When building a new PC, one of the major decisions to make is choosing between AMD and Intel, much like deciding between macOS and Windows. This comparison between AMD and Intel CPUs has been a long-standing debate within the PC enthusiast community. Currently, we are witnessing a tightly contested race between the two, with each company vying for the performance crown at various price points.
AMD’s latest offerings include the impressive Ryzen 7000 CPUs featuring powerful X3D options for gaming and large cores for professional work. On the other hand, Intel’s 14th-generation Meteor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors feature efficient cores and performance cores. The battle for performance supremacy spans across the entire price spectrum, making this the decisive AMD versus Intel battle of 2024.
AMD vs. Intel: A Brief History
AMD and Intel are two of the most iconic names in PC building, having competed for decades to offer the fastest, most capable, and feature-rich processors. After AMD’s launch of its Ryzen processors in 2017, the competition intensified. Today, both AMD and Intel offer the greatest CPU performance in mainstream components, with more cores, higher clocks, and new features.
Desktop Processors: A Price Comparison
Both AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and Intel’s 14th-generation Raptor Lake processors offer impressive performance, with up to 24 cores, clock speeds reaching 6GHz, and more cache than previous generations. Both companies also offer credible options with their previous-generation CPUs, as well as budget-friendly options suitable for lightweight PCs.
AMD
Table showing the latest mainstream CPUs from AMD with their respective cores/threads, cache, base clock, boost clock, TDP, and price.
Intel
Table showing the latest mainstream CPUs from Intel with their respective cores/threads, cache, base clock, boost clock, TDP, and price.
AMD also offers a limited-generation of Ryzen 8000 APUs suitable for all-in-one gaming, while Intel’s 12th-gen Alder Lake series offers credible options, albeit not as fast and feature-rich as the latest CPUs. Additionally, AMD offers a unique offshoot of its main processors designed specifically for gaming, known as 3D V-Cache CPUs, including the 7950X3D and 7800X3D.
Which Company Makes the Fastest Processors?
Intel and AMD offer excellent processors for gaming and productivity tasks. For gaming, AMD’s Ryzen 7800X3D is the top contender, while Intel’s top 14th and 13th generation processors perform better for productivity tasks.
For midrange options, Intel’s Core i5-14600K is a standout for gaming and productivity, while AMD’s Ryzen 7600X falls behind. AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series remains competitive in games and is more efficient, providing longer battery life for laptops.
High-End Desktop Processors
For heavy video editing, video transcoding, or CAD workloads, AMD’s Threadripper CPUs, offering 24 to 96 cores with high clock speeds, are the best option. They provide unparalleled performance and support a greater number of PCI-Express lanes compared to Intel’s alternatives.
Laptop Processors
While Intel’s latest laptop CPUs are mostly based on its Raptor Lake generation, AMD’s Ryzen 6000 and 7000 mobile CPUs offer impressive performance and efficiency.
Both companies offer credible performance for work and play, with AMD CPUs being more efficient and providing longer battery life. Depending on your specific requirements, both AMD and Intel laptops deliver excellent performance.
Should You Buy AMD or Intel?
For everyday tasks, both AMD and Intel CPUs provide excellent performance. However, for intensive multithreaded tasks like video editing, Intel’s laptop CPUs are faster, while AMD’s offer better battery life. For gaming, AMD’s Ryzen 7800X3D is the top choice, offering flagship gaming performance at an affordable price. Intel’s CPUs are great for work-oriented tasks, but they are more power-hungry.
Both AMD and Intel offer credible options for various requirements and budgets, and there are many more considerations to make when buying a laptop than just the CPU. Individual model reviews can provide detailed insights to help with your purchasing decision.
Editors’ Recommendations
