AMD Ryzen 7 6800U and Intel Core i7-1260P Review

The Ryzen 7 6800U is AMD’s newest and best chip from their new Zen 3+ line for ultraportables, whereas the Intel Core i7-1260P is headlining plenty of as we speak’s highly effective skinny and light-weight techniques primarily based on the Alder Lake structure.

Both of those CPUs are able to pushing bundle energy up in extra of 25W, which is the place most of as we speak’s performance-oriented ultraportables are sitting. In reality, the default TDP for the Core i7-1260P is 28W, new for this technology is the P-series designation, whereas the 6800U is designed to run at a variety of TDPs between 15 and 28W.

In phrases of specs, the Ryzen 7 6800U is an 8-core, 16-thread processor utilizing Zen 3+ cores. It has a most enhance clock of 4.7 GHz and a base of two.7 GHz, together with 16 MB of L3 cache, and a 12 compute unit RDNA2 GPU operating as much as 2.2 GHz, new for this technology.

The newest platform options like DDR5 reminiscence and USB4 are supported, and the entire thing is constructed on TSMC’s N6 node.

On the Intel facet, the Core i7-1260P is a hybrid CPU combining a 4-core, 8-thread P core format with an 8-core, 8-thread E core. The P cores clock as much as 4.7 GHz from a 2.1 GHz base, whereas the E cores hit 3.4 GHz from a 1.5 GHz base. Then on the GPU facet we get 96 execution models of Xe graphics operating as much as 1.4 GHz, plus 18 MB of L3 cache. Intel helps each DDR4 and DDR5 reminiscence, and the node used right here is Intel 7.

The new Asus ZenGuide S 13 OLED is our take a look at system for the 6800U, an excellent neat skinny and light-weight convertible pocket book with a stunning 13-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED show. It’s only a kilogram heavy and packs a 67 Wh battery to assist ship sturdy battery life, which we’ll be testing later.

Complementing the Ryzen CPU is 16GB of LPDDR5-6400 reminiscence and a 1TB SSD from Samsung.

Finding an Intel Alder Lake P-series laptop computer this technology was somewhat tough, as like with AMD techniques, availability has been fairly restricted. The i7-1260P is not the quickest half Intel are providing, but it surely was the quickest we might get to make this overview, and appears to be deployed in additional laptops than the 1280P at the moment.

The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is our take a look at system for the Intel processor, which permits the CPU to run within the 25W to 28W energy class just like the Asus system with Ryzen. This offers us a baseline apples to apples comparability, although this machine solely makes use of 16GB of DDR4-3200 reminiscence, however once more, it is one of the best we might discover proper now for testing.

What you may see within the charts that observe is a comparability to different laptop computer CPUs that we have examined, all examined in as near the identical energy configuration as potential. We have the 6800U operating at a 25W long run energy restrict, and the 1260P at a 28W long run restrict, which on this occasion means each techniques had been operating of their quickest out there efficiency modes.

We’ll be working by some productiveness benchmarks, compute benchmarks, gaming efficiency on the iGPU and battery efficiency, so loads to get by, beginning with Cinebench, as typical…

Application Benchmarks

In Cinebench, the Ryzen 7 6800U is the quickest ultraportable class processor that we have examined thus far, beating Intel’s 1260P by 9 % – it’d definitely be attention-grabbing to see how the 1280P stacks up right here. However the beneficial properties in comparison with its predecessor are comparatively small at only a 4 % efficiency improve, which is analogous to what we noticed testing the 35W HS collection.

The Zen 3+ chips aren’t all that completely different from Zen 3 that was used within the 5800U and so there is not a lot headroom to enhance efficiency. On the opposite hand, the 1260P is considerably sooner than Intel’s previous-gen, the Core i7-1165G7, an enormous 71 % efficiency uplift permits Intel to shut the hole, and certainly, the a lot better naming scheme helped right here, too.

As we noticed earlier within the yr when evaluating extra gaming targeted CPUs, Alder Lake holds a good efficiency benefit over Zen 3+ for single threading. The 1260P is eighteen % sooner than the 6800U, and 13 % sooner than Intel’s last-generation half. The 6800U does not acquire a lot over the 5800U on this workload, because the newer Zen 3+ mannequin receives solely a 7 % frequency bump.

In Handbrake, Ryzen continues its dominance over Intel on this benchmark. The 6800U was 22 % sooner than the 1260P, and really ended up beating Apple’s M1 Pro, which is a good consequence given the facility class distinction.

However, the efficiency uplift over the 5800U is minimal, Intel are definitely delivering a a lot bigger acquire gen-on-gen, so these with an Eleventh-gen processor or older ought to undoubtedly take into account an improve.

