AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G vs Intel Core Ultra 7 164U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U represent two fundamentally different philosophies in processor design: a desktop-focused, high-frequency 4-core part versus a mobile-oriented, efficiency-first 12-core hybrid. Despite their contrasting architectures, both land at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 17278 and 17074 respectively. The data shows a near-total split in workload dominance, with AMD winning 10 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks and Intel taking 7, but the margins in each direction tell a more nuanced story about where each processor belongs.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G is the clear choice for sustained multi-threaded productivity and single-thread responsiveness. Its wins in Cinebench R20 multi-core (5190 vs 4488) and R23 multi-core (12359 vs 8766) are substantial, with the latter showing a 41% advantage. This desktop part also dominates memory-sensitive and compression-heavy workloads, taking PassMark data compression (150567 vs 137133) and random string sorting (19703 vs 15131) by 9.8% and 30.2% respectively. For users running render farms, code compilation, or database workloads that scale with cache and bandwidth, the AMD part’s 8 MB shared L3 and 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth provide the foundation for these wins.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U, conversely, excels in raw computational throughput per thread in specific math workloads and in legacy single-core tests. It wins PassMark integer math (50387 vs 37292) by 26% and floating-point math (33581 vs 23374) by 30.4%, indicating a stronger ALU/FPU pipeline for number-crunching tasks that don’t rely on cache hierarchy. It also takes the older Cinebench R15 tests, both multi-core (1304 vs 1245) and single-core (225 vs 175), where its hybrid architecture with higher per-core L1/L2 caches (112 KB and 2 MB per core vs 64 KB and 1 MB) pays off. The Intel part’s wins in PassMark physics (918 vs 772) and find prime numbers (56 vs 47) suggest it handles branch-heavy, recursive algorithms more efficiently, making it suitable for scientific simulations and cryptography workloads where data encryption (8838 vs 8607) also favors Intel.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on opposing design nodes and philosophies. AMD uses a 4 nm TSMC process with a monolithic Zen 4 design codenamed Phoenix2, packing 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die. Intel counters with a 7 nm Intel process using the Meteor Lake architecture, which employs a hybrid core layout across a chiplet-based design. The core counts diverge sharply: AMD offers 4 cores and 8 threads, while Intel provides 12 cores and 14 threads, the latter using a mix of performance and efficiency cores to balance power and throughput.

Cache configurations reflect these different strategies. AMD allocates 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with a shared 8 MB L3. Intel provides larger per-core caches at 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core, plus a 12 MB shared L3. This explains Intel’s advantage in integer and floating-point math, where larger private caches reduce latency for repetitive operations. The TDP envelope is a stark differentiator: AMD’s 65 W versus Intel’s 9 W. This 56 W gap underscores the mobile-first design of the Intel part, which uses a BGA 2551 socket and targets ultra-thin laptops, while AMD’s AM5 socket serves desktop systems with active cooling.

Memory and expansion also differ. AMD supports DDR5 with dual-channel 83.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC memory, making it suitable for error-sensitive workstation tasks. Intel’s DDR5 support is listed as “depends on motherboard,” with no bandwidth figure provided, and it lacks ECC support. PCIe lane allocation favors AMD at 14 Gen 4 lanes versus Intel’s 8 Gen 4 lanes, giving the desktop part more headroom for discrete GPUs and NVMe drives. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD uses Radeon 740M, while Intel features Arc Xe-LPG 64EU, though no benchmark scores are available for either iGPU in this data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive AMD victory comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the 8300G scores 12359 against the 164U’s 8766, a 41% delta. This is not a marginal win but a generational gap in sustained multi-threaded rendering. The R20 multi-core test shows a similar pattern (5190 vs 4488, 15.6% delta), while R20 single-core also favors AMD by 15.6% (732 vs 633). Even in R23 single-core, AMD leads by 9.7% (1744 vs 1590), confirming that its 4.90 GHz boost clock outpaces Intel’s 4.80 GHz in lightly-threaded scenarios.

PassMark extended instructions is another AMD blowout at 44.6% (11451 vs 7918), indicating a significant advantage in SIMD-heavy workloads like video encoding or scientific computing. The single-thread PassMark test shows AMD ahead by 18.5% (3550 vs 2996), which aligns with its higher base clock of 3.40 GHz versus Intel’s 1100.00 MHz (though the latter’s boost mitigates this in short bursts). Random string sorting favors AMD by 30.2%, suggesting better memory latency handling for pointer-chasing workloads.

Intel’s wins are concentrated in math throughput and legacy tests. The floating-point math delta of -30.4% (33581 vs 23374) is the largest Intel advantage, followed by integer math at -26% (50387 vs 37292). These results indicate that Intel’s 12-core hybrid design, even at a 9 W TDP, can out-muscle AMD’s 4-core part in pure arithmetic. The R15 tests show Intel ahead by 4.5% in multi-core (1304 vs 1245) and 22.2% in single-core (225 vs 175), a surprising reversal from R20/R23 that may reflect the test’s shorter duration favoring Intel’s boost behavior. PassMark physics (-15.9%), find prime numbers (-16.1%), and data encryption (-2.6%) round out Intel’s wins, with the multithread test being a near-tie at 13368 vs 13296 (0.5% delta for AMD).

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ by 8 cores and 6 threads, with Intel offering 12/14 versus AMD’s 4/8. Base clocks are dramatically different: AMD runs at 3.40 GHz, while Intel sits at 1100.00 MHz, though boost clocks are close at 4.90 GHz versus 4.80 GHz. TDP is the largest gap: 65 W for AMD versus 9 W for Intel. Socket types are incompatible: AMD Socket AM5 versus Intel BGA 2551. The process node differs (4 nm TSMC vs 7 nm Intel), and AMD’s die is 137 mm² with 20,900 million transistors, while Intel’s die size and transistor count are not listed.

Cache hierarchy differs in both per-core and shared amounts: AMD’s L1 is 64 KB per core, L2 is 1 MB per core, and L3 is 8 MB shared; Intel’s L1 is 112 KB per core, L2 is 2 MB per core, and L3 is 12 MB shared. Memory bandwidth is only listed for AMD at 83.2 GB/s; Intel’s is null. ECC support is present on AMD but absent on Intel. PCIe lanes favor AMD at 14 Gen 4 versus Intel’s 8 Gen 4. Integrated graphics are Radeon 740M for AMD and Arc Xe-LPG 64EU for Intel. Release dates differ: AMD launched on 2024-04-15, while Intel debuted on 2023-12-13. The Intel part carries a launch MSRP of $448; AMD’s launch MSRP is not provided. Market segments are Desktop for AMD and Mobile for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G scores 12359, which is 41% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U’s 8766.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U win any math-related benchmarks?

A: Yes. Intel wins PassMark integer math (50387 vs 37292), floating-point math (33581 vs 23374), and find prime numbers (56 vs 47).

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two chips?

A: The AMD part has a 65 W TDP, while the Intel part is rated at 9 W, a 56 W difference that reflects Intel’s mobile orientation.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G supports ECC memory; the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U does not.

Q: How do the two compare in single-threaded performance?

A: AMD leads in PassMark single-thread (3550 vs 2996, 18.5% delta) and Cinebench R23 single-core (1744 vs 1590, 9.7% delta), but Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core (225 vs 175, 22.2% delta).

Q: What is the market segment for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G is a Desktop part, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is a Mobile part, which explains their different sockets and TDPs.