AMD Ryzen 7 2800H vs Intel Core i5-8300H Comparison

# Intel Core i5-8300H vs AMD Ryzen 7 2800H

The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H wins every single head-to-head benchmark in this comparison, taking all six tests with a consistent margin of roughly 10% across both single-core and multi-core workloads. The Intel Core i5-8300H does not manage a single victory in any benchmark, making the outcome unusually one-sided for two processors that sit at nearly identical average performance levels (2005 vs 2002 average benchmark score). Despite the sweep, the two chips are closely matched in overall capability, with the Ryzen's edge being real but not transformative.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H dominates the Cinebench suite with remarkable consistency. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen scores 697 against Intel's 629, a 9.8% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap: 98 versus 88, also a 9.8% delta. This pattern repeats across every generation of the Cinebench benchmark, suggesting a fundamental performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Ryzen 7 2800H posts 2907 versus 2622 for the Core i5-8300H, again a 9.8% margin. The single-core R20 result is 410 versus 370, once more 9.8%. Cinebench R23 continues the trend: multi-core shows 6922 against 6245 (9.8% lead), and single-core shows 977 versus 881 (9.8% lead). The uniformity of the delta — exactly 9.8% in six out of six tests — indicates a stable, architecture-level advantage that scales identically across single-threaded and fully threaded workloads.

Interestingly, the Geekbench results are not included in the head-to-head table, but the fact pack lists the Intel's Geekbench multi-core score at 3920 and single-core at 1286. With no corresponding AMD scores provided for Geekbench, the comparison must rely solely on the Cinebench family, where AMD's sweep is absolute. The nearest rival data confirms the closeness of these chips overall: the Core i5-8300H's average benchmark score of 2005 is just 0.2% above the Ryzen 7 2800H's 2002, placing them within a rounding error of each other in aggregate performance.

The percentile ranking tells a similar story — both processors sit at the 45th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they land in the middle of the performance distribution. The benchmark wins for AMD are consistent but narrow enough that neither chip separates itself from the pack in a meaningful way.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-8300H uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-H variant, built on Intel's 14 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H uses the Zen architecture with the Raven Ridge codename, also on a 14 nm node, but fabricated by GlobalFoundries. Both are 14 nm parts, but the underlying microarchitectures diverge sharply.

Core and thread counts are identical: 4 cores and 8 threads on each chip. The similarities end there. The Intel chip packs a 12 MB shared L3 cache, while the AMD offers only 4 MB shared L3. However, the AMD compensates with larger per-core caches: 128 KB L1 per core versus 64 KB on Intel, and 512 KB L2 per core versus 256 KB. This means the Ryzen has double the L1 and L2 cache per core, but one-third the L3 cache. The total cache hierarchy favors Intel for shared data, but AMD for per-core working sets.

Clock speeds differ notably. The Intel Core i5-8300H has a 2.30 GHz base clock and a 3.90 GHz boost clock. The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H starts higher at 3.40 GHz base but boosts lower at 3.80 GHz. This gives Intel a 0.10 GHz boost advantage but AMD a 1.10 GHz base clock advantage — a substantial difference that likely explains the Ryzen's consistent single-core wins despite the lower boost ceiling.

Thermal design power tells a dramatic story. The Intel chip is rated at 45 W TDP, while the AMD is rated at just 15 W. That is a 30 W difference, meaning the Ryzen 7 2800H delivers superior benchmark performance while drawing only one-third of the thermal budget. The die sizes reflect this: Intel's die measures 126 mm², while AMD's Raven Ridge die is 246 mm² — nearly double the silicon area. The larger AMD die enables the integrated Radeon RX Vega 11 graphics, compared to Intel's UHD 630.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel uses BGA 1440, AMD uses Socket FP5. Both support DDR4 memory, and neither supports ECC. AMD specifies dual-channel memory support; Intel lists no memory bus configuration in the data.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H wins everywhere in this comparison. It takes all six Cinebench tests, spanning R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core configurations. The margins are consistent at 9.8% across the board, with the exception of R15 single-core where the delta is 10.2%. For users running Cinebench-based workloads — which correlate with general CPU rendering, 3D modeling, and multi-threaded productivity — the Ryzen 7 2800H is the clear choice.

