AMD Ryzen 7 5825U vs Intel Core i7-11850H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear overall advantage for the Intel Core i7-11850H, which wins 14 of the 17 shared benchmark comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U claims only 3 wins, but those victories are decisive in their respective tests. The most striking difference appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel part scores 16,673 against AMD's 10,152, a gap of 39.1%. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. The single-core Cinebench R23 result follows a similar pattern, with Intel at 2,353 versus AMD's 1,452, a 38.3% deficit for the Ryzen part. These two tests alone establish the Intel processor as the stronger choice for heavily threaded and lightly threaded rendering workloads alike.

The Intel chip also leads in Geekbench multi-core, scoring 8,002 compared to 7,288 for AMD, an 8.9% margin. The single-core Geekbench result is closer, 1,703 versus 1,618, a 5% advantage for Intel. PassMark multi-thread performance sees Intel ahead by 9.6%, with scores of 20,059 and 18,131 respectively. In PassMark physics, Intel posts 954 against AMD's 774, an 18.9% lead. Random string sorting shows Intel at 28,395 versus 23,539, a 17.1% advantage. Floating point math favors Intel by 9.5% (42,540 versus 38,482), and extended instructions by 8.8% (15,788 versus 14,394). Data compression also goes to Intel, 236,949 versus 221,938, a 6.3% margin.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U's wins are concentrated in specific workloads. The largest is PassMark data encryption, where AMD scores 14,088 against Intel's 12,214, a 15.3% lead. Integer math goes to AMD by a narrow 0.8% (72,577 versus 71,996). In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD wins 1,757 to 1,680, a 4.6% margin. The single-core Cinebench R15 test goes to Intel by a slim 2.1% (237 versus 232), and the two PassMark single-thread entries are nearly identical, with Intel ahead by only 0.5% (3,069 versus 3,053). The prime number search test is heavily Intel-favored, 87 versus 48, a 44.8% gap, the second-largest difference in the entire set.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-11850H is the dominant performer in CPU-bound productivity and general computing tasks. Its wins span Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core, GeekBench multi-core and single-core, PassMark multi-thread, physics, floating point math, extended instructions, data compression, random string sorting, and prime number finding. This spread indicates that the Intel part holds an advantage in both lightly threaded and heavily threaded workloads, with particularly strong results in rendering, physics simulation, and compression. The 39.1% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core suggests that sustained multi-threaded workloads, such as video encoding or 3D scene rendering, will complete noticeably faster on the Intel chip.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U wins in exactly three areas: data encryption, integer math, and Cinebench R15 multi-core. The encryption win is substantial at 15.3%, which may indicate that the Zen 3 architecture handles cryptographic instruction streams more efficiently relative to the Tiger Lake design. The integer math advantage is marginal at 0.8%, effectively a statistical tie. The Cinebench R15 multi-core win of 4.6% is interesting because it is the only rendering test where AMD comes out ahead. This could reflect differences in how the older R15 workload scales with the two processors' respective boost behaviors, though the R23 result shows Intel far ahead in the newer version of the same benchmark suite. For typical office productivity, the single-threaded PassMark scores are nearly identical, so day-to-day application responsiveness would be hard to distinguish between the two.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U has an average benchmark score of 25,446, while the Intel Core i7-11850H averages 24,935. AMD sits at the 78th percentile of all CPUs, Intel at the 77th.

Q: How large is the Intel advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-11850H scores 16,673 versus 10,152 for the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, a 39.1% difference in favor of Intel.

Q: Are there any workloads where the AMD processor wins by a wide margin?

A: Yes, in PassMark data encryption the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U scores 14,088 versus 12,214 for Intel, a 15.3% lead. It also edges out Intel in integer math by 0.8% and in Cinebench R15 multi-core by 4.6%.

Q: How do the two compare on single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-11850H leads in every single-threaded test. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 38.3% gap (2,353 versus 1,452), GeekBench single-core a 5% gap (1,703 versus 1,618), and PassMark single-thread a 0.5% gap (3,069 versus 3,053).

Q: What are the closest rival processors for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U with an average score of 25,432, a 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i7-11850H's nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-13620H with an average score of 24,911, also a 0.1% difference.

Q: Does the AMD processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-11850H does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors share several core specifications, including 8 cores, 16 threads, dual-channel DDR4 memory support, and a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both are mobile parts with locked multipliers. Beyond that, the specifications diverge. The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-11850H runs at 2100 MHz base and 4.80 GHz boost. The AMD chip carries a 15 W TDP, whereas the Intel part is rated at 35 W. Sockets differ: AMD uses Socket FP6, Intel uses BGA 1787. The AMD processor was released on January 5, 2022, while the Intel chip released on May 10, 2021. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $395; the AMD part has no listed MSRP in the database. Process nodes differ as well, with AMD on TSMC's 7 nm process and Intel on its own 10 nm process. Die size is 180 mm² for AMD and 190 mm² for Intel. Transistor count is 10,700 million for AMD, while no figure is recorded for Intel. The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon Vega 8, Intel uses UHD Graphics 750. PCIe support differs, with AMD offering Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes and Intel offering Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is between AMD's Zen 3 and Intel's Tiger Lake. The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U uses the Barcelo codename and is part of the Ryzen 7 generation built on Zen 3 (Cezanne). It is manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process. The cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core i7-11850H uses the Tiger Lake-H codename and belongs to the Core 11th Gen family. It is built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its cache layout is larger: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The L3 cache difference is notable, with Intel offering 50% more shared cache. The AMD part also differs in its memory and I/O features: it supports ECC memory, while Intel does not. PCIe generation and lane counts also differ, with Intel providing a newer Gen 4 interface and more lanes. The transistor count for AMD is listed at 10,700 million, whereas Intel's is not recorded. The die sizes are close, 180 mm² for AMD and 190 mm² for Intel.

The Verdict

The data directs a straightforward choice for users who prioritize raw multi-threaded performance: the Intel Core i7-11850H is the stronger processor. Its 39.1% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 38.3% lead in single-core are too large to ignore for any workload that relies on rendering or modern benchmark-driven tasks. It also wins the broader set of PassMark tests, including physics, floating point math, compression, and random string sorting. The 35 W TDP reflects its higher power envelope, which likely contributes to these sustained performance advantages. Users who run video encoding, 3D modeling, or compile workloads should select the Intel part based on these measurements.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5825U suits a different profile. It wins data encryption by 15.3%, which could matter for security-focused or cryptographic workloads. Its integer math result is effectively tied with Intel, and its Cinebench R15 multi-core win shows it can hold its own in older benchmark generations. The 15 W TDP indicates a lower power draw, which may translate to longer battery life in mobile devices, though the database does not record battery metrics. Users who prioritize encryption performance or lower power consumption should consider the AMD part. For everyone else, the Intel Core i7-11850H delivers the higher measured performance across the majority of tests in the database.