AMD Ryzen 7 8700F vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

The Verdict

The data in this comparison points to two very different processors with almost opposite design goals. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F is a desktop part with a clear performance advantage across the majority of benchmarks, while the Intel Core 5 330 is a mobile, low-power chip that wins a narrow set of specialized tests. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core 5 330 wins only 3. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 30,746, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs tracked in the database, whereas the Intel part averages 18,345 and sits in the 72nd percentile. This gap is substantial and consistent across nearly every workload category.

The core takeaway from the recorded data is that the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F is the superior processor for heavy multi-threaded work, single-threaded rendering tasks, and most math-heavy operations. The Intel Core 5 330, however, demonstrates a notable advantage in two specific areas: prime number finding and single-thread PassMark scores. These wins indicate that the Intel chip has a strong per-core efficiency in certain algorithmic patterns, likely due to its newer process node, but the overall package is far less capable in sustained workloads.

For a desktop user building a system around the AM5 socket, the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F is the obvious choice based on raw benchmark dominance. For a mobile or low-power application where the Intel BGA 1516 socket and 15W TDP are required, the Intel Core 5 330 is the only viable option, despite its lower scores. The data does not suggest any scenario where the Intel chip outperforms the AMD chip in general-purpose computing, except for the specific cases where its single-thread PassMark and prime number performance shine.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split between these two processors is stark and explains much of the benchmark divergence. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Phoenix, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The transistor count is 25,000 million on a die size of 178 mm². The Intel Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake codename with no listed architecture name, built on a 3 nm process at Intel. It has 6 cores and 6 threads, with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The Intel part does not report transistor count or die size in the database.

The cache hierarchy differs significantly. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. This means the AMD part has substantially more cache at every level, which directly contributes to its higher scores in data-heavy tasks like compression and encryption.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, but uses a single-channel bus with a memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. The lower bandwidth on the Intel chip is a clear handicap for multi-threaded workloads that require frequent memory access.

PCIe lanes are another differentiator. The AMD part provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part provides Gen 4 with only 6 lanes. The AMD chip also has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel chip is locked. The AMD processor targets the desktop segment on AMD Socket AM5, whereas the Intel processor is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1516. The Intel chip includes integrated Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while the AMD chip has no integrated graphics. The TDP values are telling: the AMD chip is rated at 65W, while the Intel chip is rated at just 15W, confirming the mobile, low-power intent of the Intel design.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results reveal a clear division of labor. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F wins across all Cinebench tests, both multi-core and single-core, with deltas exceeding 100% in every case. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 26,646 versus 13,150 for the Intel chip, a 102.6% advantage. This indicates that the AMD chip is vastly superior for rendering, video encoding, and any workload that scales with cores and threads.

In PassMark tests, the AMD chip wins in data compression (378,160 versus 145,287, a 160.3% delta), data encryption (22,117 versus 11,076, a 99.7% delta), extended instructions (28,474 versus 12,808, a 122.3% delta), floating point math (62,629 versus 43,885, a 42.7% delta), integer math (100,371 versus 33,258, a 201.8% delta), multithread (30,893 versus 15,471, a 99.7% delta), physics (1,553 versus 1,201, a 29.3% delta), and random string sorting (45,425 versus 17,771, a 155.6% delta). These results show the AMD chip dominates in almost every computational category the database tracks.

The Intel Core 5 330 wins only three benchmarks. It wins PassMark find prime numbers (114 versus 98, a -14% delta for AMD), and it wins both PassMark single-thread and PassMark singlethread tests with a score of 4,088 versus 3,872 for the AMD chip, a 5.3% advantage. These wins suggest the Intel chip has a more efficient implementation for certain integer operations and for lightly-threaded scenarios, likely due to its newer 3 nm process. However, the wins are narrow compared to the AMD chip's margins, which range from 29.3% to 201.8% in its favor.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F has an average benchmark score of 30,746, while the Intel Core 5 330 has an average of 18,345.

Q: What is the difference in multi-core Cinebench R23 performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F scores 26,646, which is 102.6% higher than the Intel Core 5 330's score of 13,150.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 330 win any benchmark against the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F?

