Intel AMD Hybrid CPU Comparison: i7 8809G vs i7 8705G

• 1: Intel AMD Hybrid Processors

• 2: Kabylake-G Series Family Information

• 3: Comparison Platform Information & Data Conclusions

• 4: CPU Theoretical Performance Comparison Tests

• 5: Rendering and Video Transcoding Comparison Tests

• 6: Seven Game Tests: “The Witcher 3”

• 7: Seven Game Tests: “Overwatch”

• 8: Seven Game Tests: “Far Cry 5”

• 9: Seven Game Tests: “Resident Evil 7”

• 10: Seven Game Tests: “Tomb Raider 10”

• 11: Seven Game Tests: “Assassin’s Creed Origins”

• 12: “Fallout 4” and Two CPUs Game Temperatures

• 13: Is it Worth Buying? Can I/A Cooperation Continue?

• 14: Appendix: Intel NUC Canyon Disassembly Gallery

1Intel AMD Hybrid Processors

In 2017, the chip industry saw a dramatic shift, leaving hardware enthusiasts excited. The main players in this feast are the x86 giants Intel and AMD. The former’s Zen architecture Ryzen brand has been a huge success, dragging the latter into the multi-core war. However, amidst this chaos, AMD has also become a significant ally of Intel. Whether it’s Intel’s already produced Kabylake-G series processors or the upcoming independent GPU, or even the long-term heterogeneous computing efforts, they all rely on AMD’s cooperation.

The historical relationship between Intel and AMD is complex

The Kabylake-G series CPU, jointly launched by Intel and AMD (to be precise, Intel procured AMD Radeon GPU for its own packaging), is a natural extension of Intel’s high-performance GPU technology route. However, this time AMD’s GPU has a higher power efficiency and significantly stronger absolute performance. Leading up to the product launch, Intel generally refrained from overly promoting this partnership, indicating a cautious approach. Coupled with the recent news that Intel plans to restart the development of high-performance independent GPUs for the third time (the first two being the i740 in 1998 and Larabee in 2008), it’s evident that Intel has been preparing for multiple scenarios.

Intel NUC has Vega M branding but no AMD logos

The Kabylake-G family includes several models, which have been widely distributed across Intel’s own “NUC” (officially still referred to as Skull Canyon in China), as well as HP and Dell laptops. We previously published separate reviews of the Skull Canyon and HP Spectre X360 15, and today we will analyze the overall performance positioning of the i7 8809G and i7 8705G alongside Intel’s other 7th and 8th generation CPUs and corresponding NVIDIA and AMD discrete graphics cards.

Intel Skull Canyon NUC

Kabylake-G is a series of advanced processors that combine Intel’s quad-core Kabylake architecture with AMD’s Polaris-Vega mixed discrete GPU through advanced EMIB packaging on the same PCB, balancing the efficiency of Intel’s CPU architecture with the stability and strength of AMD’s GPU. It has strong competitiveness in the mini PC field and considerable adaptability in thin and light laptop platforms.

Kabylake-G heterogeneous CPU chip close-up

The Intel Skull Canyon NUC mini host is the carrier for this processor, serving as the rightful successor to the previous generation Skull Canyon equipped with the i7 6770HQ CPU. The HP Spectre X360 15-inch version is one of the leading representatives of the Kabylake-G laptop army, representing the development direction of high-performance comprehensive entertainment laptops. Today, we will focus on testing these devices.

2Kabylake-G Series Family Information

The i7 8809G, representing the Kabylake-G series, is classified within the 8th generation Core family. Although Kabylake gives it away at first glance, this is not surprising. The i7 8000U series CPUs, which have already been widely adopted in the thin and light laptop field, are codenamed Kabylake-U Refresh, indicating that the range defined by the 8th generation Core itself lacks a clear standard.

Family Series

The Kabylake-G family also includes the i7 8709G, i7 8706G, i7 8705G, and i5 8305G. Among them, the i7 8809G is specially provided for NUC, with a power consumption limit of 100W (including GPU), featuring a complete Vega M display core; the i7/i5 87XX G should be the 65W total power consumption laptop versions. The i5 8305G has 1280 stream processors and has been officially released in laptops such as the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 and HP Spectre X360.

