AMD Ryzen 3 5400U vs Intel Core i7-6800K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall win for the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U, which takes 7 of the 8 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core i7-6800K manages only a single victory, but that win is substantial enough to define a clear separation in workload types.

In Cinebench tests, the AMD processor leads across every version and both multi-core and single-core configurations. The largest Cinebench advantage appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Ryzen 3 5400U scores 554 against 538 for the Intel part, a 2.9% gap. The other Cinebench deltas are tightly clustered: Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 942 versus 916 (2.8% for AMD), Cinebench R15 single-core shows 132 versus 129 (2.3% for AMD), Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 3927 versus 3819 (2.8% for AMD), and Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 9350 versus 9093 (2.7% for AMD). The Cinebench R23 single-core result is 1320 versus 1283, a 2.8% lead for AMD. These are narrow margins, but they are consistent across every Cinebench workload, indicating that the AMD part holds a stable, if modest, advantage in rendering tasks.

The Intel Core i7-6800K's lone victory comes in Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 5688 against 4473 for the Ryzen 3 5400U. That is a 27.2% lead, by far the largest delta in the entire comparison. This result is striking because the Intel processor has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD part has 4 cores and 8 threads, and in this specific benchmark the extra physical cores translate into a commanding advantage. The Geekbench single-core test reverses the outcome, with the Ryzen 3 5400U scoring 1419 versus 1237, a 12.8% lead for AMD. That single-core margin is nearly five times larger than any of the Cinebench deltas, showing that the AMD architecture has a pronounced per-thread strength.

The average benchmark scores in the database align with this split. The Intel Core i7-6800K has an average benchmark score of 2838 and sits at the 51st percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U has an average score of 2765 and sits at the 50th percentile. Despite the AMD part winning most head-to-head tests, its average score is slightly lower because the Geekbench multi-core gap favors Intel so heavily. The nearest rivals for the Intel part include the Intel Core i5-10600 at 2837 (0% delta), the Intel Xeon E-2126G at 2842 (-0.1% delta), the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5450U at 2829 (0.3% delta), and the Intel Xeon E-2324G at 2823 (0.5% delta). The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350GE at 2767 (-0.1% delta), the Intel Xeon D-1567 at 2770 (-0.2% delta), the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE at 2759 (0.2% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G at 2774 (-0.3% delta). These rival clusters show that both processors sit in a similar performance tier overall, despite their very different core counts and power envelopes.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-6800K wins in workloads that scale with core count and memory bandwidth. Its Geekbench multi-core score of 5688 versus 4473 demonstrates this clearly. The processor pairs 6 cores and 12 threads with quad-channel DDR4 memory support and a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The AMD part uses dual-channel memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, so the Intel platform has a structural advantage in memory-heavy multi-threaded scenarios. The 27.2% multi-core Geekbench lead is the strongest evidence in the dataset that the Intel part is the better choice for parallel compute that rewards many threads and high memory throughput.

The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U wins in single-threaded performance and in Cinebench rendering. Its Geekbench single-core score of 1419 beats the Intel score of 1237 by 12.8%, which is a decisive per-core advantage. The Cinebench results, while narrower, still favor AMD across the board, including multi-core tests. That means even in a multi-threaded rendering workload like Cinebench R23, the AMD part's newer architecture compensates for having fewer cores and threads. The Ryzen 3 5400U also wins the single-core Cinebench tests, so users prioritizing responsive single-threaded tasks, such as lightly threaded applications, would favor the AMD part based on these measurements.

The production status also matters. The Intel Core i7-6800K is end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U is active. The Intel part is a desktop processor from 2016, and the AMD part is a mobile processor from 2021. The benchmark data shows the newer AMD design delivering competitive or superior results across most tests while operating in a completely different thermal class, with the Intel part rated at 140 W TDP and the AMD part rated at 15 W TDP. That difference is not a benchmark score, but it contextualizes the performance data in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U wins 7 of the 8 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core i7-6800K wins only 1, the Geekbench multi-core test.

Q: How large is the Intel part's multi-core Geekbench lead?

A: The Intel Core i7-6800K scores 5688 in Geekbench multi-core, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U scores 4473. That is a 27.2% lead for Intel.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Geekbench?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U scores 1419 in Geekbench single-core, versus 1237 for the Intel Core i7-6800K. The AMD part leads by 12.8%.

