AMD Ryzen 5 8540U vs Intel Core i9-11900K Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11900K and AMD Ryzen 5 8540U occupy different ends of the processor spectrum: the former is a desktop part with a 125 W TDP, the latter a mobile part with a 28 W TDP. In the database's head-to-head tests, the Intel chip wins 12 of 15 comparisons, while the AMD chip takes 3. Their average benchmark scores are 26639 and 26187 respectively, placing them at the 79th and 78th percentiles of all CPUs.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-11900K dominates in multi-threaded workloads. It leads by 117.7% in Cinebench R23 multi-core (21168 vs 9721.5), by 37% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (2133 vs 1557.5), and by 36.6% in Passmark multithread (25038 vs 18332). It also wins in data compression (330836 vs 208619, a 58.6% margin), data encryption (16000 vs 12245, 30.7%), extended instructions (23406 vs 14900, 57.1%), floating point math (52841 vs 34958, 51.2%), integer math (89279 vs 57755, 54.6%), physics (1052 vs 1028, 2.3%), and random string sorting (37942 vs 24375, 55.7%). In single-core Cinebench tests, the Intel part is also ahead: 300 vs 253 in R15 (18.6%) and 2988 vs 1714.5 in R23 (74.3%).

The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U wins two distinct Passmark tests. It scores 3639 in Passmark single-thread versus 3511 for the Intel chip, a 3.5% advantage. It also edges out the Intel part in find prime numbers, 69 vs 68, a 1.4% margin. These are the only head-to-head wins for the AMD chip, and they are narrow. The single-thread win is specific to the Passmark methodology; in Cinebench single-core, the Intel part is far ahead.

The Verdict

For users building a desktop system and prioritizing raw compute performance, the Intel Core i9-11900K is the clear choice based on benchmark results. It wins 12 of 15 head-to-head tests, has a higher average score (26639 vs 26187), and holds a higher percentile rank (79th vs 78th). The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U, while losing most comparisons, offers a much lower power envelope (28 W vs 125 W) and is an active product, whereas the Intel part is end-of-life. For a mobile platform, the AMD chip is the only option in this pairing, but the data shows it trails in most compute-heavy tasks. The Intel part also has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD chip does not, which may matter to overclocking enthusiasts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core i9-11900K comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 21168 against the AMD chip's 9721.5, a delta of 117.7%. This reflects the Intel part's higher core count (8 vs 6) and thread count (16 vs 12). In Passmark data compression, the Intel chip scores 330836 versus 208619, a 58.6% lead. Integer math shows a 54.6% advantage (89279 vs 57755), and random string sorting is 55.7% higher (37942 vs 24375). Extended instructions are 57.1% ahead (23406 vs 14900), and floating point math is 51.2% ahead (52841 vs 34958). Cinebench R23 single-core gives the Intel part a 74.3% margin (2988 vs 1714.5), and Cinebench R15 single-core is 18.6% higher (300 vs 253). Passmark multithread is 36.6% higher (25038 vs 18332), and data encryption is 30.7% higher (16000 vs 12245). Physics is a close 2.3% win (1052 vs 1028).

The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U's wins are modest. In Passmark single-thread, it scores 3639 versus 3511, a 3.5% advantage. In find prime numbers, it scores 69 versus 68, a 1.4% edge. These are the only two tests where the AMD chip comes out ahead, and both are within a few percentage points.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8540U has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor supports faster memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U supports DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while the Intel Core i9-11900K supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K boosts to 5.30 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8540U boosts to 4.90 GHz.

Q: Which processor wins in single-thread performance?

A: It depends on the benchmark. The Intel part wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 74.3% (2988 vs 1714.5) and Cinebench R15 single-core by 18.6% (300 vs 253). The AMD part wins Passmark single-thread by 3.5% (3639 vs 3511).

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: Both have 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor is unlocked for overclocking?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8540U does not.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i9-11900K is built on Rocket Lake architecture using Intel's 14 nm process, with a die size of 276 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U uses Zen 4 architecture (Hawk Point) on TSMC's 4 nm process, with a die size of 137 mm². The Intel chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads. L1 cache is 80 KB per core on the Intel part and 64 KB per core on the AMD part. L2 cache is 512 KB per core on Intel and 1 MB per core on AMD. Both share 16 MB of L3 cache. The Intel part supports DDR4 memory, while the AMD part supports DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for Intel and 89.6 GB/s for AMD. PCIe connectivity differs: the Intel chip provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD chip provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 750 on Intel and Radeon 740M on AMD. The Intel part is a desktop processor with a 125 W TDP, while the AMD part is a mobile processor with a 28 W TDP. The Intel part is end-of-life, while the AMD part is active. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier; the AMD part does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The Intel Core i9-11900K has 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 3.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 5 8540U has 6 cores and 12 threads, a base clock of 3.20 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. TDP is 125 W for Intel and 28 W for AMD. Sockets are Intel Socket 1200 and AMD Socket FP7. Architecture is Rocket Lake for Intel and Zen 4 (Hawk Point) for AMD. Process node is 14 nm for Intel and 4 nm for AMD. Foundry is Intel for the former and TSMC for the latter. Die size is 276 mm² for Intel and 137 mm² for AMD. The AMD chip has 20,900 million transistors; the Intel chip's transistor count is not recorded. L1 cache is 80 KB per core on Intel and 64 KB per core on AMD. L2 cache is 512 KB per core on Intel and 1 MB per core on AMD. Memory support is DDR4 for Intel and DDR5 for AMD. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for Intel and 89.6 GB/s for AMD. PCIe lanes are 20 (Gen 4) for Intel and 14 (Gen 4) for AMD. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 750 for Intel and Radeon 740M for AMD. Market segment is Desktop for Intel and Mobile for AMD. Production status is End-of-life for Intel and Active for AMD. Release dates are 2021-03-15 for Intel and 2023-12-05 for AMD. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier; the AMD part does not. Part numbers are SRKND for Intel and 100-000001326(FP7r2)100-000001333(FP7) for AMD. The Intel Core i9-11900K had a launch MSRP of $539.