CPU Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 4300G and Intel Core 7 160UL are two desktop processors that, despite both landing in the 69th percentile of all CPUs, take very different paths to get there. The benchmark data shows a clear split: Intel wins the majority of tests with 13 wins, but AMD takes 4 decisive victories in specific workloads. In Cinebench, the Intel Core 7 160UL leads across the board, scoring 946 versus 845 in R15 multi-core (a 10.7% advantage), 3942 versus 3522 in R20 multi-core (10.7% ahead), and 9386 versus 8387 in R23 multi-core (10.6% ahead). Single-core results follow the same pattern, with Intel ahead by 10.5% in R15 (133 vs 119), 10.6% in R20 (556 vs 497), and 10.6% in R23 (1325 vs 1184). These are consistent, moderate margins that show Intel's architecture simply executes more instructions per clock in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads.

The PassMark suite tells a more nuanced story. Intel dominates the math-heavy tests, with a 37.4% lead in integer math (47515 vs 29737), a 31.5% lead in floating-point math (25670 vs 17577), and a massive 44.6% lead in physics (819 vs 454). The find_prime_numbers test shows Intel at 50 versus AMD's 20, a 60% swing that highlights the gap in raw integer throughput. However, AMD fights back hard in data-centric tasks. The Ryzen 3 4300G wins data compression by 26.4% (137681 vs 108953), data encryption by 14.4% (8176 vs 7146), and extended instructions by a staggering 56.9% (9148 vs 5832). Random string sorting also goes AMD's way by 22.5% (14503 vs 11843). These aren't small wins; they represent workloads where the AMD chip is substantially faster, often by margins larger than Intel's advantage in other tests.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct use cases. If your work involves rendering, physics simulation, or heavy integer math, the Intel Core 7 160UL is the clear choice. It wins every Cinebench test by roughly 10%, and its PassMark multithread score of 11043 versus 9849 (10.8% ahead) confirms the edge in general multi-threaded throughput. The single-thread advantage is even more pronounced: 3391 versus 2425 in PassMark single-thread, a 28.5% lead that will be felt in everyday responsiveness and lightly-threaded applications.

But the Ryzen 3 4300G is not a loser. It wins the data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting tests by margins ranging from 14.4% to 56.9%. For anyone dealing with compressed files, database operations, or cryptographic workloads, the AMD chip is substantially faster. The extended instructions result is particularly striking: AMD's 9148 score is nearly 57% higher than Intel's 5832. If your software uses those instruction sets, the Ryzen 3 4300G will finish tasks considerably faster despite losing most other benchmarks. The choice hinges entirely on workload composition. Mixed workloads with a balance of math and data tasks will see the Intel chip win overall, but data-heavy pipelines favor AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300G uses the Zen 2 architecture on TSMC's 7 nm process, featuring 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core 7 160UL uses Raptor Lake on Intel's 10 nm process, with 10 cores and 12 threads. That core count difference is significant, but the thread count gap is smaller due to Intel's hybrid design. The AMD chip has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while Intel offers 12 MB shared. Per-core L1 cache is 64 KB on AMD versus 80 KB on Intel, and L2 cache is 512 KB per core on AMD versus 1.25 MB per core on Intel. Clock speeds tell a similar story: Intel's base clock of 1.80 GHz is much lower than AMD's 3.80 GHz, but Intel's boost reaches 5.20 GHz versus AMD's 4.00 GHz. The Intel part compensates for its low base clock with a high boost, while AMD runs at a more consistent speed.

