Take your gaming to the next level with the best CPU. We weigh up the pros and cons of AMD vs Intel CPU to help you pick the right one.
For decades, Intel was the superior CPU over AMD because AMD tended to heat up and slow down with prolonged gameplay. AMD was always the cheaper alternative, but as the years went on AMD improved their processors and became as powerful as Intel.
When you're choosing a computer, you have to pick between AMD vs. Intel CPU, but may not know the difference or which one is better. We created this guide to help you determine which one is best for you either an AMD CPU or Intel CPU
You'll be able to make an informed decision and choose the right one for your situation.
The Rise of AMD Over the Years
There was a time when the very mention of AMD CPUs would get you a derisive look from computer salesmen and gamers. It was the black sheep of the CPU family because there was no way it could keep up with Intel.
In fact, the company was nearly bankrupt before it turned things around for the better. AMD's Ryzen 5000 is the newest line and is more than a match for Intel. With that being said, we'll begin comparing the two and determine which of these newest CPUs is the best choice for your money.
AMD vs. Intel: Value and Pricing
When you're looking at a computer, the price is one of the biggest factors in choosing it. Unless you're someone looking for a high-end gaming or graphics computer, you don't want to spend thousands of dollars.
For most CPUs, AMD is the clear winner when it comes to pricing. The various AMD CPUs beat the equivalent CPUs from Inte l. The only aberration is the AMD XT series. AMD also tends to provide other assets such as bundled coolers and the ability to overclock and software such as Precision Boost Overdrive that provides an auto-overclocking option.
The AMD processor socket also allows for compatibility with many different motherboards, so you get the most value for both your CPU and motherboard. If you look at the general pricing of Intel vs. AMD CPUs you'll see at least a 20 to 30 percent increase in price for Intel.
If we look at the chip itself, then AMD processors have more cores and faster connectivity than Intel for the price. With that being said, the Intel Comet Lake-S processors added additional threads and cores as well, but the pricing hasn't come down like AMD.
AMD holds the crown for price per thread, but Intel still provides more power in general. Intel has coolers, but if you want to overclock your processors, then you need to pay extra. If you do pay more for overclocking, Intel doesn't throw in additional coolers.
If you pay for an overclocking chip, you'll also pay a premium for the motherboard. Intel has long had more processing power, but that may change thanks to the Ryzen series by AMD.
When it comes to price and value, AMD wins over Intel.
How Do They Compare for Gaming Performance?
The reason most people care about CPUs is that they plan on using them for gaming. Online gaming is a huge industry of late and gaming computers are just as powerful if not more powerful than consoles. If you're a serious gamer, then a millisecond of lag could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
If you're looking for the most powerful processor, then Intel wins, but only by a little. Intel wins in core performance, which is important for most games. AMD is stretching ahead when it comes to some of the various power ranges when compared to Intel.
The Ryzen series is said to eliminate Intel's lead, but they're still not out yet. If we look at the various power points and comparable processors, Intel inches out the lead in most, but AMD is close behind.
If your just someone looking for a computer, the difference isn't a big deal, but for serious gamers that little edge makes all the difference. If you're playing an AMD chip and someone else is playing a comparable Intel chip, you won't likely notice the difference in performance.
It counts during intense gameplay where the Intel processor gives you that millisecond advantage over the player with AMD. Although, if you want to take advantage of Intel's edge, you'll need a high-end general processing unit and high-resolution gaming monitor.
Most gaming mid-level gaming rigs don't have the high-end GPUs, so it's only one the expensive gaming rigs that the difference would be noticeable.
For gaming performance, Intel barely wins out over AMD.
Comparing AMD and Intel Outside Gaming Applications
Most people buying a computer aren't doing it for gaming. They're regular people who want to use it for work, graphic modeling, and making YouTube videos. In this scenario, AMD takes the lead for the best processing power for the price.
When it comes to standard desktop performance, AMD has more threads and leads than Intel, which gives it an advantage over standard applications. This is true for both average and expensive desktops.
Most AMD's processors add more bang for your buck over Intel. The extra cores provide more power for multiple jobs including graphical rendering and video processing. While Intel has the benefit in gaming, AMD wins for general applications.
The only downside is AMD doesn't provide integrated graphics, but most professionals would have a separate graphics card anyway.
AMD is the clear winner for general applications.
Overclocking with AMD and Intel CPUs
We talked a little about overclocking when discussing price, but what is overclocking and why is it important? A processor is designed to work at a specific speed. When you overlock a CPU, it means you temporarily push it beyond its boundaries to get speeds higher than it was meant to.
Sometimes you need that little extra power in gaming and other applications. In this category, Intel wins hands down. Intel's higher-end chips and higher-end motherboards allow for maximum overclocking and provide more fine-tuning of the speed.
You're going to pay for it though. AMD makes it easier to overclock, but it can't keep up with the speeds and tuning provided by Intel. Even with more expensive CPUs, AMD generally falls a few megahertz behind Intel.
In short, chips from AMD weren't naturally meant for overclocking, but it can be done, but the Intel chips were designed for overclocking. AMD does provide the Precision Boost Overdrive software to help with overclocking and keeping your CPU cool, but it can't compete with Intel's power.
If you're new to overclocking, then AMD gives you a more handheld approach to it, but experts will want the power behind Intel's expensive motherboard and CPU.
Heat and Power Consumption
There was a time when AMD was notorious for overheating and slowing down performance, but those days are long over. Intel has a 14-nanometer process to help improve its power to performance ratio, but the most modern chips are known for high heating and power use.
The reason is each year competition forced Intel to increase the power, but they didn't change how it cools the CPU. Many times, standard coolers can't keep up with the high-end CPU and it heats up and use more power.
AMD learned from its mistakes of the past. Most AMD processors use less power than Intel. If you're looking for a
new computer, then check out www.lenovo.com to find one that right for you.
The only complication to this might be the new Ryzen series since it provides the highest computing power, but given AMD's tendency to provide the best coolers, I doubt it will be as bad as Intel.
What About CPU Security for AMD and Intel?
Computer security is a major concern for today's computer users. Hackers have been able to compromise CPUs causing them to overheat and use them to steal data. The methods they use are often undetectable and get your data by using the processor. Anti-virus software is useless against these attacks.
Intel has more than 200 of these types of vulnerabilities. AMD has 16. It's hard not to see who wins when it comes to CPU security. Intel understands it has a problem and is trying to fix it, but it has far more security issues than other companies.
AMD wins CPU security hands down and even if Intel was able to fix all the insecurities it's too much of a disparity to believe that more vulnerabilities haven't been discovered.
The Winner of Best CPU is AMD
When it comes to AMD vs. Intel CPU, it's clear that AMD is the winner overall. The chips are less expensive, provide close processing power, consume less energy, and have far fewer security issues than Intel.
Intel may have once ruled the processor race, but AMD has come up from behind to take lead. If you want to learn more about AMD and Intel processors, then please explore our site.
