AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 vs Intel Core i7-9800X Comparison

The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 and Intel Core i7-9800X are both 8-core, 16-thread processors, but they target completely different ends of the desktop spectrum. The data shows a clear, if narrow, victory for the AMD part across every Cinebench benchmark tested. The V2748 wins all six head-to-head comparisons, but the margins are consistently small, ranging from a 1.4% advantage in Cinebench R15 single-core to a 1.8% lead in Cinebench R20 single-core. For multi-core workloads, the AMD chip leads by 1.7% in R15, 1.6% in R20, and 1.6% in R23. In single-core tests, the lead is 1.4% in R15, 1.8% in R20, and 1.7% in R23. These are not dramatic wins; they represent a consistent, slight edge for the Ryzen Embedded processor in synthetic rendering tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant margin is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 scores 929 against the Intel Core i7-9800X’s 913, a 1.8% advantage. This is mirrored in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the AMD wins 222 to 219, a 1.4% lead. The multi-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the V2748 scores 1579 versus 1553 for the i7-9800X, a 1.7% difference. The R20 multi-core test shows 6580 versus 6474, a 1.6% lead, and R23 multi-core shows 15668 versus 15416, also a 1.6% difference. The pattern is consistent: the AMD processor is faster in every Cinebench iteration, but the gap is never more than 1.8%. The Intel part does have additional Geekbench scores in its data set (7488 multi-core, 1398 single-core), but the AMD processor lacks those entries, so a direct comparison on that test is not possible from this data. With six wins to zero, the benchmark data is unambiguous in naming the V2748 the faster chip for these workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, fabricated on a 7 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core i7-9800X is based on the older Skylake architecture, codenamed Skylake-X, and uses Intel’s 14 nm process. This process gap is significant, as the 7 nm node allows the AMD chip to achieve higher performance while operating at a drastically lower thermal design power (TDP). The V2748 has a TDP of 35 watts, while the i7-9800X has a TDP of 165 watts. This is a massive difference in power efficiency.

Both chips feature 8 cores and 16 threads. Their L1 caches are identical at 64 KB per core. However, L2 cache differs: the AMD part has 512 KB per core, while the Intel part has a larger 1 MB per core. The L3 cache also differs, with the AMD chip offering 8 MB shared, while the Intel chip offers 16.5 MB shared. The Intel processor has a substantially larger total cache footprint. The memory controllers are also different. The V2748 supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i7-9800X supports quad-channel DDR4, providing a significantly higher memory bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The Intel chip also supports ECC memory, while the AMD part does not. The AMD processor includes integrated Radeon Graphics with 448 shader processors, whereas the Intel chip has no integrated graphics. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the V2748 provides 20 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the i7-9800X offers 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. The socket types are incompatible, with the AMD using AMD Socket FP6 and the Intel using Intel Socket 2066. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD part does not.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results show a clear, albeit narrow, win for the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 in every Cinebench test. The data suggests that for pure CPU rendering performance in Cinebench, the V2748 is the superior choice. The AMD chip’s advantage in both single-core and multi-core tests indicates that its Zen 2 architecture is more efficient for these tasks, despite the Intel part’s higher base and boost clocks. The Intel Core i7-9800X does have advantages outside of the synthetic benchmarks, though. Its quad-channel memory controller and 44 PCIe lanes are features that the AMD part lacks. The Intel processor also has a larger L3 cache and more L2 cache per core. For workloads that are heavily dependent on memory bandwidth, such as certain scientific computing or large dataset processing tasks, the i7-9800X’s architecture could provide a benefit that is not captured by the Cinebench scores.

However, based strictly on the benchmark data, the AMD part wins every test. The Intel part’s higher TDP of 165 watts versus 35 watts is a significant factor, but that is a power consideration, not a performance one. The Intel processor also has a higher base clock of 3.80 GHz versus 2.90 GHz and a higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus 4.25 GHz. Despite these clock advantages, the AMD chip still wins in all Cinebench tests, indicating the architectural efficiency of Zen 2 over Skylake. The Intel part is end-of-life, while the AMD part is active. For users who prioritize the specific Cinebench workloads, the AMD chip is the winner. For users who need the memory bandwidth or PCIe lane count, the Intel chip has a structural advantage, but that is not reflected in the provided benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 wins all three single-core Cinebench tests. It leads by 1.4% in R15 (222 vs 219), 1.8% in R20 (929 vs 913), and 1.7% in R23 (2212 vs 2176).

Q: How does the multi-core performance compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 also wins all multi-core tests. It leads by 1.7% in R15 (1579 vs 1553), 1.6% in R20 (6580 vs 6474), and 1.6% in R23 (15668 vs 15416).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for these CPUs?

A: Both the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 and the Intel Core i7-9800X have 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-9800X support ECC memory?

A: No, ECC memory is not supported on the Intel Core i7-9800X. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 does support ECC memory.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Core i7-9800X has a quad-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 has a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 includes integrated graphics, with a Radeon Graphics solution featuring 448 shader processors. The Intel Core i7-9800X has no integrated graphics.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unequivocal in its verdict: the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 outperforms the Intel Core i7-9800X in every Cinebench test, both single-core and multi-core. The margins are small, between 1.4% and 1.8%, but they are consistent across all six tests. The Intel part has a higher base and boost clock and a larger cache, but the AMD processor’s Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process delivers better performance in these workloads. The AMD part also does so with a significantly lower TDP of 35 watts compared to the Intel’s 165 watts. The Intel Core i7-9800X has features the AMD chip lacks, such as quad-channel memory, 44 PCIe lanes, and an unlocked multiplier, but the benchmark results do not show a performance benefit from these features in Cinebench. For users looking for the best Cinebench performance, the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 is the clear choice. The Intel part is end-of-life, while the AMD part is still active. Based on the data, the V2748 is the better performer for rendering and CPU-intensive tasks, while the i7-9800X offers a different set of platform capabilities that would need to be evaluated separately. The AMD processor’s integrated graphics and ECC support are additional features that may sway a decision, but the raw performance crown belongs to the AMD chip.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V2748 has a base clock of 2.90 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-9800X has a base clock of 3.80 GHz. The boost clock also differs, with the AMD at 4.25 GHz and the Intel at 4.50 GHz. The TDP is a major difference: the AMD is rated at 35 watts, while the Intel is rated at 165 watts. The process node is 7 nm for the AMD (TSMC) and 14 nm for the Intel. The L2 cache is 512 KB per core on the AMD, versus 1 MB per core on the Intel. The L3 cache is 8 MB shared on the AMD, versus 16.5 MB shared on the Intel. The memory bus is dual-channel on the AMD and quad-channel on the Intel, with memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s and 85.3 GB/s, respectively. The AMD supports ECC memory, while the Intel does not. The PCIe configuration is Gen 3 with 20 lanes on the AMD, and Gen 3 with 44 lanes on the Intel. The AMD has integrated Radeon Graphics with 448 shader processors; the Intel has no integrated graphics. The sockets are AMD Socket FP6 for the V2748 and Intel Socket 2066 for the i7-9800X. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD does not. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $589. The production status is Active for the AMD and End-of-life for the Intel.