We shed light on the current state of the AMD vs. Intel dilemma and assess which manufacturer deserves your money. Besides naming the best and most outstanding performers, we help you decide which CPU is the best for “you” and your PC.
Note: for a detailed breakdown of all important CPU specifications, read our guide on what to look for in a CPU.
Team Blue vs. Team Red: A Recap
Before 2017, AMD’s offerings had the infamous reputation for running hot, performing worse, and often not being part of the consideration. But everything changed in 2017 when AMD revamped its CPU lineup with the launch of its groundbreaking Ryzen CPUs.
With Ryzen finally good for gaming, AMD slowly took the lead with its superior CPUs, in terms of performance and power efficiency. Intel struggled with its legacy 14nm architecture for a few more years before returning with its innovative 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs and taking back the performance crown.
Several new generations of CPUs from both Intel and AMD have been launched since then, so let’s determine who comes out on top in 2024.
Good to know: you can overclock and undervolt AMD Ryzen CPUs.
Raptor Lake vs. Zen 4: Specs
Before comparing the latest Intel and AMD CPUs head to head, let’s compare their technical specifications.
| AMD Ryzen 7000 | Intel 14th Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | TSMC 5nm process | Intel 7 – 10nm process |
| Cores/Threads | Up to 16 cores / 32 threads | Up to 8P + 16E cores / 32 threads |
| Max. Clocks | 5.7 GHz | 6.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | Up to 96 MB | Up to 36 MB |
| TDP (Base/Max) | 170W / 230W | 150W / 253W |
| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR5 / DDR4 |
| PCIe Support | PCIe 5.0 | PCIe 5.0 / PCIe 4.0 |
| Onboard Graphics | RDNA 2 iGPU | UHD Graphics 770 |
The first few differences are the cores/threads and power consumption. Intel continued improving its hybrid performance + efficiency (P+E) architecture with the 13th Gen and 14th Gen lineup. But Intel’s chips tend to run hotter than AMD desktop processors, while being more overclockable.
The other major difference is the DDR5-only memory support on the AMD side, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. For those who don’t need a discrete GPU, both platforms provide onboard graphics. The other major difference is the amount of L3 cache: the Ryzen X3D CPUs provide insane amounts of 3D V-Cache for massive boosts in gaming performance. What Intel lacks in L3 cache in its high-end CPUs, it makes up for in higher productivity performance.
Good to know: you can check your CPU temperature anytime in Windows.
Pricing and Value
Let’s start by comparing the most popular offerings from both Intel and AMD based on their current pricing:
| Intel 13th Gen | Prevailing Price ($) |
|---|---|
| Intel Core i9-14900K | $545 |
| Intel Core i7-14700K | $400 |
| Intel Core i5-14600K | $310 |
| Intel Core i5-14400 | $230 |
| AMD Ryzen 7000 | Prevailing Price ($) |
|---|---|
| Ryzen 9 7950X3D | $600 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X | $550 |
| Ryzen 9 7900X | $400 |
| Ryzen 7 7800X3D | $375 |
| Ryzen 7 7700X | $310 |
| Ryzen 7 5800X3D | $305 |
| Ryzen 5 7600X | $220 |
There are many more SKUs on offer from both brands: “F” series Intel variants with no integrated graphics, non-X variants from AMD, and other “X3D” series variants we haven’t listed above.
In the high-end mainstream CPU space, the Core i9-14900K competes with the Ryzen 9 7950X. While both flagships are neck and neck when it comes to pricing, Intel comes out slightly ahead in terms of performance, making the Core i9-14900K the better-value CPU for both gaming and productivity. You can also consider the cheaper Core i9-13900K for virtually the same performance.
Those focusing solely on gaming performance should choose nothing other than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D for its phenomenal gaming prowess. It performs as well as the Ryzen 9 7950X3D while costing almost half as much. Do note that you’ll be sacrificing on multi-core performance.
The other contenders in the premium lineups of both manufacturers are the Core i7-14700K and Ryzen 9 7900X. Once again, an Intel processor helps the company take the lead with its improved Core i7-14700K (4 more E-cores than the 13700K), especially when you factor in the entire platform cost. After all, Intel’s 14th Gen (and 13th Gen) processors are backward compatible with the cheaper DDR4 memory and the older Intel 600-series motherboards.
