AMD vs Intel CPUs – which processor is better for you in 2024?

AMD vs Intel: which CPUs are better? One of the first questions many of you will have when you get into PCs or laptops. On the one hand, you have Team Blue (Intel)- traditionally known for charging a premium for its quality silicon. In the other corner, is Team Red (AMD), a brand that has successfully shaken its ‘performance on a budget’ image and now stands toe-to-toe with Intel in the CPU market.

If you’re still unsure which way to swing after reading this comparison guide, you can head to our CPU buyers guide hub to crack down on the market’s favorite CPUs out there and what they could bring to your desktop.

AMD is now seen as a genuine contender by the PC community, and under charismatic CEO Dr. Lisa Su, the company has soared to record highs and dramatically improved its CPU performance. But in the real world, how do they stack up? This article is all about dissecting the two company’s current offerings to see which CPUs come out on top in 2024. As a reader, you’re likely seeking clarity on which brand will serve your computing needs best, whether it’s for multitasking, gaming, or efficient PC power usage—and we’re here to provide just that. After all, we have plenty of hands-on experience with both AMD and Intel products.

We’ll explore the latest specs and features, evaluate the pricing and value, and delve into how Intel processors and AMD processors handle multitasking and productivity tasks. For the gamers, we’ll examine which CPUs could give you the edge in the latest titles. And because performance isn’t the only consideration, we’ll also discuss power consumption and heat output—critical factors for many builds so you’ll know if you’ll need to replace anything. Without further ado, let’s dig into some of the best CPUs offered by Team Blue and Team Red. This is Intel vs AMD.

Specs and features comparison

When evaluating the latest CPU offerings, Intel and AMD present their unique takes on power and performance. Previously its top-of-the-line CPU, Intel’s Core i9-13900K commands attention with its 24 cores and 32 threads, and its high boost clock of 5.8 GHz is impressive. It maintains a TDP of 125W but can push to 253W for peak performance. However, Intel’s Raptor Lake refresh that was released in October 2023 saw the i9 14900K, built upon the Raptor Lake architecture, reach speeds of up to 6 GHz.

On the other hand, AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X3D stakes its claim with a 144MB cache and an efficient energy profile, topping at 162W under full load. It can also almost match Intel’s capabilities, with a boosted clock speed of 5.7 GHz, without draining that much power.

Intel’s strengths lie in its architectural design, which delivers a balanced performance that’s tough to beat. The Core i9-13900K stands out for its ability to handle intensive multi-threaded tasks without breaking a sweat, making it ideal for both gaming and productivity. The downside? These chips can be power-hungry under load, which might lead to higher energy bills and the need for better desktop cooling solutions.

Annoyingly, it seems that the refreshed 14th Gen chips are no exception, and although delivering better performance, they haven’t been blessed with lower power consumption. What this means is you’re going to need a pretty hefty cooling solution, especially when you start looking at the i9s. Even as far back as the i9990k, top-end Intel chips are known to run very hot.

AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X3D excels in gaming thanks to its massive cache, giving it an edge in high-frame-rate scenarios. However, the focus on gaming performance means that it can lag in general productivity tasks when compared to Intel’s more balanced offerings. Additionally, Ryzen’s reliance on the newer DDR5 memory means users will face higher upgrade costs if they’re coming from older systems. One thing AMD does have over Intel is what they’ve called a 3D V-Cache (You can tell if you have one because it’ll have 3D in the name, such as the Ryzen 75800X3D). This vertical cache was so effective, combining efficiency and more than 200 times the interconnect density of a 2D chipset, that it’s among the fastest desktop processors in the world. We’ve broken down the Intel Core i9 14900KS vs Ryzen 7 5800X3D, should you want a closer look at how the 3D V-Cache compares with Intel’s top-of-the-range chip.

After considering the pros and cons, Intel comes out on top in the specs and features category. Its CPUs offer a blend of performance and versatility that’s hard to overlook, providing a better overall experience for a wider range of activities. Intel also maintains compatibility with DDR4, allowing for a more budget-friendly upgrade path. Thus, for users looking for an all-encompassing CPU that delivers across the board, Intel is still the way to go in the AMD vs Intel showdown.

