AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS vs Intel Core i7-1280P Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a split decision across the 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS taking 8 wins and Intel Core i7-1280P taking 7. The margin of victory tells a clearer story than the raw win count. Intel's largest wins are substantial, while AMD's advantages, though more numerous, are generally narrower in the heavily threaded workloads.

The Intel Core i7-1280P dominates in compute-heavy integer and floating-point tasks. In PassMark floating point math, Intel scores 51,355 against AMD's 39,725, a 29.3% advantage. PassMark physics shows an even larger gap: 1,411 versus 970, a 45.5% lead for Intel. PassMark integer math also favors Intel by 10.7% (75,485 vs 68,173), and PassMark find prime numbers goes to Intel by 22.9% (86 vs 70). These are decisive margins in raw computational throughput.

Cinebench results are closer. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel leads by just 1.6% (11,666 vs 11,486). The older Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows a larger Intel advantage of 14.5% (2,112 vs 1,845). PassMark multithread also goes to Intel, but only by 1.4% (20,168 vs 19,889). The pattern is clear: Intel wins the heavy parallel compute benchmarks, but the margins shrink as the workload becomes more modern and better optimized.

AMD fights back in single-threaded performance and memory-sensitive tasks. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD leads by 3.5% (1,711 vs 1,651), and in Cinebench R15 single-core by 11.2% (268 vs 238). PassMark single-thread shows AMD ahead by 7.5% (3,584 vs 3,316). AMD also wins PassMark extended instructions by 18.7% (15,855 vs 12,897), a significant gap that suggests better efficiency in specialized instruction sets. Data compression (226,544 vs 220,621, AMD by 2.6%), data encryption (13,551 vs 13,179, AMD by 2.7%), and random string sorting (27,316 vs 24,308, AMD by 11%) round out AMD's wins.

The average benchmark scores place both processors at the 78th percentile among all CPUs in the database. Intel's average score is 26,469, while AMD's is 26,106, a difference of roughly 1.4%. Both sit in the same performance tier, which aligns with their near-identical overall standings despite the divergent workload-specific results.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. Intel's Core i7-1280P uses Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 217 mm². It packs 14 cores and 20 threads, a hybrid configuration that combines performance and efficiency cores. The base clock is 1.80 GHz with a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. Cache is distributed as 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3.

AMD's Ryzen 5 8640HS uses Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The die size is 178 mm², and AMD lists 25,000 million transistors. Cache is smaller: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. AMD supports DDR5 memory exclusively with dual-channel configuration and lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but the database does not record a bandwidth figure for Intel.

Both use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Both have integrated graphics: Intel's Iris Xe 96EU versus AMD's Radeon 760M. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. Both target the mobile segment. Intel uses the BGA 1744 socket; AMD uses Socket FP8. Both are currently marked as Active in production status.

The process node difference is stark: 10 nm for Intel versus 4 nm for AMD. This explains part of the power efficiency story, though both carry a 28 W TDP rating. Intel's larger core count (14 vs 6) and higher thread count (20 vs 12) give it a structural advantage in parallel workloads, which the benchmark data confirms. AMD's smaller core count is offset by higher clocks and a more modern process, which shows in single-threaded wins.

Release dates differ by nearly two years: Intel launched on 2022-02-22, AMD on 2023-12-05. The die size difference is modest (217 mm² vs 178 mm²), but the transistor count for Intel is not recorded in the database, so a direct transistor-density comparison is not possible from this data.

The Verdict

The data does not crown a single winner. Instead, it describes two processors with complementary strengths. The Intel Core i7-1280P is the choice for workloads that hammer floating-point math, physics simulation, and integer operations. Its 45.5% lead in PassMark physics and 29.3% lead in floating-point math are the largest margins in the entire comparison. For users running computationally intensive scientific or engineering applications, Intel's advantage is clear.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS wins the single-threaded contests and the memory-throughput-sensitive tasks. Its 18.7% lead in extended instructions and 11% lead in random string sorting suggest better performance in workloads that leverage modern instruction sets and memory access patterns. The single-thread wins, while narrower, are consistent across both Cinebench and PassMark tests.

For general-purpose use, the average scores are nearly identical. Both processors sit at the 78th percentile, and the difference in average benchmark score is under 2%. Users who need maximum multi-threaded throughput in legacy rendering workloads would favor Intel, while those prioritizing single-thread responsiveness and memory-heavy tasks would favor AMD. The 28 W TDP is identical, so platform-level power considerations do not differentiate these two parts.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS wins all recorded single-thread tests. It leads by 3.5% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1,711 vs 1,651), by 11.2% in Cinebench R15 single-core (268 vs 238), and by 7.5% in PassMark single-thread (3,584 vs 3,316).

Q: How do the two compare in multi-core rendering?

A: Intel leads in all multi-core Cinebench tests. The margin is 14.5% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (2,112 vs 1,845) but narrows to 1.6% in Cinebench R23 multi-core (11,666 vs 11,486). PassMark multithread also favors Intel by 1.4% (20,168 vs 19,889).

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-1280P has 14 cores and 20 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite the large core-count difference, the average benchmark scores are within 1.4% of each other.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: Intel uses a 10 nm process with a 217 mm² die. AMD uses TSMC's 4 nm process with a 178 mm² die and 25,000 million transistors. The database does not record a transistor count for Intel.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports DDR5 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The database records AMD's memory bandwidth as 89.6 GB/s; no bandwidth figure is listed for Intel.

Q: Which processor wins in encryption and compression tasks?

A: AMD wins both. PassMark data compression goes to AMD by 2.6% (226,544 vs 220,621), and PassMark data encryption goes to AMD by 2.7% (13,551 vs 13,179). These are modest but consistent advantages.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i7-1280P: choose for raw parallel compute. The data shows decisive wins in PassMark physics (45.5% ahead), floating-point math (29.3% ahead), and find prime numbers (22.9% ahead). Integer math is also 10.7% faster. These are the largest margins in the entire comparison, making Intel the stronger choice for simulation, numerical analysis, and any workload that scales across many cores.

AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS: choose for single-thread responsiveness and memory-heavy tasks. AMD wins every single-thread benchmark recorded, with margins from 3.5% to 11.2%. The extended instructions lead of 18.7% suggests better support for modern instruction sets. Random string sorting (11% ahead) and data compression (2.6% ahead) point to an advantage in data-processing workloads that depend on memory throughput. The 4 nm process and higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz (versus Intel's 4.80 GHz) are consistent with this profile.

Tie-breaker: average scores. Both processors sit at the 78th percentile. Intel's average benchmark score is 26,469 versus AMD's 26,106, a difference of about 1.4%. For mixed workloads without a dominant compute pattern, the choice comes down to whether the user favors Intel's multi-core muscle or AMD's single-thread efficiency. Neither processor holds a meaningful overall advantage in the database's aggregate metrics.