AMD Ryzen 3 8440U vs Intel Core i7-10850H Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark database clearly favors the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U as the overall winner, taking 12 of the 17 head-to-head tests against the Intel Core i7-10850H. The AMD part leads decisively in every Cinebench test, all with margins of roughly 11%, and it dominates in single-threaded PassMark performance with a 36.7% advantage. The Intel Core i7-10850H, however, retains a meaningful edge in several real-world workload categories, including data compression, floating point math, integer math, physics, and random string sorting.

For users prioritizing raw rendering throughput and encryption workloads, the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U is the clear choice. Its 4-core, 8-thread Zen 4 design on a 4 nm TSMC node delivers higher performance per core than the older Intel Comet Lake architecture, and the data confirms this in both single-core and multi-core Cinebench runs. The Ryzen also nearly doubles the Intel chip in data encryption performance, a 106% delta that is the largest single margin in the comparison.

For users whose workloads involve heavy data compression, floating point calculations, or physics simulations, the Intel Core i7-10850H remains competitive despite its older 14 nm process. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration gives it a physical core advantage that shows up in specific PassMark subtests, even though it loses the overall multi-thread PassMark test by 10%. The Intel part also wins in random string sorting by 17.7%, the second-largest margin in either direction.

The database places both processors at the 70th percentile among all CPUs, suggesting they occupy a similar overall performance tier despite their architectural differences. The decision ultimately comes down to workload: the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U is the better all-rounder with superior single-thread performance and encryption capability, while the Intel Core i7-10850H offers specific strengths in compression and math-heavy tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U wins across every Cinebench generation tested: R15, R20, and R23, in both multi-core and single-core modes. These wins are consistent at 10.8% to 11.3% deltas, indicating a uniform advantage in rendering and content creation workloads. The Ryzen also takes PassMark multithread by 10%, extended instructions by 6.5%, find prime numbers by 4.9%, and data encryption by an overwhelming 106%. Its single-thread PassMark score of 3648 versus 2668 represents a 36.7% lead, the largest single-thread gap in the comparison.

The Intel Core i7-10850H wins in five PassMark subtests: data compression (165882 versus 146273, an 11.8% advantage), floating point math (25216 versus 23017, 8.7% ahead), integer math (39919 versus 37468, 6.1% ahead), physics (718 versus 685, 4.6% ahead), and random string sorting (21537 versus 17725, 17.7% ahead). These wins cluster around tasks that benefit from additional physical cores and higher sustained throughput, areas where the Intel chip's 6-core, 12-thread design can flex its hardware resources.

The pattern is clear: the AMD wins on efficiency-oriented and encryption workloads, while the Intel wins on compression and math-heavy tasks. Users who routinely compress large archives or run scientific calculations may prefer the Intel part, while those who render, encode, or handle encrypted data will see better results from the AMD.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U is built on Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Hawk Point, using a 4 nm process from TSMC. It integrates 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-10850H uses Comet Lake-H architecture on Intel's 14 nm process, and the database does not list transistor count or die size for this part.

The AMD chip features 4 cores and 8 threads with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, running at 28 W TDP. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The Intel part offers 6 cores and 12 threads, with a lower base clock of 2.70 GHz but a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz, at a 45 W TDP. Its L1 cache is also 64 KB per core, but L2 drops to 256 KB per core, and L3 rises to 12 MB shared.

Memory support differs substantially: the AMD chip uses DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel chip supports DDR4 with dual-channel configuration and 46.9 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD nearly doubles the memory bandwidth, which contributes to its strong encryption performance. PCIe lanes also differ: the AMD offers Gen 4 with 14 lanes, while the Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD pairs with Radeon 740M, while the Intel uses UHD Graphics. Both chips use different sockets, AMD Socket FP7 versus Intel BGA 1440, and both are locked multipliers. The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U released on December 5, 2023, while the Intel Core i7-10850H released on April 1, 2020. Both remain in active production.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U. It leads in Cinebench R23 single-core with 1536 versus 1381, an 11.2% advantage, and in PassMark single-thread with 3648 versus 2668, a 36.7% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core rendering?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 10884 versus 9786, an 11.2% lead, despite having only 4 cores and 8 threads versus the Intel's 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-10850H win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes. It wins five PassMark subtests: data compression, floating point math, integer math, physics, and random string sorting, with margins ranging from 4.6% to 17.7%.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel Core i7-10850H supports DDR4 with 46.9 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD figure is roughly double the Intel figure.

Q: Which processor is more efficient in terms of power draw?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U has a 28 W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-10850H has a 45 W TDP. The database does not include measured power consumption, only TDP ratings.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in either direction?

A: The largest gap is the AMD's 106% lead in PassMark data encryption, scoring 8012 versus the Intel's 3890. The largest Intel win is 17.7% in random string sorting.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results form a remarkably consistent block. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 1097 against the Intel's 986, an 11.3% win. Single-core R15 shows 154 versus 139, a 10.8% margin. R20 multi-core delivers 4571 versus 4110, an 11.2% lead, and R20 single-core shows 645 versus 580, also 11.2%. R23 multi-core follows with 10884 versus 9786, and R23 single-core with 1536 versus 1381, both at 11.2%. This uniformity suggests the AMD's advantage scales consistently across all rendering generations.

The PassMark multithread test gives the AMD a 10% win with 12805 versus 11643. This is notable because the Intel chip has 50% more cores and 50% more threads, yet still loses the multi-threaded test. The AMD's single-thread PassMark score of 3648 versus 2668 is a 36.7% advantage, reinforcing the architectural superiority of Zen 4 per core.

The PassMark data encryption test produces the most dramatic result: the AMD scores 8012, more than double the Intel's 3890, a 106% lead. This likely reflects the combination of newer architecture and higher memory bandwidth, since the AMD supports DDR5 at 89.6 GB/s versus the Intel's DDR4 at 46.9 GB/s.

The AMD also wins PassMark extended instructions (11059 versus 10381, 6.5%) and find prime numbers (43 versus 41, 4.9%). These are modest but consistent wins.

The Intel's counterattacks are concentrated in five areas. Data compression shows the Intel at 165882 versus the AMD's 146273, an 11.8% win. Random string sorting delivers the Intel's largest margin at 21537 versus 17725, a 17.7% advantage. Floating point math goes to the Intel at 25216 versus 23017, an 8.7% win. Integer math favors the Intel at 39919 versus 37468, a 6.1% margin. Physics gives the Intel a 718 versus 685 result, a 4.6% win.

The overall pattern shows the AMD winning 12 tests and the Intel winning 5. The AMD's wins include larger average margins, particularly the 106% encryption result and the 36.7% single-thread result, while the Intel's wins are more modest with a maximum of 17.7%.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i7-10850H has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz versus 2.70 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.70 GHz versus 5.10 GHz, with the Intel holding a 0.40 GHz boost advantage.

TDP differs significantly: 28 W for the AMD versus 45 W for the Intel. The AMD uses AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel uses Intel BGA 1440. Process nodes are 4 nm TSMC versus 14 nm Intel. The AMD's L2 cache is 1 MB per core, while the Intel's is 256 KB per core, a fourfold difference. L3 cache is 8 MB shared on the AMD versus 12 MB shared on the Intel.

Memory support is DDR5 versus DDR4, with bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s. PCIe versions are Gen 4 with 14 lanes versus Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are Radeon 740M versus UHD Graphics. Release dates are December 5, 2023 versus April 1, 2020. Neither chip has ECC memory support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD lists two part numbers (100-000001325 for FP7r2 and 100-000001332 for FP7), while the Intel lists one (SRH8P).