AMD Ryzen 5 7540U vs Intel Core i9-11900F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks. The data shows Intel Core i9-11900F, Rocket Lake-S desktop part, outscores AMD Ryzen 5 7540U in 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, a decisive overall win count. Some margins are massive. Cinebench R23 multicore: Intel scores 18759 versus AMD's 10383, a 80.7% advantage. That is the largest delta in the entire comparison. Single-core R23 also favors Intel: 2648 versus 1699, a 55.9% lead. The gap in R15 is narrower but still Intel: 1890 to 1676, just 12.8% apart.

The data shows a consistent pattern in compute-heavy workloads. Geekbench multicore: Intel at 9417, AMD at 7956, Intel ahead 18.4%. Geekbench single-core: Intel 2220, AMD 2083, Intel ahead 6.6%. PassMark integer math: Intel 83718, AMD 60152, Intel ahead 39.2%. Floating point math: Intel 48562, AMD 36077, Intel ahead 34.6%. Extended instructions: Intel 19443, AMD 15307, Intel ahead 27%. Data compression: Intel 280847, AMD 211581, Intel ahead 32.7%. Random string sorting: Intel 32520, AMD 24760, Intel ahead 31.3%. PassMark multithread: Intel 22115, AMD 18576, Intel ahead 19.1%. Data encryption: Intel 13636, AMD 12563, Intel ahead 8.5%. These are not marginal wins; they are substantial leads across arithmetic, cryptography, and sorting workloads.

AMD wins four tests, but with much smaller margins. PassMark single-thread: AMD 3544, Intel 3413, AMD ahead 3.7%. PassMark physics: AMD 964, Intel 949, AMD ahead 1.6%. PassMark find prime numbers: AMD 66, Intel 61, AMD ahead 7.6%. The other two AMD wins are narrow in percentage terms. Intel's wins include several above 30%, and the R23 multicore blowout at 80.7%. The only AMD win above 5% is prime numbers at 7.6%. In every other AMD victory, the margin is under 4%. Intel's average benchmark score is 23254, AMD's is 24188. That is surprising: AMD has the higher average score despite losing 13 of 17 head-to-head tests. This is because AMD's nearest rivals list includes higher-scoring parts, and the average includes tests not in the head-to-head set. Intel's percentile rank is 76, AMD's is also 76. Both CPUs sit at the same percentile against all CPUs in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The use-case split follows the benchmark pattern. Intel wins decisively in multi-threaded rendering and encoding workloads. Cinebench R23 multicore is the clearest indicator: the 80.7% lead over AMD means content creation tasks that scale across cores will heavily favor Intel. Video editing, 3D rendering, and software compilation are likely Intel-dominated based on the integer and floating point math scores. The 39.2% integer math advantage and 34.6% floating point advantage reinforce this. Data compression and sorting, common in database operations and file archiving, also favor Intel by roughly 30% or more. Extended instructions, which matter for cryptography and scientific computing, are 27% better on Intel.

AMD wins in narrow, specific scenarios. The 3.7% single-thread lead in PassMark suggests tasks that rely on one lightly threaded core, such as some legacy applications or quick response operations, may slightly favor AMD. The 7.6% prime number finding advantage indicates AMD's Zen 4 architecture handles certain integer recursion or primality tests better. Physics calculations, often used in lightweight simulation, see a marginal 1.6% AMD edge. However, these wins are small. The database shows no AMD win above 8%. For any workload that uses more than a couple of threads, Intel's lead becomes dominant. The R23 multicore score is nearly double AMD's, which is a clear statement: heavily threaded productivity is Intel's territory.

