AMD Ryzen 3 2200G vs Intel Core i3-8109U Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2200G wins three of the four recorded head-to-head tests. It takes Cinebench R15 multi-core, Cinebench R15 single-core, and Geekbench multi-core. The Intel Core i3-8109U wins only Geekbench single-core.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R15?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2200G scores 577 versus 357 for the Intel Core i3-8109U, a delta of 38.1% in favor of AMD. This is the largest performance difference recorded in the head-to-head set.

Q: Does the Intel chip win any single-core test?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-8109U wins Geekbench single-core with a score of 1188 versus 1001 for the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, an 18.7% advantage. However, AMD wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test by 4.7%.

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

A: The Intel Core i3-8109U has an average benchmark score of 1235, while the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G has an average of 1202. Despite losing most head-to-head tests, the Intel chip holds a slightly higher average score across the recorded benchmark suite.

Q: Are both processors on the same manufacturing process node?

A: Yes, both are built on a 14 nm process node. Intel uses its own foundry, while AMD uses GlobalFoundries.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the Intel Core i3-8109U and the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G have ECC memory support set to false in the recorded data.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i3-8109U is a Kaby Lake-R part, built on the Kaby Lake architecture and manufactured by Intel on a 14 nm process. Its die size is 123 mm². The AMD Ryzen 3 2200G belongs to the 2000 series and uses the Zen architecture under the Raven Ridge codename, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on the same 14 nm process node. AMD's die is considerably larger at 210 mm² and packs 4,950 million transistors, whereas the Intel die size figure appears without a transistor count in the database.

Core counts differ sharply. The Intel chip provides 2 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD chip provides 4 cores and 4 threads. That means the Intel part relies on Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads, while AMD achieves 4 threads with physical cores alone. Cache layouts also diverge. Intel allocates 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, with 4 MB of shared L3. AMD allocates 96 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, also with 4 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches on the AMD side suggest a design geared toward feeding more execution resources.

Clock behavior is notable. The Intel base clock is 3.00 GHz with a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while the AMD base clock is 3.50 GHz with a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. AMD starts higher and boosts slightly higher, but the Intel part has a much lower TDP of 28 watts versus 65 watts for AMD. The market segments reflect this: Intel is a mobile processor on BGA 1356, while AMD is a desktop processor on Socket AM4.

Integrated graphics differ as well. Intel pairs the chip with Iris Pro Plus graphics, while AMD integrates Radeon Vega 8. Memory support is listed as DDR4 for both, but the AMD part also records a dual-channel memory bus and a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, details not listed for Intel. AMD also exposes a PCIe Gen 3 interface with 8 lanes (CPU only), while Intel's PCIe configuration is not recorded. The multiplier is unlocked on the AMD chip, but locked on the Intel part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 2200G dominates in multi-threaded workloads. The Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 577 positions AMD far ahead of Intel in rendering tasks that scale with core count. The Geekbench multi-core result of 3086 reinforces the pattern: AMD wins multi-core by 20.5% in Geekbench. For users running video encoding, 3D rendering, compilation, or any workload that spreads across available cores, the AMD chip is clearly the stronger option in this comparison.

The AMD chip also wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test with a modest 4.7% margin. That is a narrower win than its multi-core victories, suggesting AMD's single-thread advantage in this test engine is real but not overwhelming.

The Intel Core i3-8109U takes Geekbench single-core by 18.7%. Interestingly, the database shows the Intel chip winning exactly one head-to-head test, and that win is substantial. However, the two single-core benchmarks point in opposite directions: AMD wins Cinebench R15 single-core while Intel wins Geekbench single-core, which indicates the ranking depends heavily on which specific test engine is used.

For users prioritizing single-thread responsiveness in everyday applications, the Intel chip has a measurable edge in Geekbench single-core. For anyone leaning on multi-core throughput, the AMD chip is the consistent winner across Cinebench R15 and Geekbench multi-core.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences between the Intel Core i3-8109U and the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G are:

• Cores: Intel 2, AMD 4
• Threads: Intel 4, AMD 4
• Base clock: Intel 3.00 GHz, AMD 3.50 GHz
• Boost clock: Intel 3.60 GHz, AMD 3.70 GHz
• TDP: Intel 28 W, AMD 65 W
• Socket: Intel BGA 1356, AMD Socket AM4
• Architecture: Intel Kaby Lake, AMD Zen
• Codename: Intel Kaby Lake-R, AMD Raven Ridge
• Generation: Intel Core i3 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh), AMD Ryzen 3 (Zen (Raven Ridge))
• Die size: Intel 123 mm², AMD 210 mm²
• Transistors: Intel not recorded, AMD 4,950 million
• L1 cache: Intel 64 KB per core, AMD 96 KB per core
• L2 cache: Intel 256 KB per core, AMD 512 KB per core
• L3 cache: Intel 4 MB shared, AMD 4 MB shared
• Memory bus: Intel not recorded, AMD dual-channel
• Memory bandwidth: Intel not recorded, AMD 46.9 GB/s
• PCIe: Intel not recorded, AMD Gen 3, 8 lanes (CPU only)
• Integrated graphics: Intel Iris Pro Plus, AMD Radeon Vega 8
• Market segment: Intel Mobile, AMD Desktop
• Release date: Intel 2018-04-04, AMD 2018-02-11
• Launch MSRP: Intel not recorded, AMD $99
• Multiplier unlocked: Intel false, AMD true
• Foundry: Intel, GlobalFoundries

The most consequential differences are the core count, clock speeds, TDP, and cache sizes. AMD offers double the physical cores at higher base and boost clocks, but at more than double the TDP. The Intel chip is designed for mobile power envelopes, while the AMD chip targets desktop performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a clear split between multi-core and single-core results. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G scores 577 against 357 for the Intel Core i3-8109U, a delta of 38.1% in AMD's favor. That is the largest gap in any test. The result makes sense given AMD's 4 physical cores versus Intel's 2 cores, even though both expose 4 threads.

In Geekbench multi-core, AMD again wins with 3086 versus 2454, a 20.5% margin. The multi-core advantage is consistent across both test engines, though the magnitude shrinks from 38.1% in Cinebench R15 to 20.5% in Geekbench. This suggests the two suites weight core scaling differently, with Cinebench R15 rewarding AMD's architecture more heavily.

The single-core results are more complex. In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD wins with 145.55 versus 138.65, a 4.7% margin. But in Geekbench single-core, Intel wins with 1188 versus 1001, an 18.7% margin for Intel. The two tests tell opposite stories about single-thread performance. AMD holds a narrow lead in one engine, while Intel holds a wide lead in the other.

The Intel chip also has Cinebench R20 and R23 results recorded in its benchmark list, with multi-core scores of 1488 and 3544 respectively, and single-core scores of 210 and 500. The AMD chip does not have corresponding R20 or R23 entries in the head-to-head set, so those cannot be compared directly.

Overall, the head-to-head tally is 3 wins for AMD and 1 win for Intel. The average benchmark score, however, slightly favors Intel at 1235 versus 1202. That discrepancy is curious. It may reflect that the average score includes additional benchmark entries for the Intel chip that are not part of the head-to-head set. The recorded data shows Intel with eight benchmark entries and AMD with four, which could skew the average comparison.

The nearest rival data places both chips at the 34th percentile among all CPUs. Intel's nearest rivals are the Intel Pentium Gold G6600 at a 0% delta, the Intel Xeon E3-1235L v5 at 0.2%, the Intel Core i7-3610QM at -0.8%, and the Intel Core i5-2500 at 1.2%. AMD's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i5-3330 at 0.2%, the AMD Athlon PRO 200GE at 0.2%, the Intel Xeon D-1527 at -0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1605B at 0.5%. Both processors sit in the same performance tier relative to the broader CPU landscape, despite their divergent head-to-head results.

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. The AMD Ryzen 3 2200G is the clear winner in multi-threaded workloads, taking Cinebench R15 multi-core by 38.1% and Geekbench multi-core by 20.5%. It also edges out Intel in Cinebench R15 single-core by 4.7%. If the workload is rendering, encoding, compilation, or anything that uses multiple cores, the AMD chip is the stronger choice in this head-to-head comparison.

The Intel Core i3-8109U wins only Geekbench single-core, but it wins that test by a substantial 18.7%. For users who prioritize single-thread performance in applications that do not scale well across cores, the Intel chip offers a meaningful advantage in that specific benchmark. Its lower TDP of 28 watts versus 65 watts also makes it the more power-efficient part, which aligns with its mobile market segment.

The average benchmark score slightly favors Intel at 1235 versus 1202, which complicates the simple "AMD wins" narrative. That said, the average score includes more benchmark entries for Intel, so the comparison is not perfectly symmetrical.

The verdict depends on the use case. Desktop users with cooling headroom and a need for multi-core throughput should favor the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, which delivers decisive multi-core wins and a narrow Cinebench single-core victory. Mobile users or those constrained by power budgets should consider the Intel Core i3-8109U, which offers a strong Geekbench single-core result at a fraction of the TDP. Neither chip dominates the other across all recorded metrics, and the 34th percentile ranking for both confirms they occupy the same overall performance tier. The tie-breaker is workload: multi-core favors AMD, Geekbench single-core favors Intel, and Cinebench single-core narrowly favors AMD.