Full Name is Extremely Long

This series has a very long full name—8th Core Processors With Radeon RX Vega M Graphics, which means “8th generation Core with Vega M GPU”. The high-end tier is called Vega M GH, while the slightly lower tier is called Vega M GL. Both are equipped with 4GB HBM2 memory, with the former having more raster units, reaching 64 units.

i7 8809G Hardware Information

i7 8705G Hardware Information

According to related background information, the Kabylake-G plan began in 2015. Considering that the Kabylake codename officially appeared in 2016, it can be seen that Kabylake-G and the ordinary 7th generation Core are essentially parallel, using the same 14nm process technology.

Based on the maximum frequency read from XTU, it can be inferred that the CPU performance of the i7 8809G is approximately between the desktop i7 7700T and i7 7700, slightly stronger than the laptop’s i7 7820HK. The i7 8705G has a slightly lower frequency, likely between the i7 7700HQ and i7 7820HK.

3Comparison Platform Information & Data Conclusions

This time, we selected several representative configuration combinations for comparison testing, and the overall platform information is summarized as follows. The CPU comparison models involved do not participate in GPU testing; the models used for GPU testing do not participate in CPU testing, due to the limitations of our PC testing products in terms of time and space.

Test Platform Parameter Comparison (Including CPU)

Additionally, this test utilized the desktop X299 platform’s i9 7980XE flagship processor. Since the seven games tested do not optimize for many cores, and are not very sensitive to overall frequency, this CPU did not provide any special benefits or drawbacks in the game testing phase; the choice was merely for convenience. Our CPU choice for the gaming laptop was the ASUS ROG GM501, as its CPU performance is just above average among the 8th generation gaming laptops.

Test GPU Specification Parameter Comparison

This time, the tests were conducted at a stable indoor temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, using high-performance power mode, with the operating system maintained at Windows 10 1709. The desktop platform and Skull Canyon used DDR4 3200 XMP memory, while the 7th generation gaming laptop platform used DDR4 2400 memory, and the 8th generation gaming laptop used DDR4 2666 memory.

Test GPU 3DMark Graphics Score Comparison

Test CPU Performance Comparison

Test GPU Performance Comparison

We will first summarize all the test results into the bar chart above for your reference. From it, we can roughly draw the following data conclusions:

First: The CPU of the HP Spectre X360 should theoretically be close to the performance of the i7 7700HQ, but in practice, there is a certain gap, mainly due to the differences in the cooling capabilities of thin and light 2-in-1 products and gaming laptops.

Secondly: The GPU performance of the i7 8705G and Vega M GL series thin and light laptops, represented by the HP Spectre X360, shows a clear gap with the GTX1050Ti, but based on the ratio, it should be stronger than the mobile GTX1050.

Thirdly: The i7 8809G, as the leader of the Kabylake-G, can challenge gaming laptops with average cooling, like the i7 8750H; the absolute performance of the Vega M GH GPU is right in between the mobile GTX1050Ti and GTX1060, very close to the desktop RX 470.

Next, we will divide the performance levels of the tested products into CPU and GPU sections for you.

4CPU Theoretical Performance Comparison Tests

In the performance testing phase, theoretical tests are prioritized, followed by practical applications. Our theoretical testing projects include Wprime multi-threaded calculations and 3DMark physics calculations.

Wprime Test Results

3DMark Test Results

3DMark Test Results

From the Wprime and 3DMark test results, the i9 8950HK, if not running super-heavy load benchmarking software, performs exceptionally well. Thanks to its excellent cooling, the i7 8809G also performs quite well, essentially able to crush the default i7 7820HK. The HP Spectre X360’s main frequency may be limited by cooling, resulting in an overall average performance.

5Rendering and Video Transcoding Comparison Tests

In professional graphics rendering, we used the well-known Cinebench R15 and Corona Benchmark for comparison tests.CINEBENCH is an industry-recognized benchmarking software that can be seen in most system performance tests conducted by mainstream media at home and abroad. It uses the Cinema 4D effects software engine developed by the company for the film and television industry to test the performance of CPUs and GPUs.

i7 8809G Cinebench R15

For video transcoding, we ran independent X264 HD Benchmark and HWbot 265 Benchmark for mutual verification and comparison of results.

