Ryzen vs Intel: How Do They Stack up, and Which Is Best?

The decades-long battle between AMD‘s Ryzen and Intel Core processors shows no signs of slowing down. With both brands constantly leapfrogging each other every generation, it can be tough deciding whether Team Red or Team Blue deserves your money for your next PC build or upgrade.

This extensive guide compares the latest Ryzen 3000, 5000, 7000 lineups versus Intel 12th and 13th gen Core i3, i5, i7 and i9 processors across various usage scenarios – from gaming and streaming, video editing and 3D workloads, to simply getting the best bang for your buck. Let‘s dive in and see what each side brings to the table!

A Brief History of AMD vs Intel Processors

AMD and Intel‘s rivalry dates back to the late 90s, when AMD launched the original Athlon CPU that outperformed anything Intel had at the time. This kicked off a performance race that’s still running today. Intel struck back with the Core architecture in 2006 and held the crown for highest performance – but also at premium pricing – for nearly a decade with very little competition from AMD’s Bulldozer CPUs.

The launch of AMD‘s new Ryzen processors in 2017 brought the fight back to Intel. With a new Zen architecture that improved Instructions Per Clock (IPC) performance, Ryzen delivered better multi-threaded performance than Intel at every price point. Team Red was back in the game!

Competition has heated up in the last couple of generations as both brands leapfrog each other. Intel recently regained gaming performance dominance with their 12th gen Alder Lake chips (by mixing high performance and efficient cores) – but AMD swiftly responded with the Ryzen 7000 series on a new 5nm process, supporting faster DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 connectivity.

This back and forth has delivered massive benefits for us PC enthusiasts and gamers. We’re now getting better performing and more energy efficient processors every generation or two across both brands. Software optimization also continues to improve through partnerships with Microsoft, game developers and creative app vendors. It’s a great time to build or upgrade your rig!

Latest AMD Ryzen and Intel Core Processor Lineups

Before we dive into detailed comparisons, let’s briefly recap the latest Ryzen and Core processor lineups at the time of writing.

AMD Ryzen Desktop CPUs

• Ryzen 3000 Series (Zen 2 architecture, 7nm process, DDR4 memory, PCIe 4.0, 2019 launch)
• Ryzen 5000 Series (Zen 3 architecture, 7nm process, DDR4 memory, PCIe 4.0, 2020 launch)
• Ryzen 7000 Series (Zen 4 architecture, 5nm process, DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, 2022 launch)

Intel Core Desktop CPUs

• 10th & 11th Gen Core (Skylake derivative architecture, 14nm process, DDR4 memory, PCIe 3.0, 2017-2021 launch)
• 12th Gen Core “Alder Lake” (Performance + Efficient core hybrid architecture, Intel 7 & 10nm process, DDR4/DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, 2022 launch)
• 13th Gen Core “Raptor Lake” (Refined hybrid architecture, Intel 7 & 10nm process, DDR4/DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, 2022 launch)

We won’t dive too deep into the technical details in this guide—just what you need to know as an end user shopping for your next CPU. Let’s move onto the detailed side-by-side comparisons!

Ryzen vs Core Series: Detailed Spec Comparison

Here’s a high level specs comparison table contrasting AMD’s current Ryzen 5000, Intel 12th gen Core and Ryzen 7000 lineups. Specific models are chosen based on competitive positioning and pricing.

First, looking at the core and thread counts, Intel has an advantage with their hybrid architecture combining Performance cores (P-cores) and Efficient cores (E-cores). So they can match or exceed Ryzen‘s core counts at every price bracket.

However, thanks to their Zen architecture advances, Ryzen CPUs achieve higher Instructions Per Clock (IPC) – in other words, better single threaded performance from each core. So you get faster response times and snappier experience in everyday desktop usage and gaming.

Clock speeds are fairly comparable, with new Ryzen 7000 nudging ahead slightly. However Ryzen tends to hit its advertised boost speeds more consistently under sustained workloads in independent testing. The efficiency of TSMC’s 5nm process manufacturing also gives Ryzen an advantage in heat, noise and overall power consumption.

