AMD Ryzen 3 3100 vs Intel Core i7-8705G Comparison

The Intel Core i7-8705G and AMD Ryzen 3 3100 are both 4-core, 8-thread processors, but the benchmark data reveals a decisive performance gap that favors the AMD part. Despite the Intel chip carrying a higher tier in its naming convention, the Ryzen 3 3100 outperforms it across every single head-to-head benchmark recorded. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—2058 for the Intel and 2055 for the AMD—placing both CPUs at the 46th percentile of all processors, but the individual workload results tell a much more one-sided story.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic difference emerges in Cinebench R15, where the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 delivers a multicore score of 991 against the Intel Core i7-8705G’s 651. That represents a 34.3% advantage for the AMD chip, a substantial margin that suggests the Ryzen 3 3100 is far better suited to heavily threaded workloads. The single-core result in the same test is even more lopsided: the Ryzen 3 3100 scores 178 while the Intel part manages just 91, a 48.9% deficit for the i7-8705G. This nearly two-to-one gap in single-threaded performance is striking, especially considering both processors share the same core and thread counts.

Geekbench results reinforce the trend, though with narrower margins. In the multicore test, the Ryzen 3 3100 scores 4898 compared to the Intel’s 3968, a 19% lead for AMD. The single-core Geekbench run shows the Ryzen 3 3100 ahead by 8.5%, with scores of 1395 and 1277 respectively. While the single-core Geekbench gap is modest, the overall pattern is unmistakable: the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 wins all four recorded head-to-head comparisons, with the Intel Core i7-8705G failing to claim a single victory in any test.

It is importantly the Intel chip does have additional benchmark data not shared in the head-to-head table, including Cinebench R20 and R23 results. The i7-8705G scores 2714 in Cinebench R20 multicore and 383 in single-core, plus 6464 and 912 in Cinebench R23 multicore and single-core respectively. However, without comparable Ryzen 3 3100 numbers for those specific tests, they cannot be directly contrasted here. The available head-to-head data is unambiguous: the Ryzen 3 3100 is the stronger performer in every measurable comparison.

The Verdict

From the data, the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance. It leads the Intel Core i7-8705G by 34.3% in Cinebench R15 multicore, 48.9% in Cinebench R15 single-core, 19% in Geekbench multicore, and 8.5% in Geekbench single-core. These are not marginal wins; they are decisive advantages that make the Intel part difficult to recommend for any CPU-bound task.

The Intel Core i7-8705G does retain one significant distinction: it includes integrated Intel HD Graphics 630, while the Ryzen 3 3100 has no integrated graphics at all. For a system that requires a display output without a discrete GPU, the Intel chip is the only viable option between the two. Additionally, the Intel part is a mobile processor on the Intel BGA 2270 socket, whereas the Ryzen 3 3100 is a desktop chip on AMD Socket AM4. This makes direct system-level comparisons somewhat abstract—the i7-8705G is designed for laptops or compact all-in-one systems, while the Ryzen 3 3100 targets traditional desktop builds.

For users who already have a discrete graphics card or do not need integrated video, the Ryzen 3 3100 is the superior processor in every benchmark recorded. Its higher base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz, combined with a larger 16 MB shared L3 cache and 512 KB L2 per core, translate directly into better performance. The Intel i7-8705G, with its 3.10 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost, plus 8 MB shared L3 and 256 KB L2 per core, simply cannot keep pace. The verdict from the data is straightforward: the Ryzen 3 3100 wins on performance, while the i7-8705G wins only on the basis of its integrated graphics and mobile form factor.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing generations. The Intel Core i7-8705G is built on the Kaby Lake architecture, specifically the Kaby Lake G variant, using Intel’s 14 nm process node and fabricated by Intel itself. Its die size is 125 mm². The AMD Ryzen 3 3100, in contrast, uses the Zen 2 architecture under the Matisse codename, manufactured on TSMC’s 7 nm process with a much smaller 74 mm² die. The AMD chip also lists a transistor count of 3,800 million, while no transistor figure is provided for the Intel part.

