AMD Ryzen 7 2700X vs Intel Core i9-11980HK Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11980HK and AMD Ryzen 7 2700X are both 8-core, 16-thread processors, but they represent vastly different eras and design philosophies. The data shows a decisive victory for the Intel mobile part in nearly every benchmark, though the AMD desktop chip holds a notable edge in a specific workload. Here is a breakdown of the benchmark results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i9-11980HK dominates the head-to-head comparison, winning 12 of the 13 recorded benchmarks. The most striking gap appears in single-threaded performance. In the Cinebench R15 single-core test, the Intel part scores 264 against the AMD's 175.7, a massive 50.3% advantage. This margin is echoed in the PassMark single-thread test, where Intel leads with 3261 over 2417, a 34.9% difference. These results clearly indicate that the newer Tiger Lake architecture has a substantial IPC advantage over the older Zen+ design.

Multi-threaded workloads also favor Intel, though by a smaller margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-11980HK scores 1876 compared to the 2700X's 1762, a 6.5% lead. The PassMark multithread test shows a larger gap, with Intel scoring 22436 versus AMD's 17468, a 28.4% difference. This suggests that while both processors have the same core and thread counts, the Intel chip is better at extracting performance from them.

The most dramatic wins for Intel come in specific computational tasks. The PassMark find prime numbers test shows Intel scoring 100 against AMD's 41, a staggering 143.9% difference. Similarly, the extended instructions test sees Intel with 17654 versus AMD's 10155, a 73.8% lead. Floating-point math also heavily favors Intel, with scores of 46262 and 32563 respectively, a 42.1% advantage. These results point to a significant difference in raw arithmetic and instruction-level efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X's single victory is in the PassMark data encryption test. Here, AMD scores 16929 against Intel's 13813, a 18.4% lead. This is a notable outlier, suggesting that the older Zen architecture has a specific strength in cryptographic workloads. In other areas, the margins are closer. The data compression test shows a near tie, with Intel at 266571 and AMD at 266134, a mere 0.2% difference. The random string sorting test also shows a small margin, with Intel leading by 3.7%.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i9-11980HK is the clear winner for the vast majority of use cases. Its commanding leads in single-threaded tests (50.3% in Cinebench R15) and integer math (23.9% lead) make it the superior choice for general productivity, office applications, and any software that relies on strong per-core performance. The 73.8% lead in extended instructions and 42.1% lead in floating-point math also make it the better option for content creation tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific simulations that use these instruction sets.

The Intel chip's 40.4% advantage in the PassMark physics test is particularly relevant for gaming and physics-based simulations. Its 28.4% lead in the multithread test also makes it the stronger choice for heavily threaded workloads like video encoding, though the margin is not as overwhelming as in other areas. The 143.9% lead in prime number finding is intriguing, indicating a strong advantage in algorithmic tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X's only clear use-case win is in data encryption. The 18.4% lead in this specific benchmark suggests it may be a better fit for workloads involving heavy cryptography, such as secure file storage or VPN servers. However, this is a narrow advantage. In the closely contested data compression test, the AMD chip is essentially on par with Intel, making it a viable option for file archiving tasks, though the 0.2% difference is negligible in real-world usage.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The Intel Core i9-11980HK is built on the 10 nm Tiger Lake-H architecture, with a die size of 190 mm². The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X uses the 12 nm Zen+ architecture, manufactured by GlobalFoundries, with a larger die size of 213 mm² and 4,800 million transistors. The Intel part is a mobile chip (Intel BGA 1787 socket), while the AMD is a desktop part (AMD Socket AM4).

Cache configurations differ significantly. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, with a large 24 MB shared L3 cache. AMD provides 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger L3 cache on the Intel chip likely contributes to its strong performance in many tests.

Clock speeds also show different design priorities. The Intel chip has a lower base clock of 2.60 GHz but boosts up to 5.00 GHz. The AMD chip has a higher base clock of 3.70 GHz but boosts to only 4.35 GHz. This highlights Intel's ability to reach much higher peak frequencies. The Intel chip also consumes less power, with a 45W TDP compared to AMD's 105W TDP.

Other differences include memory bandwidth, with Intel supporting 51.2 GB/s versus AMD's 46.9 GB/s. Intel also has a newer PCIe interface with Gen 4 support across 20 lanes, while AMD uses Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The Intel chip includes integrated UHD Graphics 750, while the AMD chip has no integrated graphics. Both support DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and both have unlocked multipliers. The Intel part was released in May 2021 with a launch MSRP of $583, and is now end-of-life. The AMD part was released in April 2018 with a launch MSRP of $329, and is still active.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK is significantly faster in single-core tasks. It leads by 50.3% in the Cinebench R15 single-core test and by 34.9% in the PassMark single-thread test.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X better at anything?

A: Yes, the data shows the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X wins the PassMark data encryption test, scoring 16929 against Intel's 13813, an 18.4% advantage.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: Both processors have 8 cores and 16 threads, making them equal in this regard.

Q: What is the difference in cache size?

A: The Intel chip has a 24 MB shared L3 cache, while the AMD chip has a 16 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel chip also has larger L2 cache per core (1.25 MB vs 512 KB).

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK has a higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X's boost clock of 4.35 GHz.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i9-11980HK and the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X have their multipliers unlocked.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i9-11980HK is the superior processor. It wins 12 of 13 head-to-head tests, with decisive leads in single-thread performance (50.3%), extended instructions (73.8%), and physics (40.4%). Its overall average benchmark score of 30422 is slightly higher than the AMD's 30213, and both sit in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. The Intel chip's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS, score similarly at 30390, confirming it is a competitive performer.

For users seeking the best performance in general computing, content creation, or gaming, the Intel Core i9-11980HK is the clear choice. Its high boost clock, larger cache, and efficient 10 nm architecture deliver a comprehensive performance advantage. The only scenario where the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X makes sense is for a specific workload centered on data encryption, where its 18.4% lead is a unique selling point. However, for any other task, the data shows the Intel chip is the more capable processor, despite being a mobile part with a lower TDP. The AMD chip's higher base clock and larger die do not compensate for its architectural age.