AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 164U Comparison

Intel Core Ultra 7 164U and AMD Ryzen 5 3600 are two very different processors that happen to land at nearly the same overall performance tier. The Ultra 7 164U is a 12-core, 14-thread mobile Meteor Lake chip with a 9W TDP, while the Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop Zen 2 part with a 65W TDP. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical — 17074 for the Intel and 17035 for the AMD — placing both in the 71st percentile of all CPUs. The data shows a clear split: the Ryzen dominates in raw multi-threaded workloads, while the Intel wins in specific single-thread and math-heavy tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head data is the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, where the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 15045 against the Ultra 7 164U’s 8766. That is a 41.7% deficit for the Intel part. The gap is similarly large in Cinebench R20 multi-core, with the AMD winning 6318 to 4488 (29% ahead). Even in the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Ryzen leads 1516 to 1304, a 14% margin. These results indicate that the Ryzen’s higher power envelope and desktop-oriented design translate into substantially better sustained multi-threaded rendering performance.

Single-core results tell a more nuanced story. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel wins 225 to 214, a 5.1% advantage. However, in Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD wins 892 to 633 (29% ahead), and in Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD wins 2124 to 1590 (25.1% ahead). The inconsistency suggests that the Ryzen’s higher base clock (3.60 GHz vs 1.10 GHz) and boost clock (4.20 GHz vs 4.80 GHz) play different roles depending on the workload’s duration and thermal demands. The Intel’s higher boost clock does not always translate into wins.

In PassMark tests, the Intel wins floating point math 33581 to 28607, a 17.4% margin, and integer math 50387 to 48607, a 3.7% margin. The Intel also wins the PassMark single-thread test 2996 to 2562, a 16.9% lead. These are meaningful victories for the Intel in arithmetic-heavy tasks. However, the AMD dominates nearly every other PassMark category: data compression (219774 vs 137133, 37.6% ahead), data encryption (13953 vs 8838, 36.7% ahead), extended instructions (14442 vs 7918, 45.2% ahead), find prime numbers (108 vs 56, 48.1% ahead), multithread (17700 vs 13296, 24.9% ahead), physics (1152 vs 918, 20.3% ahead), and random string sorting (23707 vs 15131, 36.2% ahead).

Overall, the AMD wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel wins 5. The scoreboard is decisive, but the Intel’s wins are concentrated in single-thread and math workloads where its architecture appears to have an edge.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 5 3600 is the clear choice for multi-threaded productivity. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 versus 8766 is a 71.6% advantage, which is massive for rendering, video encoding, or compiling. The PassMark multithread score of 17700 versus 13296 further confirms this. Data compression and encryption are also heavily in the AMD’s favor, with 37.6% and 36.7% leads respectively. If the workload involves zip files, databases, or encrypted storage, the Ryzen is the better performer.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U wins in floating-point and integer math. A 17.4% lead in floating-point operations and a 3.7% lead in integer math suggest that scientific computing or financial modeling that relies on these operations could favor the Intel. The PassMark single-thread score of 2996 versus 2562 (16.9% ahead) also indicates that lightly-threaded applications, such as legacy software or certain games, might run better on the Intel. However, the Cinebench single-core results are mixed, so this is not a universal single-thread advantage.

The Intel also has integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG 64EU), while the Ryzen has none. This makes the Ultra 7 164U more suitable for a system without a discrete GPU, though the benchmark data does not include graphics scores. The Ryzen requires a separate graphics card, which is typical for desktop parts.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is significantly faster, scoring 15045 versus the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U’s 8766. This is a 41.7% difference in favor of the AMD.

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

A: Yes. The Intel wins 5 of the 17 head-to-head tests, including PassMark floating-point math (33581 vs 28607), integer math (50387 vs 48607), and PassMark single-thread (2996 vs 2562). It also wins Cinebench R15 single-core (225 vs 214).

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two CPUs?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U has a TDP of 9W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 has a TDP of 65W. This is a substantial difference that explains the Ryzen’s higher multi-core performance.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD wins most multi-threaded benchmarks due to higher clock speeds and a larger L3 cache.

Q: Do these CPUs support the same memory type?

A: No. The Intel supports DDR5 memory, while the AMD supports DDR4. The AMD also has a specified memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel’s bandwidth is not listed.

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel has an average benchmark score of 17074, and the AMD has 17035. The difference is 0.2%, making them effectively tied overall.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is market segment: the Intel is a mobile processor, and the AMD is a desktop processor. The Intel’s socket is Intel BGA 2551, while the AMD uses AMD Socket AM4. The Intel has 12 cores and 14 threads, versus the AMD’s 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are drastically different: the Intel runs at 1.10 GHz, and the AMD at 3.60 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with the Intel at 4.80 GHz and the AMD at 4.20 GHz.

The TDP is a major differentiator: 9W for the Intel versus 65W for the AMD. The Intel has a smaller L3 cache (12 MB shared) compared to the AMD’s 32 MB shared. The L1 cache is larger per core on the Intel (112 KB vs 64 KB), and the L2 cache is also larger per core (2 MB vs 512 KB). The Intel supports DDR5 memory, while the AMD supports DDR4. The Intel has integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG 64EU), while the AMD has none. The AMD has 16 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel has 8 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only). The AMD’s multiplier is unlocked, while the Intel’s is not.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on a 7 nm process by Intel. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Zen 2 architecture (codename Matisse), also on a 7 nm process but fabricated by TSMC. The AMD has 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, while the Intel’s transistor count and die size are not listed.

The cache hierarchies differ significantly. The Intel has 112 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, while the AMD has 64 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core. The shared L3 cache is 12 MB on the Intel and 32 MB on the AMD. This larger L3 cache likely contributes to the AMD’s advantage in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption. The Intel’s integrated graphics is a key architectural feature absent from the AMD. The release dates differ: the Intel launched on 2023-12-13, and the AMD launched on 2019-07-06.

The Verdict

The data strongly favors the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 for multi-threaded workloads. With a 41.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and a 24.9% lead in PassMark multithread, the Ryzen is the better choice for rendering, compiling, or any heavily threaded task. Its 65W TDP is high, but that is the cost of desktop-class performance. The Ryzen also wins in data compression and encryption, making it more versatile for general productivity.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is the better pick for single-thread and math-heavy tasks. Its PassMark single-thread score is 16.9% higher, and it wins floating-point math by 17.4%. The 9W TDP is a massive advantage for mobile use, and the integrated graphics eliminate the need for a discrete GPU. However, the Cinebench single-core results are mixed, with the Intel winning R15 but losing R20 and R23 by large margins.

The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical (17074 vs 17035), but that is misleading. The Ryzen wins 12 of 17 head-to-head tests, and its wins are often by large margins. The Intel’s 5 wins are narrower overall. For a desktop user who prioritizes performance, the Ryzen 5 3600 is the clear choice. For a mobile user who needs low power and integrated graphics, the Ultra 7 164U is the only sensible option between these two. The verdict depends entirely on the use case, but the benchmark data shows that the Ryzen is the stronger performer in most scenarios.