AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U vs Intel Core i5-4690 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U and Intel Core i5-4690 are both 4-core, 4-thread processors, but they represent vastly different eras and design philosophies. Benchmark results show the two are nearly inseparable in raw performance, with the AMD mobile chip holding a razor-thin edge across every Cinebench test. The Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U wins all six head-to-head comparisons, yet the largest margin is a mere 0.4%, making this one of the closest matchups in the database. Both chips sit at the 36th percentile of all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 1379 for the AMD part and 1375 for the Intel part. The real story is not who wins, but how a 15-watt mobile processor from 2019 matches a 84-watt desktop processor from 2014.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-4690 boosts to 3.80 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U boosts to 3.40 GHz. Despite this 0.40 GHz disadvantage, the AMD chip still edges out the Intel part in single-core Cinebench tests.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U wins all three multi-core benchmarks, with scores of 480 (R15), 2002 (R20), and 4769 (R23) versus 479, 1996, and 4754 for the Intel Core i5-4690. The largest multi-core delta is 0.3% in favor of AMD.

Q: What are the process node differences?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U is built on a 14 nm process by GlobalFoundries, while the Intel Core i5-4690 uses a 22 nm process from Intel. The AMD chip also packs 4,950 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, compared to 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die for Intel.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U supports DDR4 memory, with a dual-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-4690 is limited to DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus, and no memory bandwidth figure is listed for it.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Intel Core i5-4690 has a TDP of 84 watts. This represents a 69-watt gap, making the AMD part dramatically more power-efficient on paper.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, both include integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U features a Radeon Vega 6, while the Intel Core i5-4690 includes Intel HD 4600. No benchmark data for these iGPUs is provided in the fact pack.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. It takes the Cinebench R15 multi-core test with 480 points versus 479, a 0.2% margin. In R20 multi-core, it scores 2002 against 1996, a 0.3% lead. The R23 multi-core result is 4769 versus 4754, again 0.3% ahead. Single-core results follow the same pattern: 67 vs 67 in R15 (0% delta), 282 vs 281 in R20 (0.4% delta), and 673 vs 671 in R23 (0.3% delta). With six wins and zero losses, the AMD chip is the outright winner in this matchup, but the margins are so small that they fall within run-to-run variance in most real-world testing.

The Intel Core i5-4690 does not win a single benchmark in this comparison. Its best showing is a tie in Cinebench R15 single-core, where both chips score 67 points. The Intel part's average benchmark score of 1375 is 4 points lower than the AMD's 1379, a difference of roughly 0.3%. It should be noted that the Intel chip's nearest rival list includes the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U with a deltaPct of -0.3%, meaning the AMD part is slightly ahead in the aggregate. The Intel's other rivals, like the Intel Core i5-1030NG7 and Intel Core i7-3740QM, are all within 0.3% of its score, confirming that this is a tightly clustered performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U is built on the Zen architecture, codenamed Raven Ridge, and belongs to the 2000 series. It is manufactured on a 14 nm process by GlobalFoundries and contains 4,950 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-4690 uses the Haswell architecture, also its codename, and is built on a 22 nm process by Intel with just 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. This represents a massive transistor count advantage for AMD, which packs over 3.5 times more transistors into a slightly larger die.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD chip has 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but a larger 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part also supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part is restricted to DDR3 with no listed bandwidth figure. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP5 and PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), whereas the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1150 and PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count specified. The AMD part's integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 6, while the Intel uses Intel HD 4600.

Market positioning also diverges sharply. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U is a mobile processor with a 15-watt TDP, released in January 2019, and remains in active production. The Intel Core i5-4690 is a desktop processor with an 84-watt TDP, released in April 2014, with no production status listed. Neither processor supports ECC memory or has an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The most striking difference is TDP: 15 watts for the AMD versus 84 watts for the Intel, a 69-watt gap that favors the mobile chip. Base clocks differ as well, with the AMD starting at 2000.00 MHz and the Intel at 3.40 GHz. Boost clocks show the Intel ahead at 3.80 GHz versus 3.40 GHz for the AMD. The process node favors AMD at 14 nm versus Intel's 22 nm. Transistor count is 4,950 million for AMD versus 1,400 million for Intel, and die size is 210 mm² versus 177 mm². Cache sizes differ across all levels: L1 is 96 KB per core for AMD versus 64 KB for Intel, L2 is 512 KB per core versus 256 KB, and L3 is 4 MB shared versus 6 MB shared.

Memory support is another clear split, with the AMD part using DDR4 and the Intel part using DDR3. Memory bandwidth is listed only for the AMD chip at 38.4 GB/s. The PCIe implementation differs, with the AMD using Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only) and the Intel using Gen 3 with no lane count. Sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel Socket 1150. The AMD part has a listed part number (YM230BC4T4MFB), while the Intel part has none. The AMD chip belongs to the 2000 series, while the Intel chip has no series listed. Release dates are separated by nearly five years, with the AMD launching in January 2019 and the Intel in April 2014.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U winning with 480 points against the Intel's 479, a 0.2% margin. This is the closest result of the entire comparison. The single-core R15 test is a dead tie at 67 points each, with a 0% delta. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD chip leads multi-core with 2002 versus 1996, a 0.3% edge, and single-core with 282 versus 281, a 0.4% margin. The largest single-core win for AMD comes in R20, where the 1-point difference represents 0.4%. In Cinebench R23, the AMD part scores 4769 multi-core and 673 single-core, against 4754 and 671 for the Intel. Both R23 results show a 0.3% advantage for AMD.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this pattern. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U averages 1379 points, while the Intel Core i5-4690 averages 1375 points. The AMD's nearest rival list includes the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 and AMD Opteron 6366 HE, both at 1379 with 0% delta, and the Intel Core i7-3740QM at 1378 with 0.1% delta. The Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-1030NG7 at 1376 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i7-3740QM at 1378 (-0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 at 1379 (-0.3%). Both chips occupy the same performance neighborhood, with the AMD part sitting at the top of that cluster.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U outperforms the Intel Core i5-4690 in every benchmark recorded, but the margins are negligible. A 0.4% maximum delta in single-core R20 and 0.3% in multi-core R23 are within noise for most applications. The AMD chip wins on efficiency by a massive margin, with a 15-watt TDP versus 84 watts for the Intel part. It also offers modern features like DDR4 support, a smaller 14 nm process, and a vastly higher transistor count. The Intel part, despite being older and more power-hungry, matches the AMD chip's performance almost exactly thanks to its higher base and boost clocks.

For a mobile or power-constrained system, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U is the clear choice. It delivers comparable performance at a fraction of the power draw, and its active production status means it remains a viable option. For a desktop user with a Socket 1150 motherboard and DDR3 memory already in hand, the Intel Core i5-4690 offers essentially identical benchmark results, making it a reasonable drop-in upgrade. However, the data shows no scenario where the Intel chip wins a performance comparison. The verdict is simple: the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U is the faster processor, and the Intel Core i5-4690's only advantage is its higher clock speeds, which fail to translate into benchmark wins. Choose the AMD part for new builds, and the Intel part only if existing platform compatibility is a priority.