AMD Ryzen 7 7730U vs Intel Core i9-11900KF Comparison

The Verdict

The data in this comparison is unambiguous. The Intel Core i9-11900KF wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded, taking all 17 tests with no wins for the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U. The average benchmark score reinforces this: the Intel part averages 26,212 across its benchmark suite, while the AMD chip averages 25,625. Both CPUs sit at the 78th percentile among all processors in the database, which places them in the same performance tier overall, but the distribution of scores tells a different story.

The Intel Core i9-11900KF is the clear choice for anyone building a desktop system where raw compute throughput is the priority. Its wins range from a modest 9.6% advantage in data encryption to a massive 102.2% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core. For workloads like rendering, mathematical processing, and heavy multi-threaded tasks, the Intel part is decisively faster. The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U is a mobile processor with a 15 TDP, so its role is fundamentally different. The recorded data shows it is not competitive with the desktop Intel chip in performance, but it exists in a different market segment entirely: mobile computing where power efficiency matters more than peak throughput.

For system builders, the verdict is straightforward. If the goal is maximum performance from a desktop CPU, the Intel Core i9-11900KF is the part the data supports. If the goal is a thin-and-light laptop or compact mobile system, the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U provides an 8-core, 16-thread configuration with integrated graphics, which the Intel desktop part lacks. The choice should be driven by the form factor and power envelope required, not by raw benchmark comparison, because the two chips are not designed for the same type of machine.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-11900KF wins across every category of benchmark in the database. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 20,838 against 10,801.5 for the AMD chip, a 92.9% advantage. In single-core Cinebench R23, the Intel part scores 2,941 versus 1,454.5, a 102.2% lead. Geekbench multi-core shows 10,953 versus 6,565, a 66.8% gap, and single-core Geekbench shows 2,062 versus 1,541, a 33.8% lead. The PassMark suite mirrors this pattern: integer math 89,023 versus 72,352, floating point math 52,640 versus 38,460, and multithread 24,708 versus 18,037.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U has no benchmark wins in the recorded data. Its advantage is not in performance but in its mobile profile. It has a 15 TDP compared to the Intel chip's 125 TDP, which means it is designed to operate within a much smaller thermal and power budget. It also includes integrated Radeon Graphics (Vega 8), which the Intel Core i9-11900KF does not have at all. For a system that needs to run without a discrete graphics card, the AMD part is the only one of the two that can do so. The AMD chip is also an active production part, whereas the Intel chip is end-of-life.

For use cases, the Intel part is the pick for desktop workstations, gaming rigs with discrete GPUs, and content creation machines where power draw is not a constraint. The AMD part suits portable laptops, compact desktops, and embedded or fanless designs where the 15 TDP envelope and integrated graphics are essential. The database shows no scenario where the AMD chip outperforms the Intel chip in raw compute, so its wins are entirely in the mobile context.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i9-11900KF uses the Rocket Lake architecture built on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 276 mm². It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The L1 cache is 80 KB per core, L2 is 512 KB per core, and L3 is 16 MB shared. It uses DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. It has no integrated graphics and requires a discrete GPU. The chip uses Socket 1200 and is an unlocked multiplier part, meaning overclocking is supported.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7730U uses the Zen 3 architecture (codename Barcelo-R) built on TSMC's 7 nm process with a die size of 180 mm² and 10,700 million transistors. It also has 8 cores and 16 threads, but with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The L1 cache is 64 KB per core, L2 is 512 KB per core, and L3 is 16 MB shared. It uses DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with the same 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe support is Gen 3 with 16 lanes. It includes integrated Radeon Graphics (Vega 8) and supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. It uses AMD Socket FP6, has a locked multiplier, and is a mobile part with a 15 TDP.

The process node difference is significant: 14 nm for Intel versus 7 nm for AMD. The AMD chip uses a smaller die with a higher transistor count, which reflects the more advanced process. The Intel chip compensates with much higher clocks, reaching 5.30 GHz boost versus 4.50 GHz for AMD. The cache structures are similar in L2 and L3, but the Intel L1 is larger at 80 KB per core versus 64 KB. Both support the same memory bandwidth, but AMD adds ECC support. The PCIe generation differs: Gen 4 on Intel versus Gen 3 on AMD. Integrated graphics are exclusive to the AMD part.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900KF. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2,941 versus 1,454.5 for the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, a 102.2% advantage. Geekbench single-core shows 2,062 versus 1,541, a 33.8% lead.

Q: Are both processors 8-core, 16-thread designs?

A: Yes. Both the Intel Core i9-11900KF and the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U have 8 cores and 16 threads. The difference is in clock speeds, with Intel at 3.50 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost, while AMD runs at 2.00 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost.

