The biggest rivalry in the CPU market is the decades-long war between Intel and AMD, and from our perspective, this battle could go on for another 10 years or more as the computing market requires faster processors. Both home and business computer users need to have a fast enough processor because the brain keeps everything moving. Without a CPU, your computer is just a useless shell, and no one wants that lying around.
Intel vs AMD
Both giants, in the form of AMD and Intel, have been competing at the highest level for a very long time, so which one is better than the other? This post broadly compares Intel CPU with AMD processors for performance, gaming, overclocking, pricing, etc.
We should point out that both AMD and Intel work on the same x86 architecture, which is why all your Windows 10 apps tend to work the same no matter which branded processor is inside the system.
For those who are wondering, AMD can create x86 chips mainly due to a past technology exchange agreement with Intel. At the time, AMD was merely a second-source supplier for Intel, but things changed in 1991 when the company decided to create its own chips based on the x86 platform and compete directly with its former partner. The processor was called the Am386, and it was a clone of the Intel 80386. AMD didn’t have a huge success with that processor, but as we can tell, the company went on to do very well for itself over the decades.
Performance
When purchasing a new microprocessor, performance should be one of the first things that come to mind. First, you should determine what you need the performance for. Is it for work, gaming, or a little bit of both?
Now, if you want to game but you’re on a budget, then chances are it would be too expensive to purchase a processor along with a dedicated GPU. Yes, several Intel-based processors come with discrete graphics, but these aren’t powerful enough for gaming at all.
The folks at AMD decided to change the entire game with the launch of the Ryzen 5 2400G. It comes packed with a discrete Vega 11 graphics performance.
As it stands, then, a low-budget gamer should consider investing in an AMD product because they give the best performance-to-price ratio.
For those who can afford the tech with the most performance, Intel comes out on top in this regard. Still, AMD brings to the table better multi-threading performance due to more cores and thread count.
If we look at the Intel Core i9 and the AMD Threadripper, which are the top consumer chips from both companies, it’ clear that both are quality, but the Intel has the edge where raw performance is concerned.
CPU Overclocking
This is where things get interesting, especially in Intel’s favor, and this has been the case for many years. If you want to get the best overclocking performance from your computer processor, then Intel is your best bet.
We believe it has everything to do with Intel’s more sophisticated hyperthreading and turbo-boost technology. AMD isn’t far behind, of course, especially with Ryzen, but the ball is still in Intel’s court at this time.
Who has the better graphics card?
It’s easy to answer that question since AMD has several dedicated graphics cards on the market and Intel does not. It’s very important to point out that to get to this level, AMD had to acquire ATI in the past, where Intel is trying to get there on its own.
Over the years, we’ve heard rumors of Intel acquiring NVIDIA, but nothing of the sort has since materialized, and we doubt it’ll ever happen. Now, the company is conjuring up its line of dedicated cards, but we’re not fully certain when these will hit the market.
So, as it stands, Intel is well behind, and it shows because the company has decided to use AMD’s graphics cards with its high-end H-Series mobile processors. Certainly, this won’t be forever, but for now, it’s a good thing because consumers will likely see the rise of thinner gaming laptops.
We understand that this is made possible due to the use of Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB), but since none of these Intel-powered devices have hit the market as of yet, it’s difficult to tell how they would stack up against a similar AMD set up.
AMD or Intel for Gaming
In terms of which processor is better for gaming, it’s all subjective. However, the Intel processors have been well designed with gaming in mind, and it shows in the overall performance.
On the other hand, AMD is definitely no slouch, especially now with Ryze in play. However, many games have been optimized to get the most out of Intel CPUs, which is the main reason why Intel has the edge right now.
At the same time, AMD is the king where gaming consoles are concerned. Both the Xbox One and the PlayStation are powered by AMD, and that’s due to the company’s APU (Accelerated Processing Unit).
AMD’s Ryzen CPUs run consistently cooler than their Intel counterparts, despite having similar power consumption. Throughout various generations, AMD processors have shown superior thermal performance, offering efficient cooling solutions for users. This makes AMD an excellent choice for those concerned about heat management in their systems.
Pricing
AMD processors are generally cheaper than Intel due to several factors. Firstly, AMD focuses on offering competitive pricing to gain market share. Additionally, AMD processors are known for providing excellent performance at a lower price point compared to Intel. Lastly, AMD CPUs are manufactured using a more cost-effective process. These factors contribute to the affordability of AMD processors.
This is one of the areas both AMD and Intel differ, and even now, nothing much has changed. You see, Intel has always been known as the company that creates premium processors, and rightfully so.
For a very long time, Intel stood at the top with the best processors for work and gaming. AMD wasn’t significantly behind, of course, but the company tends to fail at delivering on promises made when it comes down to performance.
Because of this, then, pricing has always been in AMD’s favor. However, things have changed a great deal since the launch of the Bulldozer series of CPUs. In the year 2017, AMD launched Ryzen; and guess what? It’s the best family of processors the company has ever come up with.
Not only are they fast, but still cheaper than what Intel has to offer. Finally, Intel is getting some long and needed competition, and that bodes well for consumers.
Best bang for your buck
During daily routines, two similar AMD and Intel processors from the top-end won’t perform radically differently from one another. However, if you’re gaming or planning to edit videos, that’s where you should consider which processor setup you should go with.
For gaming with a dedicated graphics card, we’d take Intel over AMD any day, but when it comes down to heavy video editing and the use of applications that require heavy multithreading, an AMD chip could be the best choice due to having more cores.
AMD tends to offer a better performance-to-price ratio via the mid and low-end spectrum of the market, and that does include gaming.
If you do not have a lot of money to spend, then an AMD setup makes a lot of sense, but if you have the cash to throw around, then look to what Intel has to offer and leave your friends in awe of your computer’s impressive performance.
For professionals seeking strong performance in productivity and content creation applications, Intel wins with its x86 hybrid architecture. However, for office work or creative applications, AMD remains the top choice. Despite this, Intel offers excellent performance at a more affordable price. Ultimately, the decision between AMD and Intel depends on your specific needs and budget.
Your take?
