AMD Ryzen 5 4600H vs Intel Core i5-10600KF Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H and Intel Core i5-10600KF are both 6-core, 12-thread processors, yet they occupy different corners of the market: one is a 45 W mobile part built for laptops, the other a 95 W desktop chip designed for socketed systems. Benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the Intel part, which claims 19 of 23 head-to-head tests, but the AMD processor’s 4 wins are concentrated in specific workloads that reveal a distinct architectural character. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—16,341 for the AMD and 16,228 for the Intel—placing both at the 70th percentile of all CPUs, but the distribution of wins tells a more nuanced story than the aggregate suggests.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-10600KF is the clear winner in general-purpose and single-threaded performance. Across the 3DMark suite, it wins all six tests, with margins ranging from 13.7% in the 4-thread test to 18.8% in the max-threads test. It also dominates in Cinebench R23, Geekbench, and PassMark’s single-thread and physics tests. The data indicates this is the processor for tasks that favor high clock speeds and responsive single-core execution, such as gaming and lightly threaded productivity.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H, despite being a mobile part, wins in fewer but more specialized areas. Its most dramatic victory is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 12,217 versus Intel’s 4,832—a 152.8% advantage. It also wins Cinebench R15 multicore by 17.9% and single-core by 3.5%, and edges out the Intel in PassMark multithread by a slim 0.4%. These results suggest that for older rendering workloads and encryption-heavy tasks, the AMD architecture holds a distinct edge.

The use-case split is clear: choose the Intel for modern multi-threaded rendering (Cinebench R23), general compute, and single-thread responsiveness; choose the AMD for legacy Cinebench R15 loads, data encryption, and surprisingly competitive multithread throughput given its 45 W envelope.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, fabricated on TSMC’s 7 nm process with 9,800 million transistors in a 156 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-10600KF uses the Comet Lake architecture, also codenamed Comet Lake, built on Intel’s 14 nm process. The process node difference is stark: 7 nm versus 14 nm, which partly explains the AMD’s lower 45 W TDP versus Intel’s 95 W.

Cache configurations differ notably. Both share 64 KB of L1 per core, but the AMD has 512 KB of L2 per core while Intel uses 256 KB per core. The AMD has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while Intel has 12 MB of shared L3. This larger L3 on the Intel side may contribute to its higher scores in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory bandwidth also diverges. The AMD supports dual-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel also supports dual-channel DDR4 but with a lower 42.7 GB/s figure. Both lack ECC memory support. The AMD includes integrated Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics, while the Intel has no integrated graphics at all. The Intel has an unlocked multiplier, unlike the AMD, and supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD also uses Gen 3 but without the same lane specification detail. The AMD uses AMD Socket FP6, and the Intel uses Intel Socket 1200. The AMD is a mobile segment part released in January 2020, while the Intel is a desktop part released in April 2020.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the entire comparison belongs to the AMD in PassMark data encryption, where it outperforms by 152.8%. This is an outlier result that indicates a fundamental advantage in cryptographic instruction handling. The Intel’s largest wins are in Cinebench R23, where it leads by 32.8% in multicore and 32.6% in single-core. These are substantial margins that define the modern rendering performance gap.

In Geekbench, the Intel leads by 27.7% in multicore and 24.7% in single-core. The 3DMark results are consistently in Intel’s favor, with the 16-thread test showing an 18.1% lead and the max-threads test showing 18.8%. PassMark single-thread shows Intel leading by 16.9%, and PassMark physics shows a 22.3% lead for Intel.

The AMD’s other wins are more modest. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it leads by 17.9%, and in single-core by 3.5%. The PassMark multithread win is a slim 0.4% margin—essentially a tie. In PassMark integer math, the Intel leads by only 3.8%, and in floating-point math by 8.8%. The Intel also wins data compression by 4.5%, extended instructions by 8.6%, and random string sorting by 18.3%. Prime number finding shows Intel ahead by 37.8%.

The pattern is consistent: the Intel wins most tests by wide margins in modern benchmarks, while the AMD wins fewer tests but with one spectacular outlier and a couple of notable legacy-rendering wins.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 16,341, compared to the Intel Core i5-10600KF’s 16,228, a difference of 0.7%.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 multicore performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-10600KF scores 12,003 in Cinebench R23 multicore, which is 32.8% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H’s 8,072.

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

A: The largest margin is in PassMark data encryption, where the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H leads by 152.8%, scoring 12,217 versus the Intel’s 4,832.

Q: Are these processors similar in overall standing?

A: Yes, both sit at the 70th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rivals include each other, with the AMD averaging 16,341 and the Intel 16,228.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i5-10600KF has a base clock of 4.10 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H’s 3.00 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the AMD has a higher theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus the Intel’s 42.7 GB/s.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 4600H | Intel Core i5-10600KF |

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

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 4.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.00 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 95 W |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 9,800 million | Not specified |

| Die Size | 156 mm² | Not specified |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon RX Vega 6 | None |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP6 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2020-01-05 | 2020-04-29 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Part Number | 100-000000100 | SRH6S |