Intel vs amd processors which is better?

Since the CPU is essential to everything the team does, from demanding tasks like playing games to activities as simple as reading the news, you need to make sure you buy a brand you can trust. By extension, you might also want to know if the rivalry: Intel vs. AMD caters to the kind of activities your team primarily uses for.

Prepared? The battle begins!

Index of contents

Intel vs AMD Processors Which is BETTER?

Currently AMD and Intel this year are doing drastically different things with their processors. Intel has kept its focus on higher clock speeds and fewer cores, while AMD has doubled itself as far as it knows by integrating higher numbers of cores into its processors at more than acceptable frequencies.

It should come as no surprise then that AMD is creating a great product with its Ryzen-branded processors, that is, the "high performance" chips that gamers like the ones offered in the Threadripper series enjoy. Meanwhile, Intel is experiencing tremendous growth, except in the desktop processor category, indicating AMD's sure competitive progress.

That said, it is not unreasonable to say that AMD and Intel can cater to different audiences, while some processor models overlap each other.

Intel is without a doubt the most famous processor brand on the market. However, it is common to find models of PCs or laptops equipped with processors from its main competitor: AMD.

performance

If you want the best result regardless of price, then the best choice will be at Intel. The Santa Clara chipmaker not only consistently ranks best on CPU benchmarks, but Intel processors also consume less heat, ranking them with lower TDP (Thermal Design Power) ratings and, by Thus, lower overall power consumption.

Much of this is due to Intel's implementation of HyperThreading, which has been built into its CPUs since 2002. HyperThreading keeps existing cores active rather than letting them remain unproductive.

Despite the fact that AMD has implemented MultiThreading on its Ryzen processors, Intel has, for the most part, maintained its place in the best performance banks.

Historically, however, AMD prides itself on its focus on increasing the number of cores in its chips. In theory, this would make AMD's chips faster than Intel's, saving for the impact on heat dissipation and lowering clock speeds.

Fortunately, the new Ryzen chips have alleviated many of the overheating concerns of the past, as long as you have decent cooling equipment.

While keeping an Intel processor cool isn't hard, AMD likes to stuff as many cores as possible into its silicon, so the chips tend to run hotter, that would be the logic. But having a good weld, in stock they are quite fresh. Things change when you want to overclock, which means you will probably have to invest in one of the best CPU coolers to avoid overheating (like all overclocked processors), but with the standard one brought by AMDs it is enough for speeds of stock.

This seems to continue to be the case on the mobile (laptop) front as well, where AMD has just announced its contributions. The Ryzen 7 2700U (quad-core, 2.2 GHz - 3.8 GHz) will be better compared to the Intel Core i7-8550U (quad-core, 1.8 GHz - 4.0 GHz) and looks promising based on just those numbers.

Now that the Santa Clara company's own range of Core i processors for desktops starts with four cores and goes up to six, mega-task users may be tempted by Intel. While AMD has reached performance parity, the battle is now ostensibly geared toward the number of tasks that can be done at once, rather than how quickly it can be done.

Integrated Graphics (IGP)

If you're building a gaming PC, you should be using a discrete graphics card or GPU (graphics processing unit), rather than relying on integrated CPU graphics to run demanding games like Middle Earth: Shadow of War.

Still, it is possible to run less graphically intense games on an integrated GPU if the processor has one. In this area, Intel is the clear winner for now, considering that not a single Ryzen chip on the market will work without a graphics card. But all of that is set to change soon, at least in the laptop space.

In this framework, presumably starting in the first quarter of next year, Intel will officially begin shipping its H-series high-end mobile CPU chips with integrated AMD graphics. This in turn means that laptops will be thinner and their silicon footprints will be 50% smaller.

All of this is accomplished using Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology, along with a new framework devised that enables power sharing between Intel processors and third-party graphics chips with dedicated graphics memory. Still, it's too early to tell if this is a better solution than the purebred AMD notebooks expected in late 2017.