In the mid-range segment, Intel’s Core i5-14600K will appeal to most mainstream users looking for a powerful CPU. AMD’s Ryzen 7 7700X disappoints, as it has similar gaming performance but performs worse in multi-threaded workloads than the Core i5-14600K, while costing the same.
Coming down the product stack, things look slightly better for AMD, as the Ryzen 5 7600X performs better than the Intel Core i5-14400 in gaming. In productivity workloads, however, the 14400 takes the lead. Factoring in the platform tax to upgrade to AMD’s AM5 platform, the Core i5-14400 might look like the better choice for some users.
Tip: when comparing CPUs, learn whether the core count or clock speed is more important.
Performance: Gaming and Productivity
Starting with gaming performance, AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D is currently the best gaming CPU in the world. The level of gaming performance it provides for its price is simply phenomenal. It’s a big improvement even over AMD’s previous-gen Ryzen 7 5800X3D. Even AMD’s higher-priced SKUs are no match for this 3D V-Cache monster.
But if productivity and content creation workloads are more your thing, the Core i9-14900K wins the best productivity CPU crown. In both single-threaded and multithreaded workloads, the Intel flagship beat AMD’s offering by a slight margin. You may lean toward the Ryzen 9 7950X if you want an upgradable platform and better power efficiency.
Good to know: how many cores do you need? 6-core vs. 8-core: What should you buy in 2024?
Power Efficiency
AMD wins this by a landslide, thanks to its superior 5nm process node and a highly efficient Zen 4 microarchitecture. Despite the improvements made over Alder Lake, Intel’s 13th Gen and 14th Gen processors still run hotter than the competition. Intel still needs to do a lot more in this area.
With its performance and efficiency cores, Intel’s hybrid architecture has helped it bring down temperatures a bit, but if you’re after performance per watt, it’s no contest: AMD wins hands down, as even its flagship Ryzen 9 7950X draws 30 percent less power than the Core i9-14900K in some cases.
Tip: if you’re suffering from high temperatures on your current CPU, check out our CPU cooling guide.
Platform Features
AMD has committed to next-gen standards with its AM5 platform, and users upgrading to a Ryzen 7000 processor will need to opt for pricier DDR5 memory and the new B650 and X670 chipset motherboards.
On the other hand, Intel’s 13th Gen and 14th Gen processors still support the older 600-series motherboards and DDR4 memory, allowing the company to cater to the more budget-conscious users.
Something that works in favor of AMD is the longevity of its AM5 platform, allowing for easier future upgrades and making the platform cheaper in the long run. Plus, AMD doesn’t limit overclocking on its processors to only the premium chipset motherboards, something Intel is notorious for doing.
For the more budget-conscious builders, the real dilemma lies between Intel’s lower-end 14th Gen and 13th Gen chips, and AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series CPUs. The Core i3-13100 and Ryzen 5600 are some of the best CPUs for gaming on a budget, offering great performance at low prices, especially compared to the latest flagships.
FYI: confused between various Intel models? Here’s which one you should buy: Intel Core i3 vs. i5 vs. i7 vs. i9.
Software Stability
While AMD users have faced faulty BIOS releases and RAM instability at higher speeds, Intel has struggled with crashing issues and drivers that slowed down several applications. Overall, Intel has managed to rectify issues better and faster than AMD, due to its access to larger resources and industry domination, which results in many software applications being better optimized for their platforms.
Many OEMs prefer Team Blue, due to the better stability offered by their chips. AMD has managed to eliminate growing pains with its Zen architecture that persisted until Zen 4, but the company still has a long way to go.
Tip: when you understand what affects CPU performance, you can improve your processor speed and efficiency.
AMD vs. Intel: 2024 and Beyond
It’s been a long time since Intel or AMD released a new major lineup of desktop CPUs. (I’m counting the 14th Gen CPUs as a minor refresh.) The choice for desktop users will be limited to the 14th Gen and Ryzen 7000 processors for the better part of 2024, before Intel’s Arrow Lake and AMD’s Ryzen 8000 processors launch near the end of the year.
It’s hard to predict how the AMD vs. Intel rivalry will evolve with Arrow Lake and Zen 5, but it’s likely that the differences between their CPUs could shrink even further. We could see impressive performance jumps from the current-gen offerings, but choosing between Team Blue and Team Red may get more challenging in 2024 and beyond.
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Tanveer Singh.
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