AMD Ryzen 5 7545U vs Intel Core i9-11900K Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U and Intel Core i9-11900K occupy opposite corners of the processor market, yet their average benchmark scores place them within 1% of each other (26,849 vs 26,639). This is a matchup between a modern 4nm mobile chip and a 14nm desktop flagship, where the data reveals a fascinating split: the Intel part dominates raw throughput, while the AMD part counters with surprising single-thread efficiency and lower power demands.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-11900K is the clear victor in heavily multi-threaded workloads. Out of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, it wins 13, including every Cinebench test and most PassMark suites. The largest margins appear in integer math, where it leads by 32.6%, and floating-point math, where it is 30.4% ahead. This is the processor for sustained, parallel number-crunching — rendering, compiling, or any task that scales across its 8 cores and 16 threads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U wins only 4 benchmarks, but those wins are strategically placed. It takes the PassMark single-thread test by 4.6% (3,673 vs 3,511), and it edges out the Intel part in PassMark physics by a razor-thin 0.5% (1,057 vs 1,052). It also ties in the find prime numbers test at 68 points, with the tie awarded to AMD. This suggests that for lightly-threaded, latency-sensitive applications, the Zen 4 architecture can outperform the older Rocket Lake design despite having fewer cores and a lower boost clock.

The use-case split is stark: pick the i9-11900K for content creation and heavy compute, but consider the 7545U for single-threaded responsiveness and mobile scenarios where its 28W TDP versus 125W TDP makes a substantial difference in thermals and battery life.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Ryzen 5 7545U uses AMD's Zen 4 architecture on a 4nm TSMC process, packing 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die. The Core i9-11900K uses Intel's older Rocket Lake architecture on a 14nm process, with a larger 276 mm² die and no transistor count listed in the data.

Cache configurations also diverge. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, while the Intel chip has 80 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core. Both share 16 MB of L3, but the smaller L2 on the Intel part may partially explain its lower single-thread PassMark score. The AMD part supports DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part uses DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s — a 75% advantage for AMD in theoretical memory bandwidth.

Other key differences: the 7545U is a mobile chip on AMD Socket FP7 with Radeon 740M integrated graphics, while the 11900K is a desktop chip on Intel Socket 1200 with UHD Graphics 750. The AMD part supports ECC memory, the Intel part does not. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, the AMD chip is locked. The AMD part is still in active production, while the Intel part is end-of-life and was released in March 2021, roughly 2.5 years before the AMD chip's November 2023 release.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a consistent 18.5% deficit for the AMD part across every version. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 2,133 versus 1,739 for AMD; in R20 multi-core, it's 8,890 versus 7,246; in R23 multi-core, 21,168 versus 17,253. Single-core results mirror this: R15 shows 300 versus 245, R20 shows 1,254 versus 1,022, and R23 shows 2,988 versus 2,435. Every single one of these is an 18.5% gap, indicating that the Intel part's advantage scales uniformly regardless of the workload.

PassMark results tell a more varied story. The biggest Intel wins come in integer math (89,279 vs 60,206, a 32.6% delta) and floating-point math (52,841 vs 36,754, a 30.4% delta). Data compression shows a 28% gap (330,836 vs 238,345), and extended instructions show a 23.7% gap (23,406 vs 17,865). Random string sorting is 20% faster on Intel (37,942 vs 30,358), and multi-thread is 18.9% behind on AMD (25,038 vs 20,298). Data encryption is closer, with Intel ahead by only 11.2% (16,000 vs 14,202).

The AMD wins are smaller but notable. Single-thread PassMark shows 3,673 versus 3,511, a 4.6% lead. Physics shows 1,057 versus 1,052, a 0.5% lead. The tie in find prime numbers at 68 points is a statistical dead heat, suggesting that this particular workload is balanced between the two architectures.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is core count: 6 cores and 12 threads for AMD versus 8 cores and 16 threads for Intel. Clock speeds favor Intel, with a 3.50 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost compared to AMD's 3.20 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost. TDP is drastically different — 28W for the mobile AMD part versus 125W for the desktop Intel part.

Process node and foundry differ: TSMC 4nm for AMD versus Intel 14nm. Memory support is DDR5 for AMD and DDR4 for Intel, with bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s. PCIe lanes also differ: 14 lanes for AMD versus 20 lanes for Intel, both Gen 4. The AMD part has a 137 mm² die size versus 276 mm² for Intel. L1 cache is 64 KB per core on AMD versus 80 KB per core on Intel, while L2 is 1 MB per core on AMD versus 512 KB per core on Intel. ECC support exists only on AMD. The AMD part is a mobile chip, the Intel part is desktop. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, AMD does not. The AMD part number is 100-000000930(FP7r2)100-000000929(FP7), while Intel's is SRKND. The Intel chip's launch MSRP was $539.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 3,673 versus 3,511 for the Intel Core i9-11900K, a 4.6% advantage. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel chip leads with 2,988 versus 2,435, an 18.5% gap.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K wins every multi-core benchmark. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 21,168 versus 17,253 for the AMD chip, an 18.5% lead. PassMark multi-thread shows 25,038 versus 20,298, an 18.9% lead.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel Core i9-11900K uses DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. This gives the AMD chip a 75% theoretical bandwidth advantage.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U has a TDP of 28W, compared to 125W for the Intel Core i9-11900K. This is a 97W difference, making the AMD chip significantly more suitable for mobile devices.

Q: Are there workloads where the AMD chip wins?

A: Yes. The AMD chip wins PassMark single-thread by 4.6%, PassMark physics by 0.5%, and ties in find prime numbers. It also has higher memory bandwidth and ECC support, which the Intel chip lacks.

Q: Is the Intel chip still in production?

A: No. The Intel Core i9-11900K is listed as end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7545U is listed as active production. The Intel chip was released in March 2021, while the AMD chip came out in November 2023.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload and platform. The Intel Core i9-11900K is the stronger raw performer, winning 13 of 17 benchmarks with consistent 18.5% leads in Cinebench and up to 32.6% leads in integer math. It is the better choice for multi-threaded desktop workloads where power draw is not a concern, especially given its unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Its end-of-life status, however, means it is a legacy platform with no future upgrade path.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U, despite losing most benchmarks, offers compelling advantages. Its 4.6% single-thread PassMark win, 75% higher memory bandwidth, ECC support, and dramatically lower TDP make it the sensible pick for mobile systems. The 28W TDP versus 125W means it can operate in thin-and-light laptops where the Intel desktop chip would be physically impossible to cool. The active production status and newer architecture also suggest better long-term support.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical (26,849 vs 26,639, a 0.8% difference), but the distribution of wins matters more than the average. For a desktop user maximizing throughput, the Intel part is superior. For a mobile user prioritizing efficiency and single-thread responsiveness, the AMD part is the only viable option. The data does not support a universal winner — it supports two different processors for two different jobs.