AMD Ryzen 3 3200U vs Intel Core i7-860 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U and Intel Core i7-860 represent two very different approaches to computing, separated by a decade of architectural evolution. The Ryzen 3 3200U is a modern, low-power mobile processor built on a 14 nm process, while the Core i7-860 is a legacy desktop part from the 45 nm Nehalem era. Their benchmark results paint a complex picture of generational gains versus raw core count, with each chip claiming victories in distinct workloads. The data shows that the Ryzen 3 3200U wins two of the three head-to-head benchmark comparisons, but the Intel Core i7-860 secures a significant win in the multi-core Cinebench R23 test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head comparison is in the Cinebench R23 single-core test. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U scores 765, while the Intel Core i7-860 scores just 363. This translates to a 110.7% advantage for the AMD chip. This is a massive generational leap; the modern Zen architecture delivers more than double the single-thread performance of the older Nehalem design. This result is the clearest indicator of architectural superiority, as single-core performance is heavily dependent on instruction-level parallelism and clock efficiency, areas where the decade-older Intel design simply cannot compete.

In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U again takes the win, scoring 334 against the Intel Core i7-860's 259. This represents a 29% lead for the AMD processor. This is particularly notable because the Intel chip has double the physical cores and threads (4 cores/8 threads vs. 2 cores/4 threads). Despite being outnumbered in core count, the Ryzen 3 3200U's superior per-core performance and higher efficiency allow it to overcome the Intel part's multi-threading advantage in this older benchmark version.

However, the tables turn in the Cinebench R23 multicore test. Here, the Intel Core i7-860 scores 2574, defeating the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U's 1786 by a margin of 30.6%. This is the Intel chip's sole victory, and it is a decisive one. The data suggests that the Cinebench R23 multicore workload scales more aggressively with thread count, allowing the Intel's 4-core/8-thread configuration to leverage its extra physical resources. The Ryzen's 2 cores are simply overwhelmed in this test, despite their superior individual performance.

The overall benchmark scores reflect this split. The Ryzen 3 3200U has an average benchmark score of 893, while the Intel Core i7-860 trails slightly at 886. Both processors sit at the 24th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they are entry-level performers in the current landscape. The Ryzen's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-5300U with an average score of 895, a negligible 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i7-860's closest competitor is the AMD PRO A8-8650B at 887, also a 0.1% difference. Interestingly, both processors share a common rival in the Intel Core i3-6100, which scores 888, placing the Ryzen a marginal 0.5% ahead and the Core i7-860 a negligible 0.3% behind.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U is definitively ahead in single-core workloads. In the Cinebench R23 single-core test, it scores 765 against the Intel Core i7-860's 363, a 110.7% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-860 win any benchmark?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-860 wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test with a score of 2574, beating the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U's 1786 by 30.6%.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 893, compared to the Intel Core i7-860's 886. Both are ranked at the 24th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the difference in core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i7-860 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U has 2 cores and 4 threads. The Intel part has double the cores and threads.

Q: Which processor is from a more recent production era?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U is from the 3000 series and was released in 2019. The Intel Core i7-860 is from the Core i7 (Lynnfield) generation and was released in 2009. The AMD part is also marked as "Active" in production, while the Intel part is "End-of-life".

Q: Do they support the same type of memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U supports DDR4 memory, while the Intel Core i7-860 supports DDR3 memory.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on workload priorities. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U is the better choice for users prioritizing single-threaded performance and modern efficiency. Its 110.7% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 29% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore make it superior for everyday tasks, older software, and applications that do not scale perfectly with many threads. Its lower 15W TDP also makes it suitable for mobile platforms, as indicated by its "Mobile" market segment.

The Intel Core i7-860 is the pick for workloads that are heavily multi-threaded and can leverage its physical core advantage. Its 30.6% victory in Cinebench R23 multicore shows that in modern, thread-hungry rendering tasks, the extra cores matter more than per-core speed. However, this comes at the cost of a 95W TDP and a desktop-only form factor, making it unsuitable for portable devices. Its end-of-life status also suggests a lack of ongoing support.

Ultimately, the Ryzen 3 3200U offers a more balanced and future-proof experience, while the Core i7-860 is a specialized tool for specific multi-core scenarios. The average benchmark scores, nearly identical at 893 vs. 886, mask the fact that these chips excel in completely different areas.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-860 has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.47 GHz. The Intel part has a higher base clock, but the AMD part has a marginally higher boost clock.

The most significant difference is in core configuration: the Intel Core i7-860 offers 4 cores and 8 threads, double that of the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U's 2 cores and 4 threads. The thermal design power (TDP) is also vastly different, with the AMD chip rated at 15W and the Intel chip at 95W.

The platforms are incompatible. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U uses the AMD Socket FP5, while the Intel Core i7-860 uses the Intel Socket 1156. The AMD chip supports PCIe Gen 3, while the Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U features integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics, whereas the Intel Core i7-860 has no integrated graphics. The AMD part is a mobile chip, while the Intel part is a desktop chip.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is enormous. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U is built on the Zen architecture (codename Raven Ridge) using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-860 uses the Nehalem architecture (codename Lynnfield) on a 45 nm process at Intel, with just 774 million transistors on a 296 mm² die.

The cache hierarchies also differ. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U has 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, with a total of 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i7-860 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but doubles the shared L3 cache to 8 MB. The AMD chip supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Intel chip supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus but no listed bandwidth figure.

Both chips lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers. Their part numbers are YM3200C4T2OFG for the AMD and SLBJJ for the Intel.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen 3 3200U:

• Single-threaded tasks: The 110.7% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core makes it the unequivocal winner for applications relying on per-core speed, such as web browsing, office productivity, and older games.
• Legacy multi-threaded workloads: Its 29% win in Cinebench R15 multicore suggests it handles older multi-threaded applications more efficiently than the Intel chip.
• Mobile and low-power systems: With a 15W TDP and "Mobile" market segment, it is designed for laptops and compact devices where power consumption is critical.
• Modern platform features: It includes integrated graphics, PCIe Gen 3 support, and DDR4 memory compatibility, making it a more complete, modern package.

Intel Core i7-860:

• Modern, heavily-threaded rendering: Its 30.6% win in Cinebench R23 multicore shows it is superior for contemporary content creation tasks like video encoding and 3D rendering that can utilize all 8 threads.
• Multi-core scalability: The data indicates that in benchmarks that scale aggressively with core count, the Intel chip's 4-core/8-thread setup provides a tangible advantage, even against a much newer 2-core part.
• Desktop use cases: As a 95W desktop processor, it is suited for stationary workstations where power draw is not a primary concern, and its larger 8 MB of L3 cache may help in certain data-heavy workloads.