AMD Ryzen 5 220 vs Intel Core i7-11700 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data paints a clear picture: Intel's Core i7-11700 wins 14 of the 19 recorded comparisons, while AMD's Ryzen 5 220 takes 5. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story.

Intel's most decisive victories come in raw compute workloads. In PassMark integer math, the i7-11700 scores 79,687 against the Ryzen 5 220's 57,987, a 27.2% advantage. Floating point math shows a similar gap: 46,369 versus 35,500, a 23.4% lead. These are the kinds of workloads where the Intel chip's two extra cores and four extra threads (8 cores/16 threads versus 6 cores/12 threads) pay dividends.

The Cinebench suite is uniformly in Intel's favor, with every test landing at approximately an 11.5% deficit for the AMD part. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 17,504 for Intel against 15,502 for AMD, while single-core R23 shows 2,471 versus 2,188. The consistency of the delta across R15, R20, and R23 versions (ranging from 11.3% to 11.5%) suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Geekbench multi-core follows the same pattern: Intel scores 9,003, AMD scores 7,974, an 11.4% gap. Data compression is another strong Intel showing, with 263,563 versus 212,739, a 19.3% lead. Random string sorting favors Intel by 15.6%, and extended instructions by 15.3%.

AMD's wins are concentrated in single-threaded and specialized tests. The PassMark single-thread score is 3,646 for AMD versus 3,263 for Intel, an 11.7% advantage. Geekbench single-core also goes AMD's way: 2,027 versus 1,895, a 7% lead. These results indicate that the Zen 4 architecture in the Ryzen 5 220 delivers higher per-core efficiency, even though it trails in multi-threaded throughput.

Two other AMD victories stand out. PassMark find prime numbers shows AMD at 65 versus Intel at 55, an 18.2% margin. Physics simulation also favors AMD: 983 versus 868, a 13.2% lead. Data encryption is nearly a tie, with Intel ahead by just 1.7% (12,704 versus 12,493).

The overall average benchmark score in the database lists the Ryzen 5 220 at 22,289 and the i7-11700 at 21,891. The Ryzen's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-10700K (0.3% behind), Intel Core i5-13500H (0.8% ahead), and Intel Core i7-1270P (0.9% ahead). The Intel chip's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9554P and EPYC 9534 at a 0% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U at 0.1% ahead.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-11700 wins 14 of the 19 recorded comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 wins 5.

Q: Where does the AMD Ryzen 5 220 outperform the Intel Core i7-11700?

A: AMD leads in PassMark single-thread (3,646 versus 3,263, an 11.7% advantage), Geekbench single-core (2,027 versus 1,895, a 7% lead), PassMark find prime numbers (65 versus 55, an 18.2% margin), and PassMark physics (983 versus 868, a 13.2% advantage).

Q: How large is Intel's multi-threaded advantage?

A: Across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, Intel leads by 11.3% to 11.5%. Geekbench multi-core shows an 11.4% gap. PassMark multithread shows Intel ahead by 10.1%.

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

A: Intel's largest win is in PassMark integer math, where it scores 79,687 against AMD's 57,987, a 27.2% difference. AMD's largest win is in PassMark find prime numbers, an 18.2% margin.

Q: How do the two processors compare in overall average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 220 has an average benchmark score of 22,289, while the Intel Core i7-11700 scores 21,891. Both sit at the 75th percentile against all CPUs in the database.

Q: Are there any near-tie results?

A: PassMark data encryption is nearly even: Intel scores 12,704 versus AMD's 12,493, a 1.7% difference.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear division of roles. For users whose workloads are heavily multi-threaded, the Intel Core i7-11700 is the stronger choice. Its 27.2% lead in integer math, 23.4% lead in floating point math, and consistent 11.5% lead across Cinebench multi-core tests make it the better engine for rendering, compilation, and data processing. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration simply outmuscles the 6-core, 12-thread AMD part in parallel throughput.

However, for single-threaded responsiveness and efficiency, the AMD Ryzen 5 220 is demonstrably superior. The 11.7% PassMark single-thread advantage and 7% Geekbench single-core lead indicate that everyday tasks, lightly threaded applications, and per-core performance lean AMD's way. The two specialized wins in prime number finding and physics simulation also suggest AMD's architecture handles certain algorithmic patterns more efficiently.

The Intel chip is marked as End-of-life in the database, while the AMD part is listed as Active production. The Ryzen 5 220 is a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP8, while the i7-11700 is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1200. These are different platforms serving different system types, so the choice is often dictated by form factor rather than raw performance.

Both processors occupy the same 75th percentile in the database's overall rankings. The AMD part's average score of 22,289 edges out Intel's 21,891, but the head-to-head results show Intel winning the majority of specific tests. Users who need maximum multi-core throughput should select the Intel Core i7-11700. Users who prioritize single-thread performance, lower power draw, or a mobile form factor should select the AMD Ryzen 5 220.

Specification Differences

The two chips differ in almost every fundamental specification. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 uses 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i7-11700 uses 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 3.20 GHz for AMD and 2.50 GHz for Intel, though both boost to 4.90 GHz.

Thermal design power differs substantially: the AMD part is rated at 28 watts, the Intel part at 65 watts. This reflects their different market segments, with AMD targeting mobile and Intel targeting desktop systems.

Memory support is split by generation. The Ryzen 5 220 supports DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The i7-11700 supports DDR4 with dual-channel configuration and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs: AMD offers Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses Radeon 740M, Intel uses UHD Graphics 750.

The AMD processor is on AMD Socket FP8, while Intel uses Socket 1200. The Ryzen 5 220 is a mobile part, while the i7-11700 is a desktop part. Intel's launch MSRP was $323, which is recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is significant. AMD's Ryzen 5 220 is built on Zen 4 architecture with the codename Hawk Point, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. Intel's Core i7-11700 uses Rocket Lake architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is a major factor in the AMD chip's lower 28-watt TDP.

Transistor counts and die sizes tell a striking story. AMD packs 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die. Intel's die is listed at 276 mm² with no transistor count recorded in the database. The density advantage of TSMC's 4 nm node is evident.

Cache layouts differ between the two. AMD allocates 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel uses 80 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Total L3 is identical at 16 MB, but the L2 distribution differs substantially: AMD's larger per-core L2 (1 MB versus 512 KB) aligns with its single-thread performance advantage.

Both processors have locked multipliers, so neither offers unlocked overclocking. AMD's part number is 100-000001611, while Intel's is SRKNS. The Ryzen 5 220 was released in January 2025, while the i7-11700 was released in March 2021. Intel's production status is End-of-life, while AMD's is Active.

The architecture differences explain the benchmark pattern: Intel's older, larger process node plus more cores delivers multi-threaded wins, while AMD's newer, denser process node plus larger per-core L2 delivers single-thread efficiency. These are complementary strengths rather than a clear overall winner.