Intel Core i7-1185G7 reference design laptop benchmarks confirm iGPU gains over the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U in a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 but the CPU part still suffers from core count envy

An Intel reference design laptop (based on an MSI Prestige 14) configured with a Tiger Lake Core i7-1185G7 has been doing the review rounds recently, including here with Notebookcheck’s extensive benchmark run. Popular tech YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips has also been putting the laptop through its paces and came up with a general conclusion that many have already offered: iGPU great, CPU could be better.

Fortunately, Linus Tech Tips put the Intel Core i7-1185G7 through some different gaming benchmarks than our review and even managed to record the fps rate for Doom Eternal before buggy early drivers spoiled the party: 31 fps at medium settings and 1080p. A handful of other titles were tested and compared with the results of an AMD Ryzen 7 4800U in a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7, and the Tiger Lake part proved it possessed the superior iGPU component with higher percentage scores across the board (although 26 fps vs. 23 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider isn’t going to blow too many minds).

The noted channel proceeded to test the i7-1185G7 and Ryzen 7 4800U on Cinebench R20, and the 4-core, 8-thread Intel chip was unsurprisingly left in the dust in the multithread test, even further behind than in our review benchmarks that stated a difference of 47%. The difference recorded by Linus Tech Tips ended up being 79%, in favor of the 8-core, 16-thread Renoir processor. It’s possible the chip in the latter case scenario was operating at a difference performance level though, as we used the “better performance” (28 W) mode for our tests.

However, some good points were made in the relevant video clip, that regardless of the Intel Core i7-1185G7 offering iGPU gains but AMD remaining superior with core count for now (and therefore multi-core performance), Intel will still likely enjoy some successes with this latest generation. OEMs tend to offer better and more attractively designed thin and light laptops for Intel parts, and AMD appears to be struggling with the supply of its higher-performing Ryzen 4000 mobile processors. If Intel can keep the thermals in check and also offer great battery life, then Tiger Lake should be a sort of return to form for Team Blue. At least until AMD demands attention with its Cezanne Ryzen 5000 mobile APUs that is.