For code compilation on the go, the Ryzen 7 6800U and Core i7-1260P are neck and neck to a stunning diploma. Based on these numbers I’d assume the 1280P can be the quickest 28W selection, and it is disappointing to see no main enchancment for AMD over the 5800U. Meanwhile, Intel are getting a large 65 % efficiency uplift, as they’ve lastly shifted away from a primary quad-core design, that are not appropriate for high-end cell CPUs.

Our Microsoft Excel benchmark is quicker on the 6800U than the 1260P, although these outcomes might be affected to some extent by LPDDR5 vs DDR4 in our take a look at techniques. Excel is sort of reminiscence and cache delicate, so it is one of many few benchmarks the place the newer Zen 3+ design from AMD is notably sooner than the prior technology — right here it is 16 % sooner. Intel additionally advantages with a forty five % efficiency acquire, however on this occasion this does not see them take the lead.

Intel is the clear winner within the broader PCMark 10 Applications workload, which assessments the Microsoft Office suite. There was no efficiency acquire for the 6800U vs 5800U, whereas the 1260P was capable of outperform the 1165G7 by 9 %. This gave Intel an general 12 % efficiency lead. Not a large consequence, however giant sufficient that it could matter for some consumers.

7-Zip compression did not see substantial efficiency beneficial properties for both platform. Meanwhile for decompression, it is solely the Intel facet that gained gen-on-gen: the 1260P is 50 % sooner than the 1165G7. Unfortunately for Intel, AMD was thus far forward earlier than that regardless of this large uplift, the 6800U continues to carry a 29 % efficiency benefit for decompression.

Intel cell processors proceed to steer in Adobe Photoshop, although the beneficial properties for each generations will not be very substantial, or within the case of AMD, non existent. The 1260P is 7 % sooner than the 6800U right here.

In Adobe Premiere, the higher selection this technology is the Ryzen 7 6800U because of a large soar in GPU efficiency. The 1260P is quicker than prior Intel CPUs in sub-scores like Export, however suffers from not boosting its GPU efficiency all that a lot, particularly when paired with DDR4 reminiscence.

We assume the rating can be higher had LPDDR5 reminiscence been used to match the AMD laptop computer, however the uncooked GPU variations in all probability would nonetheless play a component.

For AI accelerated workloads like Gigapixel AI, Intel processors are the best way to go on account of their AI acceleration {hardware}, which this technology of Zen doesn’t embody. The 1260P performs nicely with no discrete GPU, and as we noticed final technology, including a low energy Nvidia GPU truly hurts efficiency except you disable it. The 6800U does not carry out horribly with out AI acceleration, nonetheless beating the 1165G7, however efficiency is 24 % slower than the 1260P.

The tables are flipped for the Agisoft Metashape photogrammetry benchmark. This workload is usually GPU certain on ultraportable-class processors, and we see a good 40 % efficiency result in the 6800U right here over the 1260P. It truly manages to beat the 12900HK regardless of the a lot decrease degree of energy utilization.

Gaming Benchmarks

For built-in graphics gaming, the clear winner is AMD and the Ryzen 7 6800U. In Gears 5 operating at 1080p utilizing medium settings, the 6800U is considerably sooner than different processors, managing to ship 87% of the efficiency of the Ryzen 9 6900HS.

The Core i7-1260P appears to battle with DDR4 reminiscence as if this chip was designed to be paired with DDR5 or LPDDR5 as a substitute. But even when it did have sooner DDR5 reminiscence, the 6800U would seemingly nonetheless beat it, because the 6800U was 18 % sooner than even the Core i7-12700H operating at 45W with its GPU configuration being an identical to the 1260P.

In Resident Evil 2 the 6800U additionally carried out very nicely, smashing the 1260P with DDR4 reminiscence and outperforming Intel’s H-series elements with DDR5 reminiscence by 16 % regardless of the gulf in energy consumption. While this class of ultraportable continues to be a method off an entry-level gaming system with an RTX 3050, the types of efficiency numbers put up listed here are playable.

For a recreation that is demanding on each the CPU and GPU, the 6800U holds up nicely in Age of Empires IV operating utilizing medium settings at 1080p. Once once more it is sooner than Intel H-series elements which current a super case for Alder Lake’s Xe built-in graphics, and when you flip down the settings barely the expertise could be very playable for this type of title.

In Rainbow Six Siege, the 6800U is a superb iGPU possibility and the efficiency is mighty spectacular from a 13-inch skinny and light-weight pocket book. Not solely can we see 72 % higher efficiency than final yr’s 5800U, we additionally see a 21 % lead on Intel’s finest Alder Lake iGPU possibility.

Lastly, in Watch Dogs Legion, the 6800U is 28 % sooner at built-in graphics gaming than the 12900HK taking part in at 1080p utilizing Low settings. Yeah, the body fee is not wonderful, however the common is over 30 FPS which you possibly can in all probability endure by at a pinch relying on how determined you’re to play this recreation.