X265 Video Transcoding Score Comparison

X264 Video Transcoding Score Comparison

Image Description

Cinebench R15

Corona Benchmark Comparison

Due to the longer testing time for transcoding and rendering, and the exceptionally strong cooling of the Intel Skull Canyon, the i7 8809G is significantly stronger than other four-core mobile CPUs. Of course, there is an insurmountable gap between the entire four-core camp and the sixth-core camp of the eighth generation Core.

6Seven Game Tests: “The Witcher 3”

“The Witcher 3″ is the third installment in the series and the final work, showcasing the protagonist Geralt’s most spectacular adventures while bringing his story to a close. The “Witcher” series has always been known for its superb graphics and high-level special effects technology.

We chose the latest version of “The Witcher 3” with the “Blood and Wine DLC” for this test, setting the graphics to 1080P full HD resolution, turning off NVIDIA Hairworks-related AA and special effects options, and enabling HDAO+. We selected the first chapter’s forest path scene and used Fraps to test the frame rate over a 120-second period for comparison.

The Witcher 3 Game Graphics

The Witcher 3 Test Results

Due to the highest graphics settings, the visuals of the new DLC for “The Witcher 3” have also been enhanced, so the i7 8705G + Vega M GL combination and the i7 8750H and GTX1050Ti combination performed poorly and could not run smoothly.

The i7 8809G, represented by Vega M GH, is very close to RX 470 in “The Witcher 3”, but the gap compared to GTX 1060 is significant.

7Seven Game Tests: “Overwatch”

In 2016, some joked that “Overwatch” would forge the post-e-sports era, and many users immersed themselves in the fast-paced battles. Although “Overwatch” has faced challenges from games like “PUBG” over the past year, its influence remains world-class and historic.

Our graphics settings were 1080P highest quality, SMAA high, with default 100% rendering, using Fraps to record the frame rate over 120 seconds in the “Anubis Temple” map.

Overwatch Test Results

Overwatch is one of the few Blizzard games optimized to meet contemporary standards, showing very low sensitivity to CPU frequency but high GPU utilization. Therefore, the i9 7980XE and i7 8750H platforms may have a slight advantage, but based solely on the GPU itself, we can still draw clear conclusions.

The i7 8809G + Vega M GH combination can run this game smoothly, clearly outperforming the GTX1050Ti but still far from the GTX1060. The i7 8705G + Vega M GL performs worse than the GTX1050Ti, but not by much.

8Seven Game Tests: “Far Cry 5”

“Far Cry 5” is the latest installment in the series recently released by Ubisoft, and the story does not follow a fixed pattern but is filled with various uncertainties, allowing players to experience various quirky scenarios. “Far Cry 5” is designed to let you experience one ending before making different choices that lead to different outcomes.

The optimization level of this generation of games is quite good, and many gaming laptops can challenge the highest graphics settings. At 1080P resolution, we used the built-in Benchmark to conduct tests.

Game Graphics

Far Cry 5 Test

“Far Cry 5” is a rare large single-player game that features the AMD logo but does not disparage A cards. The RX 470 remarkably surpasses the mobile GTX 1060 in this game.

The i7 8809G remains in the middle range between RX 470 and GTX 1050Ti, but is much closer to GTX 1060. The i7 8705G continues to perform poorly compared to the GTX 1050Ti, barely able to run the game.

9Seven Game Tests: “Resident Evil 7”

In early 2017, Capcom announced that “Resident Evil 7” had sold over 3 million copies globally. “Resident Evil 7” is a first-person horror adventure game that was released on January 24 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (North America, Europe, and Asia), and on January 26 in Japan. The total box office revenue of the “Resident Evil” film series has consistently topped the box office for game adaptations. Indeed, the “Resident Evil” IP remains incredibly powerful.

In this game, we maintained the graphics settings at 1080P, turned off vertical sync and frame limits, and enabled SMAA and HDAO, using Fraps to record the frame rate for the first 60 seconds of gameplay for comparison.

