AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U vs Intel Core i5-1038NG7 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U and the Intel Core i5-1038NG7 are both four-core, eight-thread mobile processors from the same 2020 era, yet benchmark results show they excel in completely different workloads. The AMD part dominates the Cinebench suite, while the Intel part holds a decisive edge in Geekbench tests. With an average benchmark score of 2413 for the AMD and 2398 for the Intel, the overall performance delta is razor-thin, but the distribution of wins reveals distinct architectural strengths.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U’s sweep of the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD scores 829 against the Intel’s 750, a 10.5% advantage. That margin holds steady across every Cinebench iteration: R20 multicore shows 3456 vs 3125 (10.6% delta), and R23 multicore shows 8230 vs 7441 (10.6% delta). Single-core Cinebench results mirror this trend, with the AMD winning R15 single-core 116 vs 105 (10.5%), R20 single-core 487 vs 441 (10.4%), and R23 single-core 1161 vs 1050 (10.6%). The consistency of these deltas—hovering around 10.4% to 10.6%—suggests a systematic advantage in the AMD’s rendering and simulation workloads, likely tied to its Zen 2 architecture.

The Intel Core i5-1038NG7, however, turns the tables decisively in Geekbench. In Geekbench multicore, the Intel scores 4919 against the AMD’s 3840, a substantial 21.9% lead. The single-core Geekbench result is similarly lopsided: 1354 for Intel vs 1181 for AMD, a 12.8% delta. This is a dramatic reversal from the Cinebench results, indicating that Geekbench’s workload mix favors the Intel’s Sunny Cove cores, which feature higher per-core IPC for certain integer and floating-point operations.

The wins tally is 6 for AMD and 2 for Intel, but the magnitude matters more than the count. The AMD’s largest win is 10.6%, while the Intel’s largest win is 21.9%. This means that in absolute terms, the Intel pulls ahead by a wider margin in its strongest tests than the AMD does in its strongest tests. However, the AMD’s wins are more numerous and consistent across the Cinebench family, which is often used for productivity and 3D rendering benchmarks.

The Verdict

From the data, the choice hinges entirely on the target workload. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U is the clear winner for any application built around Cinebench-style rendering or multi-threaded CPU stress tests. Its 10.6% lead in Cinebench R20 multicore (3456 vs 3125) and 10.6% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore (8230 vs 7441) make it the superior option for content creation tasks that leverage those specific instruction patterns. The data also shows the AMD wins all three single-core Cinebench tests, meaning its Zen 2 cores are no slouch in lightly threaded rendering either.

The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 is the better choice for Geekbench-focused workloads. Its 21.9% multicore advantage (4919 vs 3840) and 12.8% single-core advantage (1354 vs 1181) are substantial. If the software in question is primarily measured by Geekbench scores—common in general system evaluations and some scientific computing—the Intel part offers significantly better raw performance in those specific tests. The Intel also carries a launch MSRP of $320, which is the only price information available.

Both processors sit at the 48th percentile against all CPUs, meaning they are statistically average performers overall. The AMD’s average benchmark score of 2413 places it 0.2% above the Intel Xeon E5-2630L v3, while the Intel’s 2398 score places it 0.5% below that same Xeon. The AMD is 0.5% below the AMD Ryzen 5 4680U, and the Intel is 0.9% below the Intel Core i7-9850HE. These nearest rival comparisons show that neither chip is a standout in its overall class, but each has specific strengths within its benchmark profile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It contains 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 uses the Ice Lake architecture, codenamed Ice Lake-U, based on Sunny Cove cores, manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel. Its die size is 123 mm², and transistor count is not listed.

Cache configurations differ notably. The AMD has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel has 80 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel’s larger L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB) may contribute to its Geekbench performance, while the AMD’s larger L2 (512 KB vs 256 KB per core) could help in Cinebench’s more predictable memory access patterns.

Memory bandwidth is another differentiator. The AMD supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and achieves 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel also supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus, but its bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s. The AMD’s 33% higher memory bandwidth is a likely factor in its Cinebench dominance, as rendering workloads are often memory-bandwidth sensitive. Both support PCIe Gen 3, and neither supports ECC memory. The AMD’s TDP is 15 watts, while the Intel’s is 28 watts, though no performance-per-watt conclusions should be drawn from this data alone. The AMD uses AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel uses Intel BGA 1344. Integrated graphics differ: the AMD has Radeon Graphics 320SP, while the Intel has Iris Plus.

Both processors have four cores and eight threads, with the AMD’s base clock at 2.40 GHz and boost at 3.70 GHz, while the Intel’s base clock is 2000.00 MHz and boost at 3.80 GHz. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD is listed as Active in production, while the Intel is End-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests overall?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U wins 6 out of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i5-1038NG7 wins 2.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 leads by 21.9% in Geekbench multicore (4919 vs 3840). The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U leads by 10.6% in Cinebench R20 multicore, Cinebench R23 multicore, and Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-core Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD wins with a score of 1161 versus the Intel’s 1050, a 10.6% advantage.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U has an average benchmark score of 2413, while the Intel Core i5-1038NG7 has an average of 2398.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U’s 3.70 GHz.

Q: Are both processors in the same market segment?

A: Yes, both are listed as Mobile processors, and both have four cores and eight threads.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U wins in every Cinebench test, including R15, R20, and R23, in both multicore and single-core variants. This makes it the preferred choice for rendering applications that use Cinebench’s rendering engine, such as 3D animation or architectural visualization. The AMD also wins in cases where memory bandwidth is critical, given its 68.3 GB/s versus the Intel’s 51.2 GB/s. Its lower 15-watt TDP suggests it may be more suitable for passively cooled or ultra-thin designs, though no thermal performance data is provided.

The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 wins in Geekbench multicore and single-core tests. This indicates a strong showing in general-purpose computing tasks that Geekbench measures, such as encryption, compression, and image processing. The Intel’s 6 MB of L3 cache, compared to the AMD’s 4 MB, may aid in workloads with large working sets that fit in cache. The Intel also has a higher boost clock at 3.80 GHz versus the AMD’s 3.70 GHz, which could benefit short, bursty single-threaded tasks.

In summary, choose the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U for Cinebench-style rendering workloads and memory-bandwidth-intensive tasks. Choose the Intel Core i5-1038NG7 for Geekbench-style general computing and applications that favor its larger L3 cache. The data does not support a universal winner, but rather a clear workload-dependent split.