When choosing a CPU, two main brands come to mind: AMD vs Intel. Both have pros and cons, but which one is right for you? In this article, we’ll compare AMD and Intel CPUs to help you decide.
That being said, there are some benefits that AMD has over Intel. AMD processors tend to be more affordable than their Intel counterparts. Additionally, AMD processors tend to be more powerful in gaming and other resource-intensive tasks.
AMD vs. Intel: Which CPU is Best?
These are the results of our testing and analysis. We’ll discuss how we arrived at our conclusions for each category in detail.
AMD’s unrelenting assault with Zen-based processors has redefined expectations for mainstream desktops and HEDT markets.
This was initially a surprise to Intel as it was still stuck on Skylake and 14nm processes. AMD CPUs have evolved from power-hungry and value-focused chips to high-end designs with more cores and lower power requirements over the past few years.
Intel responded by adding cores and features to its product line, which also had negative side effects like increased power consumption and heat generation. This only highlighted the company’s problems with the manufacturing and design side of the operation.
However, the AMD vs. Intel CPU conversation is completely different as Intel has now completely undercut AMD’s price to performance ratio with its Alder Lake chips.
Alder Lake also features the most significant change in Intel’s overall SoC design methodology for CPUs and core architectures that we have seen in over a decade. The new “Intel 7” process has been extremely competitive, and they also come with them. This has resulted in a shift in our rankings, from a 7 to 4 advantage for AMD to an Intel 7-to-5 advantage.
Intel has even advanced to DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 technologies. AMD’s PCIe 4.0 support is now outdated. DDR5 can add considerable cost to motherboards, but Alder Lake supports DDR4 memory.
Intel hasn’t changed its rigid segmentation policies, limiting overclockability to expensive chips and motherboards. AMD presented a compelling value story across all aspects of the desktop CPU market by using Intel’s strategy of extracting every penny from every feature.
Alder Lake’s low pricing and performance benefits now outweigh those upcharges. However, Intel’s decision not to bring its Z-series motherboards on the market until the H-600-series boards are available will mean that those lower chip prices will be hindered by a “motherboard tax” – at least until those cheaper boards become available.
Alder Lake by Intel also holds the title for overclockability. You’ll have far more overclocking power if you buy a Z690 motherboard than the Ryzen 5500 chips. Our head-to-head testing can be seen in our How to Overclock Intel Alder Lake CPUs section.
AMD’s current price-performance ratio and value mix mean that it will need to reduce the pricing of its Ryzen 5000 chips to stay competitive. AMD’s new CPUs with 3D V-Cache will go into production in the latter part of this year.
They will offer up to 15% better gaming performance than current Ryzen chips. They have a 192MB L3 cache attached to a Zen 3 processor. While we’ll need to wait to see how it all plays out in real life, AMD has a response.
Intel is still the clear leader in the CPU market. An AMD processor may still be the best choice based on your requirements. Team Blue is the right choice for you if your goal is to achieve maximum gaming performance, application performance, overclocking, software support, and productivity without spending a lot of money.
Pricing and Value
For most people, pricing is the most important factor. AMD has been very competitive in the value department. AMD offers many benefits, including full overclockability for most models and complementary software that includes Precision Boost Overdrive, an innovative auto-overclocking feature.
Although the Ryzen 5000 series processors represent an overall $50 price increase, the faster chips have earned higher prices. This has changed with Intel’s Alder Lake chips, which have now retaken the performance crown. AMD will have to lower its Ryzen 5500 pricing to remain competitive.
The broad compatibility of motherboards that use the AM4 socket for forwarding and backward compatibility is also beneficial.
AMD’s support for the AM4 socket is now a distant memory, while Intel’s chipsets offer more modern features.
AMD allows overclocking on all A-Series motherboards except the A-Series motherboards. (See our article on how you can overclock AMD Ryzen). This is a huge boon for enthusiasts. We haven’t touched on the actual silicon in this AMD vs. Intel CPUs battle.
With the arrival of Intel’s Alder Lake S models, the company has added more cores, threads, and features to its mainstream lineup. However, there was no increase in gen-on gen pricing for similar models.
This significantly reduced the price-per-core and price-per-thread metrics that allowed it to take the Core i3, Core i5, Core i9 ranges’ value crown from AMD. The hybrid x86 architecture combines high-performance and efficient cores to increase performance. AMD continues to own the HEDT segment with its Threadripper processors.
Intel offers bundled coolers and its non-overclocking products (you will have to pay more for overclocking), but these coolers are fragile and not ‘good enough. We’ve seen them even in cases where the stock coolers aren’t performing at full speed.
