AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U: A Mobile Processor for Balancing Performance and Battery Life
(Relevant as of April 2025)
Introduction
The AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor, released in 2020, remains a relevant choice for budget and mid-range laptops. Despite the introduction of newer Ryzen generations (like the 8000 series), this chip retains its popularity thanks to its successful combination of 8-core architecture, energy efficiency, and affordable pricing. In 2025, laptops based on the 4700U can be found in the $500–700 range, making them appealing to students, office workers, and users who value mobility. Let's explore what sets this processor apart and who it is suitable for.
Architecture and Process Technology: Zen 2 and 7nm Technology
Cores, Threads, and Clock Speeds
The Ryzen 7 4700U is built on the Zen 2 microarchitecture and manufactured using TSMC's 7nm process technology. Its key specifications include:
- 8 cores and 8 threads (simultaneous multithreading SMT is disabled).
- Base clock: 2.0 GHz, maximum turbo mode clock — 4.1 GHz.
- Cache: 8 MB L3 and 4 MB L2.
The absence of SMT (Hyper-Threading in Intel processors) limits multithreaded performance, but it is sufficient for everyday tasks.
Integrated Radeon Graphics
The iGPU — Radeon Graphics with 7 compute units (448 streams) and a clock speed of up to 1600 MHz. This solution is weaker than modern Radeon 780M or Intel Iris Xe, but outperforms basic Intel UHD graphics:
- Support for DirectX 12, Vulkan.
- Capability to run games at 720p–1080p on low settings (e.g., CS:GO – 50–60 FPS, Fortnite – 30–40 FPS).
Power Consumption and TDP: 15W for Thin Laptops
With a TDP of 15W, the processor can be installed in ultrabooks and compact devices. Thanks to the 7nm process technology, the chip efficiently manages load:
- In idle mode, consumption drops to 3–5W.
- Under maximum load (rendering, gaming) — up to 25W (temporarily exceeding TDP).
Systems based on the 4700U rarely overheat, but in thin chassis (like the Lenovo IdeaPad 5), throttling and fan noise can occur under load.
Performance: Real-World Usage Scenarios
Office Tasks and Multimedia
- Running 20+ tabs in Chrome + office applications: the processor handles them without lag.
- 4K video in VLC or YouTube: playback is smooth (thanks to the VP9 decoder and hardware acceleration).
- Photo editors (Lightroom, Photoshop): processing RAW files takes 15–20% longer than on the Ryzen 5 5600U.
Gaming
The integrated graphics are a weak point for modern projects in 2025, but are sufficient for indie games and emulators:
- Minecraft (1080p, medium settings): 60–70 FPS.
- Genshin Impact (720p, low): 35–40 FPS.
- PS2 emulation (PCSX2): stable 60 FPS.
Turbo Boost Mode
Under load on 1–2 cores, the frequency increases to 4.1 GHz, speeding up single-threaded tasks (e.g., code compilation). However, in multithreaded scenarios (video conversion), the frequency drops to 2.8–3.2 GHz due to TDP limitations.
Usage Scenarios: Who is Suitable for the Ryzen 7 4700U?
1. Students and Office Workers — for working with documents, Zoom conferences, and light media consumption.
2. Users Who Value Battery Life — laptops with this processor are often equipped with 50–60 Wh batteries (8–10 hours of operation).
3. Budget Gamers — for less demanding games or streaming via cloud services (GeForce NOW).
Not recommended for:
- Professional 4K video editing.
- Heavy 3D gaming.
Battery Life: How Does the Processor Save Charge?
- Precision Boost 2 Technology — dynamic frequency and voltage regulation.
- C6/C7 States — disabling unused cores.
- Hybrid Operating Modes — in some laptops (e.g., HP Envy x360), users can switch between "Performance" and "Power Saving" through proprietary software.
In tests:
- Web browsing (brightness 150 nits): 7–9 hours.
- Video playback (local 1080p): 10–12 hours.
Comparison with Competitors
AMD Ryzen 5 5600U (2021)
- Pros of the 5600U: Zen 3 architecture (+18% IPC), SMT support (12 threads), more powerful Vega 7 graphics.
- Cons: 20–30% more expensive in 2025.
Intel Core i7-1165G7 (2020)
- Better in single-threaded tasks (Geekbench 6 Single-Core: ~1500).
- Weaker in multithreading (Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: ~4200).
- Iris Xe graphics are about 15–20% faster, but less stable drivers.
Apple M1 (2020)
- M1 outperforms 4700U in energy efficiency and Single-Core speed, but falls short in multithreaded scenarios (8 vs. 4 cores).
- Price of laptops with M1 starts at $800, which is about 30% more expensive.
Advantages and Disadvantages of AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
Strengths:
- High multithreaded performance for its price.
- Energy efficiency and low heat generation.
- Support for modern interfaces (USB-C, PCIe 3.0).
Weaknesses:
- No support for PCIe 4.0 and DDR5.
- Integrated GPU is weaker than those in Ryzen 6000/7000 series.
- Outdated Zen 2 architecture.
Laptop Selection Recommendations
1. Type of Device: Ultrabooks (Acer Swift 3) or 2-in-1 hybrids (Lenovo Yoga 7).
2. RAM Size: At least 16GB (optimal for multitasking).
3. Storage: 512GB SSD (NVMe).
4. Display: IPS panel with 300 nits brightness and >90% sRGB coverage (important for color work).
Examples of models in 2025:
- Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro ($650): 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD, 14" 2.2K screen.
- HP Pavilion Aero 13 ($600): weight 1 kg, 16GB RAM, Wi-Fi 6.
Final Conclusion
The AMD Ryzen 7 4700U in 2025 is a choice for those seeking an affordable laptop with sufficient performance for study, work, and light entertainment. Its key advantages include:
- Affordable price ($500–700).
- 8 cores for multitasking.
- Record battery life.
It falls short compared to newer processors in gaming and professional tasks but remains one of the best options in the budget segment. If you don’t need maximum FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 or rendering 8K video — the Ryzen 7 4700U is still relevant.