AMD Ryzen 7 4800H vs Intel Core i7-10700K Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-10700K is the overwhelmingly dominant performer in this comparison, winning 21 of the 23 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H only takes two wins: Cinebench R15 multicore and PassMark data encryption. If raw performance is the sole criterion, the Intel part is the clear choice, particularly for workloads that depend on single-thread speed or high-frequency multi-core throughput. Its lead in Cinebench R23 multicore is massive at 41.2%, and the single-core gap reaches 77.1% in the same suite, a decisive margin that no other benchmark in the database comes close to matching.

The Ryzen 7 4800H does not compete on equal footing in most tests, but it is not without purpose. It is a 45 W mobile part built for laptops, while the i7-10700K is a 125 W desktop processor. The database shows both chips sitting at the 75th percentile among all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 22230 for Intel and 21749 for AMD. The Ryzen part also delivers a 58.4% advantage in data encryption and a 14.5% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore, which suggests certain specialized workloads favor its design. For a mobile user who needs strong encryption throughput or a compact system, the 4800H remains relevant. For anyone building a desktop and prioritizing compute performance, the i7-10700K wins almost everywhere.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-10700K uses the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It is a desktop part with a 125 W TDP, an unlocked multiplier, and support for Intel Socket 1200. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It is a mobile part with a 45 W TDP, a locked multiplier, and an AMD Socket FP6.

Both chips have 8 cores and 16 threads, but their cache hierarchies differ. Each core on the Intel part has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2, with 16 MB of shared L3. The AMD part also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but doubles the L2 to 512 KB per core, while its shared L3 is only 8 MB. Clock speeds tell a similar story: the i7-10700K runs at a 3.80 GHz base and boosts to 5.10 GHz, while the 4800H operates at 2.90 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. The Intel chip's higher frequency ceiling is largely responsible for its benchmark dominance.

Memory and platform support also differ. The Intel processor uses DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a measured memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. It provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The AMD processor supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4, also dual-channel, with a slightly higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Its PCIe implementation is Gen 3, but the database does not list a lane count. Both chips lack ECC memory support. Integrated graphics differ as well: Intel uses UHD Graphics 630, while AMD includes Radeon Graphics with 448 shader processors.

The transistor and die data also separate the two. The Ryzen 7 4800H is recorded with 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die, while the Intel part has no transistor count or die size listed in the database. The AMD chip was released on 2020-01-05, the Intel part on 2020-04-29. Both remain in active production. The i7-10700K has the part number SRH72; the 4800H uses 100-000000098.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-10700K wins every single-thread benchmark in the database. It leads by 14.1% in 3DMark single-thread, 18.6% in Cinebench R15 single-core, 77.1% in Cinebench R23 single-core, 28% in Geekbench single-core, and 17.2% in PassMark single-thread.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, two. It beats the Intel part by 14.5% in Cinebench R15 multicore and by 58.4% in PassMark data encryption. In every other recorded head-to-head test, the Intel processor wins.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-10700K has an average benchmark score of 22230, while the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H averages 21749. Both sit at the 75th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core i7-10700K has a 125 W TDP and is a desktop part. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H has a 45 W TDP and is a mobile part. This power envelope difference explains why the Intel chip can sustain higher clock speeds.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 8 cores and 16 threads. However, their cache configurations differ: the Intel part has 256 KB of L2 per core and 16 MB of shared L3, while the AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core but only 8 MB of shared L3.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-10700K boosts to 5.10 GHz, compared to 4.20 GHz for the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H. The Intel part also has a higher base clock at 3.80 GHz versus 2.90 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-10700K | AMD Ryzen 7 4800H |

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

| Series | Core 10th Gen | 4000 series |

| Manufacturer | Intel | AMD |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 125 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | AMD Socket FP6 |

| Architecture | Comet Lake | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Comet Lake | Renoir |

| Generation | Core i7 (Comet Lake) | Ryzen 7 (Zen 2 (Renoir)) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 9,800 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 156 mm² |

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

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, LPDDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 46.9 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3 |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 | Radeon Graphics 448SP |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2020-04-29 | 2020-01-05 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | SRH72 | 100-000000098 |

Both processors share 8 cores, 16 threads, 64 KB of L1 cache per core, dual-channel memory buses, and no ECC support. They also both lack a recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-10700K dominates the 3DMark suite. In the 16-thread test, it scores 7277 against 5876 for the AMD part, a 23.8% advantage. The 8-thread test shows a 17.5% lead (5628 versus 4789), and the 4-thread test a 15.8% lead (3171 versus 2739). The 2-thread and single-thread tests both show a 14.1% gap, with scores of 1622 versus 1421 and 823 versus 721, respectively. The max-threads test produces the largest 3DMark gap at 24.4%, with Intel scoring 7266 against 5841.

Cinebench results are split. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H wins Cinebench R15 multicore with a score of 1854 against 1585, a 14.5% margin. But Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 18.6% (223 versus 188), Cinebench R23 multicore by 41.2% (15727 versus 11135.5), and Cinebench R23 single-core by a staggering 77.1% (2220 versus 1253.5). The R23 single-core result is the single largest margin in the entire head-to-head dataset.

Geekbench also favors Intel heavily. The multicore score of 9430 versus 6490 gives Intel a 45.3% lead, while the single-core score of 1701 versus 1329 represents a 28% advantage.

PassMark results show a mixed bag. Intel wins the majority of these tests, but the AMD part takes its largest win here. In data encryption, the Ryzen 7 4800H scores 15530 against 6468, a 58.4% margin in AMD's favor. Intel wins data compression by 9.7% (295418 versus 269334), extended instructions by 13.8% (19387 versus 17035), find prime numbers by 66.7% (55 versus 33), floating point math by 10.7% (41306 versus 37312), integer math by 4.1% (66642 versus 63999), multithread by 2.1% (18609 versus 18222), physics by 23.7% (933 versus 754), and random string sorting by 25.5% (36633 versus 29181). The single-thread and singlethread PassMark tests both show Intel ahead by 17.2%, with scores of 3043 versus 2597.

The pattern is consistent: the Intel Core i7-10700K is faster in almost every workload, often by wide margins. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800H shows its strengths only in encryption and one legacy Cinebench multicore test. Given the TDP gap, the Intel chip's dominance is expected, but the scale of the single-thread and R23 multicore victories is remarkable.