Although Intel slightly increased the size of its bundled coolers, it isn’t enough to match AMDs capable coolers. They aren’t available on all models.
Intel doesn’t include a cooler for the overclockable K series SKUs. (See our article on how to Overclock an Intel CPU). If you intend to overclock an Intel processor, invest in a cooler. Most AMD bundled coolers can be used for moderate overclocking.
These coolers were only available as an add-on to the older-generation Ryzen 3000 series. Most of these processors have not been replaced with new Ryzen 5000 counterparts. Moreover, only three out of seven AMD Ryzen 5000 processors (the Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5700G) come with a bundled cooler.
Intel charges a premium for overclockable K-Series processors. You’ll also have to pay for a Z-Series motherboard to overclock your processor. Intel does not allow full overclocking of H- or B-series motherboards.
Intel now allows memory overclocking with its B560 chipsets and H570 chipsets. This works with any platform-compatible chip, including all 10th-Gen Comet Lake and 11th -Gen Rocket Lake processors and 11th -Gen Comet Lake refresh processors. These changes are only applicable to models in the 500-series. Although Intel has not yet released the Alder Lake locked chips, we expect it will add the same memory overclocking capabilities to the new family.
Intel has a long history with rapid socket transitions. You can drop a new chip in your motherboard or move an older processor to a newer board. Intel’s Socket1700 for Alder Lake will be extended for at least one generation. However, it is possible to expect limited forward and backward compatibility.
AMD’s Zen 3 chips represent the end of AMD’s AM4 socket-based technology. You shouldn’t expect these chips to be compatible with future AMD platforms.
AMD will soon be releasing its 3D V-Cache CPUs. These chips will offer up to 15% better gaming performance thanks to the 192MB L3 cache bolted onto a Zen 3 processor. They will also come with an AM4 socket. A new socket will be included with Zen 4 processors.
If you compare Intel vs. AMD CPUs, Team Red has a compelling story to tell across its entire product line. However, Intel’s Alder Lake offers the best bang for your buck. This is only if we consider chip pricing.
Intel’s decision not to support PCIe 5.0 or DDR5 with Alder Lake resulted in higher motherboard prices. These price differences can be offset in certain price ranges. Even though motherboard prices are included, Intel still has the price-to-performance edge. To avoid paying the DDR5 tax, you can opt for DDR4 motherboards.
Intel is the only chip retailer that offers integrated graphics and a processor with more cores than 8. AMD has its Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen7 5700G integrated graphics APUs. These chips offer a lower CPU performance for more powerful integrated graphics. They won’t be as fast in CPU-centric tasks.
We wouldn’t recommend integrated graphics, especially for gamers. See our recent comparison of integrated graphics on Intel and AMD processors for more information.
Gaming Performance
Intel is the clear winner in the AMD vs. Intel CPU war. Below is a selection of gaming performance measurements collectively available for all the chips in different price ranges.
We also have two sets of test results that show performance in Windows 10 and Windows 11. This is because Intel’s Alder Lake provides more performance in Windows 10 than 11. The Blue Team is the clear leader in both operating systems. Our CPU Benchmarks Hierarchy provides a more comprehensive view.
The first four slides showcase Windows 11 gaming performance using the Ryzen 5000 and Alder Lake processors. The Windows 10 slides feature a wider range of processors.
As you can see, Intel’s Alder Lake chips perform better than AMD’s Zen 3-powered Ryzen 5000 processors. While the Core i9-12900K is the fastest gaming chip, it’s not cheap. The Core i7-12700K offers almost the same gaming performance and costs far less, making it the best choice for performance-hungry gamers. The Core i5-12600K is the most affordable gaming chip on the market.
AMD’s fastest gaming processor, the Ryzen 9 5900X, is in. But it is not by much. The Ryzen 5 5600X provides nearly the same performance but at a $300 lower price.
However, the Core i9-12900K of Intel is more powerful than the Ryzen 9 5900X, especially after overclocking. Most users wouldn’t notice the difference in real-world gaming sessions unless they are doing other tasks, such as gaming.
However, keep in mind that the performance difference between AMD’s chips and Intel’s is often not worth the extra cost, at least for most enthusiasts. It would not be easy to spot the slight differences in gaming performance between the AMD and Intel stacks, but it is more complex in the middle.
You will need a powerful GPU and a gaming monitor with a fast refresh rate to get the most from a modest performance advantage. You also need to play at 1080p resolution. Increasing your resolution to 1440p or higher typically puts the bottleneck back at the GPU. This means you won’t get as much gaming power from your CPU.