The latest Intel Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake or AMD A-Series APU processors for desktop computers will probably work just as well as any portable graphics solution on the market.

In the high-end, as in cases where you will combine your CPU with a powerful AMD or Nvidia GPU, Intel processors are usually better for gaming due to their higher base and high clock speeds. At the same time, however, AMD provides better CPUs for multitasking as a result of its increased number of cores and number of threads.

Although there is no clear winner on the graphics side, many claim that AMD is the best choice for integrated graphics (for now), while hardcore gamers who don't mind spending the extra money for a GPU will find out that Intel is better at gaming on its own, while AMD is superior at multitasking.

Overclocking

When you buy a new computer or even a CPU, it usually crashes at a specific clock speed as stated on the box.

Some processors ship unlockers, allowing higher clock speeds than those recommended by the manufacturer, giving users more control over how they use their components.

Intel is typically more generous than AMD in this regard. With an Intel system, you can expect overclocking capabilities with the Intel Core 8600K or 8700K 300-400 MHz plus. But note that you will not be able to do it if your Intel processor does come from the factory without the seal of approval of the K series. While AMD allows you to overclock all its processors.

Both companies will void your warranty if you damage your processor as a result of overclocking, so it's important to be careful about that. Excessive amounts of heat can be generated if you are not careful, neutralizing the CPU as a result.

Intel's most extravagant K-stamp chips are pretty impressive, too. The i7-8700K, for example, is capable of maintaining a 4.7 GHz turbo frequency compared to the 4.2 GHz boost frequency of the Ryzen 7 1800X. If you have access to liquid nitrogen cooling, you might even be able to hit a higher frequency than 6.1 GHz using Intel's monstrous 18-core i9-7980XE.

Availability and support

In the end, the biggest problem with AMD processors is the lack of compatibility with other components. Specifically, the motherboard and cooling options are limited as a result of the different sockets between the AMD and Intel chips.

While many CPU coolers require you to order a special AM4 mount to be used with Ryzen, only a handful of the best motherboards are compatible with the AM4 chipset.

In that sense, Intel parts are a little more common and often come with lower upfront costs, too, as a result of the wide variety of kits to choose from.

That said, AMD chips make a little more sense from a hardware design perspective. With an AMD motherboard, instead of having metal connector pins on the CPU socket, you'll notice that those pins are on the bottom of the CPU itself. In turn, the motherboard is less likely to malfunction due to its own faulty pins.

As for availability, more than a month after the release date of eighth-generation Intel processors, AMD's latest chips are even much easier to find, giving the manufacturer an unequivocal advantage. Despite the fact that certain Core i3 models can be found equipped in Coffee Lake, it is difficult to find an Intel i5 or i7 CPU in various online stores.

Although you won't have as much trouble finding an i3-8100 or i3-8350K, stores lack information on the availability of the Intel Core i7-8700K until the i5-8400, and they have been listed for many months to buy! That is why, above all, availability may be the most pertinent argument for choosing AMD and not Intel, at least at this time.

At the same time, many retailers that do have stock are charging more money than the manufacturer's suggested price in some cases. As a result, your best bet is to hang on if you're absolutely ready to get a current Intel Core i chip for your PC. Otherwise, you will have no problem getting a Ryzen 7 1800X.

Price

For buyers of cheap products lurking, there used to be the misconception that AMD's processors were cheaper than Intel's, but that was only because AMD did its best work at the mid-range product level.

Now that Ryzen processors have proven AMD's value in the high-end, the tide has dramatically turned. Now Intel reigns supreme in the space of the cheap CPUs, with its Pentium G4560 (and that they wanted to be eliminated by the competition that it did to the i3…), which offers much better performance than that of the AMD A12-9800.

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Much of this is due to AMD's reluctance to go beyond simple iteration of its outdated Bulldozer architecture and to the adoption of the current-generation “Zen” standard, which has already been introduced with more expensive CPUs.

