AMD's New Zen 5 CPUs vs. Intel's 13th and 14th Gen: Is the Price Worth the Performance?

Key Takeaways

AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs show impressive power efficiency but struggle in mid-range price points.
Intel’s 13th and 14th Gen CPUs generally offer better performance per dollar.
AMD’s new CPUs are less power-hungry, but they face competition from Intel’s high-performing chips.

With AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs hitting the market, there’s a lot of buzz about their performance and pricing. But how do these new chips stack up against Intel’s latest offerings? In this article, we’ll break down the key differences and help you decide if AMD’s latest CPUs are worth your hard-earned money.

AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs: A Fresh Look at Performance and Pricing

AMD’s new Zen 5 processors are aimed at providing significant improvements in efficiency and performance compared to their predecessors. Here’s a closer look at how these CPUs perform and whether their pricing is justified.

Pricing Overview

The new AMD CPUs come with the following price tags:

9600 X: $279
9700 X: $359

For context, the 9600 X is priced higher than the older 7600 X, which now costs around $198, down from its initial $299. The 9700 X, on the other hand, is a bit cheaper compared to the previous 7700 X’s launch price of $399.

Performance Benchmarks

Handbrake

Handbrake is a crucial test for video encoding. According to AMD’s claims, the 9700 X should outperform Intel’s 14700 K by 42%. However, our testing shows otherwise. The 14700 K took 63 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080P, whereas the 9700 X took 93 seconds, making it 50% slower. Similarly, the 9600 X lagged behind the 14600 K in performance.

Cinebench

In Cinebench R24, single-core performance of the Zen 5 CPUs shows notable improvement due to a 100 MHz boost over previous generations. However, the multi-core performance does not reflect a similar leap. The 9600 X showed only marginal improvements over the 7600 X, and the 9700 X performed similarly to the 7700 X.

Geekbench and Blender

Geekbench results highlight that the Zen 5 CPUs excel in single-threaded tasks, but their multi-threaded performance struggles when compared to Intel’s higher thread-count CPUs. Blender tests, which are heavily multi-threaded, show similar results with modest improvements.

Gaming Performance

In gaming benchmarks, particularly with titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077, the Zen 5 CPUs showed mixed results. While the 9600 X and 9700 X showed slight improvements in FPS over their predecessors, they still lagged behind Intel’s CPUs. Notably, the 13600 K consistently outperformed both AMD CPUs in gaming scenarios.

Power Efficiency and Thermals

One area where AMD excels is power efficiency. Both the 9600 X and 9700 X have a TDP of 65 watts, which is significantly lower than Intel’s chips, which can reach up to 253 watts. This lower power draw means the AMD CPUs run cooler, making them suitable for builds with less aggressive cooling solutions.

Stability Issues

During testing, both the 9600 X and 9700 X experienced stability issues, including random blue screens and system restarts during heavy loads. This could be attributed to BIOS or memory compatibility issues, which might be resolved in future updates.

Comparing AMD and Intel: Which Should You Choose?

When deciding between AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs and Intel’s 13th and 14th Gen processors, consider the following:

Price vs. Performance: Intel’s CPUs generally offer better performance per dollar, especially in mid-range price points. The 13600 K stands out as a particularly strong value proposition.
Power Efficiency: If power efficiency and lower heat output are crucial for your build, AMD’s CPUs are a solid choice.
Stability: AMD’s new CPUs have shown some instability, which might be a concern if you need a rock-solid system out of the box.

Conclusion

AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs bring impressive power efficiency and some performance improvements, but their high prices and occasional instability might make them less attractive in the mid-range segment. Intel’s offerings, particularly the 13600 K, provide excellent performance and value, making them a strong contender in the current market.

If you’re in the market for a new CPU, weigh the benefits of AMD’s power efficiency against Intel’s superior performance and stability. For most users, Intel’s current lineup might offer a better overall value, especially if you’re gaming or handling multi-threaded tasks.

Feel free to dive into detailed benchmarks and reviews to see how these CPUs fit your specific needs and preferences.