AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H vs Intel Core i5-11500 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the majority of head-to-head benchmark tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H wins 9 of the 15 recorded head-to-head benchmark tests, while the Intel Core i5-11500 wins 6. This is a clear majority for the AMD mobile chip, though the Intel part claims several high-profile victories.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-11500 is decisively ahead, scoring 14,513 versus the AMD's 9,561. That is a 34.1% advantage for Intel in this specific test, which is the largest performance gap recorded between the two chips.

Q: What about single-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: Intel also wins there, posting a score of 2,049 against AMD's 1,471. The delta is 28.2% in Intel's favor. This suggests the Intel chip has a significant edge in lightly threaded rendering workloads.

Q: Where does the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H show its biggest strength?

A: The largest AMD victory is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 13,518 versus Intel's 10,592, a 27.6% advantage. It also wins integer math by 7.7% and multithread by 4.8%, showing consistent gains in compute-heavy tasks.

Q: Are the two chips in the same overall performance percentile?

A: Yes, both sit at the 76th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores differ by less than 3%: AMD's average is 24,364 and Intel's is 23,718.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i5-11500?

A: The Intel Core i5-11500 has a listed launch MSRP of $192. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H has no launch MSRP recorded in the database.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct buyers. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H is the better choice for users who prioritize encryption throughput, integer math, and overall multithreaded workload breadth, as it wins 9 out of 15 direct comparisons. Its PassMark multithread score of 17,936 exceeds Intel's 17,107, and its data encryption lead of 27.6% is substantial. This chip also carries a 6% advantage in Cinebench R15 multi-core, which indicates it handles older rendering workloads well.

The Intel Core i5-11500 is the pick for single-threaded rendering and newer Cinebench versions. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,513 is 34.1% higher than AMD's, and its R23 single-core score is 28.2% higher. Users who run Cinebench R23 as a primary benchmark should clearly favor Intel. The Intel part also edges ahead in PassMark single-thread (3,131 versus 3,110, a 0.7% lead) and random string sorting (24,505 versus 22,823, a 6.9% lead).

Given that both processors land in the 76th percentile of all CPUs and have average scores within 2.7% of each other (24,364 versus 23,718), the overall performance tier is similar. The choice hinges on workload mix. For encryption, integer math, and balanced multithreading, the AMD chip wins. For Cinebench R23 and light single-thread tasks, the Intel chip is superior. The Intel part is also a desktop chip with a launch MSRP of $192, while the AMD part is a mobile chip with no recorded launch price, so platform considerations are inherent to the comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the database is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where Intel wins by 34.1%. This is the single largest delta in either direction, and it is not close: 14,513 versus 9,561. The same test in single-core shows Intel ahead by 28.2%, with 2,049 versus 1,471. These two results alone define Intel's case for dominance in modern rendering workloads.

AMD counters with a strong showing in PassMark data encryption, winning by 27.6% (13,518 versus 10,592). This is AMD's largest victory and indicates a meaningful advantage in cryptographic operations. AMD also wins integer math by 7.7% (62,838 versus 58,352) and floating point math by 3.8% (35,743 versus 34,422). The PassMark multithread test goes to AMD by 4.8% (17,936 versus 17,107), which reinforces the idea that AMD is generally stronger across varied multithreaded tasks.

The Cinebench R15 results tell a different story than R23. AMD wins R15 multi-core by 6% (1,550 versus 1,462) and R15 single-core by 14.6% (236 versus 206). This is a notable reversal: AMD dominates the older Cinebench version while Intel dominates the newer one. The data suggests that the two chips have very different scaling characteristics across Cinebench generations.

Smaller victories are split. AMD wins PassMark data compression by 3.3% (217,700 versus 210,796), find prime numbers by 2% (52 versus 51), and physics by 1.8% (838 versus 823). Intel wins extended instructions by 0.4% (15,111 versus 15,044) and single-thread by 0.7% (3,131 versus 3,110). Intel also takes random string sorting by 6.9% (24,505 versus 22,823), which is its third-largest win.

The overall win count is 9 for AMD and 6 for Intel, but the magnitude of Intel's Cinebench R23 wins means those 6 victories carry outsized weight in any rendering-focused evaluation.

Specification Differences

The two processors share the same core and thread counts: 6 cores and 12 threads. Both use a dual-channel memory bus and both support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Neither has an unlocked multiplier, and neither supports ECC memory.

Key differences appear in clock speeds, TDP, socket, and memory type. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, with a TDP of 45 W. The Intel Core i5-11500 has a lower base clock of 2.70 GHz but a higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The AMD chip draws less power while running a higher base clock, whereas the Intel chip draws more power but boosts slightly higher.

Memory support differs fundamentally: AMD uses DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while Intel uses DDR4 with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. This gives AMD a 50% theoretical bandwidth advantage on paper. The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket FP7, Intel uses Socket 1200. The integrated graphics also differ: AMD pairs with Radeon 660M, Intel with UHD Graphics 750.

The AMD part is a mobile chip, while the Intel part is a desktop chip. AMD's production status is Active; Intel's is End-of-life. Release dates also differ: AMD launched on 2022-04-18, Intel on 2021-03-15.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is wide. AMD's Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H is built on the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt, using a 6 nm process at TSMC. Intel's Core i5-11500 uses the Rocket Lake architecture, also codenamed Rocket Lake, on a 14 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is substantial: 6 nm versus 14 nm, which typically implies significant efficiency and density advantages for the AMD design.

Die size also differs: AMD measures 208 mm², while Intel measures 276 mm². Despite having a larger die, Intel uses an older and larger process node. Cache configurations differ as well. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with only 12 MB of shared L3. Intel has more L1 per core, but AMD has 33% more shared L3.

Memory architecture is another divider: AMD supports DDR5, Intel supports DDR4. This aligns with the process node and generation differences, as AMD's Rembrandt is a newer design. The integrated graphics differ, with AMD using Radeon 660M and Intel using UHD Graphics 750, though no benchmark data is recorded for either GPU in this comparison.

The production status tells a story: AMD is Active, Intel is End-of-life. This suggests the Intel chip is no longer in production, while the AMD chip remains available. The combination of newer process node, newer memory standard, and active production status positions the AMD part as the more forward-looking design.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H wins in: data encryption (27.6% lead), integer math (7.7%), multithread (4.8%), floating point math (3.8%), data compression (3.3%), find prime numbers (2%), physics (1.8%), Cinebench R15 multi-core (6%), and Cinebench R15 single-core (14.6%). This is a broad set of wins across PassMark compute tests and older Cinebench versions. The encryption win is particularly large and suggests the AMD chip's architecture handles cryptographic workloads with notable efficiency. The R15 results indicate that users running legacy rendering benchmarks will see AMD ahead.

Intel Core i5-11500 wins in: Cinebench R23 multi-core (34.1% lead), Cinebench R23 single-core (28.2%), random string sorting (6.9%), single-thread (0.7%), and extended instructions (0.4%). The Cinebench R23 victories are the headline for Intel, and they are massive. Anyone whose workflow is centered on the R23 benchmark will prefer Intel without hesitation. The random string sorting win is also sizable, indicating Intel's strength in string manipulation tasks. The single-thread and extended instruction wins are narrow, but they add to Intel's case for light-threaded workloads.

The split is clean: AMD dominates compute-heavy and legacy rendering tasks, while Intel dominates modern Cinebench and several memory-latency-sensitive tasks. The database records 9 wins for AMD and 6 for Intel, but the weight of Intel's R23 wins means the Intel chip remains highly competitive for specific use cases.