AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G vs Intel Xeon E-2336 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2336 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G are both six-core, twelve-thread processors aimed at distinct market segments, yet their benchmark scores place them remarkably close together. The data shows a near-tie in average performance, with the Xeon E-2336 scoring 3985 and the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G scoring 3977, a delta of just 0.2% in favor of the Intel part. Both CPUs sit at the 57th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rival lists include each other along with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U and Intel Core i7-6900K. This head-to-head analysis explores what separates two processors that appear statistically inseparable in raw compute tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results show a clean sweep for the Intel Xeon E-2336 across all six Cinebench tests, though the margins are consistently narrow. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon E-2336 scores 13777 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G’s 13685, a 0.7% advantage. The single-core R23 test tells a similar story, with the Intel part scoring 1945 versus 1932 for AMD, also a 0.7% delta. These are the largest margins in the entire head-to-head set, yet they remain within statistical noise for most workloads.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds. The Xeon E-2336 posts 5786 multi-core and 816 single-core, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G manages 5747 and 811, respectively. The deltas are 0.7% and 0.6% in favor of Intel. In the older Cinebench R15 tests, the Intel chip scores 1388 multi-core and 195 single-core, against AMD’s 1379 and 194, yielding 0.7% and 0.5% advantages. Across all six tests, the Xeon E-2336 wins by margins ranging from 0.5% to 0.7%, which suggests a consistent but very slight performance edge in rendering workloads.

What stands out is that the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G has two additional Geekbench scores in its benchmark list that the Xeon E-2336 does not include. The AMD part scores 6629 multi-core and 1440 single-core in Geekbench, though no direct comparison is possible because the Intel chip lacks those entries. The absence of Geekbench data for the Xeon E-2336 means the head-to-head table only covers Cinebench iterations, where Intel wins all six contests. The average benchmark scores, however, tell a more nuanced story—the Xeon E-2336’s 3985 average is only 0.2% above the Ryzen’s 3977, indicating that the Geekbench results for AMD help close the overall gap.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural split is dramatic. The Intel Xeon E-2336 uses Rocket Lake-E, built on Intel’s 14 nm process with a die size of 276 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G uses Zen 2 with the Renoir codename, fabricated by TSMC on a 7 nm node with a die size of 156 mm². The transistor counts could not be more different: AMD packs 9,800 million transistors into its smaller die, while Intel’s transistor count is not listed in the data. This density difference explains why AMD achieves comparable performance with a much smaller physical footprint.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The Xeon E-2336 offers 80 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G provides 64 KB of L1 per core, the same 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 8 MB of shared L3. Intel’s larger L3 cache (12 MB versus 8 MB) may contribute to its slight edge in the Cinebench tests, particularly in multi-threaded scenarios where shared data access patterns benefit from more cache. The L1 difference is also notable—Intel has 16 KB more per core, which can reduce latency for frequently accessed data.

The memory subsystems are identical in bandwidth: both support DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s. Both also support ECC memory, a feature that positions the Xeon E-2336 for server/workstation duty while the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G is classified as a desktop part. PCIe support differs, with the Xeon E-2336 offering Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G is limited to Gen 3 (lane count not specified). The most obvious hardware difference is integrated graphics: the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G includes Radeon Vega 7, while the Xeon E-2336 has no integrated graphics listed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2336 wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests, with margins of 0.7% in R15 (1388 vs 1379), R20 (5786 vs 5747), and R23 (13777 vs 13685). The average benchmark scores also favor Intel, 3985 versus 3977.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: Intel leads in every single-core test. Cinebench R15 shows 195 for Intel versus 194 for AMD, R20 shows 816 versus 811, and R23 shows 1945 versus 1932. The deltas range from 0.5% to 0.7%.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E-2336 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G list ECC memory support as true. They also share the same dual-channel DDR4 bus and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Q: Why does the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G have a higher base clock?

A: The AMD part has a base clock of 3.70 GHz compared to 2.90 GHz for the Xeon E-2336. However, the Intel chip boosts to 4.80 GHz, which is higher than AMD’s 4.20 GHz boost. The boost behavior likely explains why Intel wins in single-core tests despite the lower base frequency.

Q: Are the two CPUs in the same market segment?

A: No. The Xeon E-2336 is marked as Server/Workstation, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G is marked as Desktop. The Xeon also uses Intel Socket 1200, whereas the Ryzen uses AMD Socket AM4, so they are not interchangeable.

Q: What is the production status and release timing?

A: Both are listed as Active in production. The Xeon E-2336 was released on 2021-09-07, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G came out earlier on 2020-07-20. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $284, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP listed.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Xeon E-2336 | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G |

|---|---|---|

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Architecture | Rocket Lake | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Rocket Lake-E | Renoir |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 9,800 million |

| Die Size | 276 mm² | 156 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Base Clock | 2.90 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.80 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3 |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Radeon Vega 7 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2021-09-07 | 2020-07-20 |

| Launch MSRP | $284 | Not listed |

| Part Number | SRKN5 | 100-000000143100-100000143MPK |

The Verdict

The data presents a paradox: a server-class Intel processor with a higher launch MSRP and newer release date outperforms a desktop AMD part, but only by margins so thin they may be irrelevant in practice. The Xeon E-2336 wins all six Cinebench tests, yet the largest margin is 0.7%, which translates to roughly 92 points in R23 multi-core. For rendering workloads, the Intel part is consistently ahead, but the difference is unlikely to shift real-world project completion times by a noticeable amount.

The Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G counters with a smaller die (156 mm² versus 276 mm²), a more advanced 7 nm process, and integrated Radeon Vega 7 graphics. It also has a higher base clock (3.70 GHz versus 2.90 GHz), though its boost clock is lower (4.20 GHz versus 4.80 GHz). The AMD part’s average benchmark score of 3977 trails Intel by just 8 points. For users who need a discrete GPU anyway, the Xeon E-2336’s slight edge in Cinebench plus its PCIe Gen 4 support makes it the logical choice. For those who need integrated graphics or prefer a more modern fabrication node, the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G offers comparable compute with additional features.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E-2336 wins every benchmark where direct comparison exists, which means it is the better choice for pure multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering performance in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. Its 12 MB of L3 cache and 4.80 GHz boost clock give it a measurable, if small, advantage in CPU-bound workloads. The PCIe Gen 4 support with 20 lanes also favors the Intel part for systems that need high-bandwidth expansion, such as NVMe storage or newer GPUs. The server/workstation market segment designation and ECC memory support reinforce its suitability for professional environments where data integrity is critical.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G wins in architectural efficiency, with a 7 nm TSMC process versus Intel’s 14 nm, a 156 mm² die versus 276 mm², and a transistor count of 9,800 million that the Intel part does not disclose. Its integrated Radeon Vega 7 graphics means it can run a display without a separate GPU, which is a clear advantage for basic desktop systems or for troubleshooting. The higher base clock of 3.70 GHz may also benefit workloads that operate at sustained frequencies without reaching boost states. The AMD part’s earlier release date and desktop market segment make it a more natural fit for general consumer systems, while the Xeon E-2336 targets workstation builds. The data shows that in raw compute, Intel edges ahead, but the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G brings a broader feature set for less specialized use cases.