AMD Ryzen 7 8700G vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data splits this comparison into two distinct performance profiles. Intel Core 5 221E wins the majority of direct comparisons with 9 wins against 6 for the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, but the AMD part dominates in several specialized workloads.

The largest single delta belongs to Intel in Cinebench R23 single-core. The Core 5 221E scores 3661 against 1817 for the Ryzen 7 8700G, a 50.4% advantage. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, where Intel leads 368 to 286, a 22.3% margin. These are decisive single-thread results.

Cinebench R23 multi-core also favors Intel substantially. The Core 5 221E posts 25933 against 17128, a 34% lead. Cinebench R15 multi-core is the one multi-threaded render test AMD wins, with 2693 against 2613, but the margin is only 3.1%. The R23 result carries more weight given the larger workload.

PassMark integer math goes to Intel at 117813 versus 103107, a 12.5% lead. Floating-point math also favors Intel: 79028 against 63815, a 19.3% margin. PassMark physics shows Intel ahead at 2230 versus 1647, a 26.1% difference. Prime number finding favors Intel 173 to 103, a 40.5% lead. Single-thread PassMark scores put Intel at 4147 against 3928, a 5.3% edge.

AMD counters in several specialized workloads. PassMark extended instructions shows the largest AMD win: 29067 versus 18216, a 59.6% margin. Data compression favors AMD at 386811 against 324285, a 19.3% lead. Data encryption goes to AMD at 22842 against 19205, an 18.9% edge. Random string sorting favors AMD at 46025 versus 37686, a 22.1% lead. PassMark multi-thread goes to AMD at 31690 against 30510, a 3.9% margin.

The overall average benchmark scores reflect the mixed picture. The Core 5 221E averages 40144 across its benchmark suite, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The Ryzen 7 8700G averages 33089, placing it in the 83rd percentile. The Intel part sits 21.3% higher in average score.

Rival comparisons reinforce the standings. The Core 5 221E trades near the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, with that rival averaging 40081, a 0.2% difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 averages 40048, also 0.2% behind the Intel part. The AMD Ryzen 9 270 averages 40246, 0.3% ahead. The Intel Core i9-13905H averages 40313, 0.4% ahead. The Ryzen 7 8700G, by contrast, sits level with the Intel Core i7-13650HX at 33089, the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX at 33091, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D at 33079, all within rounding distance.

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports a clear split. The Intel Core 5 221E is the stronger processor for general computing and multi-core rendering. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25933 beats the Ryzen 7 8700G by 34%, and its single-core results lead by margins between 5.3% and 50.4% depending on the test. The physics, integer, floating-point, and prime-number results all favor Intel.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G wins where instruction set extensions, compression, encryption, and sorting matter. Its 59.6% lead in extended instructions is the largest margin in either direction. Data compression, encryption, and random string sorting all favor AMD by roughly 19% to 22%.

The average benchmark scores place the Intel part clearly ahead at 40144 versus 33089. The 87th percentile ranking versus 83rd percentile confirms the overall positioning. The data indicates the Core 5 221E belongs in a higher performance class for most workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 221E wins the rendering workloads that scale with core count and clock speed. Cinebench R23 multi-core at 25933 is the standout result. Single-core Cinebench R15 and R23 both go to Intel by wide margins, which matters for lightly threaded applications. PassMark physics at 2230, integer math at 117813, floating-point math at 79028, and prime number finding at 173 all indicate strength in computational throughput.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G wins the data-oriented workloads. Extended instructions at 29067 show a 59.6% lead, suggesting strong SIMD and specialized instruction handling. Data compression at 386811 and encryption at 22842 point to efficiency in data transformation tasks. Random string sorting at 46025 indicates strong memory access patterns for sorting workloads. PassMark multi-thread at 31690 edges out Intel by 3.9%, a narrow but consistent win.

Cinebench R15 multi-core is the only render test AMD wins, and the 3.1% margin is thin. The AMD part does not sustain its multi-thread advantage in the heavier R23 workload, where Intel leads by 34%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E averages 40144, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G averages 33089. The Intel part also holds the higher percentile ranking at 87 versus 83.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap?

A: The largest single-core gap is in Cinebench R23, where the Intel Core 5 221E scores 3661 against 1817 for the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, a 50.4% lead. PassMark single-thread shows a smaller 5.3% edge for Intel at 4147 versus 3928.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G win any multi-threaded benchmarks?

A: Yes. The Ryzen 7 8700G wins Cinebench R15 multi-core with 2693 against 2613, a 3.1% margin, and PassMark multi-thread with 31690 against 30510, a 3.9% margin. Intel wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 34%.

Q: Which processor has the biggest advantage in any single test?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G leads PassMark extended instructions by 59.6%, scoring 29067 against 18216. The Intel Core 5 221E has its largest lead in Cinebench R23 single-core at 50.4%.

Q: How do the two processors compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, AMD Ryzen 9 270, and Intel Core i9-13905H. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G is effectively tied with the Intel Core i7-13650HX, AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX, and AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, with deltas of 0% to 0.3%.

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

A: The Intel Core 5 221E wins 9 of the 15 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G wins 6.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Phoenix codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm process at Intel. The AMD chip packs 25,000 million transistors into a 178 mm² die, while the Intel die measures 257 mm² with no transistor count recorded.

Core counts differ substantially. The Ryzen 7 8700G has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads. Cache hierarchies also differ. The AMD part uses 64 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel part uses 80 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, with 24 MB of shared L3.

The integrated graphics solutions are distinct. AMD pairs the Ryzen 7 8700G with Radeon 780M graphics. Intel pairs the Core 5 221E with UHD Graphics 730.

Memory support diverges. The Ryzen 7 8700G supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Core 5 221E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part supports ECC memory; the AMD part does not.

PCIe connectivity differs in generation and lane count. AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

The AMD multiplier is unlocked, while the Intel multiplier is locked. AMD uses Socket AM5, Intel uses Socket 1700.

Specification Differences

The base clocks show the AMD part starting higher at 4.20 GHz against 2.70 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are nearly identical, with Intel at 5.20 GHz and AMD at 5.10 GHz. Both processors carry a 65 W TDP.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G was released on 2024-01-07 with a launch MSRP of $329. The Intel Core 5 221E was released on 2025-01-12 with a launch MSRP of $232.

Core and thread counts favor Intel at 14 cores and 20 threads against 8 cores and 16 threads. L3 cache favors Intel at 24 MB shared against 16 MB shared. L1 per core favors Intel at 80 KB against 64 KB. L2 per core favors Intel at 2 MB against 1 MB.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 89.6 GB/s against 83.2 GB/s. ECC memory is supported only on the Intel part. Memory type support favors Intel with DDR4 and DDR5 against DDR5 only for AMD.

The process node favors AMD at 4 nm against 10 nm. The die size favors AMD at 178 mm² against 257 mm². The foundry differs: TSMC for AMD, Intel for the Core 5 221E.

PCIe generation favors Intel at Gen 5 against Gen 4, though AMD offers more lanes at 20 against 16. The integrated graphics differ: Radeon 780M for AMD, UHD Graphics 730 for Intel.

The market segment is Desktop for both. Production status is Active for both. The AMD part carries part number 100-000001236, and the Intel part carries SRQDVQ659.