AMD Ryzen 5 4600U vs Intel Xeon E5-1620 v4 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600U and the Intel Xeon E5-1620 v4 occupy different corners of the processor market. The Ryzen is a mobile chip from 2020, built on a 7 nm process, while the Xeon is a desktop part from 2016 on 14 nm. Despite the age gap, both land at the 42nd percentile in the database's overall CPU ranking, with average benchmark scores of 1832 and 1802 respectively. This comparison examines where each processor wins, what separates their architectures, and what the recorded benchmarks imply for real-world use.

Where Each One Wins

In the head-to-head benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 4600U wins both tests. The Cinebench R15 multicore score is 1089 against 627, a 73.7% advantage. The single-core score is 175.5 against 88, a 99.4% advantage. So in the shared tests, the Ryzen dominates. However, the Xeon has additional benchmark scores in Cinebench R20 and R23, which the Ryzen does not have in the database. Those scores (2616 multi, 369 single in R20; 6230 multi, 879 single in R23) show the Xeon's capability in newer workloads, but without a direct comparison, they cannot be used to declare a winner. The Ryzen also wins on power efficiency: its TDP is 15 W versus 140 W for the Xeon. It also includes integrated Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics, while the Xeon has none. The Xeon counters with ECC memory support and a quad-channel memory bus, which the Ryzen lacks. So the use-case split is clear: the Ryzen is for mobile, low-power, graphics-inclusive systems; the Xeon is for desktop or server environments that require ECC and high memory bandwidth.

The Ryzen's average score of 1832 places it within 0.1% of the Intel Core i5-8305G and the Intel Xeon E5-2608L v3, and 0.2% above the AMD Athlon Gold PRO 3150G. The Xeon's average of 1802 is close to the Intel Core i3-9100 and i3-9320, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650U, with deltas under 0.5%. Both processors sit at the same percentile, but the Ryzen's higher average score and its wins in the shared tests give it the edge in overall performance.

Architecture Differences

The Ryzen 5 4600U uses the Zen 2 architecture (codename Renoir) on a 7 nm TSMC process, with 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The Xeon E5-1620 v4 uses Broadwell (Broadwell-EP) on Intel's 14 nm process, with 3,400 million transistors on a 246 mm² die. The Ryzen has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Xeon has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Ryzen's base clock is 2.10 GHz and boost clock is 4.00 GHz; the Xeon's base is 3.50 GHz and boost is 3.80 GHz. The Ryzen has 512 KB L2 per core and 8 MB shared L3; the Xeon has 256 KB L2 per core and 10 MB shared L3. Both have 64 KB L1 per core.

Memory support differs significantly. The Ryzen supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 in dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Xeon supports DDR4 in quad-channel with 76.8 GB/s. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen does not. PCIe is Gen 3 for both, but the Xeon offers 40 lanes (CPU only) while the Ryzen's lane count is not specified. The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics; the Xeon has no integrated graphics. Sockets are FP6 for the Ryzen and 2011-3 for the Xeon. The Ryzen is a mobile part, the Xeon is desktop. The Ryzen was released in January 2020 and is active; the Xeon was released in June 2016 and is end-of-life. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $294, while the Ryzen has no listed MSRP. The part numbers are 100-000000105 for the Ryzen and SR2P6 for the Xeon.

The transistor density difference is striking: the Ryzen packs nearly three times as many transistors into a smaller die, a direct result of the 7 nm process versus 14 nm. This architectural gap explains why the Ryzen can achieve higher performance despite a much lower TDP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only shared tests in the database are Cinebench R15 multicore and singlecore. In multicore, the Ryzen scores 1089 against the Xeon's 627, a 73.7% lead. This is a massive margin, especially considering the Xeon has a higher base clock (3.50 GHz vs 2.10 GHz) and a much higher TDP (140 W vs 15 W). The Ryzen's advantage likely comes from its 6 cores versus 4, and its higher boost clock (4.00 GHz vs 3.80 GHz). In single-core, the Ryzen scores 175.5 against 88, a 99.4% lead, nearly double. This is surprising given the Xeon's higher base clock, but the Ryzen's Zen 2 architecture and 7 nm process likely contribute to higher instructions per clock. The data shows that the Ryzen is not just faster in multi-threaded tasks but also in single-threaded, which is often a weak point for older server chips.

The Xeon's only advantage in these tests is that it has additional Cinebench R20 and R23 scores, but those are not directly comparable because the Ryzen lacks them. So in the recorded head-to-head, the Ryzen wins both. The Ryzen's average benchmark score of 1832 is higher than the Xeon's 1802, and both sit at the 42nd percentile, but the Ryzen's wins in the shared tests are decisive.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 4600U | Intel Xeon E5-1620 v4 |

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

| Series | 4000 series | Not specified |

| Cores | 6 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 8 |

| Base clock | 2.10 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.00 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 140 W |

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

| Architecture | Zen 2 | Broadwell |

| Codename | Renoir | Broadwell-EP |

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

| Process node | 7 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

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

| Die size | 156 mm² | 246 mm² |

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

| L3 cache | 8 MB (shared) | 10 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, LPDDR4 | DDR4 |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Quad-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 76.8 GB/s |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

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

| Integrated graphics | Radeon RX Vega 6 | None |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production status | Active | End-of-life |

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

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $294 |

| Part number | 100-000000105 | SR2P6 |

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600U has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Xeon E5-1620 v4 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Xeon E5-1620 v4 supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen 5 4600U does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600U includes Radeon RX Vega 6 integrated graphics; the Xeon E5-1620 v4 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600U boosts to 4.00 GHz, while the Xeon E5-1620 v4 boosts to 3.80 GHz.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Xeon E5-1620 v4 has a quad-channel memory bus with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ryzen 5 4600U has dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600U was released in January 2020, while the Xeon E5-1620 v4 was released in June 2016.

The Verdict

Based on the recorded data, the Ryzen 5 4600U wins both head-to-head benchmarks, with a 73.7% lead in multi-core and 99.4% in single-core Cinebench R15. It also offers more cores, a lower TDP, integrated graphics, and is still in active production. The Xeon E5-1620 v4, however, brings ECC support, a quad-channel memory bus with higher bandwidth, and a larger L3 cache. It also has a higher base clock, but that does not translate to better benchmark scores. For users who need ECC memory and maximum memory bandwidth, the Xeon is the only choice. For everyone else, especially those building mobile or low-power systems, the Ryzen is the superior option based on the data. The Xeon's end-of-life status and higher power draw further tip the balance toward the Ryzen.