Resident Evil 7 Game Graphics

Resident Evil 7 Test Results

Resident Evil 7 has relatively low overall configuration requirements, allowing the i7 8705G’s Vega M GL to nearly catch up with the GTX 1050Ti. However, the i7 8809G surprisingly performed exceptionally well, winning this project, possibly due to Intel and AMD’s mysterious optimizations.

10Seven Game Tests: “Tomb Raider 10”

Since 1996, EIDOS has brought us fourteen “Tomb Raider” works. Whether in RPG/APRG or in the entire PC history, the position of “Tomb Raider” is hard for later entrants to reach. This legendary franchise, which has lasted for over twenty years, continues to attract many young players, making it a focal point of influence.

On March 12, 2016, “Tomb Raider 10” officially updated to support DX12 and included a built-in Benchmark. To increase differentiation, we used the high graphics settings provided by the game, enabling SMAA and DX12 mode at a resolution of 1080P.

Tomb Raider 10 Game Graphics

Tomb Raider 10 Test Results

Tomb Raider 10 is also a game where AMD graphics cards have a relative advantage. The RX 470 desktop version surpassed the mobile version of the GTX 1060; the i7 8809G also narrowed the distance to the GTX 1060.

However, at the highest graphics settings, neither the GTX 1050Ti nor the i7 8705G’s Vega M GL can run this game smoothly.

11Seven Game Tests: “Assassin’s Creed Origins”

“Assassin’s Creed Origins”—the largest installment in the history of the Assassin’s Creed series produced and published by Ubisoft, takes players on a journey through ancient Egypt to experience millennia of charm.

This game is well-optimized, with top-notch graphics, but even if you cross the threshold, it does not mean you can play without worry; the distinction between different levels of GPUs is still significant. Additionally, this game puts significant pressure on the CPU, which needs to be noted. We used 1080P highest quality and conducted verification using Benchmark.

Game Screenshot

Assassin’s Creed Test Results

In “Assassin’s Creed Origins”, the combination of i7 8809G and Vega was surprisingly surpassed by the GTX 1050Ti 4GB, but it can still run roughly, with little difference from GTX 1060 and RX 470.

However, the pressure on the i7 8705G Vega M GL combination remains high, unable to run smoothly at the highest quality.

12“Fallout 4” and Two CPUs Game Temperatures

“Fallout 4” has not changed engines, so expecting it to compete with visually stunning titles based on Cryengine, Frostbite, or Unreal is unrealistic. The selling point of this game does not lie in its graphical level. However, “Fallout 4” has reached the mainstream level of this generation, with lighting and color matching giving it a cinematic quality.

Fallout 4’s graphics are actually at a medium level

Correspondingly, if graphics are not the weakness of “Fallout 4”, the game’s engine’s poor motion and collision physics system can be quite uncomfortable, with the protagonist moving without any weight, still sliding along like in “Sword and Fairy 6”, which can be quite frustrating. However, this game remains charming and representative, and we used Fraps to record its maximum quality frame rate for 60 seconds for comparison.

Fallout 4 Test Results

In “Fallout 4”, the desktop i9 7980XE + RX 470 combination again demonstrates its advantages, while the i7 8809G and Vega M GH surpass the mobile GTX 1060; the i7 8705G and Vega M GL are comparable to the GTX 1050Ti.

It can be seen that AMD’s graphics cards still have a wide adaptability and decent optimization, making Intel’s partnership quite valuable.

In summary, the Intel i7 8809G with the embedded AMD Vega M GH is fully capable of playing most games at 1080P resolution at high settings without extreme anti-aliasing. If the graphics settings are lowered, it can run smoothly. As a carrier, the Intel Skull Canyon NUC performs adequately.

i7 8809G Skull Canyon Temperature and Frequency Conditions

The i7 8705G placed in the HP Spectre X360 15-inch ultra-thin 2-in-1 product is somewhat limited, but its absolute level also surpasses the GTX 1050 and GTX 965M. Although it may not meet everyone’s expectations, it still manages to accomplish its task reasonably.

