AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE vs Intel Core i7-6900K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE across every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. The Intel Core i7-6900K does not secure a single win in any of the six recorded tests. The AMD part leads by a consistent margin of roughly 7.9% to 8.3% depending on the workload, which suggests a uniform performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE scores 1361 against the Intel Core i7-6900K's 1254, a delta of -7.9% from Intel's perspective. The single-core R15 test tells a similar story: AMD leads 192 to 176, a delta of -8.3%. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD part scores 5672 multicore and 800 single-core, while the Intel part scores 5226 multicore and 737 single-core. Both deltas sit at -7.9%. In Cinebench R23, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE reaches 13505 multicore and 1906 single-core, compared to 12444 and 1756 for the Intel Core i7-6900K. Again, the delta is -7.9%.

The consistency of the margin is notable. Across five of the six tests, the delta sits at exactly -7.9%, with only the R15 single-core test showing a slightly larger gap at -8.3%. This uniformity indicates that the AMD processor's advantage is not tied to a specific rendering workload or thread count, but rather reflects a broad architectural efficiency lead. The Intel part, despite having more cores, cannot overcome the per-thread and per-clock efficiency deficit.

The average benchmark score in the database further contextualizes the gap. The Intel Core i7-6900K averages 3970 across all recorded benchmarks, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE averages 3906. The Intel part's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U, scores 3971 with a delta of 0%, placing the i7-6900K in a statistical tie with that chip. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS at 3924, a delta of -0.5%. The percentile rankings are close as well: the Intel part sits at the 57th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD part sits at the 56th percentile. So while the head-to-head benchmarks clearly favor AMD, the broader database rankings place both processors in a similar tier of overall performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages and manufacturing approaches. The Intel Core i7-6900K is built on the Broadwell architecture, specifically the Broadwell-E generation, using a 14 nm process node from Intel's own foundry. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE is built on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, using a 7 nm process node fabricated by TSMC. The transistor counts differ substantially: the Intel chip packs 3,400 million transistors on a 246 mm² die, while the AMD chip integrates 9,800 million transistors on a smaller 156 mm² die.

Core and thread configurations favor Intel on raw counts. The Intel Core i7-6900K offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE offers 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having two fewer cores and four fewer threads, the AMD part wins every multicore benchmark in the head-to-head set. This points to a significant per-core performance advantage for Zen 2. Clock speeds also differ: the Intel part has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, while the AMD part has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The AMD chip both starts higher and boosts higher.

Cache layouts diverge as well. Both chips use 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache differs: Intel allocates 256 KB per core, while AMD allocates 512 KB per core. The L3 cache tells a different story. The Intel Core i7-6900K has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has only 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger L3 cache on the Intel part does not translate into a benchmark advantage in the recorded data.

Memory support shows another split. Both support DDR4 memory, but the Intel part uses a quad-channel memory bus with a theoretical bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the AMD part uses a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Intel part provides Gen 3 with 40 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part lists Gen 3 without a specific lane count. The Intel part has no integrated graphics, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE includes a Radeon Vega 7 integrated GPU. The sockets are incompatible: the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 2011-3, and the AMD chip uses AMD Socket AM4. Both processors have an unlocked multiplier. The Intel part is listed as end-of-life, while the AMD part remains active in production. The Intel part launched in May 2016, while the AMD part launched in July 2020.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE wins every recorded benchmark in this comparison. That includes multicore and single-core tests across three generations of Cinebench. If the task is rendering, compilation, or any heavily threaded workload captured by Cinebench multicore tests, the AMD part holds a 7.9% advantage. If the task is single-threaded responsiveness, the AMD part holds a 7.9% to 8.3% advantage depending on the Cinebench version.

The Intel Core i7-6900K does not win a single recorded benchmark in the head-to-head set. However, the broader database context shows that the two chips sit at nearly the same average benchmark score: 3970 for Intel versus 3906 for AMD. The Intel part also sits at the 57th percentile versus the 56th percentile for AMD, a difference of one percentile point. So while the direct comparison favors AMD in every test, the overall performance tier is close.

