AMD Ryzen 7 3800X vs Intel Core 5 220H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a clear split personality between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X wins 12 of the 17 recorded comparisons, but the Intel Core 5 220H takes the remaining 5, and the margins tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

The most dramatic difference appears in Cinebench R23. The Ryzen 7 3800X scores 19,588 in multicore, which is 74.9% ahead of the Intel part's 11,198. That is the single largest delta in the entire comparison. Even in single-core R23, the AMD chip leads by 49.2%, posting 2,765 against 1,853. These are enormous gaps, and they dominate the overall benchmark picture.

But the Intel Core 5 220H has its own territory. In PassMark floating point math, it scores 51,671 versus 39,759, a 23.1% advantage. Integer math also favors Intel, 73,555 to 67,725, a 7.9% edge. The physics test shows Intel ahead by 17.1% (1,478 vs 1,226), and single-thread PassMark results put Intel 20.4% higher at 3,405 versus 2,712.

The Cinebench R15 and R20 results are closer. The Ryzen leads R15 multicore by 7.6% (1,974 vs 1,835) and R15 single-core by 6.1% (278 vs 262). In R20, the AMD advantage shrinks slightly to 5.3% multicore (8,226 vs 7,812) and 5.4% single-core (1,161 vs 1,102). These are modest but consistent wins.

Data compression heavily favors AMD, 304,853 to 247,921, a 23% margin. Encryption shows a 27.1% AMD lead (19,337 vs 15,216). Extended instructions swing 36.8% toward the Ryzen (20,037 vs 14,642). Prime number finding favors AMD by 25.6% (103 vs 82). Random string sorting is 15.6% better on the Ryzen (32,869 vs 28,438). The PassMark multithread result gives AMD a 5.3% edge, 23,046 to 21,884.

What does this imply? The Ryzen 7 3800X dominates in the Cinebench suite, which stresses sustained all-core rendering workloads. The Intel part counters in math-heavy PassMark subtests and single-thread PassMark, suggesting different optimization points. The average benchmark scores reflect this: the Ryzen sits at 29,447 against 28,574 for Intel, a modest overall gap despite the extreme Cinebench deltas.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X uses the Zen 2 architecture on the Matisse codename, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It packs 3,800 million transistors into a 74 mm² die. The Intel Core 5 220H uses Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-H codename, on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. Intel does not disclose transistor count or die size in the database.

Core counts differ significantly. The Ryzen has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part has 12 cores and also 16 threads, meaning Intel relies on a mix of performance and efficiency cores to reach that thread count. This core count advantage does not translate into Cinebench wins, which is curious given the 12-core configuration.

Cache layouts reflect different strategies. The Ryzen uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a 32 MB shared L3. The Intel part uses 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. So Intel has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, but AMD has nearly double the L3 capacity. The data suggests AMD's larger L3 helps in the Cinebench workloads, where the 74.9% multicore win is hard to attribute solely to core count.

Clock speeds tell another story. The Ryzen has a 3.90 GHz base clock and 4.50 GHz boost. Intel starts lower at 2.70 GHz base but boosts higher to 4.90 GHz. Despite the higher boost on Intel, the Ryzen wins single-core Cinebench tests by 6.1% in R15, 5.4% in R20, and 49.2% in R23. The PassMark single-thread result flips the other way, with Intel 20.4% ahead. This inconsistency suggests workload-specific behavior rather than a universal clock speed advantage.

Memory support differs. The Ryzen supports DDR4 only, dual-channel, with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, though the database does not list a bandwidth figure for Intel. PCIe generations differ too: AMD offers Gen 4 with 24 lanes from the CPU, while Intel offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes from the CPU.

The Intel part includes integrated graphics, specifically Iris Xe Graphics 80EU. The Ryzen has no integrated graphics listed. This is a major functional difference for systems without a discrete GPU.

Power envelopes contrast sharply. The Ryzen has a 105 W TDP and targets the desktop AM4 socket. Intel runs at 45 W TDP and targets mobile with the BGA 1744 socket. The Ryzen is unlocked for overclocking, while Intel is locked.

Release dates are years apart. The Ryzen launched on 2019-07-06, while the Intel Core 5 220H launched on 2024-12-17. The Ryzen is a desktop part from the 3000 series, while Intel is a mobile part from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a straightforward conclusion for most workloads: the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is the stronger processor in the majority of recorded tests. It wins all six Cinebench comparisons, including the massive 74.9% multicore and 49.2% single-core margins in R23. It also wins data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, random string sorting, and multithread tests.