Memory support is excellent on both sides, though Ryzen 7000 and the latest Intel 13th gen chips do pull ahead with native DDR5 compatibility and PCIe 5.0 lanes. However, real world performance benefits will take time to materialize until more apps are optimized for these technologies. DDR4 at 3200-3600MHz still offers the best performance per dollar for most gamers and enthusiasts.

Now let’s shift gears and see how Ryzen and Core compare when the rubber hits the road!

Performance Benchmarks: Gaming, Streaming, Workstation

Synthetic benchmarks can only reveal so much when trying to pick the right CPU for your specific needs. Nothing beats evaluating real world gaming, streaming, video editing and 3D rendering workloads across reviewers and directly comparing the experience of similarly priced Ryzen vs Core processors.

Gaming Benchmarks

Starting with what most buyers care about – gaming performance! Ever since Ryzen‘s debut, Intel has held an advantage here over equally priced AMD chips at every tier – from budget i3 vs Ryzen 3 all the way up to mid-range i5, flagship i7/i9 and Ryzen 7/9 parts.

However, AMD has slowly closed the gap with every generation. Here are some recent 1080p gaming benchmarks from trusted publications like Tom‘s Hardware and TechSpot comparing the Ryzen 7700X ($299) against the more expensive Core i7-13700K ($439):

Ryzen 7700X vs i7-13700K Gaming Benchmarks @ 1080p Highest Settings (Image Credit: Tom‘s Hardware)

As you can see, the pricier i7-13700K is only 5-8% faster on average across a wide span of game engines. Not a massive lead, but still notable given the significant price disparity. The playing field is more level in eSports titles like CS:GO and Valorant where the GPU matters more than CPU.

For budget and mid-range buyers eyeing the Ryzen 5600/7600X ($159-$249) or Intel 12400/12600K ($149-$259), Tom’s Hardware found a similar 4-10% lead for Intel parts across 20+ game titles.

The gap is wider at 1440p and 4K resolutions where the GPU is primary bottleneck, so Intel CPUs can push higher framerates to better keep up with fast modern GPUs. Still, at under 10% on the whole, an ordinary gamer is unlikely to feel the difference outside of high refresh rate 1080p esports gaming. You’re more likely to be GPU limited in demanding AAA titles.

Ultimately, you can‘t go wrong with either brand for gaming today. Every discrete GPU from AMD‘s RX line or Nvidia GeForce RTX cards will play just fine with Ryzen or Core processors. If gaming is your MAIN usage, Intel still has the edge – but Ryzen is very close behind and offers better value at each price bracket.

Streaming Benchmarks

Gaming is just one half of the equation – high core counts and good IPC also help ensure smooth, tear-free game streaming performance for budding Twitch and YouTube creators.

Here AMD fights on a more level playing field with similarly priced Ryzen CPUs matching or exceeding Intel‘s streaming output quality in independent testing. For example TechSpot found that the Ryzen 7700X ($299) could stream at 8% higher resolution versus the Core i7-13700K ($439) without dropping frames in their x264 streaming test:

"When streaming, the 7700X was 8% faster than the 13700K…Even though the 13700K was faster for gaming, the 7700X was faster for streaming, effectively cancelling out the difference in gaming."

So content creators should factor streaming performance into their CPU considerations – not just pure gaming prowess.

Video Editing and 3D Rendering

Beyond gaming and streaming, creative users like video editors and 3D animators should take a hard look at AMD‘s value proposition. Apps like DaVinci Resolve, Blender and Cinema 4D rely heavily on multi-threaded performance for tasks like video encoding, model rendering and effects processing.

Here Ryzen processors clock in with better performance per dollar as you go up the product stack. For example Puget Systems found the 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X ($549) beat Intel‘s more expensive 18-core i9-13900K flagship ($589) in these real-world benchmarks:

Ryzen 7950X vs Core i9-13900K PugetBench Scores (Image Credit: Puget Systems)

You‘re seeing over 20% better video editing and rendering performance from the cheaper 7950X here. This advantage comes from AMD‘s excellent multi-threaded scaling (thanks to the Zen 4 architecture) as you add more cores. Intel still has a blkight lead in Adobe Premiere Pro though.

