AMD Ryzen 7 4980U vs Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 4980U has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core Cinebench R23 performance?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 scores 1543 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 18.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 4980U's score of 1260.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R15 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U wins with a score of 1658, beating the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3's 1102 by 50.5%.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U is built on a 7 nm process at TSMC, while the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 uses a 22 nm process at Intel. The AMD chip packs 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die, whereas the Intel chip has 2,600 million transistors on a 356 mm² die.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 supports ECC memory and uses quad-channel DDR3/DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U does not support ECC memory and uses dual-channel LPDDR4 with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores and percentiles for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U has an average benchmark score of 3066 and sits at the 52nd percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 has an average score of 3163 and sits at the 53rd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results split cleanly between the two processors, with each taking two wins in the head-to-head comparison. The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U dominates the older Cinebench R15 test in both multicore and single-core runs. Its multicore score of 1658 versus 1102 for the Intel part is a decisive 50.5% margin, and its single-core score of 182 beats 155 by 17.4%. The R15 suite, being an older workload, aligns closely with the AMD part's architectural strengths.

The Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 takes command in the more modern Cinebench R23 tests, both multicore and single-core. Its multicore score of 10935 surpasses the AMD's 9164 by 16.2%, and its single-core score of 1543 beats 1260 by 18.3%. The Xeon's higher 12-core count and larger 30 MB shared L3 cache likely contribute to its R23 multicore advantage, while its higher base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost of 3.00 GHz help in the single-core run.

The use-case split is therefore largely generational and workload-dependent. For legacy applications built around older rendering pipelines, the AMD Ryzen 7 4980U offers a substantial edge. For contemporary multi-threaded workloads and current single-threaded tasks, the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 is the stronger performer. The average benchmark scores reflect this split: the Intel chip's 3163 average edges the AMD's 3066 by roughly 3%, a modest gap that underscores how closely matched the two are overall despite their divergent strengths.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U is a mobile processor built on the Zen 2 architecture with the Renoir codename, manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process. It packs 9,800 million transistors onto a 156 mm² die, a density enabled by the leading-edge node. The chip integrates Radeon Graphics with 512 shader processors, making it a complete APU solution for laptops. It supports PCIe Gen 3 and uses LPDDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth.

The Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 is a server and workstation processor based on the Haswell architecture with the Haswell-EP codename, produced by Intel on a 22 nm process. It contains 2,600 million transistors on a much larger 356 mm² die, reflecting the older and less dense manufacturing process. The Xeon supports ECC memory and uses quad-channel DDR3 or DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth, double the AMD part's memory throughput. It provides 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, which is typical for high-end server platforms.

The cache layouts differ significantly. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, but the AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core versus 256 KB per core on the Intel. The L3 cache tells a different story: the AMD has 8 MB shared, while the Intel has 30 MB shared, a substantial 22 MB advantage that benefits the Xeon in cache-sensitive workloads. The AMD part has no integrated graphics on the Intel side, as the Xeon has no iGPU at all.

The memory controllers reflect their respective market segments. The AMD Ryzen 7 4980U targets mobile with power-efficient LPDDR4, while the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 targets servers with robust quad-channel DDR3/DDR4 and ECC support. The TDP values reinforce this: the AMD part is rated at 15 watts, while the Intel part is rated at 120 watts, an eightfold difference in power envelope. The socket and platform also differ: the AMD uses Socket FP6, while the Intel uses Socket 2011-3.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. Core count: 8 cores on the AMD versus 12 on the Intel. Thread count: 16 versus 24. Base clock: 2000 MHz on the AMD versus 2400 MHz on the Intel. Boost clock: 4.40 GHz on the AMD versus 3.00 GHz on the Intel. TDP: 15 watts versus 120 watts. Socket: AMD Socket FP6 versus Intel Socket 2011-3.

Architecture and process: Zen 2 on 7 nm at TSMC versus Haswell on 22 nm at Intel. Transistor count: 9,800 million versus 2,600 million. Die size: 156 mm² versus 356 mm². L2 cache per core: 512 KB versus 256 KB. L3 cache: 8 MB shared versus 30 MB shared.

Memory support: LPDDR4 versus DDR3 and DDR4. Memory bus: dual-channel versus quad-channel. Memory bandwidth: 34.1 GB/s versus 68.3 GB/s. ECC support: not available on the AMD, available on the Intel. PCIe: Gen 3 on both, but the Intel provides 40 lanes from the CPU while the AMD's lane count is not specified.

Integrated graphics: the AMD has Radeon Graphics with 512 shader processors; the Intel has none. Market segment: mobile versus server and workstation. Part number: 100-000000354 for the AMD, SR1Y5 for the Intel. Both are end-of-life products and neither has a launch MSRP recorded in the database. Neither is multiplier-unlocked.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results reveal a clear generational pattern. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 7 4980U delivers a score of 1658 against the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3's 1102, a 50.5% advantage. This is the largest margin in any test and shows the AMD part's older-workload dominance. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD again wins with 182 versus 155, a 17.4% lead.

The Cinebench R23 results flip the script. The Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3 scores 10935 in multicore, beating the AMD's 9164 by 16.2%. In single-core, the Intel scores 1543 against 1260, a 18.3% advantage. Interestingly, the Intel part was not tested in Cinebench R20, but it recorded scores of 4592 multicore and 648 single-core in that suite, while the AMD has no R20 entries in the database.

The average benchmark scores put the Intel part slightly ahead overall: 3163 versus 3066, a difference of roughly 3%. The percentile rankings are nearly identical at 53 for the Intel and 52 for the AMD. The nearest rivals for the AMD include the Intel Xeon E5-2618L v3 at an identical average score of 3066, the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X at 3068 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 7330U at 3063 (0.1% behind), and the Intel Core i7-6850K at 3079 (0.4% ahead). For the Intel Xeon E5-2676 v3, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U at 3162 (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 3 5300GE at 3160 (0.1% behind), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U at 3159 (0.1% behind), and the Intel Xeon E5-2650 v4 at 3154 (0.3% behind).

The data shows a processor pairing where the older Xeon holds its own in modern workloads despite its age, while the newer mobile Ryzen excels in legacy benchmarks. The 50.5% R15 multicore win for the AMD is the standout result, while the Intel's 18.3% R23 single-core win demonstrates that its higher clocks and larger cache matter in current-generation tasks. The 16.2% R23 multicore gap favoring the Intel likely stems from its 12 cores and 30 MB L3 cache, which outweigh the AMD's clock advantage of 4.40 GHz boost versus 3.00 GHz.