Intel Core i5-1145G7 vs Intel Pentium Silver N6000 vs Intel Core i3-1125G4

Intel Core i5-1145G7

The Intel Core i5-1145G7 is a power efficient quad-core SoC for laptops and Ultrabooks based on the Tiger Lake-U generation that was announced early 2021. It integrates four Willow Cove processor cores (8 threads thanks to HyperThreading). The base clock speed depends on the TDP settings and ranges from 1.1 GHz (12 Watt TDP) up to 2.6 GHz (28 Watt). The Boost is always specified at 4.4 GHz (one or two cores).

Another novelty is the integrated Xe graphics card with 80 EUs based on the completely new Gen 12 architecture. It offers a significantly higher performance compared to the older Iris Plus G7 (Ice Lake).

Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (4 lanes), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 and Wifi 6 in the chip. In addition to this, the i5 supports vPro for easy remote management.

The chip is produced on the improved 10nm SuperFin process at Intel that should be comparable to the 7nm process at TSMC (e.g. Ryzen 4000 series).

All articles on Tiger Lake can be found on our Tiger Lake architecture hub.

Intel Pentium Silver N6000

The Intel Pentium Silver N6000 is a quad-core SoC of the Jasper Lake series that is primarily intended for inexpensive notebooks and was announced in early 2021. The four Tremont CPU cores clock between 1.1 and 3.3 GHz (single core Burst) and offer no HyperThreading (SMT). The N6000 uses 1.5 MB L2 and 4 MB L3 cache. The chip is manufactured on the first-gen 10 nm Intel process, the same process as Ice Lake.

Architecture

The processor architecture is called Tremont and a complete redesign compared to the old Golmont Plus cores in the predecessor. According to Intel, the single thread performance of a core could be improved by 30% on average (10 - 80% in all tests of SPECint and SPECfp).

Features

In addition to the four CPU cores, the SoC integrates a 32 EU Intel UHD Graphics GPU clocked from 350 - 850 MHz and a dual-channel DDR4 / quad-channel LPDDR4x memory controller (up to 16 GB and 2933 MHz). The chip now also partly integrates Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+), 8 PCIe 3.0 lanes, 14 USB 2.0/ 3.2 ports and two SATA 6.0 ports. The package got bigger and measures 35 x 24 mm (compared to 25 x 24 mm for the N5030 e.g.). The SoC is directly soldered to the mainboard (BGA) and can't be easily replaced.

Performance

The average N6000 in our database proves to be an OK entry-level processor, as of late 2022, its multi-thread benchmark scores nearly matching those of the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U. Yes, the chip is a whole lot slower than the latest Ryzen 3 and Core i3 processors, but it will at least let you run your day-to-day apps without annoying slowdowns.

The Asus Vivobook 13 Slate is among the fastest systems built around the N6000 that we know of, thanks to the long-term CPU power limit of 10 W. It can be more than 20% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Power consumption

Like nearly all other N-class Intel processors, the Pentium N6000 has a default TDP of 6 W (also known as the long-term power limit). This is low and thus good enough for passively cooled tablets, laptops, mini-PCs.

The SoC is built with Intel's 2nd generation 10 nm process (not 10 nm SuperFin or Intel 7) for low, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i3-1125G4

The Intel Core i3-1125G4 is a 28 W quad-core SoC for laptops and Ultrabooks of the Tiger Lake family (UP3) that was introduced in September 2020. It integrates four Willow Cove processor cores (8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading). Each core can clock from 2 GHz (guaranteed base speed @ 28 W) to 3.7 GHz (single-core boost). All cores at once can clock at up to 3.3 GHz. The faster Core i7 models offer more Level 3 cache (12 versus 8 MB in the i5) and higher clocked cores.

Another novelty is the integrated Xe GPU based on the completely new Gen 12 architecture. In the i3-1125G4 Intel names the GPU UHD Graphics and offers only 48 of the 96 EUs clocked at 400 - 1250 MHz. The GPU and CPU can together use the 8 MB of L3 cache.

Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (four lanes), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 and Wi-Fi 6 in the chip.

Performance

While we have not tested a single laptop built around the 1125G4 as of October 2023, we expect the chip's multi-thread performance to be 10% to 20% lower than that of the Core i5-1135G7 (4 cores, 8 threads, somewhat higher clock speeds).

Your mileage may vary depending on how high the CPU power limits are and how competent the cooling solution of your system is.

Power consumption

This Core i3 series chip has a default TDP of 12 W to 28 W, the expectation being that laptop makers will go for a higher value in exchange for higher performance. Either way, that's a little too high to allow for passively cooled designs.

The i3-1125G4 is manufactured on Intel's third-gen 10 nm process marketed as SuperFin for average, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.