The Intel Core 5 220H is not without merit. It wins floating point math by 23.1%, integer math by 7.9%, physics by 17.1%, and single-thread PassMark by 20.4%. These are meaningful wins for specific computational patterns, but they are fewer in number and generally smaller in magnitude than the AMD victories.

The overall average scores confirm the Ryzen's edge: 29,447 versus 28,574, a difference of roughly 3%. The Ryzen also holds a slightly higher percentile rank, 81 versus 80. Neither processor dominates the other completely, but the balance of evidence favors the AMD part for rendering, compression, encryption, and general multithreaded workloads.

One caveat comes from the platform context. The Ryzen is a desktop part with a 105 W TDP and no integrated graphics. The Intel part is a mobile processor with a 45 W TDP and integrated Iris Xe Graphics. These are different market segments. For a desktop build with a discrete GPU, the Ryzen makes sense from the performance data. For a mobile system or a compact build relying on integrated graphics, the Intel part has a functionality advantage that benchmarks alone do not capture.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The Ryzen 7 3800X uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel Core 5 220H uses Intel BGA 1744. The Ryzen is a desktop part; Intel is mobile.

Core counts differ: 8 cores for AMD versus 12 for Intel. Both have 16 threads. Base clocks are 3.90 GHz for AMD and 2.70 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 4.50 GHz for AMD and 4.90 GHz for Intel. TDP is 105 W for AMD and 45 W for Intel.

Process nodes differ: 7 nm for AMD at TSMC versus 10 nm for Intel at its own foundry. AMD lists 3,800 million transistors and a 74 mm² die size; Intel lists neither.

Cache configurations differ. AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 32 MB L3. Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs. AMD supports DDR4 only; Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. AMD lists 51.2 GB/s bandwidth; Intel does not. Neither supports ECC.

PCIe differs. AMD has Gen 4 with 24 lanes from the CPU. Intel has Gen 5 with 8 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics differ. AMD has none. Intel has Iris Xe Graphics 80EU.

The Ryzen is multiplier-unlocked; Intel is locked. Release dates differ: 2019-07-06 versus 2024-12-17. Part numbers are 100-000000025 for AMD and SRQ6SQ5MM for Intel. The launch MSRP for the Ryzen is $399, and for the Intel it is $342.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X wins 12 of the 17 recorded comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 220H wins 5.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the Ryzen 7 3800X scores 19,588 versus 11,198 for the Intel Core 5 220H, a 74.9% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 220H win any tests?

A: Yes. It wins PassMark floating point math by 23.1%, integer math by 7.9%, physics by 17.1%, and the single-thread PassMark test by 20.4%.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H has 12 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has 8 cores. Both processors support 16 threads.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Core 5 220H has integrated graphics, specifically Iris Xe Graphics 80EU. The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has an average benchmark score of 29,447, while the Intel Core 5 220H averages 28,574.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X wins in rendering and content creation workloads. The Cinebench R23 multicore result of 19,588 versus 11,198 is the standout, and the R15 and R20 multicore wins confirm this pattern. Data compression (304,853 vs 247,921) and encryption (19,337 vs 15,216) are also AMD strengths, making it the better choice for file archiving, database workloads, and security-related tasks. Extended instructions (20,037 vs 14,642) and prime number finding (103 vs 82) suggest the Ryzen handles complex instruction sets more efficiently. Random string sorting (32,869 vs 28,438) reinforces the AMD advantage in sorting and text processing tasks. The multithread result (23,046 vs 21,884) rounds out a broad set of wins across diverse workload types.

The Intel Core 5 220H wins in math-heavy computations. Floating point math (51,671 vs 39,759) is its biggest victory, indicating strength in scientific calculations, simulation, and graphics-related math. Integer math (73,555 vs 67,725) points to advantages in certain data processing tasks. The physics test (1,478 vs 1,226) suggests better performance in physics simulation workloads. The single-thread PassMark result (3,405 vs 2,712) indicates the Intel part handles lightly threaded applications with higher peak performance, which could benefit legacy software or single-threaded games.

The choice depends on the workload mix. For rendering, compression, encryption, and general multithreaded productivity, the data favors the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X. For floating point math, physics, and single-thread PassMark workloads, the Intel Core 5 220H is the stronger option. The Intel part also offers integrated graphics and a lower 45 W TDP, which matters for mobile or compact systems. The Ryzen, with its 105 W TDP and no integrated graphics, targets desktop builds where a discrete GPU is assumed. The recorded data does not settle every question, but it provides a clear map of where each processor excels.