AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U vs Intel Core 5 220H Comparison

Intel Core 5 220H and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U are both mobile processors aimed at different priorities within the laptop space. The data shows a clear split: the Intel chip dominates multi-threaded and single-threaded compute workloads, while the AMD chip counters with efficiency and specific data-processing tasks. The Intel Core 5 220H wins 11 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks, with an average benchmark score of 28574 against the AMD’s 28379, placing both at the 80th percentile of all CPUs. However, the nature of those wins and the architectural choices behind them tell a more nuanced story than raw victory counts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 220H is the clear winner in CPU-intensive, latency-sensitive, and parallel compute tasks. Its biggest margins come in PassMark physics (1478 vs 989, a 49.4% lead) and PassMark find prime numbers (82 vs 56, a 46.4% lead). These are workloads that stress raw core throughput and integer arithmetic, areas where Intel’s higher boost clock and larger L3 cache pay off. The Intel chip also wins decisively in floating-point math (51671 vs 42999, +20.2%), Cinebench R23 single-core (1853 vs 1501, +23.5%), and Cinebench R23 multi-core (11198 vs 10047, +11.5%). For rendering, simulation, or any single-threaded application, the Intel part is the one to pick.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U wins different territory: memory-bound and security-oriented tasks. It takes PassMark data compression (249799 vs 247921, +0.8%), data encryption (15995 vs 15216, +4.9%), extended instructions (16054 vs 14642, +8.8%), and integer math (79479 vs 73555, +7.5%). These are workloads where the AMD’s Zen 3+ architecture and its higher memory bandwidth (76.8 GB/s vs Intel’s unspecified figure) show their strength. The AMD chip also wins on efficiency, with a 15W TDP versus Intel’s 45W, making it the better fit for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermals matter more than peak compute.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. Intel’s Core 5 220H uses the Raptor Lake architecture on a 10nm process, built by Intel itself. It packs 12 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its cache hierarchy is generous: 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and it offers PCIe Gen 5 with 8 CPU lanes. Its integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. This is a high-power part designed for performance laptops, with a 45W TDP and a launch MSRP of $342.

AMD’s Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is a different beast. It uses the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt, on a 6nm process from TSMC. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, also clocked at 2.70 GHz base but with a lower 4.70 GHz boost. The cache is smaller per core: 64 KB L1, 512 KB L2, and 16 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip only supports DDR5 memory, but it has a rated memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. It offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, and its integrated graphics are the Radeon 680M. The die size is 208 mm². With a 15W TDP, it is clearly engineered for efficiency, not raw throughput. The AMD chip has no launch MSRP listed, but its lower power envelope and smaller core count suggest a different market positioning.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single biggest win for Intel comes in PassMark physics, where the Core 5 220H scores 1478 against AMD’s 989, a 49.4% advantage. This is a simulation workload that benefits heavily from Intel’s higher boost clock and larger L3 cache. Similarly, PassMark find prime numbers shows a 46.4% Intel lead (82 vs 56), again highlighting the Intel chip’s integer arithmetic strength. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel leads by 23.5% (1853 vs 1501), a significant margin for everyday responsiveness and lightly-threaded apps. The multi-core Cinebench R23 result shows Intel ahead by 11.5% (11198 vs 10047), despite the AMD chip having fewer cores but the same thread count. PassMark floating-point math also goes to Intel by 20.2% (51671 vs 42999), and the overall PassMark multithread score favors Intel by 5.6% (21884 vs 20716).

AMD’s wins are narrower but consistent. The largest is in PassMark extended instructions, where it beats Intel by 8.8% (16054 vs 14642). This suggests better optimization for vectorized and special-purpose instruction sets. PassMark data encryption shows AMD ahead by 4.9% (15995 vs 15216), and integer math by 7.5% (79479 vs 73555). The data compression win is slim at 0.8% (249799 vs 247921), but it still counts. In single-thread PassMark, Intel wins by 5.3% (3405 vs 3234), and in Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel’s margin is just 3.9% (1835 vs 1766). The R15 single-core result also goes to Intel by 10.1% (262 vs 238). These numbers show that AMD’s wins are clustered in data-heavy, security-linked tasks, while Intel takes the broader compute crown.

The Verdict

Pick the Intel Core 5 220H if you need maximum CPU performance in a laptop that can handle the power draw. The data is unambiguous: it wins 11 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks, with decisive leads in physics (49.4%), prime number finding (46.4%), single-core Cinebench R23 (23.5%), and floating-point math (20.2%). It also has a higher boost clock (4.90 GHz vs 4.70 GHz), more cores (12 vs 8), and more L3 cache (18 MB vs 16 MB). Its 45W TDP means it belongs in thicker, performance-oriented chassis, but for rendering, simulation, or heavy multitasking, it is the stronger choice.

Pick the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U if efficiency and specific data workloads matter more than raw speed. It wins in data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and integer math — tasks common in security, database, and certain enterprise applications. Its 15W TDP is a third of Intel’s, making it the obvious pick for ultraportable laptops with long battery life. It also has a higher memory bandwidth (76.8 GB/s) and more PCIe Gen 4 lanes (20 vs 8), which could matter for fast storage and external GPUs. The AMD chip is not a performance slouch — its average benchmark score (28379) is within 0.7% of Intel’s (28574) — but it wins where it counts for its intended use case.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H scores 11198, beating the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U’s 10047 by 11.5%.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U win any benchmark?

A: Yes. It wins 4 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks: data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, and integer math, with margins ranging from 0.8% to 8.8%.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H has a 45W TDP, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has a 15W TDP. The AMD chip uses one-third the power.

Q: Which chip has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H has 12 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has 8 cores and 16 threads. Both have the same thread count.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H has an average benchmark score of 28574, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U scores 28379. The difference is roughly 0.7%.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the AMD processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has a rated memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The Intel Core 5 220H does not have a listed memory bandwidth figure in the data.