CPU Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2186G and AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS are both 6-core, 12-thread processors, but they represent opposite ends of the computing spectrum: one is a workstation-focused Xeon built on a 14nm process, the other a mobile Ryzen on 7nm. Benchmark results show a surprisingly balanced contest, with the AMD chip winning four head-to-head tests and the Intel chip winning two, yet their average benchmark scores are nearly identical (3462 vs 3447). This creates a nuanced picture where the "better" processor depends entirely on the workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic divergence appears in Cinebench R15, where the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS dominates decisively. In the multicore test, the AMD scores 1563 against Intel's 1158, a 25.9% advantage. The single-core R15 test tells a similar story: AMD scores 223 versus Intel's 163, a 26.9% lead. These are the largest margins in either direction across all benchmarks, indicating that in this older rendering workload, the Ryzen's architecture holds a substantial edge.

However, the tables turn completely in Cinebench R23. Here, the Intel Xeon E-2186G reverses the outcome with a commanding 20.2% multicore win, scoring 11492 versus AMD's 9564. The single-core R23 result also favors Intel, with a score of 1622 against 1367, an 18.7% margin. This stark reversal between R15 and R23 suggests that the newer Cinebench version leverages the Xeon's higher boost clock and larger L3 cache more effectively, while the older version favored the Ryzen's architectural efficiency.

Geekbench results are much closer, with AMD edging out narrow victories. In Geekbench multicore, the Ryzen scores 6395 versus Intel's 6204, a modest 3% lead. The single-core test is nearly a tie: AMD scores 1569, Intel 1550, a 1.2% difference. These tight margins indicate that in general-purpose computing tasks, the two processors are effectively peers, with neither able to establish a meaningful advantage.

Overall, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS wins four of the six head-to-head benchmarks, but the Intel Xeon E-2186G wins the two Cinebench R23 tests by large margins. The average benchmark scores reflect this balance: Intel's average of 3462 places it just 0.4% ahead of AMD's 3447. In the nearestRivals data, the Xeon E-2186G sits alongside the Intel Core i7-9700F (deltaPct 0%) and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7730U (deltaPct 0.2%), while the Ryzen 5 5600HS is bracketed by the Intel Core i7-10870H (deltaPct 0%) and AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS (deltaPct 0.1%). Both chips land at the 54th percentile among all CPUs, reinforcing their competitive equivalence.

Architecture Differences

The two processors could not be more different in their underlying design. The Intel Xeon E-2186G uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-S WS codename, fabricated on Intel's 14nm process with a die size of 154 mm². In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS uses the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne, built on TSMC's 7nm process with a die size of 180 mm² and a transistor count of 10,700 million.

Clock speeds favor Intel significantly. The Xeon has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, while the Ryzen runs at 3.00 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. This 0.8 GHz base-clock and 0.5 GHz boost-clock advantage helps explain Intel's stronger Cinebench R23 results. However, the power envelope tells the opposite story: the Xeon has a TDP of 95W, while the Ryzen sips just 35W. This 60W difference means the AMD chip delivers competitive performance at less than half the thermal budget.

Cache configurations also differ notably. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the Ryzen doubles the L2 cache to 512 KB per core versus Intel's 256 KB. The L3 cache is also larger on AMD: 16 MB shared versus 12 MB shared on Intel. This extra cache likely contributes to the Ryzen's strong Geekbench scores. Memory bandwidth heavily favors AMD as well: 68.3 GB/s versus Intel's 42.7 GB/s, despite both using dual-channel DDR4.

The platform targets are entirely different. The Xeon E-2186G uses Intel Socket 1151, supports ECC memory, and is marketed for Server/Workstation use. The Ryzen 5 5600HS uses AMD Socket FP6, does not support ECC, and is positioned for Mobile. The Xeon includes HD Graphics P630 integrated graphics, while the Ryzen has Radeon Vega 7. Both use PCIe Gen 3, though the Xeon specifies 16 lanes (CPU only) while the Ryzen's lane count is not specified in the data. The Xeon is end-of-life, released in 2018, while the Ryzen remains active, released in 2021.

