AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U vs Intel Core i5-13600H Comparison

The Intel Core i5-13600H and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U are both mobile processors aimed at different priorities, and the benchmark data draws a clear line between them. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U is the decisive winner in raw CPU rendering tests, dominating Cinebench with leads of roughly 38% across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core and single-core workloads. However, the Intel Core i5-13600H fights back in several PassMark sub-tests, winning 7 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, including significant victories in physics (29.1% ahead) and floating-point math (27.3% ahead). The data suggests the AMD chip is the better choice for heavily threaded productivity and rendering, while the Intel part holds advantages in specific computational tasks and offers a more traditional high-TDP performance profile.

The Verdict

The benchmark results point to a clear split in use cases. For users prioritizing multi-threaded rendering performance, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U is the unequivocal pick. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19982 crushes the Intel Core i5-13600H’s 12402, a 37.9% advantage. The AMD chip also leads in every single-core Cinebench test, with a 38% edge in R15, R20, and R23 single-core runs. This makes the Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U the stronger option for CPU-bound creative work like video encoding or 3D rendering.

Conversely, the Intel Core i5-13600H is the better choice for specific math and physics workloads. It leads by 27.3% in PassMark floating-point math (57618 vs 45265) and by 29.1% in PassMark physics (1490 vs 1154). Its 7 wins out of 17 head-to-head tests show it is not a pushover, particularly in integer math (5.1% ahead) and prime number finding (11.5% ahead). Data compression and encryption are near ties, with Intel edging ahead by 2.7% and 1.4% respectively.

The overall average benchmark scores are remarkably close: the Intel part scores 30548, while the AMD part scores 30254, a difference of less than 1%. Both chips sit in the 81st-82nd percentile of all CPUs. Therefore, the choice depends entirely on workload. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U is the superior rendering and single-thread performance champion, while the Intel Core i5-13600H offers a counter-punch in specific computational tasks and maintains a slight edge in overall PassMark multithread score (23304 vs 22795). The AMD chip is the default recommendation for most users, given its overwhelming Cinebench dominance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different designs. The Intel Core i5-13600H is built on Intel’s 10 nm process node and uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-H codename. It features 12 cores and 16 threads, enabled by a hybrid design that mixes performance and efficiency cores. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB L3 cache. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and offers PCIe Gen 5 with 8 lanes from the CPU. Its integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units.

In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC, using the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename. It has 6 cores and 12 threads. The cache layout is more modest: 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. It supports only DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a rated memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Notably, it supports ECC memory, a feature the Intel chip lacks. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Its integrated graphics are the Radeon 760M. The die size is listed as 178 mm² with 25,000 million transistors, while the Intel chip’s die size and transistor count are not specified. The AMD chip also has a higher base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, versus the Intel’s 2.80 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost.

The TDP difference is substantial: the Intel part is rated at 45W, while the AMD part is rated at 28W. This suggests the Intel chip is designed for higher sustained power draw, while the AMD chip is more power-efficient on paper. The AMD chip fits into the AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1744. The Intel part was released on 2023-01-03, over a year before the AMD part’s release on 2024-04-15.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U is significantly faster, scoring 19982 compared to the Intel Core i5-13600H’s 12402, a 37.9% lead.

Q: Does the Intel chip have any wins in the head-to-head benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-13600H wins 7 out of 17 tests, including PassMark floating-point math (57618 vs 45265, a 27.3% lead) and PassMark physics (1490 vs 1154, a 29.1% lead).

Q: What is the difference in overall average benchmark scores?

A: The scores are nearly identical. The Intel Core i5-13600H has an average benchmark score of 30548, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U scores 30254, a difference of less than 1%.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U has a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-13600H boosts to 4.80 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, only the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-13600H does not.

Q: How do the two compare in single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U wins all Cinebench single-core tests with a 38% lead in R15, R20, and R23. In PassMark single-thread, the AMD chip also wins, but by a smaller margin of 2.7% (3732 vs 3631).

Specification Differences

The two chips differ in nearly every major specification category. The Intel Core i5-13600H has 12 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel chip has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz; the AMD chip has a higher base clock of 3.50 GHz and a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The TDP is starkly different: 45W for the Intel versus 28W for the AMD.

The process node differs, with Intel using 10 nm and AMD using 4 nm from TSMC. The Intel chip’s cache is larger in L2 (2 MB per core) and L3 (18 MB shared), while the AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core versus Intel’s 80 KB per core. The AMD chip includes ECC memory support, which Intel lacks. Memory support also differs: Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD only supports DDR5. The AMD chip’s memory bandwidth is rated at 89.6 GB/s, a figure not provided for the Intel part. PCIe support varies: the Intel chip uses Gen 5 with 8 lanes, while the AMD chip uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes.

The integrated graphics differ, with the Intel part featuring Iris Xe Graphics 80EU and the AMD part featuring Radeon 760M. The AMD chip has a defined die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors; no such data is available for the Intel chip. The release dates are over a year apart, with the Intel chip launching on 2023-01-03 and the AMD chip on 2024-04-15. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $311; the AMD chip’s launch MSRP is not listed. Finally, the sockets are different (Intel BGA 1744 vs AMD Socket FP7).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640U dominates the Cinebench suite, making it the clear winner for rendering tasks. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 2014 versus Intel’s 1249, a 38% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap: 284 for AMD versus 176 for Intel, again a 38% difference. Moving to R20, the AMD chip scores 8392 multi-core and 1184 single-core, while the Intel chip scores 5208 and 735 respectively, resulting in 37.9% deficits for Intel. The most telling result is Cinebench R23 multi-core: the AMD chip scores 19982, which is 61% higher than Intel’s 12402. The R23 single-core test also shows AMD ahead by 38%, with scores of 2821 versus 1750.

The PassMark suite tells a more nuanced story. The AMD chip wins in extended instructions (19130 vs 15817, a 17.3% lead) and random string sorting (32114 vs 29570, a 7.9% lead). It also edges out Intel in single-thread performance, scoring 3732 versus 3631 in both single_thread and singlethread tests, a 2.7% margin. However, the Intel Core i5-13600H reclaims ground in several computational workloads. The biggest Intel wins are in PassMark physics (1490 vs 1154, a 29.1% lead) and floating-point math (57618 vs 45265, a 27.3% lead). Intel also wins in find prime numbers (87 vs 78, an 11.5% lead) and integer math (78658 vs 74875, a 5.1% lead). Data compression and encryption are close calls, with Intel winning by 2.7% (267936 vs 260925) and 1.4% (16061 vs 15843) respectively. The PassMark multithread score also goes to Intel, 23304 versus 22795, a 2.2% margin. Overall, the AMD chip wins 10 of the 17 tests, with its Cinebench victories being so large that they outweigh Intel’s smaller wins in the final average, though the overall average scores remain within 1% of each other.