If you plan to upgrade your graphics card to a newer model while maintaining the rest of your system, it could be worth investing a little more CPU gaming performance. Most mid-range will have lower GPUs. These are generally equalizers in terms of CPU performance.
AMD is the best-integrated graphics company. With the Ryzen 7 5700G or Ryzen 5 5600G, the company’s Cezanne APUs provide the highest performance integrated graphics possible. For a detailed breakdown, check out these reviews or our CPU Benchmark hierarchy to get more information.
Winner: Intel
Intel’s Alder Lake chips have reclaimed AMD’s gaming crown. This applies to all price ranges. Both companies offer very competitive chips at the respective price points – it’s often hard to tell the difference in real-world gaming.
If you are a gamer who values every frame, especially if overclocking is yours, the Intel Core i9-12900K will be the right choice. It also offers the best performance if you want to upgrade your GPU.
The Core i7-12700K chip is a great choice if you are looking for a cheaper chip that still delivers market-leading gaming performance and offers some productivity benefits. The Core i5-12600K is the most affordable CPU for gaming.
Processor Specifications and Features
AMD’s Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7, Ryzen 9, and Threadripper lines are available, while Intel is broken up into Core, i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9 families. We could compare Intel and AMD CPUs on specs and features, but we will focus on the most important chips in each family.
Both companies offer value options at each tier. However, these shortlists can give us a good idea of the current landscape. To give you an idea of the current market, we’re using street pricing and vendors’ recommended pricing.
High-end desktops (HEDT) are the home of creative prosumers, with multi-core fire-breathing machines for almost every need. Intel has dominated this segment for a long time, but AMD’s first-gen Threadripper lineup rescinded that status quo. The Threadripper 3000 lineup, however, exploded it.
Productivity and Content Creation Performance
Intel’s Alder Lake CPUs have made significant strides in the non-gaming performance war between AMD and Intel CPUs. They offer superior price-to-performance ratios for a wide range of workloads.
AMD’s top-end chip is the clear winner in threaded productivity and content creation in just a few workloads. This is due to the extensive use of cores, threads, and cache on its flagship Ryzen 9 5595X. However, these wins come at the cost of a higher price and are not enough to justify the premium.
Alder Lake marks the debut of a combination of two types of cores for mainstream desktop computers. P-cores, the big performance cores, are ideal for latency-sensitive work. This gives Intel an undisputed lead in single-threaded applications.
E-cores are efficiency cores that add heft to threaded or background applications. This pays huge dividends for heavily-threaded content creation as well as productivity applications. Alder Lake’s E-cores has been a key player in productivity and creativity, which has allowed Intel to surpass AMD in the most important pricing bands.
Solid single-threaded performance translates into faster performance for all sorts of workloads, especially those that depend on quick responsiveness from the CPU. Alder Lake Core i9-12900K is the mainstream CPU with the best single-threaded performance, but it’s also the most expensive.
The Alder Lake processors are a great choice if you want to achieve single-threaded speed. This means that the Alder Lake family of Intel processors holds the single-threaded performance title.
Winner: Intel. Intel is the winner of AMD vs. Intel CPUs. This is because of its x86 hybrid architecture. This new design combines two types of cores to create an architecture that is just as powerful in threaded work as it can be in single-threaded.
Some relevant articles:
- Best CPU For VR 2022: Top Full Guide
- What Does CPU Stand For? Top Full Guide 2022
- PC Gaming Vs Console 2022: Top Full Comparison
- Gaming Laptop Vs Desktop 2022: Top Full Comparison
FAQ
Which is better, Intel or AMD?
The Intel battle is clear: AMD processors have better software and tasks that can use more cores and threads. Intel’s offerings don’t come cheap, especially at the top end. However, chip to chip AMD offers more cores and the same amount of money.
Is AMD or Intel better for laptops?
AMD is generally known for its superior value, and Intel is better at performance. However, this is not a strict rule, and the balance can shift over the years and months as new components are added by each company.
Why is AMD cheaper than Intel?
The same chip design process for processors
Because AMD uses less manufacturing design, R / D costs are lower and more affordable. On the other hand, Intel will produce a variety of architectural configurations. They spend more on R/D, production, and so forth.
Do AMD processors last long?
Both Intel and AMD CPUs are extremely stable. The AMD CPU is less durable than its Intel counterparts when misused. AMD CPUs are popular because they allow overclocking without restriction.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to AMD over Intel. For one, AMD processors tend to be cheaper than Intel processors. Additionally, AMD processors tend to use less power, which can be a big advantage for laptop users. Finally, AMD processors tend to offer better graphics performance than Intel processors.