 5 8540U?
It is. Both are listed at AMD Radeon 740M/760M/780M Graphics, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Laptop
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- Laptop
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Mendocino
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- Hawk Point
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 2022
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 2023
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 15 W
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 28 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- AMD Radeon 740M/760M/780M Graphics (RDNA 3)
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- AMD Radeon 740M/760M/780M Graphics (RDNA 3)
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Laptop
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- Laptop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Zen 4 (Phoenix/Hawk Point)
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- Zen 4 (Phoenix/Hawk Point)
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- BGA (soldered, mobile)
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- BGA (soldered, mobile)
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 6 nm
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 4 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 6Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 8
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 12Best
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Yes
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 1.7 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 1.7 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4.9 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 4.9 GHz
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4 MB-75%
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 16 MBBest
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 15 W
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- 28 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- LPDDR5
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- DDR5, LPDDR5x
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Yes
- AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose 7520U if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose 8540U if you want the higher L3 cache (16 MB vs 4 MB).
Verdict
AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
7.8 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 5 7520U is a well-balanced ultraportable chip that prioritizes battery life and everyday responsiveness.
AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
7.8 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U is a well-balanced ultraportable chip that prioritizes battery life and everyday responsiveness.