AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U vs Intel Core 7 253PTE Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two processors into clear roles. The Intel Core 7 253PTE wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, including every Cinebench workload and most PassMark integer and floating-point tasks. Its overall average benchmark score is 34962, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U averages 30254 and sits in the 81st percentile. That 15.6% gap in average score is substantial, but it is not the whole story.

The Intel part is the choice for sustained multi-threaded work, heavy math, and compiled workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21276 beats the AMD chip's 19982 by 6.1%. The gap widens dramatically in PassMark integer math, where Intel scores 119552 versus AMD's 74875, a 37.4% advantage. Floating-point math shows a similar 32.7% lead. These are the numbers that matter for rendering, code compilation, and simulation work.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U wins exactly three tests, but those wins reveal its strengths. It leads by 13.8% in random string sorting, by 11.9% in extended instructions, and by 2.2% in data encryption. It also draws closer in single-threaded PassMark, trailing by only 1.6%. For workloads that depend on encryption, string manipulation, or specialized instruction sets, the AMD part is competitive or better despite its lower core count.

The Intel Core 7 253PTE carries a launch MSRP of $384. The AMD chip has no listed launch MSRP. The Intel part targets desktop systems with a 45 W TDP, while the AMD part is a 28 W mobile processor. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. Buyers who need maximum throughput across general productivity, math-heavy tasks, and multi-core rendering should choose the Intel. Buyers who prioritize encryption performance, extended instruction throughput, or lower power draw in a mobile form factor should choose the AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U uses Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. Its codename is Hawk Point, part of the 8000 series. The Intel Core 7 253PTE uses Bartlett Lake architecture on Intel's 10 nm process, with no transistor or die size figures recorded in the database.

Core counts diverge sharply. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel chip has 10 cores and 20 threads. That 67% core advantage and 67% thread advantage explains much of the Intel lead in multi-threaded tests, though clock speeds also matter. The AMD part boosts to 4.90 GHz from a 3.50 GHz base. The Intel part boosts to 5.40 GHz from a 1.80 GHz base. The Intel chip has a higher ceiling but a much lower floor, which suggests it relies on boost behavior for performance.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD chip has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Intel chip has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. The Intel part has more cache at every level, with more than double the L3 capacity. That cache advantage likely contributes to its strong integer and floating-point results.

Memory support overlaps but is not identical. Both support dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Both support ECC memory. The AMD chip supports only DDR5, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. PCIe generations differ: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The Intel part has a newer PCIe standard but fewer lanes.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD chip uses Radeon 760M, while the Intel chip uses UHD Graphics 730. The database records no benchmark scores for either integrated GPU, so performance comparisons are not possible from this data. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part is classified as Mobile, the Intel part as Desktop. The AMD chip released on 2024-04-15, the Intel chip on 2026-03-08.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 253PTE dominates compute-heavy workloads. Its Cinebench scores show consistent 6.0 to 6.1% leads across every version tested, from R15 to R23, in both single-core and multi-core. That consistency suggests the Intel architecture maintains its advantage regardless of workload scaling. The PassMark results confirm this pattern. Integer math, floating-point math, prime number finding, physics, multithreading, data compression, and single-thread scores all favor Intel. The largest wins are integer math at 37.4% and floating-point math at 32.7%, indicating the Intel part is substantially stronger for numerical computation.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U wins in three specific areas. Random string sorting shows its largest margin at 13.8% ahead. Extended instructions follow at 11.9% ahead. Data encryption is closer at 2.2% ahead. These wins cluster around memory manipulation and specialized instruction handling rather than raw arithmetic throughput. The AMD part also trails by only 1.6% in PassMark single-thread, which shows that for lightly threaded general tasks, the gap nearly disappears.

The power and thermal profiles reinforce this split. The AMD chip runs at 28 W TDP, the Intel at 45 W. For mobile systems where battery life and cooling capacity matter, the AMD part is clearly the lower-power option. The Intel part draws more power but delivers more performance in most measured workloads. The AMD chip is a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP7; the Intel chip is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1700. These are different platforms serving different physical use cases.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PTE scores 34962 on average, compared to 30254 for the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U. The Intel chip also sits in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD chip sits in the 81st percentile.

