AMD Ryzen 5 8640U vs Intel Core i7-14701TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database pits the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U against the Intel Core i7-14701TE across 15 tests, and the results show a clear split between workloads. The AMD chip wins 9 of the 15 comparisons, while the Intel part takes 6, but the margins tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The single biggest gap in either direction belongs to the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U in the PassMark single-thread test. It scores 3534 against Intel’s 2637, a 34% advantage. That is a decisive lead for lightly-threaded, latency-sensitive tasks. The same 34% delta appears in the duplicate PassMark single-thread entry, confirming the result is consistent.

AMD also dominates in data encryption, scoring 14013 versus 11699 for Intel, a 19.8% edge. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 23.3%, with scores of 28066 and 22760 respectively. Extended instructions, a proxy for SIMD and specialized workloads, favor AMD by 15%, at 16500 versus 14354. Smaller AMD wins appear in data compression (230080 vs 220520, a 4.3% gap), integer math (68051 vs 65792, a 3.4% gap), and the PassMark multi-thread suite (20322 vs 20042, a 1.4% margin).

Intel’s biggest win is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 17035 against AMD’s 10433. That is a 38.8% deficit for the Ryzen part, the largest raw score gap in the entire head-to-head. The physics test also swings heavily toward Intel: 1860 versus 1033, a 44.5% lead. Prime number finding is another Intel stronghold, with 143 against 69, a 51.7% margin in Intel’s favor. Cinebench R23 single-core goes to Intel by 31.4%, at 2405 versus 1651. The older Cinebench R15 multi-core test gives Intel a narrow 3.1% win, 1716 versus 1663.

The only Intel win that is not a blowout is Cinebench R15 single-core, where AMD actually takes the top spot by 5.8%, scoring 256 versus 242. That result is interesting because it contradicts the newer Cinebench R23 single-core result, where Intel leads by 31.4%. The two suites clearly measure different aspects of single-thread performance.

Where Each One Wins

The data suggests the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U is the better choice for workloads that rely on high single-thread responsiveness and certain cryptographic or data-manipulation tasks. Its 34% lead in PassMark single-thread is the strongest signal here. The 19.8% edge in data encryption and the 23.3% advantage in random string sorting point to a part that handles memory-pattern-heavy tasks efficiently. The 15% win in extended instructions also indicates strong SIMD throughput for the AMD chip.

The Intel Core i7-14701TE, by contrast, is the multi-core brute. Its 38.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the headline number. The physics test, which often scales well with core count, shows a 44.5% advantage for Intel. Prime number finding, a classic integer-heavy parallel workload, gives Intel a 51.7% margin. These results align with Intel’s higher core and thread counts: 8 cores and 16 threads versus 6 cores and 12 threads for AMD.

The Cinebench R23 single-core result, where Intel leads by 31.4%, complicates the single-thread picture. AMD wins the PassMark single-thread test decisively, but Intel wins the Cinebench R23 single-core test just as decisively. The two benchmarks likely weight different instruction mixes. For users prioritizing the PassMark suite, AMD is the single-thread leader; for those using Cinebench R23 as their reference, Intel is ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 8640U is built on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Hawk Point, and manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It packs 25,000 million transistors into a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-14701TE uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake Refresh, on Intel’s 10 nm process, with a larger 257 mm² die. No transistor count is recorded for the Intel part.

Cache configurations differ significantly. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a much larger 33 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on Intel likely contributes to its multi-core advantage in Cinebench R23, where cache-sensitive workloads can benefit from the extra shared capacity.

Memory support splits the pair. AMD supports only DDR5, with dual-channel access and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but no bandwidth figure is listed in the database. ECC memory is available on the Intel part but not on the AMD chip, a notable distinction for workstation or reliability-focused builds.

PCIe capabilities also differ. AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The newer PCIe generation on Intel could matter for high-bandwidth peripherals, though the lane count is lower. Integrated graphics are present on both: AMD uses the Radeon 760M, while Intel pairs the UHD Graphics 770.

The market segments are distinct. AMD’s part is classified as mobile, sitting in the 8000 series with a 28 W TDP. Intel’s chip is desktop-class, in the Core 14th Gen with a 45 W TDP. The sockets differ accordingly: AMD uses Socket FP8, and Intel uses Socket 1700. Release dates are also different, with AMD launching on December 5, 2023, and Intel arriving June 30, 2024.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701TE boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U reaches 4.90 GHz. Intel’s base clock is lower at 2.10 GHz versus AMD’s 3.50 GHz.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: Intel scores 17035, which is 38.8% ahead of AMD’s 10433. This is the largest multi-core margin in the head-to-head data.

Q: Is the AMD chip always faster in single-thread tests?

A: No. AMD wins the PassMark single-thread test by 34%, but Intel wins the Cinebench R23 single-core test by 31.4%. The older Cinebench R15 single-core test goes to AMD by 5.8%.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8640U has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core i7-14701TE has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701TE supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 8640U does not.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The AMD part is rated at 28 W, while the Intel part is rated at 45 W. The AMD chip is also classified as a mobile part, whereas Intel’s is a desktop part.

The Verdict

The choice between these two processors depends entirely on workload priorities. The AMD Ryzen 5 8640U is the stronger option for single-thread-dominated tasks, as evidenced by its 34% PassMark single-thread lead, and for security-related workloads, with a 19.8% encryption advantage. It also wins the majority of head-to-head tests, 9 out of 15, and does so with a 28 W TDP, making it the efficiency-minded pick.

The Intel Core i7-14701TE is the multi-core specialist. Its 38.8% Cinebench R23 multi-core lead and 44.5% physics advantage make it the clear choice for rendering, simulation, and heavily parallel compute. The 51.7% margin in prime number finding reinforces this. Intel also offers ECC memory support and a larger 33 MB L3 cache, which may appeal to specific professional use cases.

Both chips sit at the 78th percentile among all CPUs in the database, with average benchmark scores of 26462 for AMD and 26013 for Intel. The aggregate numbers are close, but the workload-specific deltas are not. The AMD Ryzen 5 8640U suits mobile, single-thread-focused systems. The Intel Core i7-14701TE fits desktop builds where multi-core throughput is the priority.