AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS vs Intel Core i9-10900TE Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unusually one-sided. Across the six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins every single test. The Intel Core i9-10900TE does not record a single victory in any recorded multi-core or single-core workload. This is not a case of one part dominating in productivity while the other takes single-threaded tasks; the AMD part wins in both domains, though by very narrow margins.

The largest margin is a 1.2% advantage for the Ryzen 5 4600HS in Cinebench R15 single-core, scoring 173 against the Intel's 171. The remaining deltas sit at 1.0% or 1.1%. In multi-core tests, the Ryzen 5 4600HS leads by 1.0% in Cinebench R20 and R23, and by 1.1% in R15. The single-core R20 result shows a 1.0% gap, with the AMD scoring 721 versus 714. The R23 single-core test shows 1718 versus 1700, again a 1.0% difference.

The average benchmark scores place the two parts almost exactly level. The Intel i9-10900TE has an average score of 3484, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS sits at 3444. Both hold the 54th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The Intel's nearest rivals include the Xeon D-1732TE at 3486, the Xeon E-2246G at 3492, the Xeon E5-1680 v4 at 3494, and the Core i9-9900T at 3499. The AMD's nearest rivals include the Core i7-5960X at 3442, the Core i7-10870H at 3446, the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G at 3441, and the Ryzen 5 5600HS at 3447.

In practical terms, the Ryzen 5 4600HS wins every single recorded benchmark, but the magnitude of that win is small. The data shows a consistent, if narrow, performance advantage for the AMD chip across all Cinebench iterations. The Intel part does not have a single workload in the database where it comes out ahead. This makes the use-case split simple: for any task measured here, the AMD part holds the edge. The Intel part's best showing is a tie in overall percentile, but the recorded wins belong entirely to AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i9-10900TE is a Comet Lake desktop chip built on Intel's 14 nm process, with a die size of 206 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS is a Renoir mobile chip built on TSMC's 7 nm process, with a die size of 156 mm² and 9,800 million transistors. The process node difference is significant: 14 nm versus 7 nm, which explains how AMD fits a comparable performance level with fewer cores.

The core counts differ substantially. The Intel part has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having 4 fewer cores and 8 fewer threads, the AMD chip matches or slightly beats the Intel chip in every benchmark. This points to a large per-core efficiency advantage for the Zen 2 architecture. The base clocks tell a similar story: the Intel runs at 1.80 GHz base, while the AMD runs at 3.00 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with the Intel at 4.50 GHz and the AMD at 4.00 GHz.

Cache configurations diverge markedly. Both use 64 KB of L1 per core. The L2 cache differs, with the Intel using 256 KB per core and the AMD using 512 KB per core. The L3 cache shows a reversal: the Intel has 20 MB shared, while the AMD has only 8 MB shared. The Intel's larger L3 pool does not translate into a benchmark win, suggesting that the AMD's larger L2 and tighter process node compensate effectively.

Memory bandwidth also favors the AMD part. The Intel lists 46.9 GB/s, while the AMD lists 68.3 GB/s. Both support DDR4 in dual-channel configuration. The Intel uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD lists PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count. Integrated graphics differ: Intel uses UHD Graphics 630, while AMD uses Radeon RX Vega 6. The Intel is a desktop chip on Socket 1200, while the AMD is a mobile chip on Socket FP6. Both are locked multipliers, both lack ECC support, and both are listed as active production parts.

The architecture gap is clear: Intel uses a 10-core design on a mature 14 nm process with higher boost clocks but lower base clocks, while AMD uses a 6-core design on a leading-edge 7 nm process with higher base clocks and more L2 cache per core. The transistor count for the AMD part is listed at 9,800 million, while no count is given for the Intel. The Intel's larger die and older process do not yield a performance advantage in the recorded data.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, winner. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins all six head-to-head benchmarks against the Intel Core i9-10900TE. The margins are small, ranging from 1.0% to 1.2%, but they are consistent across every test. The Intel part records zero wins. The average benchmark scores are close, with the Intel at 3484 and the AMD at 3444, and both sit at the 54th percentile. The Intel's average score is actually 1.2% higher than the AMD's, yet the AMD wins every direct comparison. This suggests the AMD's benchmark distribution is slightly more consistent in the Cinebench suite.

For users choosing between the two, the recorded data gives the edge to the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS in all measured workloads. The Intel part offers more cores and threads, but that does not translate into a win in any Cinebench test. The AMD part achieves its results with fewer cores, a smaller die, and a higher base clock. The Intel part is a desktop chip with a 35 W TDP, matching the AMD's TDP exactly. The Intel has a larger L3 cache and a higher boost clock, but neither helps in the recorded benchmarks.

The Intel i9-10900TE is the part to pick if the need is for more cores, a desktop socket, or Intel's integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS is the part to pick if the priority is the best recorded Cinebench performance, which applies to every test in the database. The data does not show any workload category where the Intel wins. A buyer who values the 10-core count over recorded benchmark results might still choose the Intel, but the measured performance belongs to AMD. The launch MSRP for the Intel is $488, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD, but that is the only pricing information available.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins all six recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i9-10900TE records zero wins.

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

A: The largest gap is 1.2%, in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the AMD scores 173 versus the Intel's 171.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD has 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What are the process nodes?

A: The Intel is built on Intel's 14 nm process, while the AMD is built on TSMC's 7 nm process.

Q: Do both processors have the same TDP?

A: Yes, both are listed at 35 W TDP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test opens the comparison. The Intel scores 1213, and the AMD scores 1226. The AMD wins by 1.1%. This is notable because the Intel has 10 cores against the AMD's 6, yet the AMD still takes the lead. The R15 single-core test shows a similar pattern: 171 for Intel, 173 for AMD, a 1.2% win for the AMD. These are the only two tests where the delta exceeds 1.0%.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core test shows the Intel at 5058 and the AMD at 5111. The AMD wins by 1.0%. The single-core test shows 714 versus 721, again a 1.0% win for the AMD. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23. The multi-core score is 12045 for the Intel and 12171 for the AMD, a 1.0% difference. The single-core score is 1700 for the Intel and 1718 for the AMD, also a 1.0% difference.

Every head-to-head benchmark in the database follows the same direction. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins all six, with deltas of 1.0% or 1.1%, except for the R15 single-core test at 1.2%. The Intel's best result is its R23 multi-core score of 12045, but the AMD's 12171 is still higher. The Intel's highest single-core score is 1700 in R23, against the AMD's 1718.

The consistency is striking. The AMD part wins by nearly the same margin in every test, regardless of whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded. This indicates a uniform per-clock and per-core efficiency advantage rather than a workload-specific strength. The Intel's larger core count and L3 cache do not overcome the AMD's advantage in any test. The data records no scenario where the Intel part comes out ahead, and the closest contest is the R15 multi-core test at 1.1% difference.

The average benchmark scores provide a broader context. The Intel's average of 3484 is slightly higher than the AMD's 3444, yet the direct comparisons all favor AMD. This occurs because the Intel's average is pulled up by its nearest rivals, which include the Xeon D-1732TE at 3486 and the Xeon E5-1680 v4 at 3494. The AMD's average sits among rivals like the Core i7-5960X at 3442 and the Core i7-10870H at 3446. Both parts land at the 54th percentile, meaning they are statistically indistinguishable in overall standing, despite the clean sweep in head-to-head tests.