AMD Ryzen 5 8400F vs Intel Core 7 251TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a heavily asymmetric contest. The Intel Core 7 251TE takes 14 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, leaving the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F with only 3 wins. The margins, however, vary sharply by workload type.

In Cinebench tests, Intel's advantage is remarkably consistent. Across R15, R20, and R23, the Intel Core 7 251TE leads the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F by 18.3% in every multicore and single-core iteration. The R23 multicore scores are 25518 for Intel versus 20851 for AMD, while R23 single-core shows 3602 against 2943. This uniform 18.3% gap across all three Cinebench versions indicates a stable per-thread performance edge combined with additional throughput from the higher core count.

PassMark integer math delivers the largest absolute margin. Intel scores 125739, which is 41.1% ahead of AMD's 74021. Floating point math shows an even steeper relative gap at 46%, with Intel at 85607 and AMD at 46217. The find prime numbers test, heavily dependent on integer throughput and latency, favors Intel by 36.4% (140 versus 89). Physics simulation also goes to Intel by 31.3% (1938 versus 1332). Data encryption favors Intel by 24.9% (22176 versus 16646), while data compression sees a narrower 13.8% edge (334399 versus 288158). Random string sorting is the closest Intel win at 12.7% (39643 versus 34604). Multithreaded PassMark shows Intel at 30022, an 18.8% advantage over AMD's 24389.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F claims its wins in two specific areas. The extended instructions test shows AMD at 22175, a substantial 30.6% lead over Intel's 16974. This result indicates the Zen 4 architecture's handling of advanced instruction sets outperforms the Bartlett Lake design in that specific workload. The other two AMD wins are in the single-thread PassMark tests, where AMD records 3685 against Intel's 3568, a 3.3% advantage. Notably, this single-thread PassMark result contradicts the Cinebench single-core pattern, where Intel leads by 18.3%. The difference suggests the two benchmark suites measure different aspects of single-thread performance, with PassMark's mix favoring AMD while Cinebench's rendering pipeline favors Intel.

The average benchmark scores place these processors in different tiers. AMD's average score is 25005, while Intel's is 41650, a difference of roughly 66.5%. Intel also sits at the 88th percentile among all CPUs in the database, versus AMD's 77th percentile.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear distinction. The Intel Core 7 251TE is the stronger processor for heavily threaded compute, rendering, physics, encryption, and integer-heavy workloads. Its Cinebench dominance at 18.3% across both multicore and single-core tests, plus its 46% lead in floating point math and 41.1% lead in integer math, make it the choice for content creation and scientific workloads where those operations dominate.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is the better option for workloads that rely on extended instruction set performance, where it holds a 30.6% edge. Its 3.3% PassMark single-thread win also matters for lightly threaded applications that follow that benchmark's workload profile, though the Cinebench single-core data complicates that picture. The AMD processor's lower core count, 6 cores and 12 threads versus Intel's 24 cores and 32 threads, explains much of the multicore deficit. Its lower power envelope of 65W TDP versus Intel's 45W TDP is notable, though the database does not record performance per watt figures.

The nearest rival data reinforces this split. AMD's closest competitor in the database is the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, with a delta of 0.2%, meaning the 8400F and 7500F are effectively tied. Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H at 0.1% and the Intel Core i7-14650HX at 0.2%, placing the 251TE in strong company at the top of its performance tier. The AMD EPYC 9474F, a server part, sits 0.4% below the 8400F's average score, which shows how close the desktop Ryzen is to a high-end server chip in aggregate benchmarks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F uses the Zen 4 architecture on the Phoenix codename, fabricated on a 4 nm TSMC process. It integrates 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm Intel process, with a 215 mm² die size and no transistor count recorded in the database.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. AMD offers 6 cores and 12 threads. Intel offers 24 cores and 32 threads, a 4x core advantage and roughly 2.67x thread advantage. Clock speeds also differ significantly. AMD's base clock is 4.20 GHz with a 4.70 GHz boost. Intel's base clock is much lower at 1.40 GHz, but its boost reaches 5.40 GHz, the highest recorded boost in this comparison.

Cache hierarchies reflect the core count difference. AMD provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3. Intel's larger L3, 36 MB versus 16 MB, gives it more shared cache for data-heavy workloads.

Memory support differs. AMD supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Intel's memory bandwidth advantage is 6.4 GB/s. Intel also supports ECC memory, while AMD does not. PCIe connectivity favors Intel with Gen 5 and 16 lanes, while AMD uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes. AMD's lane count is higher, but the interface generation is older.

Integrated graphics separate the two. AMD has no integrated graphics, listing N/A. Intel includes UHD Graphics 770. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, while Intel's is locked. The AMD part numbers as 100-000001591, while Intel's is SRQAXQ5ZG. Release dates show AMD launched on 2024-03-31 and Intel on 2025-01-12. The launch MSRP for AMD is $170, and Intel's is $384. The power envelopes are 65W for AMD and 45W for Intel, meaning Intel delivers its higher performance while rated for lower power consumption. Sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket AM5, Intel uses Socket 1700.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE scores 25518, which is 18.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F's 20851.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark extended instructions test with 22175 versus Intel's 16974, a 30.6% advantage, and it wins both PassMark single-thread tests at 3685 versus 3568, a 3.3% lead.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE has 24 cores and 32 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the difference in average benchmark scores?

A: Intel's average benchmark score is 41650, while AMD's is 25005. Intel also ranks at the 88th percentile among all CPUs, versus AMD's 77th percentile.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F does not.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F uses a 4 nm process from TSMC. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses a 10 nm process from Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 251TE dominates in rendering and multi-core compute. Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore all show an 18.3% Intel advantage. The 24-core, 32-thread configuration provides the throughput needed for video encoding, 3D rendering, and compilation workloads. The 36 MB shared L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth support these data-intensive tasks.

Intel also wins in arithmetic-heavy workloads. The 46% lead in floating point math and 41.1% lead in integer math make it the stronger choice for scientific computing, financial modeling, and simulation tasks. The physics test at 31.3% ahead reinforces this pattern. Data encryption at 24.9% ahead and data compression at 13.8% ahead cover security and storage workloads. The find prime numbers test, a classic latency-sensitive integer workload, shows Intel 36.4% ahead.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F wins in extended instruction sets. The 30.6% lead in PassMark's extended instructions test indicates that workloads using AVX-512 or similar advanced instruction paths perform better on Zen 4. This could matter for specific scientific libraries, cryptography implementations, or media codecs that leverage those instructions. The 3.3% PassMark single-thread win suggests that some single-threaded applications, particularly those matching PassMark's workload mix, run slightly faster on AMD. The 6-core design with a 4.20 GHz base clock and 4.70 GHz boost delivers strong per-core performance without the power management complexity of a 24-core design.

For users prioritizing maximum multi-threaded throughput, the Intel Core 7 251TE is the data-backed choice. For those running instruction-set-sensitive workloads, the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F's extended instruction advantage is the deciding factor. The two processors occupy different tiers in the database, with Intel at the 88th percentile and AMD at the 77th percentile, and their nearest rivals confirm this separation: AMD competes with the Ryzen 5 7500F and Core i7-13620H, while Intel competes with the Core Ultra 7 265H and Core i7-14650HX.