During gameplay, the temperature of the i7 8809G’s Vega GPU rarely exceeded 65 degrees Celsius, indicating that the potential for moderate GPU performance development in Skull Canyon is promising. The gaming temperature of the i7 8705G in HP’s laptop was also controlled around 80℃, which is relatively excellent.

HP Spectre X360 15-inch CPU Temperature Approaching 100℃

However, whether in Skull Canyon or the Spectre X360, the CPU temperatures of the Intel parts are still quite high during gameplay, occasionally exceeding 90 degrees, indicating that Intel’s 14nm process has reached a significant bottleneck, with a considerable distance remaining to perfection.

13Is it Worth Buying? Can I/A Cooperation Continue?

Is it worth buying? Can I/A cooperation continue?

The main subjects analyzed in this article are two types of products related to the Kabylake-G family—the 100W thermal design power Intel hybrid NUC and the laptop platform that has transplanted its reduced power consumption frequency into a 15-inch mold.

Intel Manufacturing is Top Quality

For the NUC, the Intel Skull Canyon is finely crafted, with unparalleled internal and external expansion capabilities, and very strong system integration capabilities, making it undoubtedly top-notch in terms of the product itself. The i7 8809G has a bit of overclocking headroom, and the same goes for the GPU. However, this NUC currently has a price tag of $1000 without storage accessories, and with memory and hard drives included, it will inevitably become a ten-thousand-dollar product. Compared to similar NUCs, its GPU’s absolute performance is still somewhat weak.

If enthusiasts are looking to save on size and noise and do not have a habit of running large games on the go, then the Intel and AMD hybrid Skull Canyon is indeed very competitive. However, for those pursuing value for money and extreme performance, the Intel Skull Canyon still falls short. On the other hand, ordinary entry-level users who cannot afford this product may find it quite appealing.

This type of laptop is still in the trial stage

If we broaden our perspective to the entire Kabylake-G series laptops, the discussion becomes heavier. Currently, the series’ heterogeneous CPU integration capabilities, absolute thermal values, and absolute power consumption are relatively high, only suitable for 15-inch molds, and there will be a noticeable performance loss. Compared to the same-sized molds equipped with NVIDIA GTX 10 series discrete graphics, the Kabylake-G mobile version is costly with significant performance disadvantages, resulting in only mid-range models being adopted by manufacturers—saving PCB space advantages can be applied to 2-in-1 molds.

The 15-inch mold 2-in-1 products, in themselves, are not highly portable, and their presence is not strong, making it difficult for Kabylake-G laptops to shake off the curious gaze of the public.

So, are Intel and AMD a fleeting romance or a deep partnership?

From recent reports, Intel’s independently developed discrete graphics will carry a distinct AMD Radeon lineage, whether it’s Intel poaching technical talent from AMD or the exchange of interests in terms of time and patents, the cooperation between both parties is expected to continue for a considerable time.

The direction represented by Skull Canyon is still optimistic

In today’s IC industry, where barriers are high, major manufacturers seek comprehensive advantages in breadth and depth, integrating all resources that can be integrated to create more possibilities for the future. Intel positions itself as a data services company, and high-performance GPU support is essential for data processing, artificial intelligence image recognition, and VR/AR-assisted computing. Intel’s integrated graphics architecture began with GMA900, which was also acquired, showing no roots, and leveraging AMD’s existing (semi-custom GPU like Vega M GH/GL) products or potential resources is a natural progression.

Intel’s discrete graphics codenamed Arctic and Jupiter are already on the agenda. Given the timing and background, they will certainly have AMD elements.

As for AMD, its long-term damaged vitality has not yet fully recovered, and the semi-custom division is a crucial hope for AMD’s recovery, and having Intel’s support is a significant boon. Although the current Kabylake-G integration capabilities are low and overall appear rough, especially with Intel’s CPU part’s severe heat dragging it down, the future of this cooperation model is believed to be bright.

14Appendix: Intel Skull Canyon Disassembly Gallery

We will publish the disassembly process of the Intel Skull Canyon NUC here:

This NUC is exceptionally well crafted, and you can click on the images above to view larger versions.