AMD Ryzen 7 3700X vs Intel Core i7-13700HX Comparison

The data presents a decisive generational and architectural mismatch. The Intel Core i7-13700HX, a mobile powerhouse from the Raptor Lake generation, wins every single head-to-head benchmark against the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, a desktop part from the Zen 2 era. While both processors sit at the 84th percentile among all CPUs, the average benchmark scores tell the story: the Intel part averages 34,554, a 0.9% lead over the AMD's 34,260. This is not a close contest in any metric, but the nature of the wins reveals distinct strengths that matter for different workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-13700HX is the outright winner in every benchmark category recorded, making this a one-sided affair. Its most dominant victories come in compute-heavy tasks. The data shows a staggering 120.1% lead in PassMark floating point math (85,863 vs 39,005) and a 75.6% advantage in integer math (116,617 vs 66,399). These are the workloads that drive scientific simulations, financial modeling, and video encoding. The Intel chip’s 16 cores and 24 threads simply overwhelm the AMD's 8 cores and 16 threads in parallel throughput. In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the Intel part scores 3,277 against 2,092 for the AMD, a 56.6% gap that highlights its superiority in rendering and content creation.

The Intel chip also wins decisively in single-threaded performance, which is critical for gaming and everyday responsiveness. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 3,819 versus 2,656 for the AMD, a 43.8% advantage. The Cinebench R15 single-core result mirrors this, with Intel at 272 and AMD at 204, a 33.3% lead. This means the i7-13700HX will feel snappier in applications that rely on a few fast cores. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, while competitive in its own generation, does not win any of the 13 head-to-head benchmarks. Its best relative performance comes in data encryption, where the Intel chip’s lead is a comparatively modest 18.4% (22,386 vs 18,900). This suggests the AMD part is not entirely outclassed in memory-intensive or cryptographic workloads, but it is still consistently behind.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental differences start with the process node and foundry. The Intel Core i7-13700HX is built on a 10 nm process at Intel, using the Raptor Lake architecture. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Zen 2 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The Intel chip is a mobile segment part with a 55 W TDP, while the AMD is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP. Despite the higher TDP, the AMD part is older and less efficient per core.

Core configuration is the most significant divergence. The Intel chip packs 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The AMD offers 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The cache hierarchy also differs. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of L3. The Intel chip’s larger per-core L2 and higher boost clock help explain its single-thread advantage, while its higher core count drives the multi-threaded wins.

Memory and I/O support are also generational. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, while the AMD supports only DDR4. The Intel chip also features PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes, versus PCIe Gen 4 with 24 lanes on the AMD. The AMD part does have a higher memory bandwidth figure at 51.2 GB/s, but this is not listed for the Intel chip, so a direct comparison is not possible. The Intel chip includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), which the AMD part lacks entirely. The Intel chip supports ECC memory, while the AMD does not. Finally, the Intel chip has a larger die size of 257 mm², while the AMD uses a smaller 74 mm² die with 3,800 million transistors.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the Intel Core i7-13700HX is the superior processor in every measured metric. Anyone looking for maximum performance in rendering, math-heavy computation, or single-threaded responsiveness should choose the Intel part. Its 56.6% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore and 43.8% lead in PassMark single-thread make it the clear choice for both productivity and gaming. The 120.1% advantage in floating-point math is a decisive factor for scientific and engineering workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, while no slouch, is simply outclassed by the newer Intel design. Its strengths lie in its lower launch MSRP of $329 compared to the Intel's $485, but the performance gap is too large to recommend it on any performance basis. It could be considered for a legacy AM4 platform build where the socket is already in place, as it uses the AMD Socket AM4, but the data shows it loses in every single benchmark. The Intel chip is not just faster; it is faster by a margin that will be immediately noticeable in any demanding application. The verdict is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-13700HX is the better CPU.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-13700HX is significantly faster. It wins the Cinebench R15 multicore test by 56.6% (3,277 vs 2,092) and the PassMark multithread test by 45.3% (32,637 vs 22,458).

Q: Is there any benchmark where the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X wins?

A: No. In the 13 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the Intel Core i7-13700HX wins all of them. The AMD's closest margin is an 18.4% loss in data encryption.

Q: How do their single-threaded performances compare?

A: The Intel chip is far ahead. It scores 3,819 in PassMark single-thread versus 2,656 for the AMD, a 43.8% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel chip scores 272 versus 204, a 33.3% advantage.

Q: What are the major architectural differences?

A: The Intel chip uses the Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, with 16 cores and 24 threads. The AMD uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process, with 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel supports DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5, while AMD supports only DDR4 and PCIe Gen 4.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The Intel Core i7-13700HX includes UHD Graphics 770, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700HX has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest victory for the Intel Core i7-13700HX is in PassMark floating point math, where it scores 85,863 against the AMD's 39,005. This 120.1% delta is the biggest gap in the entire dataset and underscores the Intel chip’s raw computational power. The integer math test tells a similar story, with Intel at 116,617 and AMD at 66,399, a 75.6% lead. These results indicate that the Intel part is exceptionally well-suited for any task that involves heavy number crunching.

The Cinebench R15 multicore test is another major win, with Intel scoring 3,277 and AMD at 2,092, a 56.6% difference. This is a classic rendering workload, and the Intel chip’s higher core count and thread count (16/24 vs 8/16) provide a massive advantage. The PassMark physics test also shows a large gap, with Intel at 1,908 and AMD at 1,181, a 61.6% lead. This metric is often correlated with gaming physics, making the Intel part a stronger choice for that aspect of performance.

Single-threaded performance is also a clear Intel victory. In PassMark single-thread, the Intel chip scores 3,819 versus the AMD's 2,656, a 43.8% lead. This is reinforced by the Cinebench R15 single-core result, where Intel scores 272 and AMD scores 204, a 33.3% gap. This advantage translates to better responsiveness in daily tasks and better performance in games that are not heavily multi-threaded. The smallest margin of victory is in data encryption, where Intel leads by 18.4% (22,386 vs 18,900). Even the lesser wins, such as the 25.4% lead in extended instructions and the 29.8% lead in random string sorting, are substantial and consistent. The data is clear: the Intel Core i7-13700HX is the dominant processor in every single test.