AMD Ryzen versus Intel – Benchmark

Lenovo’s Yoga 530 is a 14 “convertible that has many shapes, the manufacturer makes cheap versions with dual-core processors, but there are also more expensive variants with faster quad cores, for example, the version with the Intel Core i5-8250U costs about 800 euros. , while you get a variant with a Pentium 4415U for about 530 euro.

For 500 euro you can also choose a model with an AMD Ryzen 3 2200U dualcore and there is a variant with a Ryzen 5 2500U -quadcore costs 700 euros, which makes them cheaper than the Intel variants and on paper they have an integrated GPU with more computing power.We have two Ryzen variants in-house to see how they score in practice. [19659002] In this article, we discuss the performance of the Ryzen laptops versus the Intel versions and compare the battery life, except for the AMD versions of the Yoga 530 convertibles, which are the same as the Intel processor models. We have previously had a review of an Intel version published and in it you can read about the other aspects of the convertible, such as the case, the keyboard and the screen.

Hardware and versions [19659006] There are many versions of the Lenovo Yoga 530 in the Pricewatch and new models are also regularly disappearing to be replaced by variants with a different type number. This is due in part to all so-called exclusive versions. Large webshops get a model with their own model number, which makes comparing with other stores difficult.

The model that we tested in July, a version with Core i5 processor and MX130-GPU for 799 euros, for example, has already disappeared. Currently, there is only a version with Core i5 for sale without the Nvidia-GPU, for the same price. The table below lists two AMD versions and two Intel variants, which correspond in terms of specifications and price and are readily available at the time of writing.

Cpu benchmarks

In the benchmarks below we compare the Yoga 530 with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 with the variants with AMD Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5. The direct counterpart of the Ryzen 3 variant is actually the version with Intel Pentium 4415U, but we have not yet tested Yoga 530 with that processor. We did, however, test a Yoga 520 version with that cpu, so we include these in the benchmarks. Although this is a slightly older model, the performance of the processor in the Yoga 530 will be similar.

In Cinebench are the Core i5 and i7 from Intel slightly faster than the Ryzen 5 when it comes to single-core performance. The Ryzen 3 wins the nip of the Intel Pentium. When all cores are put to work, the AMD quadcore can measure itself well with the Intel counterparts and also the Ryzen 3 pulls here again at the longest end. The results of the PCMark Home benchmark, in which simple workloads such as browsing, photo editing and video chatting are simulated, show the same picture. The Ryzen 3 scores slightly higher than the Pentium and the Ryzen 5 is comparable to the Intel quadcores.

GPU benchmarks

When it comes to CPU performance, the AMD and Intel versions do not differ much. The integrated Vega-gpu of the Ryzen processors, especially that of the Ryzen 5, offers more advantages on paper than the igpu of the Intel processors. With 3DMark we look at performance. The Ryzen 5 laptop also uses two ddr4-2666 strips of 4GB in dual channel. The Vega-GPU is not limited by single channel memory.

In 3DMark Cloud Gate, a somewhat older DirectX 10 benchmark With a resolution of 1280×720 pixels, the Ryzen 5 is much faster than the Intel Core i5 and Core i7. In the Graphics benchmark, which only looks at the gpu performance, the Vega 8 is more than 77 percent faster than the Intel UHD 620. Also, the Vega 3 in the Ryzen 3 is faster than the Intel gpu of the Pentium 4415U, but the difference is a lot smaller with about 18 percent.

In Fire Strike and Time Spy, respectively benchmarks that use DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, with resolutions of 1920×1080 pixels and 2560×1440 pixels, the Vega 8 of the Ryzen 5 also scores significantly better than the Intel UHD 620. In Time Spy the lead is somewhat smaller, but still about 47 percent. The Ryzen 3 also shows more performance gains in Fire Strike than in the older Cloud Gate benchmark, with a difference of more than 43 percent.

In terms of graphics, the AMD processors are significantly better than their Intel counterparts. In particular the Vega 8 GPU of the Ryzen 5 shows a considerable speed gain. That does not mean, however, that you can play the latest games fluently. To put graphical performance in perspective, we show below scores of more laptops with a separate GPU.

In the Cloud Gate benchmark the Vega 8-gpu still reasonably along with the MX150, but in the more modern benchmarks Fire Strike and Time Spy Nvidia’s entry-level model goes further. The performance of the integrated gpu’s does not come close to the GTX 1050 video card, which can be found in gamelaptops from about eight hundred euros.

] Battery

If you look at the specifications, the AMD and Intel models must be matched in terms of battery life. The processors of both brands have a tdp of 15 watts and the battery capacity is also the same with 45Wh. With our browser test, we look at how it works in practice.

The Intel variants clearly score better when it comes to battery life. The variant with the Ryzen 5-quadcore only lasts five hours in the browser test, while on the Intel Core i5 version you can browse for eight hours. The Yoga 530 with Ryzen 3 does it better with six hours, but also has to recognize its multiple in the version with Intel Pentium 4415U. Moreover, the Yoga 520 has a smaller battery than the Yoga 530. Perhaps the battery life of the Yoga 530 with Pentium is even longer.

This keeps the battery life a weak point of the Ryzen processors compared to the counterparts of Intel. We already noticed that in other reviews of Ryzen laptops, such as the Acer Swift 3 the HP Envy x360 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 720S. The results of the Lenovo Yoga’s confirm our previous findings.

Conclusion

Using Lenovo’s Yoga 530-convertible, we can compare how AMD Ryzen processors perform in laptops compared to Intel counterparts. We benchmarked versions with Intel CPUs and variants with AMD CPUs. As far as CPU performance is concerned, the difference is small. The Ryzen 5 delivers something compared to the Core i5 when it comes to single-core performance, but the i5-8250U equals when all cores are put to work. The Ryzen 3 is slightly faster than the Pentium 4415U in all cases.

In graphical benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 runs considerably compared to the Core i5. The AMD version with its Vega 8 GPU has significantly more computing power than the Intel HD 620 GPU. The Vega 3 GPU of the Ryzen 3 is also a bit faster than the Intel HD 610 GPU of the Pentium, but the scores are so low that the question is whether this difference is relevant. Also, the Vega 8 of the Ryzen 5-GPU has yet to recognize its multiple in the MX150 from Nvidia and does not come close to the GTX 1050 with entry-level laptops.

The battery life is the big Achilles heel of the Ryzen laptops. The Intel counterparts spend two to three hours longer in our browsing test and that’s a big difference. If you want to work without a plug for a long time, an Intel version is a better choice.

It becomes interesting when we look at the prices. The Yoga 530 with Ryzen 5 costs 700 euros, while the Intel version with Core i5 currently costs 800 euros. The AMD variant offers the same CPU performance and better GPU performance for significantly less money, but you have to take the shorter battery life for granted. With the Ryzen 3 variant, the price difference is less great; you save 30 euros compared to the Pentium version. For that, you get slightly better performance, but less good battery life.