Process node differences also matter. The 7 nm TSMC process used by AMD is denser than Intel's 10 nm, but Intel's architecture extracts more performance per clock. The Intel chip draws only 15 W TDP versus 65 W for AMD, a massive efficiency gap that reflects the lower base clock and possibly a more power-optimized design. Memory support diverges as well: AMD supports DDR4 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory, but AMD's memory bandwidth is listed at 51.2 GB/s while Intel's is not specified. PCIe connectivity differs too, with AMD offering Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes versus Intel's Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 6 on AMD and Iris Xe Graphics 96EU on Intel. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, while Intel's is locked. Both use different sockets: AMD Socket AM4 versus Intel Socket 1700.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 9386 versus the AMD Ryzen 3 4300G's 8387, giving Intel a 10.6% advantage in this multi-threaded rendering test.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 4300G win any benchmarks?

A: Yes. It wins four tests: data compression by 26.4%, data encryption by 14.4%, extended instructions by 56.9%, and random string sorting by 22.5%.

Q: How much faster is the Intel chip in single-threaded performance?

A: In PassMark single-thread, Intel scores 3391 versus AMD's 2425, a 28.5% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a smaller 10.6% gap (1325 vs 1184).

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300G has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core 7 160UL has 10 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: Only the Intel Core 7 160UL supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300G supports DDR4 only.

Q: Is the AMD chip overclockable?

A: Yes, the multiplier is unlocked on the AMD Ryzen 3 4300G. The Intel Core 7 160UL has a locked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 160UL wins in all Cinebench tests, showing a consistent 10.5% to 10.7% lead across R15, R20, and R23 for both single-core and multi-core. It also dominates PassMark math workloads: integer math (47515 vs 29737, 37.4% ahead), floating-point math (25670 vs 17577, 31.5% ahead), and physics (819 vs 454, 44.6% ahead). The find_prime_numbers test shows Intel at 50 versus AMD's 20, a 60% lead. PassMark multithread also goes to Intel at 11043 versus 9849 (10.8% ahead), and the single-thread score of 3391 versus 2425 is a 28.5% victory. These wins cover rendering, physics simulation, scientific computing, and general multi-threaded productivity.

The AMD Ryzen 3 4300G wins only four tests, but they are meaningful. Data compression at 137681 versus 108953 is a 26.4% advantage, making it the better choice for file archiving, backup software, and database compression. Data encryption at 8176 versus 7146 (14.4% ahead) benefits VPNs, full-disk encryption, and secure communications. Extended instructions at 9148 versus 5832 (56.9% ahead) is the largest margin on either side, suggesting AMD's implementation of specific instruction sets is far more efficient. Random string sorting at 14503 versus 11843 (22.5% ahead) helps text processing, log analysis, and sorting algorithms. For workloads that rely on these operations, the AMD chip will complete tasks noticeably faster, despite losing the overall benchmark count.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 4300G and Intel Core 7 160UL differ in nearly every core specification. AMD offers 4 cores and 8 threads, while Intel provides 10 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 3.80 GHz for AMD versus 1.80 GHz for Intel, but boost clocks are 4.00 GHz for AMD and 5.20 GHz for Intel. TDP ratings show a 65 W part from AMD and a 15 W part from Intel. Socket compatibility differs, with AMD using Socket AM4 and Intel using Socket 1700. Architecture is Zen 2 (Renoir) for AMD and Raptor Lake (Raptor Lake-PS) for Intel. Process nodes are 7 nm for AMD (TSMC) and 10 nm for Intel. Cache configurations differ: L1 is 64 KB per core on AMD versus 80 KB per core on Intel, L2 is 512 KB per core on AMD versus 1.25 MB per core on Intel, and L3 is 4 MB shared on AMD versus 12 MB shared on Intel.

Memory support separates the two clearly, with AMD limited to DDR4 and Intel supporting both DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is specified at 51.2 GB/s for AMD but not listed for Intel. PCIe generation and lanes differ: AMD uses Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, while Intel uses Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 6 for AMD and Iris Xe Graphics 96EU for Intel. The AMD multiplier is unlocked for overclocking, while Intel's is locked. The AMD part was released on 2020-07-20, while the Intel chip arrived on 2024-04-07. Both are active production parts for the desktop market, and neither supports ECC memory. The AMD part number is 100-000000144, while Intel's is marked unknown.