AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS vs Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents an unusually one-sided comparison. Across all six Cinebench head-to-head tests, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS takes the win, though by margins that are consistently narrow. The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 does not secure a single victory in any of the measured workloads. This does not mean the Xeon is without merit; its architecture and platform features serve different priorities, but raw rendering performance belongs to the AMD part.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins in both multi-core and single-core Cinebench workloads. Its multi-core advantages range from 0.7% to 0.8% depending on the Cinebench version, while single-core deltas sit between 0.7% and 1.2%. The largest relative gap appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where AMD leads by 1.2%. The smallest gap is the 0.7% difference seen across R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, and R23 multi-core. In absolute terms, the Ryzen 5 4600HS scores 1226 versus 1217 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 5111 versus 5073 in R20 multi-core, and 12171 versus 12080 in R23 multi-core. Single-core numbers show 173 versus 171 in R15, 721 versus 716 in R20, and 1718 versus 1705 in R23.

The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 does hold a meaningful advantage in platform-level capabilities that do not appear in these particular benchmark metrics. It supports ECC memory, which the Ryzen 5 4600HS does not. The Xeon also offers quad-channel memory with a peak bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, compared to the Ryzen's dual-channel configuration at 68.3 GB/s. For workloads that stress memory bandwidth rather than core count or clock speed, the Xeon's platform could prove more capable, even if Cinebench does not reflect that.

The percentile rankings place the Xeon at 55th percentile versus the Ryzen at 54th percentile among all CPUs in the database. This is a near-tie, despite the Ryzen winning every head-to-head test. The average benchmark score for the Xeon is 3494, while the Ryzen averages 3444. The Xeon's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2246G at 3492 (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i9-9900T at 3499 (-0.2%), and the Intel Xeon E-2176G at 3502 (-0.2%). The Ryzen's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-5960X at 3442 (0.0%), the Intel Core i7-10870H at 3446 (-0.1%), and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G at 3441 (0.1%).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras and serve different market segments. The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 uses the Broadwell-EP architecture on a 14 nm process, manufactured by Intel with 3,400 million transistors on a 246 mm² die. It belongs to the Xeon E5 generation released in June 2016. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS uses the Zen 2 architecture with the Renoir codename, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC, packing 9,800 million transistors into a 156 mm² die. It is part of the Ryzen 5 4000 series, released in January 2020.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. The Xeon provides 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen offers 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the Ryzen manages to outperform the Xeon in all Cinebench tests, which points to substantial per-core efficiency gains from the newer Zen 2 design. The Xeon's base clock of 3.40 GHz is higher than the Ryzen's 3.00 GHz, but both reach the same 4.00 GHz boost clock.

Cache hierarchies diverge in size and placement. Both allocate 64 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache differs: the Xeon uses 256 KB per core, while the Ryzen doubles that to 512 KB per core. The L3 cache shows the most dramatic difference. The Xeon carries 20 MB of shared L3, while the Ryzen has only 8 MB shared. This 12 MB L3 deficit on the AMD side is notable, yet the Ryzen's smaller process node and higher transistor density compensate in practical workloads.

Memory architecture presents a clear split. The Xeon supports quad-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s and ECC capability. The Ryzen uses dual-channel DDR4 at 68.3 GB/s and lacks ECC support. The Xeon's PCIe implementation provides Gen 3 with 40 lanes from the CPU, while the Ryzen offers Gen 3 without a specified lane count in the database record. The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics, whereas the Xeon has no integrated graphics at all.

Power envelopes are dramatically different. The Xeon carries a 140 W TDP, while the Ryzen operates at just 35 W. This fourfold difference in power budget explains the market positioning: the Xeon targets desktop workstation platforms with robust cooling, while the Ryzen is designed for mobile systems where thermal and power constraints are tighter. The Xeon uses the Intel Socket 2011-3, while the Ryzen uses the AMD Socket FP6. The Xeon is marked as end-of-life production status, while the Ryzen remains active. The Xeon's launch MSRP was $1723, while the Ryzen has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Do both processors have the same boost clock?

A: Yes, both reach a maximum boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The Xeon starts from a 3.40 GHz base clock, while the Ryzen starts from 3.00 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS does not.

Q: How large is the L3 cache on each processor?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS has 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 has a TDP of 140 W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS has a TDP of 35 W.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS includes Radeon RX Vega 6 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 has no integrated graphics.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every recorded specification category. The table below highlights only the fields where the two parts diverge.

| Specification | Intel Xeon E5-1680 v4 | AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS |

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

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 16 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| TDP | 140 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 2011-3 | AMD Socket FP6 |

| Architecture | Broadwell | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Broadwell-EP | Renoir |

| Generation | Xeon E5 (Broadwell-EP) | Ryzen 5 (Zen 2 (Renoir)) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | 3,400 million | 9,800 million |

| Die Size | 246 mm² | 156 mm² |

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

| L3 Cache | 20 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 68.3 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 40 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3 |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Radeon RX Vega 6 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2016-06-19 | 2020-01-05 |

| Launch MSRP | $1723 | None recorded |

Fields not listed, such as L1 cache size, memory support type, multiplier unlock status, and boost clock, are identical between the two processors.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a sweep for the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS, but the margins are consistently small. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen scores 1226 against the Xeon's 1217, a 0.7% difference. The single-core R15 test gives the Ryzen 173 versus 171, a 1.2% lead, which is the largest percentage gap in any test.

Cinebench R20 results follow the same pattern. Multi-core shows 5111 for the Ryzen versus 5073 for the Xeon, again a 0.7% difference. Single-core shows 721 versus 716, also 0.7%. The absolute point differences are 38 and 5 respectively.

Cinebench R23 multi-core produces 12171 for the Ryzen and 12080 for the Xeon, a 0.7% delta with a 91-point gap. Single-core R23 gives 1718 versus 1705, an 0.8% difference with a 13-point gap.

The consistency of these deltas is striking. Across five of the six tests, the margin sits at either 0.7% or 0.8%. Only the R15 single-core test deviates, reaching 1.2%. This suggests the Ryzen's advantage is uniform across both single-threaded and multi-threaded Cinebench workloads, rather than being tied to a specific scaling behavior.

The Ryzen achieves these wins with fewer cores (6 versus 8) and a lower base clock (3.00 GHz versus 3.40 GHz). The equal 4.00 GHz boost clocks and the Ryzen's 7 nm process likely explain the per-core superiority. The Xeon's larger L3 cache (20 MB versus 8 MB) and higher memory bandwidth (76.8 GB/s versus 68.3 GB/s) do not translate into Cinebench victories.

The average benchmark scores place the Xeon slightly ahead overall, at 3494 versus 3444, which is a 1.4% difference in favor of Intel. This discrepancy arises because the Ryzen has additional Geekbench scores in the database (5135 multi-core, 1293 single-core) that are not part of the head-to-head Cinebench set. The Xeon's percentile ranking of 55 versus the Ryzen's 54 reflects this aggregate picture.

In the nearest rival comparisons, the Xeon sits between the Intel Xeon E-2246G and the Intel Core i9-9900T, with deltas of 0.1% and -0.2% respectively. The Ryzen sits between the Intel Core i7-5960X and the Intel Core i7-10870H, with deltas of 0.0% and -0.1%. These rival positions confirm that both processors occupy similar overall performance tiers, despite the Ryzen's clean sweep in the direct Cinebench comparison.