AMD Ryzen 7 1700X vs Intel Core i7-8705G Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is decisively lopsided, with the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X taking three of the four shared benchmark comparisons. The most dramatic gap appears in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where AMD scores 1537 against Intel's 651, a delta of 136.1%. This is not a marginal lead; it is a near-tripling of the Intel part's rendering throughput in a heavily threaded workload. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration of the AMD chip is the obvious driver here, and the benchmark results confirm that the core count advantage translates directly into a massive performance gulf.

The single-core Cinebench R15 result also favors AMD, though by a smaller margin. The Ryzen 7 1700X scores 154, while the Intel Core i7-8705G scores 91, a delta of 69.2%. This is notable because Intel's chip has a higher boost clock of 4.10 GHz compared to AMD's 3.80 GHz, yet the older Zen architecture still manages to outperform it in this specific legacy test. The data suggests that the Intel part's efficiency in this workload is hampered by its lower base clock and the fact that it is a mobile-oriented chip with a 65 W TDP.

Geekbench multi-core follows the same pattern as Cinebench, with AMD winning 5584 to 3968, a 40.7% delta. This is a broader test suite, and while the margin is smaller than the Cinebench R15 result, it still represents a decisive victory for the AMD processor. The only benchmark where Intel wins is Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1277 against AMD's 1100, a delta of -13.9% from AMD's perspective. This is a meaningful win for Intel, as it shows that the Kaby Lake architecture has a superior single-thread performance ceiling when clocked high enough. However, it is only one win out of four, and the magnitude of the loss in the multi-core tests far outweighs this single-thread advantage.

The average benchmark score for the two parts is close: AMD sits at 2094, and Intel at 2058. This proximity is misleading, as the shared benchmark pool shows wild variance. The averages include different test sets; Intel has additional Cinebench R20 and R23 scores that are not present in AMD's data, which inflates its average and hides the true head-to-head disparity. When looking only at the tests both chips ran, the result is unambiguous: AMD dominates.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X is the clear winner for any workload that relies on multi-threading. The Cinebench R15 multi-core result (1537 vs 651) and the Geekbench multi-core result (5584 vs 3968) both point to the same conclusion: if the task is rendering, encoding, compiling, or any parallel compute, the AMD part is the stronger choice by a wide margin. The data shows that its 8 cores and 16 threads provide a level of parallelism that the Intel chip's 4 cores and 8 threads cannot match, and the 136.1% delta in Cinebench R15 is the strongest evidence of this.

The Intel Core i7-8705G wins in Geekbench single-core, scoring 1277 to AMD's 1100. This indicates that for lightly threaded tasks, such as legacy applications, certain game engines that rely on a single primary thread, or general desktop responsiveness, Intel has an advantage. The boost clock of 4.10 GHz is higher than AMD's 3.80 GHz, and the benchmark result suggests that Intel's architecture is more efficient at extracting performance from a single core when the power budget is not constrained by the other cores.

However, the Intel chip's win is narrow in scope. It does not win Cinebench R15 single-core, where AMD scores 154 to Intel's 91. This is surprising, as Cinebench R15 single-core should favor higher clocks, but the data shows AMD ahead by 69.2%. This suggests that the Intel part's performance is inconsistent across different single-threaded workloads, possibly due to thermal or power management limitations on the mobile platform. The practical takeaway is that the AMD chip is the safer choice for mixed workloads, while the Intel chip's single-core advantage is specific to certain test environments.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X uses the Zen architecture, codenamed Summit Ridge, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The chip has a 95 W TDP and uses the AMD Socket AM4. Its cache hierarchy is generous: 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 16 MB L3 cache. This large L3 cache is a key advantage in multi-threaded workloads, as it reduces the need to access main memory.

The Intel Core i7-8705G uses the Kaby Lake architecture, specifically Kaby Lake-G, and is built on Intel's own 14 nm process. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The TDP is lower at 65 W, and it uses the Intel BGA 2270 socket, which indicates it is a soldered mobile part. The cache is smaller: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. Intel also includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 630), while the AMD chip has no integrated graphics at all.

