AMD Ryzen 7 7735U vs Intel Core i9-11950H Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors along predictable lines. The Intel Core i9-11950H takes 10 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U wins 5. But the margins tell a more interesting story than the raw win count.

The Intel part dominates in heavily multithreaded workstation workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17,279 versus the AMD's 10,085 represents a 41.6% advantage — the single largest gap in the entire comparison. That is not a small edge; it is a generational-class difference in rendering and CPU-bound productivity. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 multicore, where Intel leads 1,741 to 1,698, though by a much slimmer 2.5%.

Intel also wins all the single-core Cinebench tests. The R23 single-core score of 2,439 beats AMD's 1,490 by 38.9%, and R15 single-core shows a 4.5% lead (245 versus 234). This makes Intel the clear choice for lightly threaded applications that depend on raw per-core speed, such as legacy software, scripting, and many game physics engines.

AMD's wins cluster in specific memory and encryption workloads. The most striking is PassMark data encryption, where AMD scores 15,825 against Intel's 12,658 — a 25% advantage. AMD also wins integer math by 6.6% (79,580 versus 74,649), data compression by 1.7% (250,457 versus 246,195), and PassMark single-thread by 3% (3,236 versus 3,141). The single-thread PassMark result is notable because it contradicts the Cinebench single-core results, suggesting the two suites stress different aspects of the core architecture.

The remaining benchmarks are close. PassMark extended instructions is essentially a tie (16,349 versus 16,361, a 0.1% Intel lead). PassMark multithread favors Intel by 0.8% (20,900 versus 20,723). Floating-point math goes Intel's way by 2.7% (44,137 versus 42,966), and physics by 1.7% (1,013 versus 996). The widest Intel win outside Cinebench is random string sorting at 10.2% (29,375 versus 26,365), while the biggest Intel win in prime number finding is 38.7% (93 versus 57).

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD's Ryzen 7 7735U uses the Zen 3+ architecture on a 6 nm TSMC process, codenamed Rembrandt-R. It is part of the 7000 series and fits the AMD Socket FP7. Intel's Core i9-11950H uses the Tiger Lake architecture on Intel's 10 nm process, Tiger Lake-H, in the 11th Gen Core family, on Intel BGA 1787.

Both have 8 cores and 16 threads, but the cache layouts diverge sharply. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel gives each core 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 — more than double AMD's per-core L2 — plus 24 MB of shared L3. Intel's larger cache hierarchy likely contributes to its Cinebench dominance, especially in workloads that fit within 24 MB.

Process node differences are significant. AMD's 6 nm TSMC process versus Intel's 10 nm process means the AMD die is larger at 208 mm² compared to Intel's 190 mm². However, the AMD chip has a 28 W TDP while Intel is rated at 35 W. Despite the higher TDP, Intel still posts a 41.6% multicore win in Cinebench R23, indicating the Tiger Lake design extracts more performance per watt in burst workloads.

Memory support differs completely. AMD supports DDR5 with dual-channel memory and 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth, plus ECC memory support. Intel is limited to DDR4, also dual-channel, with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC. AMD's 50% higher memory bandwidth (76.8 versus 51.2 GB/s) helps explain its encryption and compression wins, which are often memory-latency sensitive.

Both use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ: AMD has Radeon 680M, Intel has UHD Graphics 750. AMD's part is the newer release (2023-01-03 versus 2021-05-10) and remains in active production, while Intel's is end-of-life. AMD's multi-chip approach uses a part number of 100-000000987 for FP7 and 100-000000991 for FP7r2; Intel's is SRKT6.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear division of labor. If you need maximum CPU rendering performance, Intel's Core i9-11950H is the stronger choice. Its 41.6% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore and 38.9% lead in R23 single-core are decisive for 3D rendering, video encoding, and code compilation. Intel also wins the PassMark multithread score, albeit narrowly (20,900 versus 20,723).

If your work involves encryption, compression, or integer-heavy math, the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U is the better pick. Its 25% encryption advantage and 6.6% integer math lead are substantial. AMD also wins the PassMark single-thread test, which contradicts Intel's Cinebench single-core advantage — so the "which is faster per core" answer depends on the benchmark suite.

The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical: AMD at 28,350 versus Intel at 28,332, a 0.1% difference. Both sit at the 80th percentile of all CPUs. The closest rival to both is the Intel Xeon 6337P, with AMD's nearest competitor being the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U (within 0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS (0.4% behind AMD). This means the two chips are effectively peer-level in aggregate performance, but with very different strengths.

