AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS vs Intel Core i7-10875H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS and Intel Core i7-10875H are evenly matched in overall benchmark averages, but they achieve their scores through completely different strengths. The data shows a 3-3 split in head-to-head wins, with the AMD chip dominating in older Cinebench R15 tests and Geekbench single-core, while the Intel chip takes newer Cinebench R23 tests and Geekbench multi-core. The Ryzen 5 5600HS posts an average benchmark score of 3447 against the Intel's 3432, a margin of just 0.4%, placing both at the 54th percentile of all CPUs. This is a contest where workload selection matters more than raw capability.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS wins decisively in single-threaded legacy workloads and in the Cinebench R15 suite. Its Geekbench single-core score of 1569 beats the Intel's 1384 by 13.4%, and its Cinebench R15 single-core score of 223 beats 174 by 28.2%. The R15 multi-core test also goes to AMD, with 1563 against 1233, a 26.8% advantage. These results indicate that the Zen 3 architecture excels in older rendering engines and lightly threaded applications, where per-core efficiency and instruction-level parallelism matter more than raw core count.

The Intel Core i7-10875H wins in modern multi-threaded rendering and in Geekbench's multi-core test. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12234 crushes the AMD's 9564 by 21.8%, and its R23 single-core score of 1727 beats 1367 by 20.8%. The Geekbench multi-core test also goes to Intel, with 6511 against 6395, a narrower 1.8% margin. This pattern shows that the Intel chip's 8 cores and 16 threads scale better in current-generation renderers that leverage higher thread counts and newer instruction sets.

The split is clean: AMD wins where clock-for-clock efficiency and older code paths dominate, while Intel wins where thread scaling and newer benchmark optimizations take over. The Ryzen 5 5600HS is the better choice for users running legacy CAD, older games, or single-threaded productivity apps. The Core i7-10875H is the better choice for modern video encoding, 3D rendering, and multi-threaded compilation workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS has an average benchmark score of 3447, while the Intel Core i7-10875H scores 3432. The difference is 0.4%, placing both in the 54th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How large is the Intel's win in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-10875H scores 12234 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 21.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS's 9564. This is the largest performance gap in either direction across all head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: Does the AMD chip win any multi-core test?

A: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS wins Cinebench R15 multi-core with 1563 against the Intel's 1233, a 26.8% advantage. This shows that the AMD chip's efficiency advantage persists in older rendering workloads even with fewer cores.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Geekbench?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS scores 1569 in Geekbench single-core, which is 13.4% higher than the Intel Core i7-10875H's 1384. This is the AMD's second-largest win and indicates a clear advantage in lightly threaded tasks.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-10875H has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite this disadvantage, the AMD chip still wins three of the six head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: How close are the processors in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-10875H scores 6511 against the AMD's 6395, a margin of only 1.8%. This is the closest head-to-head result and shows that the AMD's efficiency nearly compensates for its lower core count in this workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking contrast in the data is the reversal between Cinebench R15 and R23. In R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS scores 1563 against the Intel's 1233, a 26.8% victory. Yet in R23 multi-core, the Intel flips the result with 12234 against 9564, a 21.8% win. This 48.6 percentage-point swing between two versions of the same benchmark suite demonstrates how workload evolution has shifted the advantage from per-core efficiency to raw thread throughput. The Ryzen 5 5600HS's 6 cores and 12 threads simply cannot sustain its R15 dominance in the more demanding R23 renderer.

Single-core results follow a similar pattern. The AMD wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 28.2%, scoring 223 against 174. But in Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel wins by 20.8%, scoring 1727 against 1367. This is a complete inversion, suggesting that the Comet Lake architecture's higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz becomes more relevant in newer benchmark code, while the Zen 3's efficiency advantage in older code paths fades.

Geekbench results break the pattern. The AMD wins single-core with 1569 against 1384, a 13.4% margin, but loses multi-core by only 1.8%, scoring 6395 against 6511. The multi-core gap is remarkably small given that the Intel chip has 33% more cores (8 vs 6) and 33% more threads (16 vs 12). This indicates that the AMD's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz against 2.30 GHz, combined with its Zen 3 architecture, allows it to nearly match the Intel's multi-threaded performance in this specific test.

The win distribution is perfectly balanced at 3-3, but the magnitudes differ. The AMD's largest win is 28.2% (R15 single-core), while the Intel's largest win is 21.8% (R23 multi-core). The AMD's smallest win is 13.4% (Geekbench single-core), while the Intel's smallest win is 1.8% (Geekbench multi-core). This asymmetry shows that the AMD wins are more decisive where it wins, while the Intel's multi-core advantage in Geekbench is precarious.