Value choices like the 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X ($429) or even the 8-core 7700X ($299) offer compelling prosumer performance for creative apps versus pricier Intel parts. Definitely make use of benchmark sources like Puget Systems that test real world professional software rather than synthetic tests.

Ultimately if your workloads scale well across cores and threads, Ryzen tends to beat Intel on efficiency per dollar when you move beyond mid-range parts. That said, there are still some caveats for RAM capacity so check your specific software requirements.

Power Efficiency

One more key metric to discuss is power efficiency and thermal performance, especially as high core count chips consume more energy under load. Here AMD continues to hold an advantage even with the latest Ryzen 7000 processors built on an advanced 5nm manufacturing process.

Let’s compare the range-topping 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X against the Intel i9-13900K in AnandTech’s detailed review. They summarise the power consumption verdict as:

"At both stock settings and power-limited settings, AMD showcases a 35-60% advantage in performance-per-watt versus the competition [Intel]."

Here are the empirical test results below – focus on the green System Power bars that represent total platform power draw. You‘ll notice the Ryzen flagship using over 60% less power versus the Intel top dog despite having 2 fewer cores:

7950X vs 13900K Power Efficiency Benchmarks (Image Credit: AnandTech)

This power efficiency also translates into cooler, quieter operation too. So that bodes well for small form factor SFF PC builds. Overall AMD maintains their strength here even with the Ryzen 5000 and Ryzen 7000 families. Only extreme overclockers running exotic cooling setups may be better served by Intel‘s high ceilings.

Platform Cost Comparison

Comparing just the CPU‘s cost only reveals part of the total ownership picture. The motherboard and cooler costs also add up, especially if you want features like premium VRMs for overclocking or next-gen memory support.

Here Intel pulls ahead in value if you want leading-edge technologies with their new 700-series motherboards and Raptor Lake chips. A Z790 board with full PCIe Gen 5 and DDR5 support starts around $215, considerably cheaper than AMD‘s new X670 ($300+) and even B650 ($150+) options.

Of course Intel‘s flagship Z790 boards still scale up well past $500+ for elite grade overclocking. But you can build a more mainstream rig around a B660 board and i5-12400 for as little as $75 these days. That‘s excellent value.

Cooling costs are similar between both brands, though Ryzen can use cheaper air coolers thanks to their lower power envelopes. High-end 360mm AIO liquid coolers still work best for maxing either ecosystem. This is especially vital given Intel‘s hot-running architectures.

Ultimately Intel offers better overall value once total platform costs are factored in. Their extensive motherboard compatibility between generations is also a plus for upgradability. However, AMD still merits consideration if you want excellent multi-threaded performance and can leverage faster DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 connectivity today.

Summary: Intel vs AMD Ryzen – Which is Better For You?

We‘ve covered a ton of ground comparing the latest Ryzen and Core processors! Here‘s the tl;dr when choosing between the two CPU brands:

• For pure gaming, Intel still holds a small but consistent FPS advantage over AMD. Alder Lake and Raptor Lake also lead in features like DDR5, PCIe 5.0 and platform costs. If your PC is just for gaming, streaming and general usage, Team Blue makes more sense.

• For video editing, 3D rendering and heavy multi-tasking, AMD‘s excellent multi-threaded scaling provides better performance per dollar as you move up the stack. Sophisticated power management also enables good efficiency.

• For a balanced workstation on the cheap, AMD‘s lower costs help cram more cores into each price bracket. The improved single threaded speed of Zen 3 and Zen 4 also enables snappy creative software response times despite lower frequencies vs. Intel for short turbo boosts. The Ryzen 5000 and 7000 series compete very well here against Intel‘s 12th and 13th Gen processors.

Ultimately both Intel and AMD make compelling processors nowadays for different needs. It used to be a one-sided affair back when AMD was trailing technologically with their Bulldozer architectures.

But competition is thriving now, with excellent choices no matter what your budget and intended PC workload may be. The consumer ultimately wins when tech giants push each other‘s limits! I hope this guide gives you clarity picking your next CPU upgrade.