AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE vs Intel Core i7-9700K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear overall winner in raw performance: the Intel Core i7-9700K takes 15 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE secures only 2 victories. However, the magnitude of those wins tells a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The Intel chip’s victories are largely consistent but narrow in the most common productivity workloads. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-9700K scores 1233 against the AMD’s 1213, a margin of only 1.6%. Single-core R15 shows the same pattern: 174 versus 171, a 1.7% edge. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Intel part leads 5139 to 5058 in multi-core (1.6% ahead) and 725 to 714 in single-core (1.5% ahead). The R23 tests repeat the theme: Intel wins multi-core 12238 to 12045 and single-core 1727 to 1700, both by 1.6%. These are sub-2% margins across the board, indicating that in standard rendering workloads, the two processors are effectively peers, with Intel holding a slight but consistent edge.

The PassMark multi-thread test follows the same pattern: Intel scores 14414 versus AMD’s 14171, a 1.7% difference. The PassMark single-thread test shows a slightly larger gap, with Intel at 2865 and AMD at 2660, a 7.2% advantage for the i7-9700K. This single-thread gap is more meaningful for lightly threaded applications.

Where Intel extends its lead significantly is in several specialized workloads. The PassMark physics test is a decisive win for Intel: 880 versus 592, a 32.7% advantage. This suggests a substantial difference in simulation or physics-based calculations. The extended instructions test shows Intel ahead by 34.8% (18088 versus 11792), indicating much stronger performance in workloads that leverage advanced instruction sets like AVX. Floating-point math also favors Intel heavily, with a score of 35498 versus 27947, a 21.3% margin. Prime number finding is another Intel stronghold: 52 versus 28, a 46.2% gap. Random string sorting goes to Intel by 17%, 25756 versus 21382. Data compression also favors Intel, 208062 versus 193067, a 7.2% margin.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE’s two wins are remarkable in their magnitude. The most striking is data encryption: AMD scores 11586 against Intel’s 4590, a staggering 152.4% advantage. This indicates that the AMD processor has a substantial architectural edge in cryptographic workloads, likely due to hardware acceleration features. The second AMD win is in integer math, where it scores 48513 versus Intel’s 41411, a 17.2% lead. This is a significant margin for a core workload category, showing that the AMD chip handles integer-heavy tasks more efficiently.

The average benchmark scores reflect this mixed picture. The AMD part has an average score of 20900, placing it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel part has an average of 20271, also in the 74th percentile. Despite Intel winning more individual tests, the AMD chip’s two massive wins (especially the encryption result) lift its average to nearly the same level. The nearest rivals for AMD include the Intel Core Ultra 7 268V at 20897 (0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-12600T at 20917 (-0.1% delta). Intel’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 165U at 20249 (0.1% delta) and the AMD EPYC 7713 at 20363 (-0.5% delta).

The Verdict

The data directs a clear verdict: the Intel Core i7-9700K is the superior processor for general-purpose computing, content creation, and most professional workloads. Its consistent wins across Cinebench, physics, floating-point math, and extended instructions make it the stronger choice for rendering, simulation, and scientific computing. The margins in Cinebench are small, but the larger gaps in specialized tests show real architectural advantages.

However, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE is not without its own compelling case. The 152.4% lead in encryption is not a minor detail; it is a dominant performance in a security-critical domain. For any workload involving encryption, decryption, secure communications, or cryptographic hashing, the AMD part is dramatically faster. Additionally, the 17.2% win in integer math suggests it handles general arithmetic and logic operations more efficiently, which can benefit database operations, financial calculations, and certain types of data processing.

The production status also matters. The AMD part is listed as Active, while the Intel part is End-of-life. The Intel i7-9700K carries a launch MSRP of $385, but no pricing data is available for the AMD part. For new system builds, the AMD’s active status and 35W TDP (versus Intel’s 95W TDP) indicate a more modern, power-efficient platform. The AMD’s 7 nm process node versus Intel’s 14 nm is a clear generational advantage in efficiency.

