AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT vs Intel Core i7-8700 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep in the head-to-head comparisons, with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT winning all 19 benchmark tests. The margins vary significantly by workload, and the pattern of deltas reveals where each processor's strengths and weaknesses lie.

The largest gap comes in encryption and prime-number workloads. In `passmark_data_encryption`, the Ryzen 5 3600XT scores 14,608 against 4,488 for the Core i7-8700, a 69.3% advantage. Similarly, `passmark_find_prime_numbers` shows a 69% difference, with scores of 113 versus 35. These are substantial, workload-specific wins that point to the AMD part handling integer-heavy, algorithmically intensive tasks with far greater efficiency.

The Cinebench suite tells a consistent story. Across R15, R20, and R23, the multi-core deltas all sit at exactly 31.4% in favor of the AMD chip. Single-core deltas in Cinebench R15 are 31.7%, while R20 and R23 single-core tests show 31.4% gaps. The Ryzen 5 3600XT posts 1,590 in Cinebench R15 multicore versus 1,091, 6,625 versus 4,548 in R20, and 15,776 versus 10,829 in R23. In single-core, the scores are 224 versus 153, 935 versus 641, and 2,227 versus 1,528 respectively. These are not marginal improvements; they represent a roughly one-third performance uplift across rendering workloads.

Geekbench results show a narrower but still decisive gap. Multi-core scores are 7,973 for the AMD processor against 6,519, a delta of 18.2%. Single-core Geekbench shows 1,667 versus 1,538, a 7.7% edge. The smaller single-core delta is notable, suggesting that in lighter, less parallel workloads, the architectural gap between the two narrows considerably.

PassMark tests split into two tiers of results. The multithreaded score shows 18,562 versus 12,756, a 31.3% delta that mirrors the Cinebench multicore results. Physics simulation also favors AMD heavily at 1,210 versus 732, a 39.5% gap. Floating-point math and integer math show more modest deltas of 7.7% and 12.7% respectively, with scores of 30,149 versus 27,839 and 51,416 versus 44,881. Extended instructions come in at 14,585 versus 12,432, a 14.8% difference.

Some of the closest results are in single-threaded PassMark tests and random string sorting. The `passmark_single_thread` score shows 2,752 versus 2,629, a delta of only 4.5%. Random string sorting is similarly tight at 24,960 versus 23,963, a 4% gap. Data compression shows an 18.9% delta, with 230,645 versus 187,009. These mixed results indicate that while the AMD processor wins everywhere, its advantage shrinks in workloads that depend heavily on single-core latency rather than throughput.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share a core and thread count, both offering 6 cores and 12 threads. From there, the underlying designs diverge sharply. The Intel Core i7-8700 uses Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT uses Zen 2 architecture, specifically the Matisse 2 codename, built on a 7 nm process node by TSMC. The process shrink is one of the clearest differentiators, and it shows in the transistor density. The AMD chip packs 3,800 million transistors into a 74 mm² die, while the Intel die is 154 mm² with no transistor count recorded in the database.

Cache configurations also differ meaningfully. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache is 256 KB per core on the Intel part versus 512 KB per core on the AMD part. L3 cache is a larger difference: 12 MB shared on the Core i7-8700 versus 32 MB shared on the Ryzen 5 3600XT. That 20 MB difference in shared cache can matter in workloads that repeatedly access large datasets.

Clock speeds are close but not identical. The Intel part has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The AMD part starts higher at 3.80 GHz base but boosts slightly lower at 4.50 GHz. The TDP differs as well: 65 watts for the Intel processor versus 95 watts for the AMD processor. The Ryzen 5 3600XT also supports PCIe Gen 4, while the Core i7-8700 is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD side at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s, though both use DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

The integrated graphics situation is a major divergence. The Intel Core i7-8700 includes UHD Graphics 630, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has no integrated graphics at all. A system built around the AMD chip requires a discrete GPU. The Intel chip also has a locked multiplier, while the AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking. The Ryzen 5 3600XT is still in active production; the Core i7-8700 is end-of-life.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT scores 15,776 versus 10,829 for the Intel Core i7-8700, a 31.4% advantage.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-8700 better in any benchmark?