The average benchmark scores complicate the picture. AMD's average of 24188 exceeds Intel's 23254 by 4.0%. This suggests AMD is more consistent across a broader set of tests, even though Intel wins the head-to-head matchups. The percentile rank being identical (76th) confirms both are mid-to-high tier parts, but the average score difference implies AMD's weaker tests are less weak than Intel's weaker tests. In other words, Intel has higher peaks and lower valleys, while AMD is more balanced. For a user who needs maximum burst performance in threaded workloads, Intel is the choice. For a user who wants predictable performance across a wide variety of tasks, AMD's profile is smoother.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear choice for multi-threaded desktop work: the Intel Core i9-11900F. With 8 cores and 16 threads versus AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads, Intel has a structural advantage in core count. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 18759 versus 10383 is not close. Any benchmark that stresses all cores will favor Intel, often by 20% to 80%. The 16 MB shared L3 cache on both parts is identical, so cache size is not a differentiator. Intel's 5.20 GHz boost clock versus AMD's 4.90 GHz boost clock explains part of the single-thread edge in Cinebench R23 (55.9%) and Geekbench (6.6%), though AMD's PassMark single-thread win at 3.7% shows it is not universal.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7540U is a mobile part, and the data shows it is not a desktop replacement. Its wins are marginal: 3.7% in PassMark single-thread, 1.6% in physics, 7.6% in prime numbers. For anyone building a desktop system, the Intel part is the performance leader in almost every measurable way. The Intel part is end-of-life, while AMD is active, but that does not change the benchmark results. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $422, which the database records, but no pricing analysis is needed to see the performance gap. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP. The verdict is straightforward: choose Intel for raw throughput, choose AMD only if you need a mobile chip with a lower TDP (28 W versus 65 W) and integrated graphics (Radeon 740M, which Intel lacks). The data shows Intel wins 13 of 17 tests, and the margin of victory is typically large. AMD's average score is higher, but that metric includes tests outside the head-to-head set and does not reflect the direct comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900F scores 18759, which is 80.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7540U's 10383.

Q: Does AMD win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: No. AMD's largest win is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 66 versus Intel's 61, a 7.6% advantage. All other AMD wins are under 4%.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in single-thread performance?

A: It depends on the test. Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core (2648 vs 1699, 55.9%) and Geekbench single-core (2220 vs 2083, 6.6%). AMD wins PassMark single-thread (3544 vs 3413, 3.7%).

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900F has 8 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 7540U has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7540U has an average benchmark score of 24188, while the Intel Core i9-11900F has 23254. This is a 4.0% difference in AMD's favor, despite Intel winning most head-to-head tests.

Q: Are both CPUs in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are in the 76th percentile against all CPUs in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs represent different design philosophies. Intel's Rocket Lake architecture is built on a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry, with a die size of 276 mm². AMD's Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Phoenix, is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors. The process node difference is stark: 14 nm versus 4 nm. This explains the power envelope difference: Intel has a 65 W TDP, AMD has a 28 W TDP. The Intel part is a desktop chip on Socket 1200, while AMD is a mobile chip on Socket FP7. Intel's base clock is 2.50 GHz with a boost of 5.20 GHz. AMD's base clock is 3.20 GHz with a boost of 4.90 GHz. Despite the higher base clock on AMD, Intel reaches a higher boost clock.

Cache layouts differ in per-core allocation. Intel has 80 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core. AMD has 64 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core. Both have 16 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a point of parity. The integrated graphics situation is one-sided: AMD includes Radeon 740M graphics, while Intel has no integrated graphics. Memory support diverges: Intel uses DDR4 with dual-channel and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while AMD uses DDR5 with dual-channel and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. AMD also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not. PCIe is identical: Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Both have locked multipliers. The production status differs: Intel is end-of-life, AMD is active. Release dates are far apart: Intel on 2021-03-15, AMD on 2023-05-02.

Specification Differences

The core count is the first difference: Intel has 8 cores and 16 threads, AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads. The base clock favors AMD at 3.20 GHz versus Intel's 2.50 GHz. The boost clock favors Intel at 5.20 GHz versus AMD's 4.90 GHz. TDP is a major gap: Intel draws 65 W, AMD draws 28 W. Socket types are incompatible: Intel Socket 1200 versus AMD Socket FP7. Process node: Intel 14 nm, AMD 4 nm. Die size: Intel 276 mm², AMD 178 mm². Transistor count: AMD has 25,000 million, Intel has no recorded count. L1 cache: Intel 80 KB per core, AMD 64 KB per core. L2 cache: Intel 512 KB per core, AMD 1 MB per core. L3 cache is the same at 16 MB shared. Memory support: Intel DDR4, AMD DDR5. Memory bandwidth: Intel 51.2 GB/s, AMD 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory: AMD supports it, Intel does not. Integrated graphics: AMD has Radeon 740M, Intel has none. Market segment: Intel Desktop, AMD Mobile. Production status: Intel End-of-life, AMD Active. Release date: Intel 2021-03-15, AMD 2023-05-02. Launch MSRP: Intel $422, AMD none recorded. Part numbers: Intel SRKNK, AMD 100-000000957(FP7r2)100-000000966(FP7).