AMD Ryzen 7 4800U vs Intel Core i7-9700E Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U and Intel Core i7-9700E present a fascinating contrast in benchmark outcomes, with each processor claiming three decisive victories across the six head-to-head tests. The data reveals a clear split: AMD’s mobile chip dominates in Cinebench R15 and Geekbench multi-core, while Intel’s desktop part takes control in Cinebench R23 and single-core workloads. The largest margin belongs to the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U, which posts a 1411 score in Cinebench R15 multi-core against Intel’s 1069, a substantial 32% advantage. Similarly, in Geekbench multi-core, the AMD part scores 6669 versus 5661, a 17.8% lead. Intel’s biggest win comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i7-9700E reaches 10613 versus 8376, a 21.1% gap in its favor. Single-core results are tighter but consistent: Intel leads in Cinebench R23 single-core with 1498 against 1235 (17.6% ahead) and in Geekbench single-core with 1497 versus 1436 (4.1% ahead), while AMD wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 183 versus 150 (22% ahead).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark suite shows that the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U excels in older rendering workloads and multi-threaded integer performance. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 4800U’s 1411 score is 32% higher than the i7-9700E’s 1069, a commanding margin that reflects the AMD part’s ability to leverage its 16 threads effectively in this legacy test. The Geekbench multi-core result reinforces this pattern: the 4800U scores 6669, which is 17.8% above Intel’s 5661. This suggests that in applications built around Geekbench’s mixed workload, the AMD chip’s simultaneous multithreading provides a tangible throughput advantage. The single-core Cinebench R15 result also favors AMD, with 183 versus 150, a 22% delta that is surprisingly large for a single-threaded test, indicating that the Zen 2 architecture’s IPC at lower clock speeds still outperforms the older Coffee Lake design in this specific benchmark version.

Intel’s counterattack appears in the more modern Cinebench R23 suite and in newer single-core tests. The i7-9700E’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10613 exceeds the 4800U’s 8376 by 21.1%, a reversal of the R15 result. This divergence likely stems from the R23 workload’s higher instruction-level parallelism and power scaling behavior, where the Intel part’s higher base clock of 2.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz allow sustained performance. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel leads with 1498 versus 1235, a 17.6% advantage, and in Geekbench single-core, the margin narrows to 4.1% (1497 versus 1436). The single-core trend is consistent: the i7-9700E’s maximum boost frequency of 4.40 GHz, paired with a 12 MB shared L3 cache, gives it an edge in latency-sensitive single-threaded tasks, though the Geekbench single-core delta is modest enough to suggest diminishing returns from the higher clock.

The overall average benchmark scores place both parts within a hair of each other: the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U averages 3218, while the Intel Core i7-9700E averages 3197. This 0.7% difference is statistically negligible, and both processors sit at the 53rd percentile among all CPUs. The nearest-rival data confirms their equivalence: the 4800U’s closest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE with a 0% delta, followed by the Intel Atom P5342 and Intel Core i5-1240P with deltas of 0% and 0.5% respectively. The i7-9700E’s rivals include the Intel Core i3-13100T (0% delta), Intel Xeon E-2136 (0.1%), and Intel Core i5-1240P (-0.2%). These numbers indicate that neither chip has a clear overall performance tier advantage; instead, their strengths are workload-dependent.

The Verdict

From a strict performance standpoint, the choice between these two processors hinges on the workload profile. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U is the better option for multi-threaded legacy applications and Geekbench-style mixed workloads, where its 16 threads deliver 17.8% to 32% improvements over the Intel part. Users running Cinebench R15-based render pipelines or general productivity suites that score well in Geekbench will see measurable gains with the AMD chip. Conversely, the Intel Core i7-9700E is superior for modern rendering tasks captured by Cinebench R23, where it leads by 21.1% in multi-core and 17.6% in single-core, and for single-threaded responsiveness overall. The Intel part’s higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus 4.20 GHz, combined with a larger 12 MB L3 cache, gives it an advantage in lightly threaded applications and real-time workloads.