The AMD part also brings an integrated GPU, which the Intel part lacks entirely. For systems that need a display output without a discrete graphics card, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has the Radeon Vega 7 integrated graphics. The Intel Core i7-6900K has no integrated graphics, meaning a discrete GPU is mandatory. The power envelope also favors AMD: the Ryzen 5 4600GE is rated at 35 W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-6900K is rated at 140 W TDP. The Intel part consumes four times the thermal budget in the specifications, and still loses every benchmark.

For users with existing Intel Socket 2011-3 platforms, the Intel Core i7-6900K offers an upgrade path within that socket, and its quad-channel memory bus and 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes provide platform-level advantages that the benchmark scores do not directly capture. The larger 20 MB L3 cache may also benefit certain workloads not represented in the recorded benchmark set. But within the measured data, there is no test where the Intel part comes out ahead.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner in direct performance: the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE. It beats the Intel Core i7-6900K in all six head-to-head benchmarks, with deltas ranging from -7.9% to -8.3% from Intel's perspective. It does so with fewer cores, fewer threads, a smaller L3 cache, a narrower memory bus, and a dramatically lower TDP of 35 W versus 140 W. The architectural efficiency of Zen 2 on a 7 nm process overcomes the Intel part's advantages in core count, cache size, and memory bandwidth.

The Intel Core i7-6900K should only be considered by users who are already invested in the Intel Socket 2011-3 platform and specifically need its platform features: quad-channel DDR4 memory, 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, and the larger 20 MB L3 cache. The database does not record benchmark wins for the Intel part in any of the measured tests, so the decision rests on platform compatibility and unmeasured workloads. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE is the better choice for raw performance per the recorded data, and it also includes integrated graphics, which the Intel part lacks.

The average benchmark scores in the database tell a slightly more nuanced story. The Intel part's average of 3970 is marginally higher than the AMD part's 3906, and the Intel part's nearest rival scores are all within 0.3% of its average. The AMD part's nearest rivals are within 1.1% of its average. The percentile ranks are similarly close: 57th for Intel, 56th for AMD. So while the head-to-head tests show a consistent AMD advantage, the broader database places both processors in the same performance neighborhood. The direct comparison, however, is unambiguous.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmarks in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-6900K wins none.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE leads by 8.3%. All other tests show a 7.9% gap.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-6900K has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-6900K have integrated graphics?

A: No, the Intel Core i7-6900K has no integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE includes a Radeon Vega 7 integrated GPU.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-6900K has a TDP of 140 W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has a TDP of 35 W.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare in the database?

A: The Intel Core i7-6900K has an average benchmark score of 3970, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has an average of 3906.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the Intel Core i7-6900K and the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE:

• Cores: Intel 8, AMD 6
• Threads: Intel 16, AMD 12
• Base clock: Intel 3.20 GHz, AMD 3.30 GHz
• Boost clock: Intel 3.70 GHz, AMD 4.20 GHz
• TDP: Intel 140 W, AMD 35 W
• Socket: Intel Socket 2011-3, AMD Socket AM4
• Architecture: Intel Broadwell, AMD Zen 2
• Codename: Intel Broadwell-E, AMD Renoir
• Process node: Intel 14 nm, AMD 7 nm
• Foundry: Intel, TSMC
• Transistors: Intel 3,400 million, AMD 9,800 million
• Die size: Intel 246 mm², AMD 156 mm²
• L2 cache: Intel 256 KB per core, AMD 512 KB per core
• L3 cache: Intel 20 MB shared, AMD 8 MB shared
• Memory bus: Intel quad-channel, AMD dual-channel
• Memory bandwidth: Intel 76.8 GB/s, AMD 51.2 GB/s
• PCIe: Intel Gen 3, 40 lanes (CPU only), AMD Gen 3
• Integrated graphics: Intel none, AMD Radeon Vega 7
• Production status: Intel end-of-life, AMD active
• Release date: Intel 2016-05-30, AMD 2020-07-20
• Part number: Intel SR2PB, AMD 100-000000150