AMD Ryzen 7 8840U vs Intel Core i7-13620H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-13620H takes the majority of the head-to-head matchups, winning 16 of the 21 recorded tests. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U wins 5 tests. The overall average benchmark score tells the same story: Intel scores 24911 against AMD's 23982, a gap that places the two chips in adjacent percentile tiers, 77th versus 76th among all CPUs.

The largest Intel victory comes in Passmark physics, where the i7-13620H posts 1671 against 1176 for the Ryzen, a 29.6% advantage. That is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison. The next largest Intel win is in Passmark find prime numbers, 99 versus 78, a 21.2% gap. In 3DMark max threads, Intel leads 7178 to 5677, a 20.9% difference. The 3DMark 16-thread test shows a 19.3% gap in Intel's favor, 7056 versus 5691. Passmark floating point math also goes to Intel by 18.3%, 59762 against 48820.

Cinebench results favor Intel in multicore workloads. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the i7-13620H scores 15176 versus 12972, a 14.5% lead. Cinebench R15 multicore shows a narrower 11.3% gap, 2281 versus 2024. The 3DMark 8-thread test gives Intel a 10% edge, 5443 versus 4896, and the 4-thread test shows a 9.2% difference, 3621 versus 3289.

Single-thread performance is closer. The 3DMark single-thread score is 1008 for Intel versus 979 for AMD, only 2.9% apart. Cinebench R23 single-core goes to Intel by 7.1%, 1833 versus 1703. Passmark single thread shows Intel ahead by 1.3%, 3589 versus 3543. The 3DMark 2-thread test is a 5.1% Intel lead, 1963 versus 1863.

The AMD wins are concentrated in specific workloads. The largest is Passmark random string sorting, where the Ryzen 7 8840U scores 32158 against 29395, a 9.4% advantage. Passmark extended instructions goes to AMD by 6.5%, 18654 versus 17513. Passmark integer math favors AMD by 5.9%, 85740 versus 80948. Passmark data encryption is an AMD win at 3.2%, 16072 versus 15568. The only single-thread victory for AMD is Cinebench R15 single-core, 266 versus 263, a 1.1% edge.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i7-13620H wins both Cinebench multicore tests. In Cinebench R23 multicore it scores 15176 versus 12972 for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U, a 14.5% lead. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel scores 2281 versus 2024, an 11.3% advantage.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U competitive in single-thread workloads?

A: It wins one single-thread test, Cinebench R15 single-core, by 1.1% with 266 versus 263. In the other single-thread tests, Intel leads by margins between 1.3% and 7.1%. The 3DMark single-thread score is 1008 versus 979, a 2.9% Intel lead.

Q: Where does the AMD chip beat Intel by the largest margin?

A: The biggest AMD win is Passmark random string sorting, 32158 versus 29395, a 9.4% advantage. AMD also wins Passmark extended instructions by 6.5% and Passmark integer math by 5.9%.

Q: How do the two compare in overall benchmark averages?

A: The Intel Core i7-13620H has an average benchmark score of 24911, placing it in the 77th percentile. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U averages 23982, placing it in the 76th percentile. Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-11850H and AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, while AMD's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 8600G and Intel Xeon 6333P.

Q: Which CPU wins the most head-to-head tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-13620H wins 16 of the 21 head-to-head tests. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U wins 5.

Q: Are there workloads where the two chips are nearly tied?

A: Yes. The 3DMark single-thread test shows only a 2.9% gap, and Passmark single thread shows a 1.3% gap. The Cinebench R15 single-core test is the closest, with AMD ahead by just 1.1%.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-13620H is the choice for sustained multi-threaded work. The 3DMark max threads score of 7178 indicates strong scaling under heavy parallel load, and the 20.9% lead over AMD in that test shows Intel handles high thread counts effectively. The 16-thread 3DMark result reinforces this with a 19.3% edge. The physics score of 1671 with a 29.6% lead makes Intel the pick for simulation and physics-heavy tasks. Floating point math, 59762 versus 48820, also points to Intel for scientific or numerically intensive work. The 10-core configuration gives Intel a structural advantage in find prime numbers, where it leads by 21.2%.

For data compression, Intel wins but by a moderate margin: 281335 versus 267525, a 4.9% difference. That is a real but not dominant advantage. The Passmark multithread score of 24192 versus 23346 is a 3.5% Intel win, so the overall multi-threaded picture favors Intel but the margin varies by workload type.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U wins where the workload is more specialized. Random string sorting, 32158 versus 29395, is a 9.4% AMD win, which suggests Intel's architecture is comparatively weaker at that specific operation. Extended instructions, 18654 versus 17513, is a 6.5% AMD win, and integer math, 85740 versus 80948, is a 5.9% AMD win. Data encryption, 16072 versus 15568, gives AMD a 3.2% edge. These wins do not offset the overall Intel advantage, but they show the Ryzen 7 8840U is not uniformly slower.