Q: Does either chip include integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U includes integrated Radeon Graphics (Vega 8). The Intel Core i9-11900KF has no integrated graphics and requires a discrete graphics card for display output.

Q: Which CPU has the higher power consumption?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900KF has a 125 TDP, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U has a 15 TDP. This makes the AMD part suitable for mobile and low-power systems, while the Intel part is designed for desktop use with adequate cooling.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for both chips?

A: Both support DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD chip additionally supports ECC memory, while the Intel chip does not.

Q: Which processor has the larger die size?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900KF has a die size of 276 mm², while the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U has a die size of 180 mm². The AMD chip is built on a 7 nm process with 10,700 million transistors, compared to Intel's 14 nm process.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows the largest proportional gap after the single-core test. The Intel part scores 20,838 against 10,801.5, a 92.9% advantage. This is a dramatic difference and indicates that the Intel chip sustains its high clock speeds across all cores under heavy load. The AMD chip, constrained by its 15 TDP, cannot maintain comparable throughput.

Cinebench R23 single-core is even more lopsided: 2,941 versus 1,454.5, a 102.2% lead. This more than doubles the AMD score and reflects the Intel boost clock of 5.30 GHz versus 4.50 GHz. The Intel architecture also has a larger L1 cache at 80 KB per core, which may contribute to its single-thread efficiency.

Geekbench multi-core shows 10,953 versus 6,565, a 66.8% lead for Intel. Geekbench single-core shows 2,062 versus 1,541, a 33.8% lead. These results are consistent with the Cinebench data: the Intel part wins by a larger margin in multi-core than in single-core, except for the Cinebench R23 single-core outlier where the margin is the largest of all tests.

PassMark integer math gives Intel 89,023 versus 72,352, a 23% lead. Floating point math gives 52,640 versus 38,460, a 36.9% lead. Data compression shows 325,688 versus 225,023, a 44.7% lead. Random string sorting shows 37,383 versus 23,651, a 58.1% lead. Extended instructions show 22,703 versus 14,619, a 55.3% lead. The Intel part wins every PassMark subtest, with advantages ranging from 9.6% in data encryption to 58.1% in random string sorting.

The smallest margin is in data encryption: 15,623 versus 14,258, a 9.6% lead. This suggests the AMD chip's encryption throughput is relatively closer to the Intel part than in any other recorded workload. Still, the Intel chip wins. The physics test shows 1,034 versus 751, a 37.7% lead. Find prime numbers shows 66 versus 45, a 46.7% lead. Multi-thread PassMark shows 24,708 versus 18,037, a 37% lead. Single-thread PassMark shows 3,527 versus 3,004, a 17.4% lead.

Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 2,100 versus 1,830, a 14.8% lead, and R15 single-core shows 296 versus 231, a 28.1% lead. These older benchmarks show smaller margins than R23, but the pattern is consistent. Across all 17 head-to-head tests, the Intel Core i9-11900KF wins every one, with no recorded wins for the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The Intel Core i9-11900KF is a desktop part with a 125 TDP, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U is a mobile part with a 15 TDP. The base clocks differ: 3.50 GHz for Intel versus 2.00 GHz for AMD. Boost clocks differ: 5.30 GHz versus 4.50 GHz.

The process nodes differ: Intel uses 14 nm with a die size of 276 mm², while AMD uses 7 nm with a die size of 180 mm² and 10,700 million transistors. The sockets differ: Intel Socket 1200 versus AMD Socket FP6. The architectures differ: Rocket Lake versus Zen 3 (Barcelo-R). The generations differ: Core i9 (Rocket Lake-S) versus Ryzen 7 (Zen 3 Cezanne).

The L1 cache differs: 80 KB per core on Intel versus 64 KB per core on AMD. L2 cache is identical at 512 KB per core, and L3 is identical at 16 MB shared. Memory support is the same: DDR4 dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. ECC memory support differs: AMD supports it, Intel does not. PCIe support differs: Gen 4 with 20 lanes on Intel versus Gen 3 with 16 lanes on AMD.

Integrated graphics differ: the AMD part includes Radeon Graphics (Vega 8), while the Intel part has none. The multiplier is unlocked on Intel, locked on AMD. Production status differs: Intel is end-of-life, AMD is active. Release dates differ: Intel launched on 2021-03-15, AMD on 2023-01-03. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $513, while the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP. The part numbers differ: SRKNF for Intel, 100-000000942 for AMD. The manufacturers differ: Intel versus AMD. The foundry differs: Intel for the Rocket Lake chip, TSMC for the AMD chip. The market segments differ: Desktop for Intel, Mobile for AMD.