AMD Ryzen 5 5500U vs Intel Core i7-9750H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data presents a split decision that does not align neatly with generational expectations. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U wins 10 of the 17 shared benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-9750H takes 7. However, the margin and nature of those wins tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

Starting with the most dramatic disparity: the PassMark data encryption test. The Ryzen 5 5500U scores 10,405 against the i7-9750H's 3,756, a staggering 63.9% advantage. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison and indicates a fundamental architectural strength in the AMD part for cryptographic workloads. The gap is so wide that it alone shifts the average benchmark scores, with the Intel chip averaging 14,886 versus AMD's 14,589, a difference of only 2% despite the encryption outlier.

The Cinebench results are contradictory across versions. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 5 5500U wins decisively at 1,247 versus 904, a 27.5% margin. The single-core R15 test shows a similar 28.2% advantage for AMD at 177 versus 127. Yet in Cinebench R23, the tables turn completely: the i7-9750H posts 8,973 multi-core versus 7,186 for AMD, a 24.9% lead, and 1,266 single-core versus 1,172, an 8% edge. The R23 results suggest that the Intel part scales better under sustained, modern rendering loads, while the R15 results may reflect differences in how the test engages with the two architectures' boost behavior.

Geekbench favors Intel in both metrics, though less dramatically. The i7-9750H scores 5,323 multi-core against 4,965, a 7.2% lead, and 1,349 single-core against 1,292, a 4.4% edge. These are moderate margins that indicate the Intel chip has a slight advantage in general-purpose integer and floating-point workloads as measured by Geekbench.

The PassMark suite reveals AMD's broader strength in compute-heavy tasks. The Ryzen 5 5500U leads in integer math (45,258 versus 37,822, a 16.4% gap), floating-point math (26,029 versus 23,343, a 10.3% gap), and extended instructions (10,838 versus 9,187, a 15.2% gap). The multithread score also favors AMD at 12,831 versus 10,671, a 16.8% advantage. Data compression shows AMD ahead at 174,584 versus 150,443, a 13.8% margin.

Intel's wins in the PassMark suite are fewer but notable. The i7-9750H leads in find prime numbers by 23.1% (32 versus 26), in physics by 25.7% (670 versus 533), and in random string sorting by 4.3% (19,862 versus 19,035). Single-thread performance is nearly identical, with AMD edging ahead by just 0.6% (2,419 versus 2,404), a margin small enough to be considered a statistical tie.

The Verdict

The data does not support a single universal winner. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U is the clear choice for compute-heavy, parallel workloads. Its 63.9% encryption advantage, 16.8% multithread lead, and 16.4% integer math margin make it the superior processor for tasks involving cryptography, data compression, and general number crunching. The PassMark results across five separate compute tests consistently favor AMD, suggesting a well-rounded throughput advantage.

The Intel Core i7-9750H is the pick for modern rendering workloads and specific niche tasks. Its 24.9% Cinebench R23 multi-core lead and 8% single-core lead indicate that the latest Cinebench version, which better reflects contemporary rendering engines, favors the Intel architecture. The 25.7% physics advantage and 23.1% find-prime-numbers lead show strength in simulation and prime-number computation tasks. However, these wins are concentrated in fewer benchmark categories.

The overall average benchmark scores (14,886 for Intel versus 14,589 for AMD, a 2% gap) place both chips in the same performance tier. Both sit at the 69th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rivals include server-class parts like the AMD EPYC 74F3 (0.2% above Intel) and the AMD EPYC 7473X (0.1% above AMD). This parity suggests that the choice between them should be workload-driven rather than based on overall superiority.

For a user whose primary applications are encryption-heavy (VPN, disk encryption, secure communications) or involve heavy integer math, the Ryzen 5 5500U is the data-backed choice. For rendering in current Cinebench versions, physics simulation, or prime-number computations, the i7-9750H holds the advantage. The single-thread performance is effectively tied, so everyday responsiveness should not be a deciding factor.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750H averages 14,886 across all its benchmarks, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U averages 14,589. This gives Intel a 2% lead in average score, though both sit at the 69th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark margin between the two?

A: The PassMark data encryption test shows the biggest gap, with the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U scoring 10,405 versus the Intel Core i7-9750H's 3,756, a 63.9% advantage for AMD.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750H scores 8,973 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 24.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U's 7,186. Intel also leads single-core R23 at 1,266 versus 1,172, an 8% margin.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the two are nearly identical?