A: No. In the head-to-head data, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT wins all 19 recorded tests, with no wins recorded for the Intel part.

Q: How close are the two processors in single-threaded performance?

A: The smallest gaps appear in single-threaded tests. PassMark single-thread shows 2,752 versus 2,629, a 4.5% delta. Geekbench single-core shows 1,667 versus 1,538, a 7.7% delta.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 6 cores and 12 threads. The differences lie in architecture, cache size, process node, clock speeds, and power consumption.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT have integrated graphics?

A: No. The database lists no integrated graphics for the AMD part. The Intel Core i7-8700 includes UHD Graphics 630.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, while the Intel Core i7-8700 has 42.7 GB/s. Both use dual-channel DDR4.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a straightforward conclusion: the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT outperforms the Intel Core i7-8700 across every recorded test. The deltas range from a modest 4% in random string sorting to a dominant 69.3% in data encryption. The consistent 31.4% advantage across all three Cinebench versions indicates a structural performance edge rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The Intel part does retain some practical advantages. It includes integrated graphics, which the AMD chip lacks entirely. It also has a lower 65 watt TDP versus 95 watts, and it boosts to 4.60 GHz versus 4.50 GHz. Those factors do not translate into benchmark wins in the recorded data, but they matter for system builders who need a fallback display output or who have strict power limits.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT offers an unlocked multiplier, PCIe Gen 4 support, more L2 and L3 cache, and a smaller, denser 7 nm process node. Its production status is active, whereas the Intel part is end-of-life. For anyone choosing between these two based purely on measured performance, the data favors the AMD processor in every category.

Specification Differences

• Manufacturer: Intel versus AMD
• Base clock: 3.20 GHz versus 3.80 GHz
• Boost clock: 4.60 GHz versus 4.50 GHz
• TDP: 65 watts versus 95 watts
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket AM4
• Architecture: Coffee Lake versus Zen 2
• Codename: Coffee Lake versus Matisse 2
• Process node: 14 nm versus 7 nm
• Foundry: Intel versus TSMC
• Transistors: not recorded versus 3,800 million
• Die size: 154 mm² versus 74 mm²
• L2 cache: 256 KB per core versus 512 KB per core
• L3 cache: 12 MB shared versus 32 MB shared
• Memory bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) versus Gen 4
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 630 versus none
• Production status: End-of-life versus Active
• Release date: 2017-10-04 versus 2019-07-06
• Multiplier unlocked: false versus true
• Part number: SR3QS versus 100-100000281

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, but the magnitude of the win varies by workload type. The largest advantages, above 60%, come in `passmark_data_encryption` and `passmark_find_prime_numbers`. These are compute-heavy, algorithm-driven tasks where the Zen 2 architecture's larger cache and denser process node deliver outsized returns. Rendering workloads also favor the AMD part strongly, with a consistent 31.4% advantage across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests.

The Intel Core i7-8700 has no benchmark wins in the recorded data. Its value rests in features outside the benchmark suite. The integrated UHD Graphics 630 means a system can operate without a discrete GPU, which is not possible with the AMD chip. The lower 65 watt TDP makes it a fit for power-constrained builds. Its higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz, while not translating into a single-threaded benchmark win, keeps the gap in single-core PassMark tests to just 4.5%, the closest margin in the entire dataset.

For workloads that stress integer math, encryption, prime-number generation, or multi-threaded rendering, the Ryzen 5 3600XT is the clear choice based on the recorded scores. For builds that require integrated graphics, lower power draw, or an active production socket with PCIe Gen 3 only, the Core i7-8700 remains a viable option despite its benchmark deficit. The data does not show any scenario where the Intel processor takes a performance win, but its feature set covers use cases that benchmarks do not measure.