AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS vs Intel Core i7-9700F Comparison

The Intel Core i7-9700F and AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS occupy different corners of the processor market, yet their benchmark results place them within a whisker of each other in overall average score. The i7-9700F is an end-of-life desktop chip from the Coffee Lake era, while the Ryzen 5 4600HS is an active mobile part built on Zen 2. The data shows a clear split: the AMD chip dominates Cinebench workloads across the board, while the Intel chip wins decisively in Geekbench tests. This makes the choice less about raw compute power and more about the specific application and platform context.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700F has an average benchmark score of 3464, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS scores 3444. The difference is 20 points, roughly 0.6%, placing both in the 54th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-threaded Cinebench R23 performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins with a score of 12171 against the Intel’s 11176, a delta of -8.2% from the Intel’s perspective. This pattern holds across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests, with the AMD chip consistently ahead by about 8.2%.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the Intel Core i7-9700F wins?

A: Yes, the Intel chip wins both Geekbench tests. It scores 6807 in Geekbench multicore versus 5135 for the AMD, a 32.6% advantage, and 1509 in Geekbench singlecore versus 1293, a 16.7% advantage.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700F has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS has 6 cores and 12 threads, meaning it uses simultaneous multithreading to handle more work per core.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700F boosts up to 4.70 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS tops out at 4.00 GHz. Both have a base clock of 3.00 GHz.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP) for each?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700F has a TDP of 65 watts, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS has a TDP of just 35 watts. The AMD chip is also a mobile part with integrated Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics, whereas the Intel chip has no integrated graphics.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a nuanced picture for anyone choosing between these two. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS is the clear winner for Cinebench-based workloads, taking all six head-to-head tests in that suite. It wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 8.2% and Cinebench R23 singlecore by 8.2% as well, showing consistent strength across both multi-threaded rendering and single-threaded tasks. For content creators using Cinebench as a proxy for 3D rendering performance, the AMD chip is the better pick.

The Intel Core i7-9700F, however, dominates Geekbench with a 32.6% lead in multicore and a 16.7% lead in singlecore. If your software leans on Geekbench-style workloads, the Intel chip offers a substantial advantage. The data suggests the Intel chip is better suited for general-purpose computing tasks that benefit from its 8 physical cores and higher boost clock.

For a desktop builder prioritizing multi-threaded rendering, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS is the stronger performer despite being a mobile chip. For a user focused on Geekbench-style applications or needing the Intel platform, the i7-9700F is the defensible choice. Given the AMD chip’s lower TDP and active production status, it also represents a more modern design, but the benchmark wins are what matter most here. The verdict is simple: pick the AMD for Cinebench, pick the Intel for Geekbench.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a stark division by benchmark suite. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS scores 1226 against the Intel’s 1126, an 8.2% win. The singlecore R15 test follows the same pattern: AMD scores 173, Intel scores 158, another 8.7% margin. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD chip takes multicore at 5111 versus 4693, and singlecore at 721 versus 662, both with an 8.2% delta. Cinebench R23 mirrors this exactly: AMD wins multicore 12171 to 11176 and singlecore 1718 to 1577, again by 8.2%.

The Geekbench results flip the script completely. The Intel Core i7-9700F scores 6807 in Geekbench multicore, which is 32.6% higher than the AMD’s 5135. This is the largest margin in any test. In Geekbench singlecore, the Intel chip scores 1509 versus 1293, a 16.7% advantage. These are not small margins; they are decisive wins for the Intel part.

What the data shows is that the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS is consistently faster in all six Cinebench tests, with nearly identical 8.2% deltas. The Intel chip’s wins are larger in percentage terms but confined to two Geekbench tests. The overall win count favors the AMD chip at 6 wins to 2, but the magnitude of the Intel’s Geekbench victories means the average scores remain close. The average benchmark score for the Intel chip is 3464, while the AMD chip scores 3444, a difference of less than 1%.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i7-9700F has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. The base clock is identical at 3.00 GHz for both, but the boost clock differs: the Intel chip reaches 4.70 GHz, the AMD chip tops out at 4.00 GHz. The TDP is another major split, with the Intel part rated at 65 watts and the AMD part at 35 watts.

The socket and platform are completely different. The Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1151, while the AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP6, which is a mobile socket. The Intel chip is a desktop part, and the AMD chip is a mobile part. The production status also differs: the Intel chip is end-of-life, while the AMD chip is active. The release dates are separate as well, with the Intel chip launching in April 2019 and the AMD chip in January 2020.

Memory bandwidth shows a notable difference: the Intel chip supports 42.7 GB/s, while the AMD chip supports 68.3 GB/s. Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode, and neither supports ECC memory. The PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, but the Intel chip specifies 16 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD chip just lists Gen 3 without a lane count. The Intel chip has no integrated graphics, while the AMD chip includes Radeon RX Vega 6. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $333, while the AMD chip has no listed MSRP. The Intel part number is SRG14, and the AMD chip has no part number listed.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is significant. The Intel Core i7-9700F is built on Coffee Lake, a 14 nm process from Intel’s own foundry. The die size is 180.3 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS uses Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 156 mm². The AMD chip has 9,800 million transistors, while the Intel chip has no transistor count listed.

Cache layouts differ in the L2 and L3 levels. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core. The Intel chip has 256 KB of L2 per core and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip has 512 KB of L2 per core and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. This means the AMD chip has double the L2 per core, but less total L3. The memory bandwidth difference of 68.3 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s is likely tied to the memory controller and platform design, not just the cache.

The integrated graphics situation is a key architectural difference. The Intel chip has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU. The AMD chip includes Radeon RX Vega 6, which is a notable feature for a mobile part. The Intel chip is a desktop processor with a 65-watt TDP, while the AMD chip is a mobile processor with a 35-watt TDP, reflecting the different design goals. The AMD chip’s active production status and newer release date indicate a more recent design, while the Intel chip is end-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins in every Cinebench test, making it the go-to choice for rendering workloads that use Cinebench as a benchmark. It wins Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both multicore and singlecore, with consistent 8.2% margins. This suggests the AMD chip has a better balance of multi-threaded and single-threaded performance for rendering tasks. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration likely helps with thread scheduling, and the higher memory bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s may contribute to better performance in memory-intensive rendering.

The Intel Core i7-9700F wins in Geekbench, both multicore and singlecore. The 32.6% multicore lead and 16.7% singlecore lead are substantial. This makes the Intel chip a better pick for applications that are optimized for Geekbench-style workloads, which often include productivity and general computing tasks. The higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz and the 8 physical cores give it an edge in these tests.

For a desktop user doing video rendering or 3D modeling, the AMD chip’s Cinebench wins make it the stronger performer. For a user running software that aligns with Geekbench benchmarks, the Intel chip offers a clear advantage. The AMD chip also wins on efficiency, with a 35-watt TDP versus 65 watts, which matters for laptops or compact builds. The Intel chip’s lack of integrated graphics means it needs a discrete GPU, while the AMD chip can handle basic display output on its own. The data supports a split decision: AMD for Cinebench and efficiency, Intel for Geekbench and raw clock speed.