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Looking for the best CPU for your next desktop upgrade or wandering to get a new one instead? To be frank, today's PC processor market is dominated by just two companies, AMD and Intel, and buying a processor from either will lock you into a platform for several years.
Several factors determine which one should be your next CPU and support system. Are you trying to maximise speed or value? Is it the cores or clock speed which really matters? Are you upgrading or building a whole new PC? Are you gaming? Or an animation guy? Or is it just for daily use?
All these questions' answers are crucial to landing on the right chip. No single CPU is the absolute best for all users, especially considering the costs.
Latest CPUs and a discussion
While AMD's latest Zen-based processor is the most powerful consumer-grade chip on the market, Intel CPUs offer the best performance at an affordable price. So, while AMD may be the best CPU in terms of overall power, Intel's 13th-generation line of CPUs offers the best value and is more than enough for most users.
Thanks to its Zen 4 architecture, 5nm cores, and the added support of PCIe 5.0 and DDR5, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D has redefined market expectations, outplaying Intel's latest 7nm cores, Core i9-14900K 14th Gen by both price and performance. But that doesn't make AMD the best value, as without using some high-value applications, you'll just carry the hefty price tag, though it applied for both.
The more affordable AMD Ryzen 7 7700X offers a better balance between price and performance. But at this lower price point, AMD's chip is outpaced (in multi-thread tests) and outnumbered (in cores) by the Intel Core i7-12700K. Intel will extend their mid-market dominance with the release of the Intel Core i7-13700K, which packs 16 cores and supports up to 24 threads.
AMD may have the edge for top-of-the-line processors, while Intel may be a better bet in the mid-tier range, but it ultimately depends on your needs and preferences. If your computing tasks don't cause your fan to run loudly or frequent computer crashes, you might not need the latest and greatest CPU on the market.
However, the fierce competition has seen both manufacturers make rapid improvements in recent years, with Intel increasing the number of cores in their chips and AMD achieving major breakthroughs in transistor technology.
A brief history
Intel and AMD both marked their beginning in 1968 and 1969, a mere one-year gap. Still, having supplied the microprocessors for IBM's first personal computer in 1981, Intel cemented its position in the following decades, becoming a multi-billion dollar behemoth and the undisputed CPU market leader while AMD struggled for years to keep its existence in the market due to low investment, lower R&D initiative and smaller manufacturing facilities at least till the millennium.
After a long fight and struggle in the previous century, AMD made a fresh start in the 21st century. To be precise, the 2017 launch of AMD's Zen architecture started to change the situation drastically, and today, that architecture threatens Intel's supremacy more seriously than ever.
While AMD still can't match Intel's single-thread speeds, the number of cores and multi-thread capabilities of its chips means increased clock speeds and greater efficiency. The net worth of AMD touched a record 300B US dollars, a 153% growth from the previous year, though both Intel and AMD were balancing each other two years ago.
Gaming performance
If you're building a gaming PC, choosing between AMD or Intel for your gaming CPU is a bit more straightforward. Be it a high-end or medium-range gaming setup, AMD keeps its track one step ahead.
Some AMD CPUs, like the Ryzen 5800X3D, offer clock speeds comparable to their Intel counterparts. So, if you find a good deal for an AMD CPU, you might want to jump on it.
But generally speaking, an Intel CPU's ultra-powerful single-thread throughput can't be beaten if you want to optimise a Windows 10 PC for gaming. Basically, it depends on the ecosystem or support system you will put the CPUs on.
Productivity and multimedia
Regarding video editing and other high-intensity multimedia applications, the more cores, the better. AMD's highest-end chip currently offers incredible content creation and productivity performance by splitting up tasks across several powerful cores.
When video editing, audio and video have to be encoded simultaneously. If one core does both, it has to keep switching between the two, which slows the export down considerably. The complex work of a 3D model render can be completed much more efficiently by splitting up the work across multiple cores and threads.
AMD has also developed a reputation for producing the most energy-efficient CPUs on the market — a trend that has continued into their latest generation of chips. This helps to prevent the CPU from overheating, even when working under heavy stress, but only if supportive graphics and PC specs are provided.
Product and price range
Both companies offer a range of CPUs from starter to high-end categories. Core, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9 concludes the range from 0 to 100 of Intel.
AMD has a Ryzen 3 for entry-level consumers, a Ryzen 5 for mid-rangeeries, a 7 and 9 for high-end, and a Threadripper for ultra-high-end performance.
The price descends from 700$ to 95$ with 450$,400$, and 280$ ranges being in the middle, same for both companies for high-end, but AMD is a bit lower in entry and midlevel processors.
In the Bangladeshi market, AMD offers starter packs of 2 cores Athlon 300G for around BDT 7000, Ryzen 3 series with 4 cores within BDT 10000, 6 cores, and Ryzen 5 series from 11000 to 18000 with 7500F for 20000 at the highest.
Ryzen 7 series, mostly with 8 cores, starts with 5700X with around 20k price, the highest 29k for 7700G model and 40,000 BDT for 5800X3D, the best in the high-end range.
Then the mighty Ryzen 9 series comes with 12 to 16 cores and 24 to 32 threads in the price range of 42000 to 65000 for the best performer, 7950X. But Threadripper's latest series is yet to be announced in BD.
On the other hand, Intel has a dual-core Pentium G7400, costing BDT 7000 for entry-level customers. Their core i3 series with 4 cores ranges from 9 to 13 thousand BDT for 10th to 12th-gen processors.
Core i5 10th to 12th gen and X series, prices within 11000-25000 range.
Corei7 holds 8 cores inside, pricing its CPUs from 25000 to 48000 according to different generations (10th to 14th).
Most powerful and high-end CPUs of Intel are included in the Core i9 category from 12th generation to 14th generation, holding upto24 cores, 32 threads starting from 52,000 and a hefty price tag like 73,000 BDT for 14900K Raptor lake processor, the best Intel has produced till date.
Price comparison
Previously, AMD used to be cheaper than Intel, and you generally got what you paid for. But nowadays, it's pretty close. If you're wondering if you should buy Intel or AMD in 2024, the answer is probably still Intel in most cases at mid-range price points.
Advanced users who demand a lot from their machines and use specialised software should consider AMD's top-end chips.
But cost isn't just a single number. AMD prides itself on cross-generation compatibility, which is priced into the higher costs of their top-end CPUs. With Intel, you have to spend around $500 to jump forward a generation, and with AMD, that's a one-time purchase that integrates seamlessly with the latest hardware. The 13th and 14th-generation CPUs require new motherboards to upgrade from the previous generations, but AMD gives the privilege of using the upcoming CPUs until 2025. So, they currently have an edge over Intel in terms of price.
Ratings and reviews
Though Intel has a long legacy in the CPU market, beating them in this industrial age also demands serious credit, which goes to AMD. Also, in recent years, tech-related YouTubers like Linus tech, TechBurner, Technical Guruji and Dave2D had to change their position from Intel due to a drastic pull from AMD.
Without being biased, the content creators suggested their viewers buy CPUs based on their preferences, PC build, gaming or non-gaming needs, professional perspective, etc. Though AMD currently has an edge over Intel, its continuity is not sure in the upcoming years. The race is still on for both to offer more to their consumers. Whether it is AMD or Intel to choose solely depends on your need, power or consistency, legacy or reliability.
Concluding any comparison never ends in the favour of any competitor, which also applies to AMD and Intel. Consumers choose their brand to suit their tastes, needs and future. We are here to provide the necessary information to our readers to help them make the best decision and make them think rationally.
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