For users who prioritize raw performance in diverse workloads, the Intel i7-9700K is the pick. For users with encryption-heavy workloads or those prioritizing power efficiency and a modern active platform, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE is the better choice.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-9700K wins in the broadest set of scenarios. It is the choice for 3D rendering, based on its Cinebench leads (though narrow, they are consistent across R15, R20, and R23). It wins in physics simulation, floating-point scientific computing, and workloads that use extended instructions like AVX. Data compression and random string sorting also favor Intel, making it suitable for file archiving, database indexing, and text processing tasks. The single-thread advantage of 7.2% makes it better for older, poorly threaded applications and general desktop responsiveness.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE wins decisively in encryption and security-related tasks. Its 152.4% margin in data encryption means VPN services, disk encryption, secure web servers, and cryptographic key generation will run dramatically faster. The 17.2% win in integer math makes it a strong option for integer-heavy scientific calculations, certain financial models, and any workload that processes large volumes of non-floating-point data. The AMD’s lower TDP of 35W versus 95W also makes it the winner for compact, low-power systems where thermal output is a constraint.

For multi-threaded productivity, the two are nearly tied. The Intel leads by 1.6% in R15, 1.6% in R20, and 1.6% in R23, as well as 1.7% in PassMark multi-thread. This means heavy multitasking, video encoding, and compilation workloads will show almost no difference between the two in practice.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700K scores 12238 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE scores 12045. Intel leads by 1.6%.

Q: How large is the AMD’s lead in encryption performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE scores 11586 in PassMark data encryption, compared to Intel’s 4590, giving AMD a 152.4% advantage.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700K has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE has a TDP of 35W, while the Intel Core i7-9700K has a TDP of 95W.

Q: Which processor is still in active production?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE is listed as Active, while the Intel Core i7-9700K is End-of-life.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD has an average benchmark score of 20900, and the Intel has an average of 20271. Both are in the 74th percentile of all CPUs.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE is built on the Zen 2 architecture with the Renoir codename, fabricated on a 7 nm process by TSMC. It uses 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake architecture (Coffee Lake Refresh), built on a 14 nm process by Intel, with a die size of 180.3 mm².

The core configurations differ significantly. AMD uses 6 cores with 12 threads, leveraging simultaneous multithreading. Intel uses 8 cores with 8 threads, with no hyper-threading. This means the AMD can process more threads simultaneously despite having fewer physical cores, which explains its competitive multi-core scores despite the core deficit.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core. AMD has 512 KB of L2 per core, while Intel has 256 KB per core. For L3 cache, AMD provides 8 MB shared, while Intel provides 12 MB shared. The larger per-core L2 on AMD and the larger total L3 on Intel reflect different cache strategies.

Memory support shows both use DDR4 with dual-channel buses. AMD has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while Intel has 42.7 GB/s. AMD also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not. PCIe configuration differs: AMD offers Gen 3 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics differ as well. AMD includes Radeon Vega 7, while Intel includes UHD Graphics 630. The AMD part has a locked multiplier, while the Intel part has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on several key specification fields. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE has 6 cores, while the Intel Core i7-9700K has 8 cores. Thread counts are 12 versus 8. Base clocks are 3.30 GHz for AMD and 3.60 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 4.20 GHz for AMD and 4.90 GHz for Intel, giving Intel a 0.70 GHz boost advantage.

TDP differs substantially: 35W for AMD versus 95W for Intel. The sockets are different: AMD Socket AM4 versus Intel Socket 1151. Process nodes are 7 nm for AMD and 14 nm for Intel. Transistor counts are 9,800 million for AMD, with no figure recorded for Intel. Die sizes are 156 mm² for AMD and 180.3 mm² for Intel.

L2 cache is 512 KB per core for AMD and 256 KB per core for Intel. L3 cache is 8 MB shared for AMD and 12 MB shared for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for AMD and 42.7 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory support is present on AMD but absent on Intel. PCIe lanes are 20 for AMD and 16 for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 7 for AMD and UHD Graphics 630 for Intel.

Production status differs: AMD is Active, Intel is End-of-life. The multiplier is locked on AMD and unlocked on Intel. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $385; no launch MSRP is recorded for AMD. Release dates are 2022-11-10 for AMD and 2018-10-18 for Intel.