Q: How large is the Intel lead in multi-core rendering?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 21276 versus 19982 for AMD, a 6.1% advantage. The same 6.1% gap appears in Cinebench R20 multi-core and R15 multi-core, showing a consistent lead across the Cinebench series.

Q: Where does the AMD processor outperform Intel?

A: The AMD chip wins three head-to-head tests: random string sorting by 13.8%, extended instructions by 11.9%, and data encryption by 2.2%. It also nearly matches Intel in PassMark single-thread, trailing by only 1.6%.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U and the Intel Core 7 253PTE support ECC memory. Both use dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD chip supports DDR5 only, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core 7 253PTE has 10 cores and 20 threads. The Intel chip has 4 more cores and 8 more threads.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PTE boosts to 5.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U boosts to 4.90 GHz. However, the AMD chip has a higher base clock at 3.50 GHz versus 1.80 GHz for Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results establish a consistent pattern. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 2144 against 2014 for AMD, a 6.1% lead. Single-core R15 shows 302 versus 284, a 6.0% margin. Cinebench R20 multi-core delivers 8935 against 8392, again 6.1%. R20 single-core is 1261 versus 1184, also 6.1%. Cinebench R23 multi-core gives 21276 versus 19982, and R23 single-core gives 3003 versus 2821, both at 6.1%. Every Cinebench test shows the same relative gap, which means the Intel advantage is not workload-dependent within this suite.

PassMark tests reveal where the Intel lead becomes extreme. Integer math shows the largest gap: Intel scores 119552, AMD scores 74875, a 37.4% difference. Floating-point math follows with 67209 versus 45265, a 32.7% gap. These are the two most lopsided results in the entire comparison. Physics shows a 12.4% Intel lead at 1318 versus 1154. Multithread scores favor Intel by 8.9% at 25031 versus 22795. Prime number finding is close at 82 versus 78, a 4.9% Intel edge. Data compression gives Intel a 5.4% lead at 275828 versus 260925. Single-thread PassMark shows 3794 versus 3732, a narrow 1.6% Intel advantage.

The AMD wins are concentrated but meaningful. Random string sorting is the biggest AMD victory: 32114 versus 28227, a 13.8% margin. Extended instructions follow with 19130 versus 17099, an 11.9% lead. Data encryption shows 15843 versus 15500, a 2.2% edge. These wins suggest the AMD architecture handles certain memory access patterns and instruction extensions more efficiently, even with fewer cores and a lower TDP.

The overall win count is lopsided at 14 for Intel and 3 for AMD. But the average score difference tells a more moderate story: Intel averages 34962 versus 30254 for AMD, a 15.6% gap. That is smaller than the 37.4% integer math gap and larger than the 1.6% single-thread gap. The typical workload falls somewhere between those extremes.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ most visibly. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U provides 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core 7 253PTE provides 10 cores and 20 threads. Clock speeds also differ: AMD runs at 3.50 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost, Intel at 1.80 GHz base and 5.40 GHz boost. TDP differs substantially, with AMD at 28 W and Intel at 45 W.

Cache configurations are different at every level. AMD uses 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel uses 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. The Intel chip has more cache per core and more shared cache overall.

Memory support shows one key difference. Both chips support dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC. The AMD chip supports DDR5 exclusively, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. PCIe differs: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

Manufacturing details vary. The AMD chip is built on a 4 nm TSMC process with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel chip uses a 10 nm Intel process, with no transistor count or die size recorded. The AMD chip uses Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, part of the 8000 series. The Intel chip uses Bartlett Lake architecture with no listed architecture family name.

Platform support separates these parts completely. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP7 and is classified as a mobile processor. The Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700 and is classified as a desktop processor. Both have locked multipliers. The AMD chip's part numbers are 100-000001318 (FP7r2) and 100-000001378 (FP7). The Intel chip's part number is SA4QK. Release dates differ by nearly two years: AMD on 2024-04-15, Intel on 2026-03-08.