Still, on the low end, Intel and AMD processors are typically retail for the same price. High-end Intel chips now range from 4 to 18 cores, while AMD chips can now be found with up to 16 cores.

While AMD's Ryzen chips have long been rumored to offer cutting-edge performance at a lower price, benchmarking has shown that Intel remains highly competitive, but with Specter's security flaws and meltdown that drop will be noticed. sales in the coming years or not? Only time will answer this question.

With this in mind, CPU prices fluctuate constantly. Wait a few months, and you'll soon find out that the Ryzen 5 1600X, which is popping up in the 8-core variants now, has fallen well below market value.

Intel: pros and cons

Recent studies point to Intel accounting for 80% of global processor market revenue, leaving AMD in second place.

Intel processors can be said to have better performance. Despite the fact that AMD's processors have more processing cores, Intel's chip cores are faster, featuring higher individual efficiency.

However, this is not the rule. There are AMD processors that outperform those of Intel.

However, benchmark tests easily put Intel in a position of advantage. An Intel Core i7-8700k easily beats the AMD equivalent, the AMD Ryzen 1600X or 1800X. And let's look at the difference in the specs: the Intel chipset has four 4 GHz processing cores; the one from AMD has eight cores at another 4 GHz (but lower IPC).

Intel has been among the best of the best for a decade, but the distance is cutting in all aspects (we will go into more detail in the next section). On the other hand, Intel devices have a greater compatibility capacity with motherboards, making life easier for manufacturers and for enthusiasts who like to assemble their own equipment.

But not everything is rosy: as a rule, most high-performance Intel CPUs are more expensive than AMD equivalents.

AMD: pros and cons

From the above, regarding AMD, quickly the conclusion is that the main advantage over Intel will be the price. And attention: cheaper does not mean worse, or of poor quality.

Although the performance of AMD is not, in its case, as good as that of Intel, the fact is that AMD processors present a high quality and performance, being that the common user will not observe the difference between the two. And it is here where the price really becomes a differentiating factor.

For example, an AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 are great alternatives for tight budgets. Although this series of AMD Ryzen processor does not have an integrated graphics card (one of its cons), but quality / price are hardly surpassed.

Another advantage is that AM4 motherboards will be compatible with future revisions, where Intel loosens the most. That makes us go through the box every time a new generation comes out.

But there is a bad side. One of the main criticisms of users of AMD processors has to do with the fact that their IPC is somewhat lower than Intel's. With the FX series there were two or three steps behind the Intel processors, currently with AMD Ryzen it is half a seat behind. They are not yet in the TOP or leaders, but if they do it well, they will be able to do it.

Intel vs AMD: changes in 2018

Intel continues to dominate the single-threaded performance race (at least for now). There's also no question that for top-end processors, Intel has a clear advantage at the moment. This is based on countless tests and via the internet.

That said, the recent release of the Coffee Lake CPU was good. The 2 additional cores allow it to compete much better with Ryzen.

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You could get an 8320 or 8350 and overclock for decent performance, but the waste of consumption and ability to cool it down is a horror (in addition to having an old rig). The recommended thing on AMD platforms is to migrate to AMD Ryzen 3 processors (lower range), choose the R5 1600 or R7 1700 and overclock it to gain extra good performance.

Conclusion on Intel and AMD processors

As you can see, Intel and AMD have advantages and disadvantages, and only the user can decide which is the most appropriate solution for the type of use they make of the computer.

Intel's processors will be faster and more efficient, but AMD's have better graphics performance and a more attractive cost-benefit. After all, both brands have products capable of responding to different consumer profiles.

In general, be sure to choose the processor that meets your needs and will last you a few years. Something common is to always be ready to update the RAM, the graphics card and other parts of a machine. However, it is generally hesitant to upgrade the CPU. The AMD vs. Intel battle? Who wins for you?