AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H vs AMD Ryzen 7 8840U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H and AMD Ryzen 7 8840U are both mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but the benchmark data tells a clear story of generational and core-count superiority. Across every single head-to-head benchmark in the database, the Ryzen 7 8840U emerges victorious, winning all 17 comparisons. The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H records zero wins. This is not a close contest; it is a comprehensive sweep. The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 8840U is the unequivocal performance choice, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H’s only potential advantage lies in its lower power envelope, a factor not captured in these performance benchmarks. For any user prioritizing raw computational throughput, the choice is clear. For those where efficiency is paramount, the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H remains a capable, albeit slower, alternative.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark results, the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U is the superior processor in every measurable performance category. The data shows a decisive victory for the newer 8000-series chip, with the Ryzen 7 8840U leading by margins ranging from 11.3% to 33.3% across various workloads. The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H, while a competent chip from the 6000 series, cannot match the multi-threaded and single-threaded performance of its newer rival. The 8840U’s wins are not marginal; they are substantial, particularly in multi-core scenarios where it often leads by over 25%. This makes the Ryzen 7 8840U the obvious choice for users who need maximum performance for demanding applications like video editing, 3D rendering, or complex data analysis. The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H, with its lower TDP of 45W compared to the 8840U’s 28W, might be found in systems prioritizing battery life, but the data indicates a significant performance trade-off. In a purely performance-based comparison, the Ryzen 7 8840U is the definitive winner.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent two distinct generations of AMD mobile silicon, and their architectural differences explain the performance gap. The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H is built on the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt, and fabricated on TSMC’s 6 nm process node. In contrast, the Ryzen 7 8840U is a Zen 4 part, codenamed Hawk Point, built on the more advanced 4 nm node. This process shrink is a fundamental enabler of the 8840U’s higher performance and efficiency. The core counts also differ significantly: the 6650H offers 6 cores and 12 threads, while the 8840U provides 8 cores and 16 threads. This two-core, four-thread advantage is a primary driver of the 8840U’s multi-core benchmark dominance. The cache hierarchy also shows a difference, with the 8840U featuring a larger 1 MB L2 cache per core compared to the 6650H’s 512 KB per core, while both share a 16 MB L3 cache. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the 6650H featuring the Radeon 660M and the 8840U the more powerful Radeon 780M. The 8840U also supports a higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s for the 6650H, and its transistor count is listed at 25,000 million on a 178 mm² die, whereas the 6650H has a 208 mm² die. Both use the same DDR5 memory standard and Gen 4 PCIe with 20 lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results paint a picture of consistent, unequivocal dominance for the Ryzen 7 8840U. The largest single margin is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the 8840U scores 78 against the 6650H’s 52, a 33.3% advantage. This is a pure test of raw integer throughput and highlights the efficiency of the Zen 4 architecture. In the multi-core heavy Cinebench R23 test, the 8840U scores 12972 versus 9561, a 26.3% lead, demonstrating its superiority in rendering and heavily threaded workloads. Similarly, in Geekbench multi-core, the 8840U’s score of 9610 is 27.9% higher than the 6650H’s 6930. The story is similar for single-threaded performance, though the margins are smaller. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the 8840U leads with 1703 versus 1471, a 13.6% advantage, and in Geekbench single-core, it wins 1970 to 1735, an 11.9% lead. This shows that the architectural improvements in Zen 4 also provide a significant boost to single-thread efficiency, not just raw core-count scaling. In PassMark integer math, the 8840U scores 85740 versus 62838, a 26.7% improvement, and in floating-point math, it leads with 48820 versus 35743, a 26.8% advantage. The only category where the margin is below 12% is the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the 8840U wins with a score of 266 versus 236, an 11.3% difference. Even in memory-sensitive tasks like data compression, the 8840U is 18.6% ahead, scoring 267525 versus 217700.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U is significantly faster. It leads in all multi-core benchmarks, with scores like 12972 versus 9561 in Cinebench R23 multicore (a 26.3% advantage) and 9610 versus 6930 in Geekbench multicore (a 27.9% advantage).

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 8840U also faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: Yes. The 8840U wins every single-threaded test, including a 1703 versus 1471 score in Cinebench R23 single-core (13.6% faster) and a 3543 versus 3110 score in PassMark single-thread (12.2% faster).

Q: What is the core and thread count difference between the two?

A: The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 8840U has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H wins?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Ryzen 7 8840U winning all 17 recorded benchmark comparisons. The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H has 0 wins.

Q: What are the key architectural differences?

A: The 6650H uses the Zen 3+ architecture on a 6nm process, while the 8840U uses the newer Zen 4 architecture on a 4nm process. The 8840U also has a larger L2 cache (1 MB per core versus 512 KB per core).

Q: How do their memory bandwidth specifications compare?

A: The Ryzen 7 8840U supports a higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, compared to 76.8 GB/s for the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U wins in every single performance category tested. There is no workload in the dataset where the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H outperforms its rival. The 8840U’s biggest wins are in multi-core intensive tasks like 3D rendering and video encoding, as evidenced by its 26.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore and its 23.2% lead in PassMark multithread. It also shows a strong advantage in physics simulations, leading by 28.7% in the PassMark physics test. For single-threaded applications such as web browsing, office productivity, and legacy software, the 8840U still holds a decisive edge, with an 11.9% to 13.6% lead in Geekbench and Cinebench single-core tests. The Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H does not have a "win" column in this comparison. Its only potential advantage, which is not measured in these benchmarks, is its lower TDP of 45W. This could theoretically make it a more suitable option for fanless or ultra-compact designs, but the performance cost is severe. For any user prioritizing speed, the Ryzen 7 8840U is the only choice.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for the two processors highlight the generational leap. The most obvious differences are in the core and thread counts, with the Ryzen 7 8840U offering 8 cores and 16 threads versus 6 cores and 12 threads on the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H. The boost clock also differs, with the 8840U reaching 5.10 GHz compared to the 6650H’s 4.50 GHz, while both share a base clock of 3.30 GHz. The TDP is a significant point of divergence, with the 6650H rated at 45W and the 8840U at a much more efficient 28W. They use different sockets (FP7 for the 6650H and FP8 for the 8840U) and are based on different architectures (Zen 3+ Rembrandt versus Zen 4 Hawk Point). The process node is also different, with the 6650H on 6nm and the 8840U on 4nm. Cache configurations differ in the L2 cache, which is 512 KB per core on the 6650H and 1 MB per core on the 8840U, while both share 16 MB of L3 cache. The integrated graphics are different (Radeon 660M versus Radeon 780M), and the memory bandwidth is higher on the 8840U (89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s). The die size and transistor counts also differ, with the 8840U having a smaller 178 mm² die with 25,000 million transistors versus the 6650H's 208 mm² die. Their release dates are also distinct, with the 6650H launching on 2022-04-18 and the 8840U on 2023-12-05.