Intel VPro Vs AMD Ryzen PRO: What Are The Key Differences And Which One

Picking the right laptop or desktop PC to handle your day-to-day workloads isn’t exactly an easy process. From choosing the right processor and display to figuring out the amount of RAM and storage you need, there are plenty of things to mull over. While you’re navigating through all these components, picking all the right parts for your laptop or PC, you’ll also come across the terms ‘Intel vPro’ and ‘Ryzen PRO’.

If you are wondering what Intel vPro or Ryzen PRO are and want to know if you really need them, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s look at a quick Intel vPro vs AMD Ryzen PRO comparison, detailing everything you need to know about these technologies.

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What are Intel vPro and AMD Ryzen PRO?

Technologies for enterprise PCs

At their core, both Intel vPro and AMD Ryzen PRO technologies are made for enterprise/business use. As a part of Intel’s vPro or AMD Ryzen PRO platform, you get some additional features with which you can expect things like improved security, stability, easy management features, top-notch performance, and more. So while the processors themselves are doing all the heavy lifting, it’s these extra features that make these platforms more enticing as enterprise solutions.

Source: Intel

Intel made a notable upgrade to its vPro technology earlier this year with the launch of its new AI-powered vPro CPUs that’ll be available as a part of its 14th-gen Intel Core desktop and Intel Core Ultra mobile processors. There are now four different categories of vPro processors that have carried forward with the unveiling of Intel’s 13th Gen Raptop Lake mobile processors, and the newer Intel Core Ultra mobile chips.

• Intel vPro Enterprise: Built for large-scale businesses and companies with a global workforce.
• Intel vPro Essentials: Tailored for small businesses that may not necessarily need the advanced scalability that comes with vPro Enterprise.
• Intel vPro Enterprise for Chrome: Built for Chromebooks that need extra security and performance for business work.
• Intel vPro, An Evo Design: A combination of nimble and powerful Evo-certified laptops with extra security and management features.

Intel vPro now goes beyond just the basic standards of a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) or network format support. You now get a set of management tools that cater to a specific set of users. For instance, an enterprise IT department can access a remote machine via vPro’s remote management tools whenever there’s a need. The remote assistance feature can also be used to diagnose problems, deploy software updates, and more.

AMD’s Ryzen PRO technology offers a similar set of features focused on business and enterprise use. AMD separates their PRO SKUs in a more distinct way, as you’ll see in the list of compatible processors below. But if you’re buying a laptop with the Ryzen PRO badge, it means you’re getting a laptop that focuses not only on security and management, but also strong performance.

Source: AMD

Security is a big factor to consider when it comes to enterprise machines, and we think both Intel and AMD handle it very well with their own platforms. Both vPro and Ryzen PRO chips offer great security features that go beyond what the operating system and hardware offer to protect your sensitive data.

For starters, both Intel and AMD have worked with Microsoft to offer Secured-Core PCs that keep you safe at all times from firmware and OS vulnerabilities. This is crucial, especially when a new version of the software is released. Notably, AMD has a three-layer security system that works in tandem with the OS and hardware to protect your data. AMD’s Ryzen 5000- and 6000-series chips add a Shadow Stack to the chip’s architecture to help prevent software attacks. These chips also have a memory guard to protect your PC’s memory. These security features also translate over to the newer processors in their respectively lineups, including the new Ryzen PRO 8000 CPUs.

Intel vPro chips also offer a good set of security features for their enterprise customers. There’s a Hardware Shield that’s exclusive to the Intel vPro platform. And just like in the AMD system, this feature operates below the OS level to enhance the overall security of your PC. Intel vPro chips also get a secure boot sequence thanks to virtualization-based security (VBS) reinforcement. Notably, we’re looking at a bunch of security features with the Hardware Shield including Intel Threat Detection Technology, Intel Total Memory Encryption, Intel Trusted Execution Technology, and more.

These features can be a little overwhelming for average PC users, but it becomes an easy pill to swallow since they’re deployed and managed by IT departments within an organization. As an end-user, all you need to know is that both AMD and Intel enterprise platforms have ample security features baked into them. It’s just a matter of picking the right SKU based on your use case.

Intel vPro and AMD Ryzen PRO lineups

Plenty of processors to choose from

Intel’s latest processor lineup (as well as older generations not listed here) has a wide variety of vPro SKUs to choose from. That’s great because you’re bound to find a vPro processor in each category, be it in the desktop space with its 14th gen processors, or in laptops with its Intel Core Ultra mobile chips. Here’s a quick look at all the vPro-compatible processors in the new Core Ultra mobile chip series.

On AMD’s side, you’ll find these Ryzen PRO processors in the newer Ryzen Pro 8040 mobile processor series. These CPUs range from 15W to 54W, which means you’ll find both entry-level and more power-efficient chips to high-performance chips for high-end workstations. Here’s a quick look at all the available AMD Ryzen PRO SKUs in the new Ryzen Pro 8040 series.

AMD Ryzen Pro 8040 mobile processors

Intel vPro or AMD Ryzen Pro: Which one should you buy?

The decision comes down to the processor you want

If you are a casual user who is shopping for a personal computer to handle your basic day-to-day workloads, then you don’t need to worry about either. We say that because both Intel vPro and AMD Ryzen Pro branded PCs aren’t intended for the average user. These computing platforms are best suited for business purposes. And in most cases, the laptops based on these platforms will be deployed to you through a business or an enterprise. This means that there’s a very good chance that you may not even get an option to choose between the two. But in case you do get to pick between an Intel vPro or an AMD Ryzen PRO-based machine, then we’d say the decision should come down to the processor you want to use. It’s the overall performance of the processor that matters the most at the end of the day.

Intel has the new Core Ultra processors for business whereas AMD has its new Ryzen 8040 mobile processors with PRO technologies for businesses. It’s safe to say that both platforms have some capable machines that can handle even the most demanding workloads with great power efficiency. If you are hung up on which platform to pick, then we suggest you check out the extra features included with the machine. Modern Intel vPro laptops, for instance, have support for Thunderbolt 4 while AMD laptops do not use Thunderbolt.

Intel vPro and AMD Ryzen PRO laptop availability

Are they readily available?

Some of the best laptops available today can come equipped with either an Intel vPro or AMD Ryzen PRO processor. The generation of processor might change depending on how much you want to pay or what your employer is looking to supply, but you’re still going to get the same core security and management features that make them perfect for business work. Laptop OEMs might also be a bit behind in getting the latest processors into their machines, as Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen 8040 mobile CPUs were only recently introduced.

In any case, you can distinguish between an Intel vPro/AMD Ryzen PRO laptop and a regular one by looking for a branding that’s physically displayed (with the CPU sticker). Alternatively, you can also look at the specs to find out more.

If you’re looking to buy a new laptop with one of these technologies, be sure to have a look at our best business laptop collection. Our favorite is currently the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 with 13th Gen Intel Core vPro CPUs. You can’t go wrong with something like the Dell Latitude 9440, either.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 builds on its predecessor with newer and more powerful 13th-gen Intel processors. It keeps the iconic ThinkPad design and features you know and love, too.

On AMD’s side, HP has a solid option in the form of the Elitebook 865 G10, which is powered by the Ryzen 7040 series APUs. It’s a highly customizable laptop and is also very to upgrade. You can even get it with either a Ryzen 7 7840U or a 7840HS.

HP Elitebook 865 G10

TheHP EliteBook 865 G10 is HP’s biggest business laptop. It features a 16-inch display, and it also has an AMD Ryen CPU.