But given it is a comparatively fashionable title, it does counsel that fairly plenty of video games will work on the 6800U with low settings at a local 1080p, or close to native utilizing upscaling tech like FSR.

Battery Life

By well-liked demand, we’re engaged on a set of battery life assessments for laptops and we’re simply exhibiting an early teaser for this overview, particularly as we did not have a ton of time to finish all of the testing.

We’re utilizing the PCMark 10 Applications battery life benchmark, operating on each techniques utilizing the “finest effectivity” energy mode in Windows 11 with Wi-Fi enabled and 200 nits of show brightness.

The uncooked numbers from this take a look at present the ZenGuide S 13 OLED as having a lot better battery life than the Inspiron 16 5620. However, the ZenGuide regardless of being a smaller design truly has a bigger battery. When we normalize the outcomes to account for the variations in battery dimension, the Ryzen powered machine ended up with a 13 % longer battery life per Wh on this take a look at which mixes mild productiveness work with idle time.

What We Learned

Overall it has been an attention-grabbing comparability between the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U and Intel Core i7-1260P, as each elements find yourself buying and selling blows relying on the workload, and every have their very own strengths and weaknesses.

There have been instances within the laptop computer market the place one CPU vendor has dominated throughout the board, however in 2022 that is not the case, so how you utilize your moveable laptop computer can have an affect on which chip makes essentially the most sense — or conversely, you possibly can decide and select not solely primarily based on CPU however on laptop computer model/mannequin and different options like show high quality.

In phrases of the Ryzen 7 6800U, CPU efficiency hasn’t elevated considerably evaluating this technology to the earlier: Zen 3+ does not supply a lot exterior of a small frequency uplift. The improve to DDR5 reminiscence might have a profit relying on the workload, however more often than not it does not.

The actual killer function within the new Ryzen is the a lot sooner RDNA2 built-in graphics, which brings over a 50% efficiency enhance in comparison with Ryzen 5000 and actually makes iGPU gaming potential even in some fashionable video games, albeit utilizing low settings. If you intend to leverage the GPU typically, this might make this newest technology value upgrading to, but when not then there’s not a lot on it.

The Core i7-1260P is a little bit of a unique beast and does supply a large efficiency enhance over its predecessor (the Core i7-1165G7) in CPU efficiency. Multi-thread is up over 50% in comparison with Tiger Lake and we’re getting a double digit single-thread beneficial properties as nicely.

This obliteration of Intel’s Eleventh-gen U collection providing makes shopping for an Eleventh-gen laptop computer a very unhealthy concept. You’re undoubtedly higher off ready for Twelfth-gen if you wish to purchase Intel and the laptop computer you’re looking at is not out there but. On the opposite hand, GPU efficiency beneficial properties are minimal, and as we noticed from our Dell laptop computer, DDR4 reminiscence is just not a superb pairing if you wish to use the iGPU for gaming.

Picking a CPU for Your Next Ultraportable

So which of those processors is value getting in your subsequent ultraportable system?

For CPU efficiency, it is determined by what you are doing. Despite large beneficial properties on the Intel facet, the 6800U is usually the sooner half for multi-thread workloads, so if in case you have heavier purposes you need to run, Ryzen goes to fit your wants higher. However, the 1260P has stronger single-thread, and that does assist in some typical use instances for a transportable laptop computer, like Microsoft Office or Photoshop.

For something GPU associated, whether or not that is gaming or GPU accelerated productiveness, it is a slam dunk win for Ryzen. The new RDNA2 iGPU could be very spectacular, beating one of the best Alder Lake Xe GPU providing of their 45W H-series elements, regardless of solely operating within 25W bundle energy.

As for battery life and effectivity, it is arduous to move judgment from a platform perspective as we have solely examined two techniques, and so they’re fairly completely different. However plenty of individuals have been wanting us to guage battery life, and the restricted consequence we measured confirmed AMD a bit forward. The 6800U can be superior in efficiency per watt, so the precise efficiency you get for a given battery drain might be larger with Ryzen, although actual world outcomes are sometimes influenced closely by how OEMs configure their system.

Aside from the elemental points to those platforms, one of many greatest challenges in the intervening time is simply getting them into the fingers of potential consumers. AMD has struggled for some time now to get their CPUs into a variety of ultraportables, and whereas the tide is popping on that slowly, even proper now in a interval of poor availability, Intel Alder Lake techniques are usually simpler to seek out.

Finally, speaking concerning the actual techniques we examined, the Asus ZenGuide S 13 OLED is a superb laptop computer, the mix of excessive efficiency and a good looking show is principally what I’m after in a laptop computer of this sort in 2022. The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is an affordable laptop computer with good efficiency and a pleasant giant show, but it surely’s extra of a mid-range possibility. Dell choosing DDR4 reminiscence as a substitute of DDR5, for instance, goes to restrict efficiency to some extent.