Q: How do the Cinebench R23 multi-core scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U scores 9350 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i7-6800K scores 9093. The AMD part leads by 2.7%.

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-6800K has an average benchmark score of 2838, and the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U has an average score of 2765. The Intel part sits at the 51st percentile, while the AMD part sits at the 50th percentile.

Q: Are the two processors in the same performance tier?

A: Yes. The Intel part's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-10600 at 2837 and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5450U at 2829. The AMD part's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350GE at 2767 and the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE at 2759. Both processors cluster around the same average score range.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i7-6800K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel base clock is 3.40 GHz and boost clock is 3.60 GHz. The AMD base clock is 2.60 GHz and boost clock is 4.00 GHz. The Intel part has a 140 W TDP, while the AMD part has a 15 W TDP. The Intel processor uses Intel Socket 2011-3, and the AMD processor uses AMD Socket FP6.

Memory support differs as well. Both support DDR4, but the Intel part uses a quad-channel memory bus with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD part uses a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Intel part provides Gen 3 with 28 lanes (CPU only), and the AMD part provides Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only).

The Intel Core i7-6800K has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U does not. The Intel part's launch MSRP is $434; the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP. The Intel part number is SR2PD, and the AMD part number is 100-000000288. The Intel part includes no integrated graphics, while the AMD part includes Radeon Vega 6 graphics. The Intel processor is end-of-life, while the AMD processor is active production. The Intel part was released in 2016, and the AMD part was released in 2021. The Intel part is a desktop segment product, and the AMD part is a mobile segment product.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-6800K uses the Broadwell architecture, specifically Broadwell-E, built on a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry. The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U uses the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne-U, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The transistor counts differ substantially: the Intel part has 3,400 million transistors on a 246 mm² die, while the AMD part has 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die. The AMD processor packs more than three times the transistor count into a smaller die, reflecting the newer process node.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both parts have 64 KB of L1 cache per core. The Intel L2 cache is 256 KB per core, while the AMD L2 cache is 512 KB per core. The Intel L3 cache is 15 MB shared, and the AMD L3 cache is 8 MB shared. The larger L3 on the Intel part partially compensates for its older architecture, but the AMD part's larger per-core L2 and newer Zen 3 design deliver better single-thread results in the recorded benchmarks.

The Intel part belongs to the Core i7 (Broadwell-E) generation, while the AMD part belongs to the Ryzen 3 (Zen 3, Cezanne) generation. The AMD processor's integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics represent a feature the Intel part lacks entirely. The memory architecture differences, quad-channel versus dual-channel, stem from the desktop versus mobile design targets. The Intel part is designed for a high-power desktop socket, and the AMD part is designed for a low-power mobile socket, which explains the 140 W versus 15 W TDP gap.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload. Users who prioritize multi-threaded Geekbench performance should choose the Intel Core i7-6800K. Its 5688 multi-core score beats the AMD part by 27.2%, and its 6 cores, 12 threads, and quad-channel memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s make it the stronger choice for parallel compute that Geekbench measures. This is the only benchmark category in the entire comparison where Intel leads, but the margin is large enough to matter for that specific use case.

Users who prioritize single-threaded performance, Cinebench rendering, or power efficiency should choose the AMD Ryzen 3 5400U. It wins all six Cinebench tests, including multi-core versions, and it wins Geekbench single-core by 12.8%. The AMD part achieves these results with 4 cores and 8 threads, a 15 W TDP, and a dual-channel memory bus. The Intel part, by contrast, uses 140 W TDP. The AMD processor also has an active production status and integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, whereas the Intel part is end-of-life and has no integrated graphics.

The average benchmark scores place the Intel part slightly higher at 2838 versus 2765, and the Intel part sits at the 51st percentile versus the AMD part's 50th percentile. That overall parity makes the choice workload-dependent rather than a clear overall winner. The AMD Ryzen 3 5400U wins more tests, but the Intel Core i7-6800K wins the test with the largest margin. For modern rendering and single-threaded tasks, the database points to AMD. For multi-threaded Geekbench-style workloads, the database points to Intel.