AMD Ryzen 7 5800U vs Intel Core i5-11500T Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is exactly three wins each, but the nature of those wins tells a clear story about what each processor is built for. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U dominates in older multi-threaded workloads and in Geekbench multicore, while the Intel Core i5-11500T takes the newer Cinebench R23 tests and the single-thread Geekbench test.

For sustained all-core rendering in legacy benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 5800U is decisively ahead. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 1613 against the Intel chip's 1093, a 47.6% advantage. That is the largest margin in the entire head-to-head comparison. The R15 single-core test also goes to AMD by 48.7%, with 229 versus 154. These are older tests that reward raw core count and efficient thread scheduling, and the AMD part's 8 cores and 16 threads simply overwhelm the Intel part's 6 cores and 12 threads.

Geekbench multicore also favors the Ryzen 7 5800U, with a score of 7132 versus 5774, a 23.5% lead. This test reflects real-world productivity scenarios involving multiple simultaneous tasks, and the data indicates the AMD chip sustains its multi-thread advantage outside of pure Cinebench workloads.

The Intel Core i5-11500T wins the newer Cinebench R23 tests. In R23 multicore, it scores 10854 versus 8154, a 24.9% advantage. That flips the multi-core narrative from R15, suggesting the newer workload scales differently with Intel's architecture. In R23 single-core, Intel leads 1532 to 1427, a 6.9% margin. Geekbench single-core also goes to Intel, 1696 versus 1656, though by a slim 2.4% margin.

The pattern is clear: AMD wins the older Cinebench R15 suite and Geekbench multicore, while Intel wins R23 and single-thread Geekbench. The Ryzen 7 5800U appears better suited for older software and general multi-tasking, while the Core i5-11500T excels in modern rendering workloads and lightly-threaded tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U uses the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne-U, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It packs 8 cores and 16 threads with a base clock of 1900 MHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Intel Core i5-11500T uses Rocket Lake architecture on Intel's 14 nm process, with 6 cores and 12 threads, a base clock of 1500 MHz, and a boost of 3.90 GHz.

The process node difference is stark: 7 nm versus 14 nm. This explains the transistor density disparity. The AMD chip contains 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, while the Intel chip's transistor count is not recorded in the database, but its die size is larger at 276 mm². The smaller, denser AMD die contributes to its 15 W TDP, whereas the Intel part is rated at 35 W. That is a 20 W difference in thermal design power, which for mobile versus desktop segments is expected.

Cache layouts also differ. The Ryzen 7 5800U has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Core i5-11500T has 80 KB of L1 per core, 511 KB of L2 per core, and only 12 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip has 4 MB more L3 cache, which helps in multi-threaded workloads where shared data access matters.

Memory support is similar: both use DDR4 with dual-channel buses and identical 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs significantly. The AMD part offers Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes. That is a major difference for expansion, though for typical mobile workloads, the AMD configuration is sufficient.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Ryzen 7 5800U carries Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the Core i5-11500T uses UHD Graphics 750. The database does not record benchmark scores for these iGPUs, so no performance comparison is possible from the recorded data.

The market segments differ: the Ryzen 7 5800U is a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP6, while the Core i5-11500T is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1200. The Intel part is listed as end-of-life, while the AMD part remains active. Release dates are close, with AMD launching on 2021-01-11 and Intel on 2021-03-15.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice depending on workload priority. For users running older Cinebench R15 workloads or general multi-threaded applications as measured by Geekbench multicore, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is the stronger option. It leads by 47.6% in R15 multicore, 48.7% in R15 single-core (a surprising result given Intel's single-thread reputation), and 23.5% in Geekbench multicore.

For users running modern Cinebench R23 workloads, the Intel Core i5-11500T is the better processor. It leads by 24.9% in R23 multicore and 6.9% in R23 single-core. In Geekbench single-core, Intel edges ahead by 2.4%, which is within a narrow margin.

The average benchmark scores are very close: the AMD chip averages 3369, placing it at the 54th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel chip averages 3288, at the 53rd percentile. The AMD chip's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7530U, scores 3394 (0.7% higher), and its closest competitor below is the Intel Xeon D-1587 at 3350 (0.6% lower). The Intel chip's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 at 3303 (0.5% higher), with the Intel Xeon E-2374G just 0.3% lower at 3278.

Given the near-identical average scores, the decision hinges on specific benchmarks. The Ryzen 7 5800U offers more cores, more threads, a smaller process node, and lower power draw at 15 W versus 35 W. The Core i5-11500T offers faster single-thread performance in R23 and Geekbench, plus PCIe Gen 4 support with 20 lanes. The Intel part also has a launch MSRP of $192, while the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP.

For mobile users prioritizing battery life and multi-threaded productivity, the Ryzen 7 5800U is the data-backed choice. For desktop users running modern rendering software or needing PCIe Gen 4 expansion, the Core i5-11500T is the stronger pick. The overall performance parity means neither chip is a clear winner; the workload determines the victor.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i5-11500T has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: How do they compare in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core i5-11500T scores 10854, which is 24.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U's 8154.

Q: Which chip is more power efficient?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U has a 15 W TDP, while the Intel Core i5-11500T is rated at 35 W. The AMD chip also uses a 7 nm process from TSMC, versus Intel's 14 nm process.

Q: Do both processors support PCIe Gen 4?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-11500T supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U only supports PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U has an average benchmark score of 3369, placing it at the 54th percentile. The Intel Core i5-11500T averages 3288, at the 53rd percentile.

Q: Which chip wins the Geekbench multicore test?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U wins Geekbench multicore with a score of 7132 versus 5774, a 23.5% advantage.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single benchmark win belongs to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 229 against the Intel's 154, a 48.7% margin. This is unexpected given that Intel typically leads in single-thread tests, but the data is unambiguous. The R15 multicore test also goes to AMD by 47.6%, with 1613 versus 1093.

The Intel Core i5-11500T's biggest win is in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it scores 10854 versus 8154, a 24.9% advantage. This is a substantial reversal from the R15 result. The difference between R15 and R23 results suggests that the newer Cinebench version scales differently with Intel's Rocket Lake architecture, possibly due to different instruction usage or memory access patterns.

In Geekbench multicore, AMD wins by 23.5% (7132 versus 5774), reinforcing the multi-thread advantage seen in R15. The single-core Geekbench test goes to Intel by a narrow 2.4% margin (1696 versus 1656), which is the closest result in the entire comparison. The Cinebench R23 single-core test also goes to Intel, with 1532 versus 1427, a 6.9% margin.

The pattern across all six tests is that AMD wins the older Cinebench R15 suite and the Geekbench multicore test, while Intel wins the newer Cinebench R23 suite and the single-core Geekbench test. The margins are large in AMD's favor for its wins (47.6%, 48.7%, 23.5%) and moderate in Intel's favor for its wins (24.9%, 6.9%, 2.4%). The average of all benchmark scores favors AMD slightly, 3369 versus 3288.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 5800U | Intel Core i5-11500T |

|---------------|-------------------|----------------------|

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 16 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1900 MHz | 1500 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 35 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP6 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Architecture | Zen 3 | Rocket Lake |

| Codename | Cezanne-U | Rocket Lake |

| Process Node | 7 nm (TSMC) | 14 nm (Intel) |

| Die Size | 180 mm² | 276 mm² |

| Transistors | 10,700 million | Not recorded |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB per core | 80 KB per core |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB per core | 511 KB per core |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB shared | 12 MB shared |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 lanes | Gen 4, 20 lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 8 | UHD Graphics 750 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2021-01-11 | 2021-03-15 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $192 |

| Part Number | 100-000000285 | SRKNZ |