Intel vs AMD
If you’ve managed to avoid all knowledge of the Intel/AMD war, we salute you. That’s like walking through a storm and not being hit by a single raindrop, but before we ring the bell and kick this CPU grand slam off, let’s get you up to speed.
Intel and AMD share a somewhat entwined genesis, both companies having been founded just months apart by ex-employees of Fairchild Semiconductor. Intel was first on the scene and up until 2017, when AMD released their first Ryzen CPU, had no real competition.
By championing consumer-friendly principles such as backward compatibility and open updates, AMD has been siphoning disaffected Intel customers ever since. The main reason is that new generations of Intel CPUs almost always require a new motherboard.
Up until very recently, Intel was considered the one for raw single-core speed, while AMD was the multitasker’s weapon of choice, but with their latest generation of CPUs, AMD has finally beaten their opponent where they live…gaming superiority.
Cores and Threads
When the time comes to upgrade your CPU, the first thing you should be considering is core-count. Cores are utterly spinal when it comes to CPU performance in any context. Generally speaking, as they’re responsible for all instruction execution, the more you can afford the better.
Of course, both of our Intel and AMD CPU combatants have six cores which is a fantastic amount for some buttery smooth modern gaming, however, equal as they may seem, we’ve yet to discuss threads. Threads are essentially the task managers of a core, and cores can either have a single thread or two. The R5 2600 features multithreaded cores, meaning it has 12 threads overall, while the i5 9400F only has 6, one for each core.
This doesn’t mean that the Ryzen chip is better, only different. The reason for this is that multithreaded cores are incredible at shouldering intensive multi-program workloads, but they function with a slightly higher latency than their single-threaded counterparts. Consequently, CPUs with single-threaded cores are quicker during focused tasks such as gaming. It’s also important to understand that you can’t compare cores from different companies on number alone as they may function in entirely different ways.
Clock Speeds
Clock speeds are the second-most – if not equally – important aspect of a CPU. Your clock speed, measured in GHz, works in conjunction with your cores.
Things get a little complicated when comparing the clock speeds of these R5 and i5 chips. At 3.4GHz, our Ryzen CPU has a much better baseline clock speed, our Intel chip mustering a mere 2.9GHz, but their boosted frequencies totally flip things. The 2600 maxes out at 3.9GHz while the i5 9400F reaches the lofty heights of 4.1GHz.
The sweet spot for modern gaming is considered 3.5Ghz or above, so you’ll need to take advantage of both CPUs boost functions in order to ensure frequencies stay at an appropriate level, but the AMD card, its base clock only 1GHz out, seems the more reliable choice.
Architecture
In observing the different architectural features of these CPUs we start to develop a clearer picture of how these CPUs contrast, hopefully giving you more of an idea which is right for you.
The i5 9400F is built on the F variant of Coffee Lake architecture, a refresh of Intel’s Sky Lake blueprint. The only real difference between Coffee and Sky Lake is the number of cores the CPU can accommodate and an increased L3 cache. The F signifies two things, firstly, the 9400F does not come with an integrated Intel graphics card, and secondly, it cannot be overclocked. In fact, even overclocking the unlocked Intel K-series requires the more expensive Z motherboards.
The AMD R5 2600 is a product of their Zen+ architecture, the 2018 successor to their original Zen microarchitecture. As well as featuring lower power consumption, it was built on a smaller 12nm process size and enabled faster clock speeds. It’s also unlocked, meaning it can be overclocked, and not just using X570 boards, but the cheaper B540 boards too.
Multitasking
As we hinted at earlier, even though single-thread cores offer much quicker handling of individual tasks, multi-threaded cores are far better at supporting parallelizing workflows. This means that if you like to have lots of things running simultaneously, the multi-threaded Ryzen chip is absolutely the right choice for you.
Content creators in particular require a CPU that can multitask well. CPU intensive software such as 3D rendering and animation software, as well as photo or video editing software require a number of threads to function properly.
It’s not just creative workflows that benefit from lots of threads. More and more these days AAA games are being developed to take advantage of any and all cores and threads available. In this scenario, a CPU with multithreading will facilitate faster frame rates and smoother graphics.
Verdict
In our opinion, the AMD chip is much more of a logical choice for someone looking for a CPU they can use for work as well as gaming, as it offers greater versatility and only averages a few frames behind the i5 9400F game to game. Moreover, even though older AMD cards aren’t exactly renowned for the overclocking abilities, at least you can overclock with the R5 chip.
That ‘F’ suffix really is a millstone around the Intel chip’s silicone neck, preventing any tinkering whatsoever. The R5 2600 also requires the more democratized AM4 socket, while the i5 9400F is tied down to that restrictive LGA 1151 format meaning you’ll probably have to buy a new board when you move on from the 9400F.
Still, as a standalone gaming CPU, the Intel chip is a perfectly reasonable choice. Offering the best single-core performance by far, it is technically the fastest of the two for gaming, but We’d always consider a multithreaded CPU to be more future-proof, ready to run new and demanding core-heavy games.
We’re also a little put off by the lack of integrated Intel graphics in the i5 chip. You’d definitely need a discrete GPU for gaming anyway, but when you consider the R5 2600 comes with its own Wraith Prism thermal solution, it seems like you’re being a little shortchanged.