Pricing and value

In the AMD vs Intel battle of CPU pricing and value, Team Blue has rolled up its sleeves to reclaim its position in the market. The launch of Raptor Lake is a clear indicator of Intel’s aggressive strategy, marking a significant drop in the cost per core and thread across its Core i5, i7, and i9 ranges. This strategic pricing allows Intel to overshadow AMD in value, particularly in the mid to high-end segments.

AMD has long been the go-to for budget-conscious buyers, thanks to perks like included coolers and the freedom to overclock across most of its product line. The company’s forward-thinking features like Precision Boost Overdrive further cemented its place as a value leader. But times have unfortunately changed. AMD’s price hikes and the removal of bundled coolers, coupled with increased cooling demands for its CPUs, have dampened its competitive edge. This shift has made AMD’s offerings less appealing to those seeking maximum value for their investment.

Multitasking and productivity

Intel stands out in the multitasking and productivity arena, particularly with its Core i9-13900K processor. Boasting 24 cores capable of juggling 32 threads, it’s an impressive powerhouse that excels in keeping numerous tasks moving fluidly. The chip’s performance shines in benchmarks, notching a towering Passmark score of 60,009, and it leads the pack with a single-thread rating of 4,679. The 14 Gen takes things even further, with i7 models now more than capable of serious multi-tasking and putting up a fight against older i9 models.

AMD, while offering solid CPUs, can’t match Intel’s core and thread count, which translates to a slightly more constrained multitasking experience. Especially for those engaged in content creation or heavy multitasking, this core count discrepancy can be the deciding factor.

Intel’s chips are adept at seamlessly transitioning between tasks, ensuring productivity doesn’t falter even under heavy loads. With a blend of robust single-threaded performance and a multitude of cores for parallel processing, Intel delivers a smooth and efficient computing experience. This balance makes Intel the preferred choice for users who demand peak performance across a breadth of applications.

Gaming

When it comes to AMD vs Intel in the gaming realm, AMD steals the spotlight with its X3D line of CPU chipsets, which includes the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Ryzen 9 7950X3D, and Ryzen 9 7900X3D. These processors are tailored for gamers seeking the pinnacle of performance, and they deliver by topping the charts in gaming benchmarks. Notably, the Ryzen 7000 series features high-performance integrated graphics – the Radeon Graphics integrated graphics solution. However, we’ve still made sure to delve into the best GPU for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D to find you a graphics card that this AMD CPU superpower won’t bottleneck.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D, in particular, has made waves as an outstanding gaming processor, marking its territory as the best option available for pure gaming prowess. It’s a formidable choice for those who prioritize gaming above all else and is recognized as such among the community of gamers. However, this gaming superiority comes with certain caveats in productivity workloads, where AMD’s X3D chips may not perform as well as some users require. If your computing needs are multifaceted, encompassing both gaming and productivity, Intel’s offerings might serve you better. They provide a more balanced package, ensuring that users don’t have to compromise on performance outside of their gaming escapades.

Power consumption and heat

When it comes to power consumption and heat, AMD leads with its advanced 5nm process technology. AMD chips are more power-efficient and cooler, translating to energy savings and less strain on cooling systems. Intel, despite improvements with its Raptor Lake series, still tends to consume more power. However, the performance delivered by Intel CPUs often justifies their higher energy use for many users.

Nevertheless, the overall efficiency crown goes to AMD. Its CPUs offer more processing power for each watt consumed and come with more manageable thermal demands. This makes AMD the better choice for those who prioritize energy efficiency and lower operating temperatures in their computing tasks.

Core i9-14900K Intel vs Ryzen 9 7950X AMD – flagship comparison

A great way to see how the two brands compare is by looking at both of their flagship CPUs and seeing how they differ. Both the Core i9-14900K from Intel and Ryzen 9 7950X from AMD offer extremely high processing capabilities and paired with the right GPU can create quite the powerful PC setup. But how are they different?

