AMD Ryzen 5 3600X vs Intel Core i7-11700 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X and Intel Core i7-11700 occupy the same performance percentile (75th) in the database, yet their benchmark profiles are strikingly different. The Intel part wins 16 of the 19 head-to-head comparisons, but the AMD chip secures three decisive victories in specific workloads that reveal distinct architectural priorities. The data shows a clear split: Intel dominates in raw throughput and single-threaded tasks, while AMD counters in encryption, prime-number finding, and physics simulations.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-11700 establishes an early and consistent lead across the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel scores 1764 against AMD’s 1555, a margin of 11.8%. The single-core R15 result follows the same pattern: 248 vs 219, an 11.7% advantage. This gap remains almost perfectly stable across Cinebench generations. R20 multi-core shows Intel at 7351 versus 6480 (11.8% ahead), while R20 single-core is 1037 vs 914 (11.9%). R23 multi-core delivers 17504 vs 15430 (11.8%), and R23 single-core gives 2471 vs 2178 (11.9%). The consistency of these deltas suggests a fixed performance-per-clock advantage rather than workload-specific scaling.

Geekbench tells a similar story with a wider spread. Intel’s multi-core score of 9003 beats AMD’s 7785 by 13.5%. The single-core gap is even larger: 1895 vs 1568, a 17.3% difference. This indicates that Intel’s higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz, compared to AMD’s 4.40 GHz, translates directly into single-threaded superiority, while the additional 2 cores and 4 threads on Intel also contribute to multi-core gains.

PassMark results amplify Intel’s dominance in arithmetic-heavy workloads. Floating-point math shows Intel at 46369 versus AMD’s 29339, a massive 36.7% lead. Integer math is even more lopsided: 79687 vs 49934, a 37.3% gap. Extended instructions follow at 18323 vs 14773 (19.4% ahead), and random string sorting gives Intel a 19.3% edge (30147 vs 24343). Data compression favors Intel by 14.9% (263563 vs 224318), while multi-thread scoring shows a 12.2% advantage (20672 vs 18154).

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X counters with three notable wins. PassMark data encryption shows AMD at 14255 versus Intel’s 12704, a 12.2% advantage. The find-prime-numbers test is dramatically one-sided: AMD scores 110 while Intel manages only 55, a 100% delta. Physics simulation also favors AMD heavily, with a score of 1186 versus Intel’s 868, a 36.6% lead. These are not marginal victories; they represent fundamental differences in how each architecture handles specific instruction patterns.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-11700 is the clear choice for content creation and general productivity. Its wins in every Cinebench iteration, Geekbench test, and PassMark math workload indicate superior performance in rendering, video encoding, spreadsheet calculations, and code compilation. The 37.3% lead in integer math makes it particularly strong for database operations and financial modeling. The 36.7% floating-point advantage suggests excellent scientific computing capability. Data compression at 14.9% faster also benefits archiving and backup tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X wins in three specialized areas. Data encryption being 12.2% faster indicates better AES-NI throughput, which matters for VPNs, secure file storage, and network traffic encryption. The prime-number test result, where AMD doubles Intel’s score, points to superior handling of certain cryptographic key generation and primality-testing algorithms. Physics simulation, with a 36.6% lead, suggests AMD excels in lightweight particle or rigid-body calculations that may not scale well with extra cores. These wins are narrow in scope but could be decisive for users running security-focused workloads or specific simulation software.

For mixed-use scenarios, the benchmark data favors Intel by a wide margin. Out of 19 comparisons, Intel wins 16. The average benchmark score reflects this: Intel sits at 21891, just under AMD’s 21992, but this aggregate hides the distribution. AMD’s average is inflated by its outsized wins in the prime-number and physics tests, while Intel’s consistent moderate leads across many tests accumulate to a more broadly useful performance profile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD’s Ryzen 5 3600X uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. This enables a compact 74 mm² die with 3,800 million transistors. Intel’s Core i7-11700 uses Rocket Lake, built on Intel’s 14 nm process, resulting in a substantially larger 276 mm² die. The transistor count for Intel is not listed in the data, but the die size difference alone (272% larger) highlights the process node gap.

Cache configurations diverge significantly. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 cache per core, while Intel provides 80 KB per core. Both use 512 KB of L2 per core. The L3 cache is where AMD holds a clear advantage: 32 MB shared versus Intel’s 16 MB shared. This doubled L3 capacity helps AMD in the encryption and physics workloads where it wins, as larger caches reduce memory latency for repetitive data access patterns.

Core counts also differ: AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads, while Intel has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite this 33% core advantage for Intel, its multi-core wins are limited to 11.8-13.5% in Cinebench and Geekbench, suggesting that AMD’s Zen 2 cores are more efficient per clock. Intel compensates with a higher boost clock (4.90 GHz vs 4.40 GHz) and a lower base clock (2.50 GHz vs 3.80 GHz), indicating different power management strategies.

The process node difference is stark: 7 nm for AMD versus 14 nm for Intel. This explains AMD’s smaller die and lower transistor count while still achieving competitive performance. Intel’s integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750) are present, while AMD offers no integrated graphics. Both support PCIe Gen 4, but Intel specifies 20 lanes on the CPU, while AMD’s lane count is not listed.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 3600X | Intel Core i7-11700 |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 12 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 95 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 74 mm² | 276 mm² |

| Transistors | 3,800 million | Not listed |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB per core | 80 KB per core |

| L3 Cache | 32 MB shared | 16 MB shared |

| Integrated Graphics | None | UHD Graphics 750 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2019-07-06 | 2021-03-15 |

| Launch MSRP | $249 | $323 |

The TDP difference is notable: AMD draws 95 W while Intel is rated at 65 W. Despite this lower power envelope, Intel achieves higher clock speeds and better multi-core performance, indicating a more power-efficient design per core in Rocket Lake. However, AMD’s higher TDP allows its 6-core design to sustain a 3.80 GHz base clock, which may explain its wins in latency-sensitive workloads. The launch MSRP reflects a $74 difference, with AMD at $249 and Intel at $323, though pricing is not a focus of this analysis.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-11700 scores 2471 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X scores 2178. Intel leads by 11.9%.

Q: How much faster is Intel in floating-point math?

A: Intel scores 46369 in PassMark floating-point math versus AMD’s 29339, a lead of 36.7%. This is Intel’s largest margin in any head-to-head benchmark.

Q: What is the most significant AMD win?

A: AMD doubles Intel’s score in PassMark find-prime-numbers, 110 vs 55, a 100% delta. AMD also wins data encryption by 12.2% and physics by 36.6%.

Q: Do both processors support DDR4 memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 with dual-channel memory buses and identical memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: Which CPU has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X has 32 MB of shared L3 cache, double the Intel Core i7-11700’s 16 MB. This may contribute to AMD’s wins in encryption and physics workloads.

Q: What is the production status difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X is listed as Active, while the Intel Core i7-11700 is marked End-of-life. The Intel chip also has a later release date (2021-03-15 vs 2019-07-06).