AMD Athlon Gold 7220U vs Intel Celeron G6900E Comparison

The Intel Celeron G6900E and AMD Athlon Gold 7220U are both entry-level, dual-core processors, yet the benchmark data reveals a fascinating split in their performance profiles. The AMD part wins six of the eight head-to-head comparisons, dominating the Cinebench suite, while the Intel chip takes a decisive, and surprisingly large, victory in the Geekbench tests. This divergence suggests that the two chips are optimized for different workloads, making the choice between them highly dependent on the specific tasks at hand.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the absolute dominance of the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U across all six Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the AMD chip wins both the multicore and singlecore tests with a consistent deltaPct of approximately -12.6% to -13.6% relative to the Intel part. For instance, in Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD scores 4164 against the Intel's 3632, a performance gap of 12.8%. Similarly, in the singlecore R23 test, the AMD's 587 score is 12.8% higher than the Intel's 512. This consistency across multiple Cinebench versions, which are heavily reliant on sustained CPU rendering performance, indicates a clear and stable advantage for the AMD architecture in this type of workload.

The Geekbench results, conversely, paint an entirely different picture. Here, the Intel Celeron G6900E is the clear winner, and by a much larger margin than AMD's Cinebench lead. In Geekbench multicore, the Intel scores 2702 versus AMD's 2221, a lead of 21.7%. The singlecore test is even more lopsided: Intel's 1561 score is 49.2% higher than AMD's 1046. This near-50% advantage in a single-threaded test is a colossal gap and suggests that the Intel core has a significant architectural edge in certain types of instructions or memory access patterns that Geekbench emphasizes. The data shows a clear split: AMD for Cinebench, Intel for Geekbench.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark results, the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U is the more consistent performer, securing victories in six of the eight tests. Its wins in the entire Cinebench suite are notable, as these are common benchmarks for evaluating general CPU rendering and compute capabilities. For users whose primary workload involves sustained multi-threaded or even single-threaded rendering tasks, the data clearly points to the AMD part as the superior choice.

However, the Intel Celeron G6900E's massive 49.2% singlecore victory in Geekbench cannot be ignored. This result implies that for applications heavily dependent on a single fast core and low-latency operations, the Intel chip offers a dramatically better experience. The 21.7% lead in Geekbench multicore further reinforces this, showing that even with fewer threads, the Intel design is more efficient in this specific benchmark environment. The verdict, therefore, is not a simple one. The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U is the default recommendation for general compute, but the Intel Celeron G6900E is the specialist that wins where Geekbench-style performance is paramount.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Celeron G6900E is built on the Alder Lake architecture and uses Intel's 10 nm process node, manufactured in-house. It is a desktop part with the Alder Lake-S codename. In contrast, the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U is a mobile processor from the 7000 series, using the Zen 2 architecture with the Mendocino codename, and is fabricated on a more advanced 6 nm node by TSMC. This process node difference is a key factor, as the smaller 6 nm node typically offers better power efficiency, which is reflected in the AMD part's significantly lower TDP of 15 watts compared to Intel's 46 watts.

Cache configurations also differ. The Intel chip has a larger L2 cache per core at 1.25 MB, while the AMD part has 512 KB per core. However, both have the same 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip also has a notably smaller die size at 100 mm², though the Intel's die size is not listed in the data. The memory support is another major divergence, with the Intel part supporting both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD chip is limited to LPDDR5. This points to their different intended markets: the Intel Celeron G6900E with its desktop socket and PCIe Gen 5 support is designed for a traditional desktop motherboard, while the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U, with its mobile socket and PCIe Gen 3 with only 4 lanes, is clearly tailored for a compact, low-power laptop or mini-PC.

Specification Differences

Beyond the architectural underpinnings, the two CPUs differ in several key specifications. The most obvious is the thread count: the Intel Celeron G6900E has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U has 2 cores and 4 threads thanks to simultaneous multithreading (SMT). This explains the AMD's consistent lead in the multicore Cinebench tests, as it can process twice as many threads. Clock speeds also vary, with the Intel part having a base clock of 3.00 GHz and no boost clock listed, while the AMD part has a lower base clock of 2.40 GHz but a significantly higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz.

The memory bus is dual-channel for both, but the AMD chip lists a specific memory bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s, a figure not provided for the Intel part. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the Intel featuring UHD Graphics 710 and the AMD featuring Radeon 610M. The market segment is a critical distinction: Intel's is "Desktop," while AMD's is "Mobile." Finally, the AMD part has a listed part number (100-000000771) and a release date of September 2022, while the Intel part was released earlier in January 2022.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U is faster, scoring 4164 compared to the Intel Celeron G6900E's 3632, a performance advantage of 12.8%.

Q: Is the Intel Celeron G6900E better in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the data shows it wins both Geekbench tests. In the singlecore test, it scores 1561, which is 49.2% higher than the AMD's 1046.

Q: How many threads does each processor have?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900E has 2 threads, while the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U has 4 threads.

Q: What is the difference in their power consumption?

A: The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Intel Celeron G6900E has a TDP of 46 watts.

Q: Do they support the same type of memory?

A: No, the Intel Celeron G6900E supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U supports LPDDR5.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each chip?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900E has an average benchmark score of 1321, and the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U has an average score of 1311.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon Gold 7220U is the winner for any task that leverages its multi-threading capability and sustained rendering performance. Its consistent 12-14% lead across all Cinebench versions, from R15 to R23, makes it the clear choice for video encoding, 3D rendering, and other CPU-intensive creative workloads where every bit of compute power is used for an extended period. Its much lower 15-watt TDP also makes it the obvious pick for a fanless or ultra-portable laptop design where battery life and heat generation are primary concerns.

The Intel Celeron G6900E wins in scenarios where raw single-thread speed is the deciding factor, as evidenced by its 49.2% lead in Geekbench singlecore. This suggests it would be better suited for everyday desktop tasks like web browsing, office productivity, and light coding, where responsiveness is often dictated by a single core. Its 21.7% lead in Geekbench multicore further reinforces this, indicating that even with half the threads, it can handle general-purpose multitasking more efficiently in this benchmark. The Intel chip's support for DDR5 and PCIe Gen 5 also provides a more modern desktop platform foundation, potentially offering faster storage and expansion options, even if the CPU itself is slower in Cinebench.