The Intel Core i5-8300H has no benchmark wins to claim. Its only advantages appear in the specification sheet: a higher boost clock (3.90 GHz versus 3.80 GHz), a much larger L3 cache (12 MB versus 4 MB), and a smaller die size. The higher boost clock does not translate into any single-core benchmark victory, and the larger L3 cache does not help in multi-core tests. The 45 W TDP suggests Intel designed this chip for thicker, higher-performance laptops, while AMD's 15 W TDP targets thinner, more power-efficient systems.

For gaming, the integrated graphics differ — Radeon RX Vega 11 versus UHD 630 — but no gaming benchmarks are provided. The Ryzen's larger die and integrated Vega graphics suggest stronger iGPU capability, but the data does not confirm this. For CPU-bound tasks, the Ryzen wins outright. The Intel chip's only potential edge would be in scenarios where the larger L3 cache and higher boost clock matter, but no benchmark in the data shows such an effect.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-8300H | AMD Ryzen 7 2800H |

|---|---|---|

| Base clock | 2.30 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.90 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | AMD Socket FP5 |

| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Zen |

| Codename | Coffee Lake-H | Raven Ridge |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Die size | 126 mm² | 246 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 128 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 256 KB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 12 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Integrated graphics | UHD 630 | Radeon RX Vega 11 |

| Production status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release date | 2018-04-01 | 2018-05-29 |

| Part number | SR3Z0 | Not listed |

| Generation | Core i5 (Coffee Lake-H) | Ryzen 7 (Zen Raven Ridge) |

Both chips have 4 cores, 8 threads, 14 nm process, DDR4 memory support, no ECC, no unlocked multiplier, and no PCIe data listed. Neither has a launch MSRP in the data. The AMD chip is still in production, while Intel's is end-of-life.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 697 in R15 versus 629, 2907 in R20 versus 2622, and 6922 in R23 versus 6245. Each margin is exactly 9.8%.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-8300H better in single-core performance?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 7 2800H also wins every single-core test, with scores of 98 versus 88 in R15, 410 versus 370 in R20, and 977 versus 881 in R23. The Intel chip's higher 3.90 GHz boost clock does not produce a single-core victory.

Q: How do their overall performance scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-8300H has an average benchmark score of 2005, while the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H scores 2002. That is a 0.2% difference in Intel's favor, despite AMD winning every individual benchmark. Both sit at the 45th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What are the TDP differences?

A: The Intel Core i5-8300H is rated at 45 W, while the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H is rated at 15 W. The AMD chip delivers higher benchmark scores while using one-third the thermal design power.

Q: Do they use the same process node?

A: Yes, both are built on 14 nm process technology. However, Intel fabricates its chip at Intel foundries, while AMD uses GlobalFoundries. The AMD die is nearly twice as large at 246 mm² versus 126 mm².

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-8300H has a much larger shared L3 cache at 12 MB compared to AMD's 4 MB. However, the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H has larger per-core L1 (128 KB versus 64 KB) and L2 (512 KB versus 256 KB) caches.

The Verdict

The data delivers an unambiguous verdict: the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H is the faster processor in every measured benchmark. Six out of six Cinebench tests go to AMD, with consistent 9.8% margins that hold across both single-core and multi-core workloads. The Ryzen achieves this while drawing only 15 W TDP compared to Intel's 45 W, making it not just faster but dramatically more power-efficient. The Intel chip's advantages — higher boost clock, larger L3 cache, smaller die, and a 0.2% higher average benchmark score — do not translate into a single benchmark win.

For users prioritizing raw CPU performance in Cinebench-style workloads, the choice is clear: the AMD Ryzen 7 2800H is superior. It also holds practical advantages as an active production part, while the Intel Core i5-8300H is end-of-life. The Intel chip's only remaining argument is its larger L3 cache and higher boost clock, which might benefit certain niche workloads not represented in these benchmarks, but the provided data offers no evidence for such a scenario. The Ryzen 7 2800H's combination of higher performance, lower power consumption, and active production status makes it the definitive pick from this dataset.