AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I vs Intel Core i7-9700F Comparison

The Intel Core i7-9700F and AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I are both eight-core desktop processors, but they target very different design priorities. The benchmark database shows the AMD part winning all six head-to-head tests, yet the two chips land at the same 54th percentile overall. This is a case where a low-power embedded chip outperforms a mainstream desktop part in raw compute, while the Intel chip offers higher clock speeds and a different platform feature set.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 1187 in R15, 4946 in R20, and 11777 in R23, versus 1126, 4693, and 11176 for the Intel Core i7-9700F. The margin is consistent at 5.1% across all three tests.

Q: How does single-core performance compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I also wins every single-core test. It leads by 5.4% in Cinebench R15 (167 vs 158), by 5.2% in R20 (698 vs 662), and by 5.1% in R23 (1662 vs 1577).

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I has a 15W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-9700F has a 65W TDP. This is a fourfold difference in the rated thermal envelope.

Q: Which processor supports newer memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I supports DDR5 memory with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i7-9700F supports DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores?

A: Yes, both have 8 cores. However, the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I has 16 threads due to simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel Core i7-9700F has 8 threads with no hyperthreading.

Q: What is the manufacturing process difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is built on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the Intel Core i7-9700F uses Intel's 14 nm process. The AMD chip has a smaller process node.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-9700F uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It has 8 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The chip carries 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is based on the Zen 3+ architecture with the Rembrandt codename, manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It also has 8 cores, but doubles the thread count to 16. Its base clock is 1900.00 MHz (1.90 GHz) and boost clock is 3.80 GHz. The cache hierarchy differs as well: 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

The platform differences are substantial. The Intel chip uses Socket 1151, supports DDR4 memory, and provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The AMD chip uses Socket FP7, supports DDR5 memory with ECC capability, and provides PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Memory bandwidth nearly doubles on the AMD side: 76.8 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. The AMD part also has a dramatically lower TDP at 15W versus 65W.

The Intel Core i7-9700F has a launch MSRP of $333, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I has no recorded launch MSRP in the database. The Intel part is marked end-of-life, while the AMD part is active in production. The Intel chip's die size is 180.3 mm², while the AMD die size is not recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows an unambiguous sweep. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I wins all six head-to-head tests, with the margin hovering between 5.1% and 5.4% across every workload.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 1187 against 1126 for Intel, a 5.1% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 167 for AMD versus 158 for Intel, a 5.4% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD chip scores 4946 versus 4693 in multi-core (5.1% ahead) and 698 versus 662 in single-core (5.2% ahead). In Cinebench R23, the multi-core result is 11777 versus 11176 (5.1% ahead), and the single-core result is 1662 versus 1577 (5.1% ahead).

The consistency of these deltas is notable. Across both single-threaded and multi-threaded tests, and across three generations of Cinebench, the AMD part maintains essentially the same lead. This indicates a uniform performance advantage rather than workload-specific strengths. The Intel chip's higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz does not translate into a win against the AMD chip's lower 3.80 GHz boost, likely due to architectural efficiency improvements in Zen 3+.

The database also records Geekbench scores for the Intel chip: 6807 multi-core and 1509 single-core. The AMD chip has no Geekbench scores recorded, so no comparison is possible for that suite.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category:

• Threads: Intel has 8, AMD has 16
• Base clock: Intel at 3.00 GHz, AMD at 1.90 GHz
• Boost clock: Intel at 4.70 GHz, AMD at 3.80 GHz
• TDP: Intel at 65W, AMD at 15W
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket FP7
• Process node: Intel 14 nm versus AMD 6 nm
• Foundry: Intel versus TSMC
• L2 cache: Intel 256 KB per core versus AMD 512 KB per core
• L3 cache: Intel 12 MB shared versus AMD 16 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR4 versus DDR5
• Memory bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s
• ECC memory: Not supported on Intel, supported on AMD
• PCIe: Gen 3 with 16 lanes versus Gen 4 with 20 lanes
• Production status: End-of-life versus Active
• Release date: 2019-04-22 versus 2022-09-26
• Part number: SRG14 versus 100-000000559

Both processors share 8 cores, 64 KB of L1 cache per core, dual-channel memory buses, no integrated graphics, and locked multipliers. Both are classified as desktop market segments.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I in every measured benchmark. The AMD chip wins all six Cinebench tests by a consistent margin of roughly 5%. It achieves this while consuming only 15W of power compared to the Intel chip's 65W, making it over four times more energy-efficient per unit of performance. The AMD part also supports newer memory technology, ECC memory, and PCIe Gen 4, all while being built on a more advanced 6 nm process.

The Intel Core i7-9700F does retain advantages in clock speed, with a 4.70 GHz boost versus 3.80 GHz, and a higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus 1.90 GHz. However, these clock advantages do not translate into benchmark wins. The Intel chip is also end-of-life, while the AMD part remains in active production.

For anyone choosing between these two based on the recorded data, the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is the superior processor in all measured performance metrics. The Intel chip's only advantages are its lower launch MSRP of $333 and its older but established platform.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I wins in:

• All multi-core Cinebench benchmarks: R15, R20, and R23
• All single-core Cinebench benchmarks: R15, R20, and R23
• Power efficiency, with a 15W TDP versus 65W
• Memory bandwidth, at 76.8 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s
• Thread count, with 16 threads versus 8
• Cache capacity, with 512 KB L2 per core and 16 MB L3 versus 256 KB L2 and 12 MB L3
• Modern platform features: DDR5, ECC support, PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes
• Manufacturing process, at 6 nm versus 14 nm
• Production status, being active rather than end-of-life

Intel Core i7-9700F wins in:

• Base clock speed, at 3.00 GHz versus 1.90 GHz
• Boost clock speed, at 4.70 GHz versus 3.80 GHz
• Smaller die footprint at 180.3 mm² versus no recorded die size for AMD
• Having a recorded launch MSRP of $333
• Geekbench results are recorded (6807 multi-core, 1509 single-core), though no AMD comparison exists

The Intel chip's clock speed advantage is its primary distinguishing feature, but the benchmark data shows that architectural efficiency matters more than raw clock rate. The AMD part's lower clock speeds are offset by its Zen 3+ architecture, larger caches, and simultaneous multithreading, resulting in wins across every test.

For workloads that depend purely on single-thread speed, the Intel processor's 4.70 GHz boost might seem attractive, but the recorded single-core Cinebench scores show the AMD chip ahead by 5% or more. The higher clock does not deliver a win.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I's 15W TDP makes it suitable for power-constrained environments, while its DDR5 and PCIe Gen 4 support align it with modern platforms. The Intel Core i7-9700F remains a capable processor from the Coffee Lake era, but the database shows it trailing in every head-to-head comparison.