For single-thread tasks, the two are close enough that workload choice matters more than chip choice. Intel leads Cinebench R23 single-core by 7.1% and 3DMark single-thread by 2.9%, but AMD wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 1.1%. The Passmark single-thread gap is just 1.3%. A user who needs the absolute best single-core score should pick Intel, but the difference in most single-thread tests is small.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ significantly. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core i7-13620H has 10 cores and 16 threads. Both are 16-thread parts, but Intel has two additional physical cores.

Clock speeds differ. The AMD chip has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Intel chip has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. AMD has the higher clocks in both metrics.

Thermal design power differs substantially. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U is rated at 28 W. The Intel Core i7-13620H is rated at 45 W. That 17 W difference reflects different design goals.

The process node is different. AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC. Intel uses a 10 nm process from its own foundry. The AMD chip has 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. Intel does not list transistor count or die size in the database.

Memory support differs. The AMD chip supports DDR5 only. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both are dual-channel. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; Intel does not list a bandwidth figure. Neither supports ECC memory.

PCIe support differs. The AMD chip uses Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. The Intel chip uses Gen 5 with 8 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics differ. The AMD chip has Radeon 780M. The Intel chip has UHD Graphics 770.

Cache configurations differ. AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3.

Sockets differ. AMD uses AMD Socket FP8. Intel uses Intel BGA 1744.

Release dates differ. AMD was released on 2023-12-05. Intel was released on 2023-01-03. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $502. AMD has no launch MSRP recorded.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U uses Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, part of the 8000 series. It is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC with 25,000 million transistors. The Intel Core i7-13620H uses Raptor Lake architecture under the Raptor Lake-H codename, part of Core 13th Gen. It is built on a 10 nm process at Intel.

The core designs differ. AMD has 8 cores with 16 threads, all presumably uniform Zen 4 cores. Intel has 10 cores with 16 threads. The database does not specify a performance-core/efficiency-core split for Intel, but the 10-core, 16-thread configuration with 2 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core differs structurally from AMD's 8-core, 16-thread design with 1 MB L2 per core and 64 KB L1 per core.

The cache hierarchy is different. Intel has a larger L3 cache, 24 MB shared versus AMD's 16 MB shared. Intel also has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches. This larger cache allocation may explain some of Intel's wins in cache-sensitive workloads.

The process difference is notable. AMD's 4 nm TSMC process is a smaller node than Intel's 10 nm process. The AMD chip also has a much lower TDP, 28 W versus 45 W. The database data does not show a direct efficiency comparison, but the combination of smaller node and lower TDP suggests the AMD chip achieves its scores at a lower power envelope.

The integrated graphics differ. AMD pairs the CPU with Radeon 780M, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. The database does not include graphics benchmarks for either chip, so the comparison is limited to CPU workloads.

PCIe generation differs. AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes. Gen 5 is newer, but the lane count is lower on Intel.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload type and power constraints. The Intel Core i7-13620H is the faster processor in the majority of recorded tests. It wins 16 of 21 head-to-head matchups, has a higher average benchmark score (24911 versus 23982), and sits in a higher percentile (77th versus 76th). For users who prioritize raw multi-threaded performance, the Intel chip is the better choice. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15176 against 12972 gives Intel a 14.5% lead in a common rendering benchmark, and the 3DMark max threads score of 7178 against 5677 indicates Intel handles high thread counts better.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840U is not without strengths. It wins Passmark random string sorting by 9.4%, extended instructions by 6.5%, integer math by 5.9%, and data encryption by 3.2%. These are specific workload wins, not general ones. The AMD chip also has a much lower TDP, 28 W versus 45 W, and a smaller process node, 4 nm versus 10 nm. For a thin-and-light laptop where power draw matters, the Ryzen 7 8840U is the practical pick, but the database shows it sacrifices multi-threaded performance to get there.

The Intel chip is the better choice for sustained heavy workloads: rendering, physics simulation, floating point math, and prime number calculation. The AMD chip is the better choice for integer math, encryption, extended instruction sets, and random string sorting. For single-thread tasks, the two are close enough that either chip works, with Intel holding a narrow but consistent edge in most single-thread tests.

The user should decide based on the workload. If the priority is maximum multi-threaded throughput, the Intel Core i7-13620H wins clearly. If the priority is a lower-power processor that still wins specific data-processing tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U is the answer. The overall average scores put Intel at 24911 and AMD at 23982, a 929-point gap that reflects Intel's broader dominance across the test suite.