The Verdict

The data does not declare a single winner; it declares two distinct winners for different contexts. For multi-threaded rendering in current-generation Cinebench R23, the Intel Xeon E-2186G is the clear choice, with a 20.2% multicore lead and an 18.7% single-core lead over the Ryzen. This suggests that workloads similar to R23, modern, heavily threaded rendering tasks, will perform noticeably better on the Intel chip.

For older rendering workloads, as represented by Cinebench R15, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS holds a commanding 25.9% multicore and 26.9% single-core advantage. The Ryzen also wins the Geekbench tests, though by small margins (3% multicore, 1.2% single-core), indicating better general-purpose performance. If the target software resembles R15 or typical mixed workloads, the Ryzen is the better pick.

The power and platform differences are decisive for system builders. The Ryzen's 35W TDP makes it suitable for thin-and-light mobile designs, while the Xeon's 95W TDP requires a workstation-class cooling solution and motherboard. The Xeon supports ECC memory, which is critical for data-integrity-sensitive server workloads; the Ryzen does not. The Xeon's launch MSRP was $506, though the Ryzen's launch MSRP is not listed in the data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2186G has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS's 4.20 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2186G supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS does not.

Q: In which Cinebench R23 test does the Intel chip lead, and by how much?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2186G leads in Cinebench R23 multicore with a score of 11492 versus 9564, a 20.2% advantage.

Q: What is the difference in TDP between the two?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2186G has a TDP of 95W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS has a TDP of 35W, a difference of 60W.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS has 16 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Xeon E-2186G has 12 MB.

Q: What are the process nodes for each?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2186G uses a 14nm process from Intel, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS uses a 7nm process from TSMC.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E-2186G wins in scenarios that stress current-generation multi-threaded rendering and high-clock single-thread workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11492 is 20.2% ahead of the Ryzen, and its R23 single-core score of 1622 is 18.7% ahead. These results point to strengths in modern CPU-bound applications that can exploit high boost clocks and large shared caches. The Xeon also wins on ECC memory support, making it the only choice for systems requiring error-correcting memory for data integrity.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS wins in legacy rendering workloads, general-purpose computing, and power-constrained environments. Its Cinebench R15 multicore score of 1563 is 25.9% ahead of Intel, and its R15 single-core score of 223 is 26.9% ahead. The Ryzen also wins Geekbench multicore (6395 vs 6204) and single-core (1569 vs 1550). Its 35W TDP makes it suitable for compact or mobile systems where the Xeon's 95W TDP would be impractical. The Ryzen's larger cache (512 KB L2 per core, 16 MB L3) and higher memory bandwidth (68.3 GB/s vs 42.7 GB/s) likely contribute to its general-purpose edge.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field. The Intel Xeon E-2186G belongs to the Xeon E-2100 series and uses the Coffee Lake-S WS codename, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS is part of the 5000 series with the Cezanne codename. Manufacturing differs fundamentally: Intel uses its own 14nm process with a 154 mm² die, while AMD uses TSMC's 7nm process with a 180 mm² die and 10,700 million transistors. Clock speeds favor Intel (3.80/4.70 GHz base/boost) versus AMD (3.00/4.20 GHz). TDP heavily favors AMD: 35W versus 95W for Intel.

Cache sizes differ, with AMD having 512 KB L2 per core versus Intel's 256 KB, and 16 MB L3 versus 12 MB. Memory bandwidth favors AMD at 68.3 GB/s versus Intel's 42.7 GB/s, both using dual-channel DDR4. ECC support is exclusive to Intel. Socket types are incompatible: Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket FP6. Integrated graphics differ, with Intel's HD Graphics P630 versus AMD's Radeon Vega 7. The market segments are opposite (Server/Workstation versus Mobile), and production status differs (End-of-life versus Active). Release dates are about 2.5 years apart, with Intel launching in 2018 and AMD in 2021.