A: Yes, the Intel Core 5 330 wins three benchmarks: PassMark find prime numbers (114 versus 98), PassMark single-thread (4,088 versus 3,872), and PassMark singlethread (4,088 versus 3,872).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: Which processor uses a newer manufacturing process?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 is built on a 3 nm process at Intel, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F uses a 4 nm process at TSMC.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F has a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s with dual-channel DDR5 support, while the Intel Core 5 330 has 59.7 GB/s with single-channel DDR5 and LPDDR5X support.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F comes in PassMark integer math, where it scores 100,371 against the Intel Core 5 330's 33,258, a 201.8% advantage. This result indicates that the AMD chip's 8 cores with 16 threads, combined with its larger cache and dual-channel memory, provides a massive throughput advantage for integer-heavy workloads. The next largest win is in data compression, with the AMD chip at 378,160 versus 145,287, a 160.3% delta. Compression tasks are highly sensitive to cache size and memory bandwidth, both of which favor the AMD part.

The AMD chip also shows a 155.6% advantage in random string sorting (45,425 versus 17,771) and a 122.3% advantage in extended instructions (28,474 versus 12,808). These results reinforce the pattern that the AMD chip excels in memory-intensive and instruction-heavy workloads. In floating point math, the AMD chip leads by 42.7% (62,629 versus 43,885), a smaller but still decisive margin.

In Cinebench tests, the AMD chip's advantage is uniformly around 102.6% to 103.2%. For example, Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 2,685 versus 1,325, and Cinebench R20 single-core shows 1,579 versus 779. The consistency of these deltas across different Cinebench versions suggests a fundamental per-core and multi-core advantage for the AMD architecture.

The Intel Core 5 330's wins are concentrated in two areas. In PassMark find prime numbers, it scores 114 versus 98, a 14% advantage. This benchmark likely benefits from the Intel chip's newer 3 nm process and its specific instruction scheduling. In PassMark single-thread, the Intel chip scores 4,088 versus 3,872, a 5.3% advantage. This indicates that despite having a much lower base clock of 1.50 GHz, the Intel chip can boost to 4.60 GHz and achieve higher per-thread performance in this particular test. The AMD chip's boost clock of 5.00 GHz is higher, but the Intel chip's single-thread score suggests a more efficient execution pipeline for certain operations.

The data also shows that the AMD chip wins PassMark multithread with 30,893 versus 15,471, a 99.7% delta, and PassMark physics with 1,553 versus 1,201, a 29.3% delta. These wins further cement the AMD chip's dominance in multi-core scenarios. The overall pattern is unmistakable: the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F is the stronger processor in nearly every measurable way, with margins that range from moderate to overwhelming.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field in the database. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700F belongs to the 8000 series and is manufactured by AMD, while the Intel Core 5 330 has no listed series and is manufactured by Intel. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel chip has 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks differ substantially: the AMD chip runs at 4.10 GHz, while the Intel chip runs at 1.50 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with the AMD chip at 5.00 GHz and the Intel chip at 4.60 GHz.

The TDP is a major differentiator: the AMD chip is rated at 65W, while the Intel chip is rated at 15W. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1516. The process nodes differ: the AMD chip uses 4 nm at TSMC, while the Intel chip uses 3 nm at Intel. The AMD chip has 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, while the Intel chip has no transistor or die size data recorded.

Cache structures differ in organization and capacity. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support differs: the AMD chip supports DDR5 with dual-channel, while the Intel chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with single-channel. Memory bandwidth is 83.2 GB/s for the AMD chip and 59.7 GB/s for the Intel chip.

PCIe capabilities differ: the AMD chip provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Intel chip provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes. The AMD chip has no integrated graphics, while the Intel chip includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel chip is locked. The AMD chip was released on 2024-03-31, while the Intel chip has a release date of 2026-04-15. The launch MSRP for the AMD chip is $270, and for the Intel chip it is $309. The AMD chip's part number is 100-000001590, while the Intel chip's is SAE3G.