A: The PassMark single-thread test shows the closest result, with the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U scoring 2,419 and the Intel Core i7-9750H scoring 2,404, a difference of only 0.6%.

Q: Which chip wins in floating-point math?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U scores 26,029 in PassMark floating-point math, which is 10.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-9750H's 23,343.

Q: What do the benchmark results say about encryption performance?

A: The results strongly favor the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, which scores 10,405 in PassMark data encryption versus 3,756 for Intel, a 63.9% advantage. This is by far the largest performance gap between the two processors.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ substantially in their physical specifications despite sharing the same core and thread counts. Both have 6 cores and 12 threads, but the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U has a lower base clock of 2.10 GHz and boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-9750H operates at 2.60 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost. The Intel chip's higher clocks come at a thermal cost, with a TDP of 45 watts versus just 15 watts for the AMD part.

The socket and platform differ completely. Intel uses the BGA 1440 socket, while AMD uses Socket FP6. Memory bandwidth is another differentiator: the AMD chip supports 51.2 GB/s versus Intel's 42.7 GB/s, both on dual-channel DDR4. The integrated graphics also differ, with Intel shipping UHD 630 and AMD shipping Radeon Graphics 448SP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and neither supports ECC memory.

The production status and release dates reflect different lifecycles. The Intel Core i7-9750H was released on 2019-04-22 and is now end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U was released on 2021-01-11 and remains active. The part numbers are distinct (SRF6USRFCP for Intel, 100-000000375 for AMD), and the PCIe implementation differs slightly, with AMD specifying Gen 3 with 12 lanes (CPU only) versus Intel's Gen 3 without lane specification.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is significant and explains many of the benchmark results. The Intel Core i7-9750H is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically Coffee Lake-HR, using a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry. The die size is 149 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U uses the Zen 2 architecture under the Lucienne codename, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 156 mm² and 9,800 million transistors.

Cache configurations differ notably. Both use 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache differs: Intel has 256 KB per core, while AMD has 512 KB per core. The L3 cache is shared but sizes differ, with Intel providing 12 MB shared versus AMD's 8 MB shared. This larger L2 cache on the AMD part likely contributes to its strong performance in data encryption and compression workloads.

The generation labels reflect different product families. Intel identifies this as Core i7 (Coffee Lake-HR), while AMD identifies it as Ryzen 5 (Zen 2, Lucienne) in the 5000 series. The memory bus is dual-channel for both, and both support DDR4 memory. The process node difference (14 nm versus 7 nm) explains the TDP disparity, with the smaller node allowing AMD to achieve competitive performance at a third of the power draw.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U dominates in data-heavy and compute-throughput scenarios. Its 63.9% lead in data encryption makes it the clear choice for any workload involving cryptography, including VPN software, full-disk encryption, and secure file transfer. The 16.4% integer math advantage and 15.2% extended instructions lead indicate strength in general-purpose computation, scientific calculations, and multimedia encoding. The 16.8% multithread advantage and 13.8% data compression lead make it suitable for file archiving, database operations, and any task that can leverage parallel execution. The floating-point math win of 10.3% further cements its position for numerical analysis and simulation tasks that are not specifically optimized for modern render engines.

The Intel Core i7-9750H wins in modern rendering and specific simulation tasks. The 24.9% Cinebench R23 multi-core advantage and 8% single-core lead make it the better choice for 3D rendering in current software versions, where the R23 benchmark reflects contemporary engine demands. The 25.7% physics advantage suggests strength in physics simulation, which is relevant for scientific computing and certain game physics workloads. The 23.1% find-prime-numbers lead indicates an edge in prime-number computation, which can matter in number theory research and certain encryption key generation algorithms. The 4.3% random string sorting win and 7.2% Geekbench multi-core lead provide additional evidence for general productivity tasks that benefit from Intel's architecture.

The single-thread performance is effectively identical at 0.6% difference, meaning day-to-day application responsiveness should be similar across both chips. The choice ultimately depends on whether the user's primary workloads align with AMD's compute-heavy strengths or Intel's rendering and physics advantages. The near-identical average benchmark scores and 69th percentile ranking for both confirm that neither chip has a decisive overall edge.