These architectural differences explain much of the performance gap. Zen 2 is a newer design with a more efficient process node, allowing the Ryzen 3 3100 to achieve higher clock speeds—3.60 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost—while maintaining the same 65 W TDP as the Intel chip. The Intel i7-8705G has a lower 3.10 GHz base clock but a higher 4.10 GHz boost, yet it still trails badly in single-threaded tests. The cache hierarchy also differs markedly: the Ryzen 3 3100 has 512 KB of L2 cache per core (double the Intel’s 256 KB) and 16 MB of shared L3 cache (double the Intel’s 8 MB). Larger caches typically reduce memory latency and improve performance in cache-sensitive workloads, which likely contributes to the AMD chip’s strong showing.

Memory bandwidth is another differentiator. The Ryzen 3 3100 supports dual-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel i7-8705G also uses dual-channel DDR4 but caps out at 38.4 GB/s. The AMD part further advantages itself with PCIe Gen 4 support via 16 CPU lanes, whereas the Intel chip offers only PCIe Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both use a dual-channel memory bus. The market segments also differ: the Intel chip targets mobile devices, while the Ryzen 3 3100 is squarely a desktop part.

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is the socket: the Intel Core i7-8705G uses Intel BGA 2270 (a soldered mobile socket), while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 uses the widely compatible AMD Socket AM4. The process nodes are also distinct—14 nm for Intel versus 7 nm for AMD—with corresponding differences in die size (125 mm² versus 74 mm²) and foundry (Intel versus TSMC). Clock speeds differ as well: the Intel part has a 3.10 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost, while the AMD chip runs at 3.60 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost. The Ryzen 3 3100 has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking, whereas the i7-8705G is locked.

Cache specifications diverge significantly. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache is 256 KB per core on the Intel versus 512 KB per core on the AMD. Shared L3 is 8 MB on the Intel and 16 MB on the AMD. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD part at 51.2 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s, and PCIe support is newer and wider on the AMD (Gen 4, 16 lanes) versus the Intel (Gen 3, 8 lanes). The most consequential feature difference is integrated graphics: the Intel i7-8705G includes Intel HD Graphics 630, while the Ryzen 3 3100 has no integrated GPU. The Ryzen 3 3100 also has a launch MSRP of $99, though no comparable price is listed for the Intel part.

The market segments and production statuses are nearly opposites. The Intel i7-8705G is a mobile chip that is end-of-life, released in January 2018. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 is an active desktop product released in April 2020. The Intel part’s part number is SR3RK, while the AMD uses 100-000000284. Both processors have 4 cores and 8 threads, a 65 W TDP, and support dual-channel DDR4 memory without ECC.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 wins both single-core benchmarks. It scores 178 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 91 for the Intel i7-8705G, and 1395 in Geekbench single-core versus 1277. The Cinebench lead is 48.9%, while the Geekbench lead is 8.5%.

Q: Do both CPUs have integrated graphics?

A: No. The Intel Core i7-8705G includes Intel HD Graphics 630, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 has no integrated graphics at all. This means the Intel chip can output video without a discrete GPU, but the AMD part requires a separate graphics card.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 supports up to 51.2 GB/s of dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth, while the Intel Core i7-8705G supports 38.4 GB/s. Both use dual-channel memory buses and do not support ECC.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core i7-8705G is locked, meaning it does not support user overclocking through multiplier adjustment.

Q: What are the production statuses of these chips?

A: The Intel Core i7-8705G is end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 is listed as active production. The Intel chip was released in January 2018, and the AMD chip was released in April 2020.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-8705G has an average benchmark score of 2058, and the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 scores 2055. Both are at the 46th percentile of all CPUs, making them statistically equivalent in aggregate despite the AMD chip winning every individual head-to-head test.