For a builder choosing today, the AMD part's active production status and DDR5 support suggest better longevity. Intel's end-of-life status and DDR4 limitation are drawbacks, but the raw rendering performance is unmatched in this comparison. There is no universal winner — the correct choice depends entirely on workload mix.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core i9-11950H wins by 41.6%, scoring 17,279 versus AMD's 10,085.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U have any significant wins over the Intel?

A: Yes, AMD wins PassMark data encryption by 25% (15,825 versus 12,658) and integer math by 6.6% (79,580 versus 74,649). It also edges Intel in data compression (1.7%) and PassMark single-thread (3%).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: AMD supports DDR5 with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth; Intel supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. AMD's bandwidth is 50% higher.

Q: Which CPU has more cache?

A: Intel has more total cache: 24 MB of shared L3 versus AMD's 16 MB, and Intel gives each core 1.25 MB of L2 versus AMD's 512 KB per core.

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 7 7735U is listed as Active production, while the Intel Core i9-11950H is End-of-life.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: They are nearly identical. AMD averages 28,350, Intel averages 28,332, a 0.1% difference. Both are at the 80th percentile of all CPUs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win in the entire comparison belongs to Intel in Cinebench R23 multicore. Intel's 17,279 versus AMD's 10,085 is a 41.6% gap — a massive margin that dwarfs every other result. This benchmark alone should decide the choice for anyone doing heavy 3D rendering or video work that scales across all 16 threads.

Intel's Cinebench R23 single-core result is similarly decisive. At 2,439 versus 1,490, the 38.9% lead means Intel is far ahead in applications that depend on a single fast core, such as older games, spreadsheet calculations, and many scripting languages. The R15 single-core test confirms the trend with a 4.5% Intel edge (245 versus 234).

AMD's biggest win is PassMark data encryption at 25% (15,825 versus 12,658). This is a security and cryptography workload where AMD's newer architecture and DDR5 memory bandwidth clearly pay off. The integer math win of 6.6% (79,580 versus 74,649) reinforces that AMD handles ALU-heavy integer workloads better, which matters for database operations and certain scientific computing tasks.

The mid-range results are close enough to be noise. PassMark extended instructions is a statistical tie at 0.1% (16,349 versus 16,361). PassMark multithread favors Intel by 0.8% (20,900 versus 20,723). Floating-point math goes Intel by 2.7% (44,137 versus 42,966), and physics by 1.7% (1,013 versus 996). These are within run-to-run variance and should not drive a purchasing decision.

Two results deserve special attention. PassMark random string sorting gives Intel a 10.2% win (29,375 versus 26,365) — a meaningful edge for text processing and data wrangling. But PassMark find prime numbers gives Intel a 38.7% win (93 versus 57), which is a huge percentage gap though on a small absolute scale. AMD's data compression win of 1.7% (250,457 versus 246,195) is narrow but consistent with its encryption advantage, suggesting AMD's memory subsystem handles data movement efficiently.

The final tally — AMD wins 5, Intel wins 10 — understates how close the overall average is. The 28,350 versus 28,332 average benchmark score difference is 0.1%, meaning these are peer processors in aggregate. The head-to-head results show Intel winning the headline rendering tests by wide margins, while AMD wins the security and integer workloads that are often overlooked. For a balanced view, both chips deliver comparable total performance, with the tiebreaker being whether your software is rendering-heavy (Intel) or cryptography/memory-heavy (AMD).

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 7735U | Intel Core i9-11950H |

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

| Architecture | Zen 3+ | Tiger Lake |

| Codename | Rembrandt-R | Tiger Lake-H |

| Process Node | 6 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| Base Clock | 2.70 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.75 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 35 W |

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

| L2 Cache | 512 KB per core | 1.25 MB per core |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB shared | 24 MB shared |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 680M | UHD Graphics 750 |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 1787 |

| Die Size | 208 mm² | 190 mm² |

| Release Date | 2023-01-03 | 2021-05-10 |

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

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $556 |

Both CPUs share 8 cores, 16 threads, dual-channel memory bus, PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, and a locked multiplier. The Intel part boosts higher (5.00 GHz versus 4.75 GHz) but starts lower (2.10 GHz versus 2.70 GHz). Intel's higher TDP of 35 W versus AMD's 28 W reflects its more aggressive power draw for the Cinebench wins. AMD's die is 18 mm² larger yet uses a smaller process node, highlighting the different design trade-offs. The release date gap of roughly 20 months shows AMD's part is significantly newer, and its active production status contrasts with Intel's end-of-life designation.