AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U vs Intel Core i7-8700B Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a split picture that defies a simple narrative. In the older Cinebench R15 tests, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U delivers a decisive victory. Its multicore score of 1467 versus the Intel Core i7-8700B's 1005 represents a 46% advantage. The single-core gap is even more pronounced, with the AMD part scoring 227 against Intel's 141, a 61% lead. These are not marginal differences; they are substantial generational leaps in per-thread and multi-thread efficiency on that specific workload.

However, the story flips dramatically when examining the newer Cinebench R23 results. Here, the Intel Core i7-8700B takes the lead in multicore performance, scoring 9977 compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U's 8716, a 12.6% difference in Intel's favor. The single-core R23 scores are essentially tied, with Intel edging ahead by a razor-thin margin: 1408 versus 1405, a delta of only 0.2%. This reversal suggests that the two processors are optimized for different types of workloads, or that the R15 and R23 tests stress the hardware in fundamentally distinct ways.

The Geekbench results further complicate the picture. The Intel chip wins the multicore test with a score of 5936 over AMD's 5696, a 4% advantage. In the single-core Geekbench test, the result is nearly identical, with Intel scoring 1443 and AMD scoring 1442, a virtually imperceptible 0.1% difference. This near-parity in single-threaded performance across both R23 and Geekbench is a key finding, indicating that for lightly threaded tasks, the two CPUs are functionally equivalent in the recorded data.

The final tally shows the Intel Core i7-8700B winning 4 out of 6 head-to-head benchmarks, with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U winning the remaining 2. Yet, the magnitude of the AMD wins in the R15 tests is far larger than the margins of Intel's victories in the other tests. The 61% and 46% deltas are outliers in the data set, suggesting a specific workload dependency. The average benchmark score in the database places the AMD part at 3159, marginally higher than Intel's 3086, which is consistent with the idea that the AMD processor's strengths are weighted heavily in certain legacy benchmarks.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded deltas, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is the clear winner in the Cinebench R15 workload, both single-core and multicore. The data indicates that this older test appears to favor the Zen 3 architecture's efficiency, with the 61% single-core delta being the most significant gap in the entire comparison. For users running applications that rely on similar legacy instruction patterns or threading models, the AMD part holds a substantial advantage.

The Intel Core i7-8700B, conversely, demonstrates its superiority in the more modern Cinebench R23 multicore test, where its 12.6% lead is significant. This suggests that for sustained, heavily threaded workloads that are optimized for contemporary AVX or other modern instruction sets, the Intel chip is the more capable processor. Its 4% lead in Geekbench multicore reinforces this interpretation, pointing to a general advantage in modern multi-threaded scenarios.

For single-threaded performance in modern tests, the data shows a dead heat. The R23 single-core delta of 0.2% and Geekbench single-core delta of 0.1% are within the noise of measurement. Neither processor can claim a meaningful edge in this category based on the numbers. The Intel part wins these benchmarks, but the margin is so small that it holds no practical significance for a buyer.

The Intel Core i7-8700B also wins the overall benchmark count, but the distribution of wins is telling. The AMD part wins the tests where it wins big, while the Intel part wins the tests where the margins are narrow, with the exception of R23 multicore. This pattern suggests that the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is the better choice for specific legacy workloads, while the Intel chip is the more consistent performer across a broader range of modern tests.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne-U, and manufactured on a 7 nm process node by TSMC. The Intel Core i7-8700B uses the older Coffee Lake architecture and is fabricated on Intel's 14 nm process node. This process node difference is a major factor, as the 7 nm node allows AMD to pack more transistors into a smaller area, with the Ryzen chip featuring 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, while the Intel chip has a 154 mm² die with transistor count not listed in the database.

Core configuration differs significantly. The AMD part boasts 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel part has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the Intel chip manages to win the modern multicore benchmarks, which confirms its higher base and boost clocks, but also suggests that the Cinebench R23 test scales better with the Intel architecture's design. The cache hierarchies also diverge: AMD provides 512 KB of L2 cache per core and a 16 MB shared L3 cache, whereas Intel offers 256 KB of L2 per core and a 12 MB shared L3 cache.