There is quite a lot to be said about the differences between these processors – the only thing they seem to have in common is that they’re both X86 CPUs. The i9-14900K supports Raptor Lake architecture and is a Hybrid monolithic CPU, meaning that it is a single piece of silicon made up of both 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores. Whereas, the Ryzen 9 7950X is based on Zen 4 architecture; using two chips that contain eight cores each. The hybrid design in the i9-14900K is beneficial because only a few P-cores are necessary for good single-threaded performance, meaning the E-cores can provide for multi-threaded tasks. Therefore, in terms of raw performance, the difference in architecture here means that the Core i9-14900K takes the slight upper hand.

Another major difference between these two processors is their process nodes. Process nodes refer to the way the chip is manufactured, which plays a large role in the capabilities of the CPU. The Ryzen 9 7950X is made of TSMC’s 5nm node and the Core i9-14900K is made on the Intel 7 node (formerly 10nm). In this area, the Ryzen 9 7950X is slightly in front, because its node is nearly a full generation ahead of the i9-14900K, improving its efficiency.

Both CPUs are highly powerful, but due to their architecture, they do pose different advantages for use. If you’re looking for raw performance then the i9-14900K might be the right option for you. However, if efficiency plays a major role in your decision making then perhaps the Ryzen 9 7950X is the right choice.

Intel Core i9-14900K

Shop on Amazon

CHECK PRICE

Manufacturing comparison

There are some apparent differences in the way that Intel and AMD manufacture their processors, which subsequently play a role in their performance capabilities. Since AMD’s partnership with TSMC, it has been able to produce smaller, more efficient chips that are able to compete with the prowess of processors manufactured by Intel. AMD outsources its chips from the Taiwanese company with the latest range of processors featuring TSMC’s 5nm node.

Intel has always been at the top of the game when it comes to producing high-quality processors, however, they take a different approach to AMD during the manufacturing process. Unlike AMD, Intel uses its own manufacturing process, with the latest being called ‘Intel 7’. This process uses 7nm technology in Intel’s latest generation of commercial chips. Which allows the processors to be faster and more energy-efficient due to their smaller transistors and size.

Do gamers prefer AMD over Intel?

Gamers looking for the top frame rates in games often gravitate toward AMD’s high-end offerings. AMD has made significant strides with its Ryzen series, especially the X3D chips that offer the best gaming performance currently available, and for this reason, they tend to score highly when it comes to the best CPUs for gaming. That being said, Intel still very much represents the highest-end when it comes to CPUs. While not every generation is created equal – the 14th Gen for example received a lukewarm response from the community after the decent 13th gen chips, Intel CPUs typically are better all-rounders when facing off against the more gaming-focused AMD offerings.

Are Intel and AMD sockets the same?

Intel and AMD use different socket designs for their processors. For example, Intel’s 12th, 13th, and 14th Generation CPUs use the LGA 1700 socket, while AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series CPUs use the AM4 socket, and its latest Ryzen 7000 series CPUs use the new AM5 socket. It’s essential to match the CPU to a motherboard with the correct socket type, so it’s good to have this knowledge under your belt.

AMD vs Intel – PC Guide’s view

When you’re investing in a CPU upgrade, you’ll no doubt be weighing up between AMD and Intel, as they sit neck and neck at the top of the processor market. While Intel might take the edge in terms of speed on heavy multitasking loads, AMD’s speeds aren’t far behind and often perform more energy efficiently. With such close competition on our hands, the CPU that’s going to be better for you depends on your current system setup, what you need it for, and how much you have available to spend on it.

If you’re just going to focus on building a gaming rig, then opting for an i9 is overkill and you can absolutely consider a cheaper, AMD CPU. However, if you’re looking to multi-task or you do a lot of video editing, Intel chips – especially newer i7 and i9 models, will be absolutely perfect for you. Opt for the 13th Gen if you’re looking to get a balance of value and performance, which we think will go down even more in price once Intel reveals their rumored 15th Gen chips.