AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS vs Intel Core i7-8700K Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS and Intel Core i7-8700K are both 6-core, 12-thread processors, but they represent very different eras and design philosophies. The Ryzen 5 7533HS is a modern 6 nm mobile chip aimed at efficiency, while the Core i7-8700K is a 14 nm desktop part from 2017 with a 95 W TDP and an unlocked multiplier. Benchmark data shows they land within 0.7% of each other in average score, making this a surprisingly close contest despite their generational gap. The Ryzen 5 7533HS wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, but the Intel chip takes decisive victories in specific workloads that reveal a clear performance split.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS is the clear winner in rendering and general compute tasks. In the Cinebench suite, it wins every single multi-core and single-core test with a consistent 7.1% margin across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core runs. The data shows a 1243 vs 1161 score in Cinebench R15 multi-core, a 5183 vs 4841 in R20 multi-core, and a 12342 vs 11527 in R23 multi-core. The pattern is identical for single-core: 175 vs 163 in R15, 731 vs 683 in R20, and 1742 vs 1627 in R23. This suggests Zen 3+ architecture delivers a substantial IPC advantage over Coffee Lake.

The AMD chip also dominates in integer-heavy and cryptographic workloads. It leads PassMark integer math with a 10.7% margin (50800 vs 45892), wins PassMark data encryption by an enormous 124.4% (10718 vs 4776), and beats the Intel part by 23.1% in PassMark find prime numbers (48 vs 39). The Ryzen 5 7533HS also wins PassMark multithread with a 7% margin (14520 vs 13576) and edges out the Intel chip in PassMark physics (821 vs 811, a 1.2% delta). Its PassMark single-thread score of 2740 vs 2720 is another narrow win, at just 0.7%.

The Intel Core i7-8700K, however, has its own territory. It wins PassMark data compression decisively, scoring 198951 vs 168692, a 15.2% advantage. It also takes PassMark random string sorting with a massive 30.1% margin (25270 vs 17669). Intel leads PassMark extended instructions by 17% (13514 vs 11219) and PassMark floating point math by 2.6% (28538 vs 27800). These wins suggest the older Intel architecture retains strengths in specific memory-latency-sensitive or specialized instruction workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 1243 vs 1161 in R15, 5183 vs 4841 in R20, and 12342 vs 11527 in R23, each with a 7.1% delta.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-8700K compare in single-core performance?

A: The AMD chip leads every single-core test. The Ryzen 5 7533HS scores 175 vs 163 in Cinebench R15 (7.4% delta), 731 vs 683 in R20 (7% delta), and 1742 vs 1627 in R23 (7.1% delta). PassMark single-thread is nearly tied at 2740 vs 2720.

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

A: The largest margin is in PassMark data encryption, where the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS scores 10718 versus the Intel Core i7-8700K's 4776, a 124.4% advantage.

Q: Are there any tests where the Intel chip wins by a large margin?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-8700K leads PassMark random string sorting by 30.1% (25270 vs 17669) and PassMark data compression by 15.2% (198951 vs 168692).

Q: Which processor has a better average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS has an average benchmark score of 19364, compared to 19238 for the Intel Core i7-8700K. Both rank at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How do these chips compare to other CPUs in their class?

A: The Ryzen 5 7533HS is within 0.2% of the Intel Core i5-1345U (19411) and 0.7% of the Intel Core i7-8700K (19238). The Intel Core i7-8700K is 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-10700 (19145) and 0.6% behind the Ryzen 5 7533HS.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results paint a clear picture of architectural superiority. The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS wins every single Cinebench test, and the margins are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 1243 against Intel's 1161, a 7.1% win. The single-core R15 result is even slightly better for AMD at 7.4% (175 vs 163). This pattern repeats in R20 (7.1% multi-core, 7% single-core) and R23 (7.1% multi-core, 7.1% single-core). The consistency of the 7% delta across three generations of Cinebench suggests a fundamental IPC advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The PassMark results tell a more complex story. Intel strikes back hard in memory-heavy operations. PassMark random string sorting is the single biggest Intel win, with a 30.1% margin (25270 vs 17669). PassMark data compression also favors Intel significantly at 15.2% (198951 vs 168692). Intel wins PassMark extended instructions by 17% (13514 vs 11219) and floats point math by a slim 2.6% (28538 vs 27800).

The AMD chip counters with computational wins. PassMark integer math goes to AMD by 10.7% (50800 vs 45892). PassMark find prime numbers is an AMD win at 23.1% (48 vs 39). The encryption test is a blowout: AMD scores 10718 versus Intel's 4776, a 124.4% delta that dwarfs every other comparison. PassMark multithread favors AMD by 7% (14520 vs 13576), and physics is a narrow AMD win at 1.2% (821 vs 811). PassMark single-thread is essentially a tie at 2740 vs 2720, a 0.7% delta.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across almost every physical and platform specification. The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS uses a 6 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel Core i7-8700K is built on Intel's 14 nm node. The AMD chip has a 35 W TDP, versus 95 W for the Intel part. The base clocks differ: 3.30 GHz for AMD and 3.70 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks also favor Intel at 4.70 GHz versus AMD's 4.40 GHz.

Memory support is a major divergence. The AMD chip supports DDR5 with dual-channel memory and 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel chip supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs too: AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

The cache layouts are different. Both have 64 KB L1 per core, but AMD has 512 KB L2 per core versus Intel's 256 KB L2 per core. L3 cache is 16 MB shared on AMD versus 12 MB shared on Intel. The AMD chip has a 208 mm² die size versus Intel's 154 mm². The sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket FP7 versus Intel Socket 1151. The AMD chip is an active mobile part, while the Intel chip is an end-of-life desktop product.

Architecture Differences

The architecture gap is generational. The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS is based on Zen 3+ (codenamed Rembrandt-R) from the 7000 series, while the Intel Core i7-8700K uses Coffee Lake architecture. The AMD chip is manufactured on a 6 nm process by TSMC, whereas Intel uses its own 14 nm fabrication. This process advantage helps explain the AMD chip's lower 35 W TDP while still delivering competitive or superior performance.

The integrated graphics differ significantly. AMD includes a Radeon 660M iGPU, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 630. This is notable because the AMD chip is a mobile processor, so it benefits from a more capable integrated graphics solution. The Intel chip, being a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier, is designed for use with discrete graphics cards and overclocking.

Cache architecture also reveals design philosophy differences. AMD allocates 512 KB L2 per core, double Intel's 256 KB per core. AMD's L3 cache is 16 MB shared versus 12 MB shared on Intel. The AMD chip also has a larger die size of 208 mm² versus Intel's 154 mm², which is interesting given the smaller process node. The AMD chip's memory bandwidth advantage (76.8 GB/s vs 42.7 GB/s) reflects its DDR5 support and is likely a contributor to its strong performance in encryption and integer workloads.

The Intel Core i7-8700K has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS is locked. The Intel chip was released on 2017-10-04 with a launch MSRP of $359, while the AMD chip launched on 2024-08-31 with no listed MSRP. The Intel part is end-of-life production status, while the AMD chip is active. These differences frame the comparison: one is a seven-year-old desktop overclocking legend, the other is a current-generation efficient mobile processor, yet the benchmark data shows them trading blows with the AMD chip winning the majority of tests.