AMD Ryzen 7 3700U vs Intel Core i7-950 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U and Intel Core i7-950 represent two very different eras of processor design, yet they land in the same performance bracket according to the database. The Ryzen 7 3700U is a modern mobile chip built for efficiency, while the Core i7-950 is a desktop part from an older generation. Their head-to-head record is brief but decisive: the Ryzen 7 3700U wins the only shared benchmark, Cinebench R15 multi-core, by a wide margin.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The sole directly comparable measurement is Cinebench R15 multi-core. Here, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U scores 672 points, while the Intel Core i7-950 scores 280 points. That is a 140% advantage for the AMD part. In practical terms, the Ryzen 7 3700U completes the render workload more than twice as fast. This is a substantial gap, not a marginal one. The data shows that in this specific test, the modern architecture and higher boost clock of the Ryzen 7 3700U completely outclass the older Intel design.

However, the benchmark picture is not fully symmetrical. The Intel Core i7-950 has results in three additional tests that the Ryzen 7 3700U does not have recorded: Cinebench R20 multi-core (1167), Cinebench R20 single-core (164), and Cinebench R23 multi-core (2780) and single-core (392). The AMD chip has its own extra results in Geekbench multi-core (2377) and single-core (682). Because the database does not contain overlapping results for these tests, direct comparison is impossible. What can be said is that the Ryzen 7 3700U’s average benchmark score across its recorded tests is 968, while the Core i7-950’s average is 957. That difference is small, under 2%, but it favors the AMD part.

Looking at the broader context, both processors sit at the 26th percentile among all CPUs in the database. This means they are statistically equivalent in overall standing, despite the huge difference in the one test where they meet. The Ryzen 7 3700U’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-2400S with an identical average score of 968 (no difference), the Intel Xeon X5570 with 967 (0.1% behind), and the Intel Celeron N5100 with 966 (0.2% behind). The AMD PRO A8-9600 scores 971, which is 0.3% ahead. For the Intel Core i7-950, the nearest rivals are the AMD Opteron 4386 with 957 (no difference), the AMD Athlon X4 870K with 956 (0.1% behind), the AMD Ryzen Embedded R1600 with 958 (0.1% ahead), and the Intel Xeon W3550 with 956 (0.1% behind). These rival clusters confirm that the two chips are in the same performance tier, though the single head-to-head result heavily favors the Ryzen 7 3700U.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the only direct benchmark comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U wins Cinebench R15 multi-core with a score of 672 versus 280 for the Intel Core i7-950, a 140% advantage.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has an average benchmark score of 968, while the Intel Core i7-950 averages 957. The AMD part is slightly ahead, though the difference is less than 2%.

Q: Do both processors have the same overall standing among all CPUs?

A: Yes, both are at the 26th percentile. This indicates they perform similarly across the full set of recorded benchmarks, despite the large gap in the head-to-head test.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each processor?

A: For the Ryzen 7 3700U, the closest rival is the Intel Core i5-2400S with the same average score of 968. For the Core i7-950, the closest rival is the AMD Opteron 4386 with the same average score of 957.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-950 have any benchmark wins over the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U?

A: No. In the only shared test, Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel part loses. The database records zero wins for the Intel Core i7-950 in head-to-head competition.

Q: Are there additional benchmarks where only one processor has results?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-950 has results in Cinebench R20 and R23, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has results in Geekbench multi-core and single-core. These cannot be directly compared due to lack of overlap.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice for anyone running Cinebench R15 multi-core workloads: the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U is the superior part, delivering more than double the score. Its 672 points versus 280 points is not a close contest. In general productivity, the average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the Ryzen 7 3700U at 968 and the Core i7-950 at 957, so the Intel chip is not entirely obsolete. However, the Ryzen 7 3700U also offers a lower power envelope, a much higher boost clock, and modern memory support, all of which are relevant outside raw benchmark numbers.

For users who prioritize the specific workload measured by Cinebench R15, the Ryzen 7 3700U is the only logical pick. For those who need a processor for legacy software or triple-channel memory configurations, the Core i7-950 remains functional, but it is at end-of-life status and has no performance advantage in the head-to-head test. The database shows one winner in direct competition, and that winner is the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-950 has a base clock of 3.07 GHz and a boost clock of 3.33 GHz. The AMD part has a higher maximum frequency, but the Intel part starts from a higher base. The thermal design power (TDP) is drastically different: the Ryzen 7 3700U is rated at 15 watts, while the Core i7-950 is rated at 130 watts. This reflects their different market segments, mobile versus desktop.

The sockets are incompatible: the AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP5, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1366. Memory support also differs, with the Ryzen 7 3700U using DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration, and the Core i7-950 using DDR3 in a triple-channel configuration. The PCIe version is Gen 3 for the AMD part and Gen 2 for the Intel part. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U includes integrated Radeon Vega 10 graphics, while the Intel Core i7-950 has no integrated graphics. The production status is active for the AMD chip and end-of-life for the Intel chip. The release dates are also far apart, with the Ryzen 7 3700U released on January 5, 2019, and the Core i7-950 released on June 1, 2009. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips is wide. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U is built on the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, using a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-950 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Bloomfield, on a 45 nm process from Intel. It has 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The transistor count difference is enormous, over six times more in the AMD part, which explains its ability to deliver higher performance at a fraction of the power.

The cache hierarchies also differ. The Ryzen 7 3700U has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i7-950 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part has more L1 and L2 per core, while the Intel part has twice as much L3. Both have 4 cores and 8 threads, so the core count is identical, but the underlying design is completely different. The Ryzen 7 3700U is a modern system-on-chip with integrated graphics and a low-power mobile design, while the Core i7-950 is a traditional desktop CPU with a separate memory controller and no integrated GPU. The former is designed for efficiency and portability, the latter for raw desktop throughput in its era. The data shows that the modern architecture wins the direct benchmark, despite the older chip’s larger L3 cache and higher base clock.