Specification Differences

The core configuration is the primary differentiator. The Intel Core i7-10875H has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. This gives the Intel a 33% advantage in both core and thread counts. Clock speeds also differ substantially: the AMD has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, while the Intel has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Intel's boost advantage of 0.90 GHz is significant, but the AMD's base clock advantage of 0.70 GHz provides a floor for sustained workloads.

Thermal design power differs by 10 watts, with the AMD rated at 35W and the Intel at 45W. This explains the AMD's ability to maintain higher base clocks despite fewer cores. The socket and platform differ as well: the AMD uses AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel uses Intel BGA 1440. Both are mobile platforms with soldered processors, meaning no upgrade path.

Memory bandwidth is another key difference. The AMD supports 68.3 GB/s of dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth, while the Intel supports 46.9 GB/s. This 45.6% bandwidth advantage for AMD partially compensates for its lower core count in memory-sensitive workloads. The L3 cache is identical at 16 MB shared, but the L2 cache differs: the AMD has 512 KB per core, while the Intel has 256 KB per core. This gives the AMD twice the L2 cache per core, which benefits single-threaded and lightly threaded workloads.

The integrated graphics differ, with the AMD featuring Radeon Vega 7 and the Intel featuring UHD Graphics. Both support DDR4 memory and dual-channel configuration. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both are classified as mobile market segment parts with active production status.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS is built on Zen 3 architecture with the Cezanne codename, fabricated on a 7 nm process by TSMC. It contains 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-10875H uses Comet Lake architecture with the Comet Lake-H codename, fabricated on a 14 nm process by Intel. Its die size is 177.5 mm², but transistor count data is not available. The manufacturing process difference is stark: 7 nm versus 14 nm, with the AMD process being two generations ahead in node size.

The AMD's Zen 3 architecture uses a unified 8-core complex design, which reduces latency between cores and the L3 cache. Its 16 MB shared L3 cache is paired with 512 KB L2 per core, creating a hierarchical cache structure optimized for single-thread performance. The Intel's Comet Lake architecture retains a ring-bus design with 256 KB L2 per core and a shared 16 MB L3 cache. This older design relies more on higher clock speeds and thread count to achieve performance.

The AMD uses AMD Socket FP6 with Gen 3 PCIe connectivity, while the Intel uses Intel BGA 1440 with Gen 3, 16 lanes (CPU only). Both support DDR4 memory, but the AMD's memory bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s is significantly higher than the Intel's 46.9 GB/s. The release dates differ by roughly nine months, with the Intel launching on 2020-04-01 and the AMD on 2021-01-11. The AMD has a launch MSRP of none recorded, while the Intel has a launch MSRP of $450.

The architectural differences explain the benchmark results. The AMD's smaller process node and larger per-core L2 cache give it a decisive edge in single-threaded and older workloads. The Intel's larger core count and higher boost clock give it an edge in modern multi-threaded rendering that scales with thread count. The 14 nm process limits the Intel's efficiency, as evidenced by its 45W TDP against the AMD's 35W TDP, but the higher power budget enables the 5.10 GHz boost clock.

The Verdict

Choose the Intel Core i7-10875H if your primary workloads are modern multi-threaded rendering. The data shows a 21.8% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is the most demanding and current rendering benchmark in the comparison. Its 8 cores and 16 threads, combined with a 5.10 GHz boost clock, deliver 12234 points in R23 multi-core and 1727 in R23 single-core. The Intel also wins Geekbench multi-core, albeit narrowly at 1.8%, making it the safer choice for applications that scale with thread count.

Choose the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS if you run legacy software, single-threaded applications, or older rendering engines. Its 28.2% win in Cinebench R15 single-core and 26.8% win in R15 multi-core demonstrate clear superiority in that benchmark suite. The 13.4% win in Geekbench single-core further confirms its single-thread efficiency. The AMD also offers lower power consumption at 35W TDP versus 45W, and higher memory bandwidth at 68.3 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s, which may benefit memory-sensitive workloads.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical at 3447 for AMD and 3432 for Intel, both at the 54th percentile. This makes the choice workload-dependent rather than performance-dependent. The Intel's launch MSRP is $450, but no price is recorded for the AMD. The AMD's 3.00 GHz base clock is higher, while the Intel's 5.10 GHz boost clock is higher. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not a consideration. The decision comes down to whether your software stack favors the AMD's efficiency or the Intel's thread count.