The data also suggests a market-segment consideration, though pricing is not part of this analysis. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U is a mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, designed for laptops, while the Intel Core i7-9700E is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP and an end-of-life production status. For a laptop buyer, the 4800U offers competitive multi-core performance in a power-constrained envelope. For a desktop builder with access to a Socket 1151 board, the i7-9700E provides better single-core and modern multi-core rendering scores, but its 65 W TDP implies a need for more substantial cooling. Neither chip is a clear winner; the data points to a tie in overall average score, with the 4800U winning three tests and the i7-9700E winning three tests. The verdict is workload-dependent, and users should select based on the specific benchmarks that reflect their target applications.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies from different eras. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die, which is a high-density design that enables the 15 W TDP. The Intel Core i7-9700E uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically Coffee Lake Refresh, on Intel’s 14 nm process. Its die size is 180.3 mm², but the transistor count is not listed in the data. The process node difference is stark: 7 nm versus 14 nm, which explains how AMD packs 16 threads into a lower power envelope while Intel uses a larger, less dense die for its 8-thread desktop part.

Cache hierarchies also differ significantly. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache differs: the AMD part has 512 KB per core, while the Intel part has 256 KB per core. The L3 cache is also split differently: the 4800U has 8 MB shared across all cores, while the i7-9700E has 12 MB shared. This means Intel’s chip has 50% more L3 cache, which can improve hit rates in certain workloads, while AMD’s larger L2 per core reduces reliance on the shared L3. The memory interfaces also diverge: the 4800U supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory, with a dual-channel bus and a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i7-9700E supports only DDR4, also dual-channel, but with a lower 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory, and both use PCIe Gen 3, though Intel’s implementation is limited to 16 lanes from the CPU.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U pairs its CPU cores with Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics, which is a substantial iGPU for a mobile part. The Intel Core i7-9700E uses UHD Graphics 630, a more basic integrated solution. For systems relying on the iGPU, the AMD part likely offers better visual performance, though no specific graphics benchmarks are in the data. The production statuses are also opposite: the 4800U is marked as Active, while the i7-9700E is End-of-life, suggesting the AMD part has a longer expected availability. The release dates show the i7-9700E launched on 2019-04-22, while the 4800U came later on 2020-01-05, but neither date is a performance metric.

Specification Differences

The specification table highlights several key differences between the two chips. The most obvious is the thread count: the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U has 16 threads across 8 cores, while the Intel Core i7-9700E has 8 threads across 8 cores, meaning no hyperthreading. This directly explains the multi-core benchmark advantages for AMD in tests that benefit from SMT. The base clock differs substantially: the 4800U runs at 1800 MHz, while the i7-9700E is at 2600 MHz. The boost clocks are closer, with the 4800U at 4.20 GHz and the i7-9700E at 4.40 GHz. The TDP is a major differentiator: 15 W for the AMD part versus 65 W for the Intel part, which is a 4.3x difference in rated power consumption, though the data does not include real-world power measurements.

The sockets are incompatible: the AMD part uses AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1151. The memory support differs, with the 4800U accepting both DDR4 and LPDDR4, while the i7-9700E is limited to DDR4. The memory bandwidth numbers reflect this: 51.2 GB/s for AMD versus 42.7 GB/s for Intel. The PCIe implementation is also slightly different, with Intel explicitly listing 16 lanes from the CPU, while AMD just lists Gen 3 without a lane count. The market segments are opposite: Mobile for AMD and Desktop for Intel. The production statuses differ as noted, and the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $323, which can be stated once. The AMD part’s launch MSRP is not listed, so no price information is available for it. Both processors have locked multipliers, so neither supports overclocking.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700E scores 10613 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 21.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U’s 8376.

Q: In which benchmark does the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U have its largest advantage over the Intel Core i7-9700E?

A: The AMD chip’s largest win is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it scores 1411 versus Intel’s 1069, a 32% delta.

Q: What is the difference in thread count between the two processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U has 16 threads across 8 cores, while the Intel Core i7-9700E has 8 threads across 8 cores, with no hyperthreading.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U averages 3218, and the Intel Core i7-9700E averages 3197, a difference of less than 1%, with both at the 53rd percentile.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700E has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U’s 4.20 GHz.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 4800U has a TDP of 15 W, while the Intel Core i7-9700E has a TDP of 65 W.