AMD Ryzen 7 7730U vs Intel Core i7-11700KF Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U and Intel Core i7-11700KF represent two distinct interpretations of an 8-core, 16-thread processor, yet their benchmark results show a consistent and decisive performance gap. The Intel part, a desktop-class Rocket Lake chip, dominates every single head-to-head benchmark in the data, while the AMD part, a mobile-focused Barcelo-R chip, offers a fundamentally different set of trade-offs. This analysis examines the raw performance deltas, architectural foundations, and specification differences that define this matchup.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is unequivocal: the Intel Core i7-11700KF wins all 17 head-to-head comparisons. The magnitude of these victories varies significantly by workload, revealing where the architectural and power envelope differences matter most. The largest gap appears in the Cinebench R23 multicore test, where Intel scores 20214 against AMD's 10801.5, a delta of -46.6%. This near-doubling of multi-threaded rendering performance is the single most striking result in the comparison. A similar, though less extreme, pattern emerges in Geekbench multicore, where Intel's 10565 beats AMD's 6565 by 37.9%.

Single-thread performance also strongly favors Intel. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel's 2853 is 49% ahead of AMD's 1454.5. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows a 19.5% lead for Intel (287 vs 231), and Geekbench single-core shows a 20.5% lead (1938 vs 1541). These results indicate that the Intel core design has a substantial per-thread throughput advantage, not just an advantage in aggregate throughput. The PassMark single-thread test confirms this, with Intel scoring 3368 versus AMD's 3004, a 10.8% margin.

While the Intel chip wins every test, the margins are not uniform. The closest contest is in PassMark data encryption, where Intel's 15229 only edges out AMD's 14258 by 6.4%. This suggests that the AMD processor's Zen 3 architecture is relatively competitive in cryptographic workloads. The PassMark integer math test also shows a relatively modest 15.3% gap (85377 vs 72352), while floating-point math shows a 23.9% gap (50571 vs 38460). The widest gaps, beyond the Cinebench R23 result, are seen in PassMark random string sorting (-34.9%), extended instructions (-34.3%), and data compression (-29.2%). These workloads are sensitive to raw memory bandwidth and cache efficiency, areas where the desktop Intel platform holds a clear edge.

The consistency of these results is notable. Across all 17 benchmarks, there is not a single instance where the AMD processor takes the lead. The benchmark averages reflect this, with AMD's average score of 25625 and Intel's average of 25423. Interestingly, despite Intel's dominance in these direct comparisons, the average benchmark scores are remarkably close, and both processors sit at nearly the same percentile of all CPUs (AMD at 78, Intel at 77). This indicates that the head-to-head tests are somewhat biased toward the Intel part's strengths, or that the AMD part's other characteristics compensate in the broader benchmark suite.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-11700KF is substantially faster. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 20214 compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U's 10801.5, a 46.6% advantage. The Geekbench multicore test shows a similar trend, with Intel's 10565 beating AMD's 6565 by 37.9%.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U competitive in any benchmark?

A: The data shows the AMD part is closest to Intel in PassMark data encryption, where it trails by only 6.4% (14258 vs 15229). It also comes within 10.8% in PassMark single-thread performance (3004 vs 3368). However, it does not win any head-to-head comparison.

Q: How do these processors compare in overall performance ranking?

A: Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U at 25625 and the Intel Core i7-11700KF at 25423. The AMD part ranks in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part ranks in the 77th percentile.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Intel Core i7-11700KF has a TDP of 125 watts. This is a significant difference, reflecting their intended market segments (mobile versus desktop).

Q: Do both processors support the same memory and expansion features?

A: Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. However, the AMD part supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not. The Intel part offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the AMD part offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-11700KF has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U's boost clock of 4.50 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and manufacturing processes. The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U uses the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Barcelo-R, and is fabricated on a 7nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i7-11700KF uses the Rocket Lake architecture and is fabricated on a 14nm process at Intel. This process difference is substantial; the AMD chip integrates 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, while the Intel chip has a larger 276 mm² die with no transistor count listed in the data.

The cache hierarchies are similar in capacity but differ in organization. Both have 16 MB of shared L3 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache per core. However, the AMD part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, while the Intel part has 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The cores themselves are also organized differently internally, though the data does not specify microarchitectural details beyond the generation names.

The integrated graphics situation is a major architectural differentiator. The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U includes Radeon Graphics (Vega 8), making it a complete APU solution. The Intel Core i7-11700KF, notably, has no integrated graphics (the "F" suffix typically indicates this). This means the Intel part requires a discrete graphics card for any display output, while the AMD part can function without one.

Other architectural features differ as well. The AMD processor supports ECC memory, a feature often associated with workstation or server reliability, while the Intel part does not. The PCIe support also differs, with Intel offering Gen 4 (20 lanes) and AMD offering Gen 3 (16 lanes). The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier, indicating it is designed for overclocking, while the AMD part's multiplier is locked.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal the intended use cases for each processor. The most obvious difference is the TDP: the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U is rated at 15 watts, while the Intel Core i7-11700KF is rated at 125 watts. This is an 8.3x difference and explains the performance gap, as the Intel part has a much larger power and thermal budget to work with.

Clock speeds also differ significantly. The AMD part has a base clock of 2000 MHz (2.00 GHz) and a boost clock of 4500 MHz (4.50 GHz). The Intel part has a base clock of 3600 MHz (3.60 GHz) and a boost clock of 5000 MHz (5.00 GHz). The Intel part's higher base clock is particularly notable, as it suggests sustained performance is much higher.

The socket and platform are entirely different. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP6 and is in the mobile market segment, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1200 and is in the desktop market segment. The production status also differs: the AMD part is listed as "Active," while the Intel part is "End-of-life." The release dates are about two years apart, with the AMD part releasing on 2023-01-03 and the Intel part on 2021-03-15. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $374; the AMD part has no listed launch MSRP.

Memory support is identical in terms of type (DDR4), bus width (dual-channel), and bandwidth (51.2 GB/s). However, ECC support is present on the AMD part but absent on the Intel part. The part numbers are also listed: AMD's is 100-000000942 and Intel's is SRKNN.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture: the Intel Core i7-11700KF is the overwhelmingly faster processor in every measured benchmark. Its victories range from a modest 6.4% in data encryption to a dominant 49% in Cinebench R23 single-core. For any workload that prioritizes raw performance—rendering, math, compression, or general single-threaded responsiveness—the Intel part is the superior choice based on this data. Its higher base and boost clocks, coupled with its 125-watt TDP, allow it to sustain performance levels the 15-watt AMD part cannot approach.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, however, is not without its own merits, though they are not reflected in the raw performance scores. Its 15-watt TDP suggests it is designed for power-constrained mobile environments. Its inclusion of Radeon Graphics (Vega 8) means it can operate as a complete system-on-chip, which is essential for thin-and-light laptops where a discrete GPU is not feasible. The support for ECC memory is another feature that could be valuable in specific professional or reliability-focused applications. The AMD part is also the only one of the two still in active production.

The choice between these two comes down to the intended platform and workload. The Intel Core i7-11700KF is the clear winner for a desktop build where performance is the sole criterion, and the user is willing to accept a high power draw and the need for a separate graphics card. The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U is the appropriate choice for a mobile system where power efficiency, integrated graphics, and active production status are more important than peak benchmark scores. The data does not support any other conclusion: one processor is designed to win benchmarks, the other is designed to enable a different class of device.