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The mid-range Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5 CPUs have evolved drastically. They have many features and optimizations, providing gaming laptops with great processing power and battery performance. While Ryzen 5 CPUs deliver better gaming with their onboard Radeon graphics, Intel offers slightly better single-core and multi-core performance.
That said, picking the best gaming laptop CPU depends on your needs and laptop configuration. This article compares the Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5 CPUs to help you choose the perfect one.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the author’s views.
Explaining different Core i5 and Ryzen 5 CPU models
Before we jump into our comparisons, it is important to note that not all Intel and Ryzen processors are built equally. Different letters attached to the end of the model number of each processor denote its focus on performance.
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Thankfully, both Intel and Ryzen have a pretty similar naming convention, so you can spot this difference easily by simply checking for the particular model number on a laptop’s specification list.
Let's take a look at the various types of processors and what the suffixes mean.
Intel Core i5:
You can spot HX, H, P, and U suffixes at the end of the model number of an Intel Core i5 processor. Here's what Intel processor naming looks like:
HX: This stands for high-performance chips ideal for demanding tasks like gaming. These processors offer the highest clock speeds and core counts, along with overclocking capabilities, in the Core i5 lineup.
H: This refers to high-performance chips for gaming and demanding tasks. These processors are similar to HX in terms of power but lack the overclocking capabilities.
P: This stands for balanced processors offering a blend of performance and efficiency.
U: This refers to low-power processors built with battery performance in mind. These processors prioritize efficiency and are suitable for light gamers.
AMD Ryzen 5
The AMD Ryzen series is also divided into four categories namely HX, HS, U, and C chips. Just like Intel, the letters are suffixed at the end of the model name to signify its difference in performance.
H/HX: These are high-performance laptop chips mostly found on gaming laptops. They offer the highest clock speeds and core counts, along with overclocking capabilities, in the Ryzen 5 lineup.
HS: The H equivalent of Intel, these are high-performance chips for gaming and demanding tasks. These processors are similar to HX in terms of power but lack the overclocking capabilities.
U: The P equivalent of Intel, they provide balanced processing power and efficiency.
C: This refers to low-power processors built with battery performance in mind. These processors prioritize efficiency and are suitable for light gamers.
Core i5 vs Ryzen 5: Processor comparison
Intel Core i5 13600H vs AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS
Both the 13600H and 7640HS are high-performance mid-range offerings from their respective lineups and feature impressive specifications for gaming.
The Intel processor has a slight edge in raw performance with its higher core count (12 cores vs. 6 cores) and better single-core and multi-core performance. Higher single-core performance results in better framerates on esports titles like Valorant and Counter-Strike 2. Meanwhile, better multi-core is useful for productivity tasks and creative works like video editing and designing.
That said, the Intel i5 needs a dedicated GPU to achieve that extra performance. When comparing onboard Intel’s Xe graphics, the Ryzen 5 7640HS beats its competitor by a significant margin and delivers much better gaming performance with its Radeon 760M graphics.
Overall, the Intel 13600H will deliver better performance, but on laptops without a dedicated graphics card, the Ryzen 5 7640HS is superior.
Here’s a side-by-side benchmark comparison for both processors (via Nanoreview):
Intel Core i5 1345U vs AMD Ryzen 5 7640U
In the previous comparison, the Core i5 13600H beat the Ryzen 5 7640HS. However, things are a bit different when one compares the low-powered U series chips of Intel Core i5 and Ryzen 5 processors.
Here, we see that the Intel Core i5 1345U has a slight advantage in terms of single-core performance, which can lead to smoother framerates in esports titles. However, the AMD processor offers a significant edge in multi-core performance due to its newer architecture and better L3 cache size.
This results in better multitasking capabilities and makes the 7640U a more versatile option if you also edit videos, design, or stream alongside gaming. Moreover, the Radeon 760M graphics once again beat Intel’s Xe graphics, performing significantly better for gaming and 3D tasks.
Overall, if you’re choosing a laptop with these CPUs, the Ryzen 7640U will deliver better performance across the board.
Here’s a side-by-side benchmark comparison for both processors (via Nanoreview):
As we can see from the above benchmark numbers, the processors can vary significantly in performance despite having similar-sounding suffixes. Therefore, it is recommended to check specific benchmark numbers for a processor to get an accurate idea of its performance.
Core i5 vs Ryzen 5: Temperatures and power efficiency
Being aware of temperatures is crucial when deciding between the Core i5 and the Ryzen 5. After all, heat makes for an uncomfortable laptop user experience and can potentially damage the internal hardware and reduce its efficiency over time.
When comparing CPU temperatures and power efficiency between the Core i5 and the Ryzen 5, the AMD option takes the crown. This is thanks to its better 4nm Zen 4 architecture, which runs comparatively cooler while delivering better performance per watt than the Core i5.
That said, Intel has greatly improved its power consumption and efficiency in the last two generations. The Core Ultra series specifically targets laptops and ultrabooks with a focus on thermals. However, its older 10nm manufacturing process still makes its chips slightly worse at thermals and power consumption than its AMD competition.
Core i5 vs Ryzen 5: Conclusion
For the longest time, Intel has established itself as the golden standard for high-performance computing experience. However, AMD has made considerable progress with its recent Zen 4 architecture and modern manufacturing process.
That said, choosing between Core i5 vs Ryzen 5 for a gaming laptop may depend on whether it has a dedicated GPU or not.
If the laptop features a dedicated CPU, chances are, you will get better gaming performance with Intel. However, in the absence of a dedicated GPU, a Ryzen gaming laptop will deliver significantly better framerates with its built-in Radeon graphics.
Check out more laptop-related articles here:
Top 5 gaming laptops to play F1 24 || Acer Predator Helios 18 vs Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 || Asus ROG Flow X16 vs Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 || 5 best Ryzen 7 laptops for gaming