The memory support differs in bandwidth and features. Both support DDR4 and dual-channel memory, but AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while Intel lists 38.4 GB/s. AMD also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not. PCIe lane allocation is also different: AMD provides 16 lanes of PCIe Gen 3, while Intel provides only 8 lanes. This makes the AMD part more suitable for a desktop build with a discrete GPU and other expansion cards, while the Intel part is clearly oriented toward a compact, integrated mobile solution where the CPU shares resources with the GPU and other components.

The transistor count and die size also reflect the different approaches. AMD has 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die, while Intel's transistor count is not recorded, but its die size is 125 mm². The larger AMD die is dedicated to the CPU cores and cache, while the Intel die likely includes the integrated GPU and other system components, as it is a mobile package. The production status also differs: AMD is active, while Intel is end-of-life. This suggests that the AMD part is still a viable purchase in the current market, while the Intel part is a legacy product.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-8705G has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds of the two CPUs?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, and the Intel Core i7-8705G has a boost clock of 4.10 GHz.

Q: Which CPU has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X has a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the Intel Core i7-8705G has a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Does either CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-8705G does not.

Q: What is the difference in PCIe lane availability?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the Intel Core i7-8705G provides only 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes.

Q: Which CPU has a higher single-core benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-8705G wins the Geekbench single-core test with a score of 1277, compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X's score of 1100. However, AMD wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test with 154 versus Intel's 91.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X is the superior processor for almost every measured workload. It wins the Cinebench R15 multi-core test by 136.1%, the Cinebench R15 single-core test by 69.2%, and the Geekbench multi-core test by 40.7%. The only Intel win is in Geekbench single-core, where it beats AMD by 13.9%. For anyone running multi-threaded applications, which includes modern games, video editing, 3D rendering, and software compilation, the AMD part is the only rational choice.

The Intel Core i7-8705G has a few redeeming qualities from a data perspective. Its higher boost clock and single-core Geekbench result show it has some life in lightly threaded scenarios. It also has a lower TDP of 65 W versus AMD's 95 W, which is a relevant factor for mobile or compact systems where thermal and power constraints are tight. However, the Intel part is end-of-life, has fewer cores, less cache, slower memory bandwidth, and no ECC support. Its integrated graphics are a feature the AMD part lacks, but the overall compute performance is so one-sided that this is unlikely to be a deciding factor for a buyer focused on CPU benchmarks.

The percentile ranking for both parts is identical at 46, and their average benchmark scores are nearly the same (2094 for AMD, 2058 for Intel). This is a statistical artifact of the different benchmark sets. The head-to-head data, which is the only fair comparison, shows a 3-to-1 win tally for AMD. The verdict is straightforward: choose the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X for raw processing power, and only consider the Intel Core i7-8705G if you have a specific need for its integrated graphics or its lower power envelope in a mobile form factor.

Specification Differences

• Cores: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X has 8, Intel Core i7-8705G has 4.
• Threads: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X has 16, Intel Core i7-8705G has 8.
• Base Clock: AMD is 3.40 GHz, Intel is 3.10 GHz.
• Boost Clock: AMD is 3.80 GHz, Intel is 4.10 GHz.
• TDP: AMD is 95 W, Intel is 65 W.
• Socket: AMD uses Socket AM4, Intel uses BGA 2270.
• Architecture: AMD is Zen, Intel is Kaby Lake.
• Process Node: Both are 14 nm, but AMD is built by GlobalFoundries, Intel by Intel.
• Transistors: AMD has 4,800 million, Intel's is not recorded.
• Die Size: AMD is 213 mm², Intel is 125 mm².
• L1 Cache: AMD has 96 KB per core, Intel has 64 KB per core.
• L2 Cache: AMD has 512 KB per core, Intel has 256 KB per core.
• L3 Cache: AMD has 16 MB shared, Intel has 8 MB shared.
• Memory Bandwidth: AMD is 42.7 GB/s, Intel is 38.4 GB/s.
• ECC Memory: Supported on AMD, not supported on Intel.
• PCIe: AMD has 16 Gen 3 lanes, Intel has 8 Gen 3 lanes.
• Integrated Graphics: None on AMD, Intel HD Graphics 630 on Intel.
• Market Segment: AMD is Desktop, Intel is Mobile.
• Production Status: AMD is Active, Intel is End-of-life.
• Release Date: AMD is 2017-03-01, Intel is 2018-01-06.
• Launch MSRP: AMD is $399, Intel is not recorded.
• Unlocked Multiplier: AMD has it, Intel does not.