The memory controllers are another point of separation. Both support dual-channel DDR4, but AMD's memory bandwidth is rated at 51.2 GB/s compared to Intel's 42.7 GB/s. This bandwidth advantage for AMD is notable, yet it did not translate into wins in the modern multicore tests. The PCIe support also differs, with the AMD part offering Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only) and the Intel part offering Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), which has implications for expandability in desktop applications.

The integrated graphics are different as well, with AMD featuring Radeon Vega 8 and Intel featuring UHD Graphics 630. The thermal design power (TDP) is a stark contrast: AMD is rated at 15 watts, a mobile-focused figure, while Intel is rated at 65 watts, a desktop-oriented value. This power envelope difference is likely a key reason for the performance variance, as the Intel chip has a much larger thermal budget to sustain higher clocks.

Specification Differences

The most direct specifications differentiate the two parts clearly. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-8700B has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks differ, with AMD at 1900 MHz and Intel at 3.20 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with AMD reaching 4.40 GHz and Intel reaching 4.60 GHz. The TDP is a major divider: 15 watts for AMD versus 65 watts for Intel.

The process node is another clear difference, with AMD on 7 nm and Intel on 14 nm. The L2 cache is different, with AMD featuring 512 KB per core and Intel featuring 256 KB per core. The L3 cache is also different, with AMD providing 16 MB shared and Intel providing 12 MB shared. Memory bandwidth is higher for AMD at 51.2 GB/s versus Intel's 42.7 GB/s.

The PCIe lane count differs, with AMD offering 8 lanes and Intel offering 16 lanes, both Gen 3. The socket types are not comparable, with AMD using AMD Socket FP6 and Intel using Intel BGA 1440. The market segment is different, with AMD classified as Mobile and Intel as Desktop. The production status also differs, with AMD listed as Active and Intel as End-of-life. The release dates show AMD launched on 2021-03-15, while Intel launched earlier on 2018-04-02. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $303, which is a single data point for reference.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-8700B wins with a score of 1408, but the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is nearly tied at 1405, a delta of only 0.2%.

Q: How many cores and threads does each CPU have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-8700B has 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

A: The AMD part has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, which is higher than the Intel part's 42.7 GB/s.

Q: Which CPU wins the most head-to-head benchmarks in the database?

A: The Intel Core i7-8700B wins 4 out of 6 benchmarks, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U wins 2.

Q: Are the single-core scores in Geekbench different?

A: No, they are effectively identical, with Intel scoring 1443 and AMD scoring 1442, a 0.1% delta.

Q: What is the production status of each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is listed as Active, while the Intel Core i7-8700B is listed as End-of-life.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload character. For users running legacy applications that resemble the Cinebench R15 workload, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is the definitive choice. Its 61% single-core and 46% multicore advantages are the largest margins in the entire comparison, indicating a strong optimization for that specific type of instruction flow and threading. The fact that it achieves this with a 15-watt TDP versus the Intel's 65-watt TDP makes its efficiency in this scenario even more remarkable within the context of the recorded figures.

For modern, heavily threaded workloads, the Intel Core i7-8700B is the better performer. Its 12.6% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore and 4% lead in Geekbench multicore demonstrate that its higher power envelope and clock speeds translate directly into superior multi-threaded throughput in current test suites. The Intel chip's 6-core, 12-thread configuration is sufficient to beat AMD's 8-core, 16-thread part in these tests, which points to architectural advantages in scaling and instruction handling for that specific software.

For pure single-threaded performance in modern tests, the choice is a toss-up. The deltas of 0.2% and 0.1% in R23 and Geekbench respectively are negligible, indicating that users will not perceive a difference in everyday lightly threaded tasks. The database's average benchmark scores also reflect this near-parity, with AMD at 3159 and Intel at 3086, a difference of less than 3%.

Ultimately, the verdict depends on the user's software environment. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U is the pick for those who rely on older, legacy workloads where its R15 dominance matters. The Intel Core i7-8700B is the pick for modern multi-threaded applications and for users who prefer a desktop-class part with a higher TDP and more PCIe lanes. The Intel chip's End-of-life status is a consideration, but its performance in modern benchmarks remains competitive, making it a viable choice for those who prioritize current test results over architectural longevity.