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AMD Ryzen 5 7520U vs Intel Core i3-1215U: Comparison
What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 5 7520U and Intel Core i3-1215U?
On l3 cache the spread is 60%, AMD Ryzen 5 7520U 4 MB against Intel Core i3-1215U 10 MB, so Intel Core i3-1215U takes it. Measured rather than claimed: in Geekbench 6 (Single-Core) the Intel Core i3-1215U returns 2,081 against 1,385, a 33% lead. There is a split on microarchitecture as well, Zen 4 on the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U versus Alder Lake on the Intel Core i3-1215U.
Who each one is for
Buy the AMD 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 Intel Core i3-1215U is the one to take for ultra-thin laptops and business laptops, though it is not built for gaming laptops and heavy sustained workloads. Our rating of the AMD 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 Intel Core i3-1215U (7.7/10): the Intel Core i3-1215U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops rather than performance-first designs.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, total threads, tdp, integrated graphics, form factor and release year included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U and Intel Core i3-1215U differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 4 on the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U versus 6 on the Intel Core i3-1215U.
Is the Market Segment the same on the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U and Intel Core i3-1215U?
It is. Both are listed at Laptop, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Laptop
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Mendocino
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Alder Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 2022
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 2022
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 15 W
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 15 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- AMD Radeon 740M/760M/780M Graphics (RDNA 3)
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Intel UHD Graphics
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Laptop
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Laptop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Zen 4 (Phoenix/Hawk Point)
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Alder Lake
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- BGA (soldered, mobile)
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- BGA 1744 (BGA, soldered)
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 6 nm
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 7 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 6Best
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4Best
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 2
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 0
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 4Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 8
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 8
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Yes
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 1.7 GHz
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 1.2 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4.9 GHz
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 4.4 GHz
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 4 MB-60%
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 10 MBBest
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 15 W
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 15 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- LPDDR5
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5, LPDDR4x
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- Yes
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- Yes
Benchmarks
- General CPU
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
- 1,385-33%
- Intel Core i3-1215U
- 2,081Best
The same everyday tasks on one core. Tracks how responsive the PC feels.
Which one should you pick?
Choose 7520U if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose 1215U if you want the higher L3 cache (10 MB vs 4 MB) and the higher geekbench 6 (Single-Core) (2,081 vs 1,385).
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.
Intel Core i3-1215U
7.7 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i3-1215U prioritizes battery life and portability, fitting thin business and everyday laptops rather than performance-first designs.