AMD Ryzen 7 7736U vs Intel Core i9-11980HK Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11980HK and AMD Ryzen 7 7736U are both 8-core, 16-thread mobile processors, but the data reveals two distinct performance profiles separated by architecture and power targets. While their overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical—the Intel chip averages 30,422 against the AMD chip’s 30,364—the distribution of wins across individual tests tells a more nuanced story. The Intel part claims 8 head-to-head victories, while the AMD part takes 7, yet the magnitudes of those wins are dramatically different, with Intel’s largest margin dwarfing AMD’s.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking divergence appears in Cinebench testing. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel Core i9-11980HK delivers a score of 18,617, which is a massive 45.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U’s 12,768. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison and indicates that the Intel chip sustains significantly higher throughput in heavily threaded, long-duration workloads. The single-core Cinebench R23 result is even more lopsided in Intel’s favor: the i9-11980HK scores 2,628 versus 1,548 for the Ryzen, a 69.8% advantage. This near-70% lead in single-core rendering performance is an outlier in the data and suggests the Intel architecture has a substantial clock-for-clock efficiency edge in this specific benchmark, likely driven by its 5.00 GHz boost clock versus the AMD part’s 4.70 GHz.

However, the older Cinebench R15 test tells a different story. In R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U wins with 2,019 points against Intel’s 1,876, a 7.1% margin. Yet in R15 single-core, Intel reverses the result, scoring 264 to AMD’s 246, a 7.3% win. This pattern—AMD winning the older multi-core test while Intel dominates the newer R23 versions—suggests that the AMD chip’s efficiency-oriented design performs better in shorter or less optimized workloads, whereas Intel’s higher power envelope pays off in sustained, modern rendering tasks.

Moving to PassMark tests, the results are more mixed. AMD wins in data compression (274,440 vs 266,571, a 2.9% edge), data encryption (15,635 vs 13,813, an 11.7% edge), extended instructions (19,384 vs 17,654, an 8.9% edge), integer math (78,821 vs 78,682, a marginal 0.2% edge), and single-thread performance (3,350 vs 3,261, a 2.7% edge). These wins are all modest, falling under 12%. Intel, conversely, wins decisively in find prime numbers (100 vs 56, a 78.6% margin), random string sorting (31,709 vs 28,172, a 12.6% edge), physics (1,112 vs 1,007, a 10.4% edge), floating point math (46,262 vs 44,499, a 4% edge), and multithread (22,436 vs 21,725, a 3.3% edge). The prime number test is particularly notable; Intel’s 78.6% advantage there suggests a fundamental difference in how the two architectures handle integer-heavy loop operations, where Intel’s higher boost clock and possibly different execution pipelines give it a commanding lead.

Overall, the data shows a clear split: Intel dominates in computational throughput tasks like rendering, physics, and prime number generation, while AMD wins in data manipulation, encryption, and single-threaded PassMark scores. The average benchmark scores are nearly tied, but the underlying workloads are polar opposites.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide starts with the process node and foundry. The Intel Core i9-11980HK is built on Intel’s 10 nm process at their own foundry, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U uses TSMC’s 6 nm node. This node advantage likely contributes to the AMD chip’s dramatically lower TDP of 15 watts, compared to Intel’s 45 watts. The die sizes are comparable—190 mm² for Intel versus 208 mm² for AMD—but the power efficiency is not.

The cache hierarchies are also markedly different. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with a shared 24 MB L3 cache. AMD uses a smaller 64 KB L1 per core and 512 KB L2 per core, but its shared L3 is only 16 MB. This 8 MB difference in L3 capacity could explain Intel’s advantage in certain repeated-data workloads, while AMD’s smaller cache may force more frequent memory access, though its faster DDR5 memory support helps offset that.

The memory subsystem is another differentiator. Intel supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a peak bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. AMD supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and a peak bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s—a 50% higher theoretical ceiling. AMD also supports ECC memory, while Intel does not. The PCIe configuration is identical: both offer Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics differ as well, with Intel featuring UHD Graphics 750 and AMD featuring Radeon 680M.

The sockets are incompatible: Intel uses BGA 1787, while AMD uses Socket FP7. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the AMD chip is locked. Intel’s architecture is Tiger Lake-H, while AMD’s is Zen 3+ (Rembrandt-R). The AMD part is also newer, released in January 2023, while Intel’s came out in May 2021 and is now end-of-life; AMD’s part remains in active production.

The Verdict

Based strictly on benchmark data, the Intel Core i9-11980HK is the superior choice for compute-heavy, sustained workloads. Its 45.8% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 69.8% advantage in single-core are the most significant performance gaps in this comparison, indicating a decisive edge in rendering, video encoding, and other professional applications that leverage Cinebench-style threading. The Intel chip also wins in physics (10.4% ahead) and floating-point math (4% ahead), making it the pick for simulation and scientific computing tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, conversely, is the better option for efficiency-sensitive scenarios and data-centric tasks. Its 15-watt TDP is one-third of Intel’s 45 watts, which means it can fit in thinner, lighter laptops with longer battery life. It wins in data encryption (11.7% ahead), extended instructions (8.9% ahead), and data compression (2.9% ahead), making it the stronger choice for security-focused workloads, compression tools, and general office productivity. Its single-thread PassMark score is also 2.7% higher, though that is a small margin.

For a user prioritizing raw compute performance at any power cost, the Intel Core i9-11980HK is the clear winner. For a user prioritizing portability, battery life, and memory bandwidth, the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U is the better fit. The data does not support a universal recommendation; it supports a workload-specific one.

Specification Differences

• Base Clock: Intel 2.60 GHz vs AMD 2.70 GHz
• Boost Clock: Intel 5.00 GHz vs AMD 4.70 GHz
• TDP: Intel 45 W vs AMD 15 W
• Socket: Intel BGA 1787 vs AMD Socket FP7
• Process Node: Intel 10 nm vs AMD 6 nm
• Foundry: Intel vs TSMC
• Die Size: Intel 190 mm² vs AMD 208 mm²
• L1 Cache: Intel 80 KB (per core) vs AMD 64 KB (per core)
• L2 Cache: Intel 1.25 MB (per core) vs AMD 512 KB (per core)
• L3 Cache: Intel 24 MB (shared) vs AMD 16 MB (shared)
• Memory Support: Intel DDR4 vs AMD DDR5
• Memory Bandwidth: Intel 51.2 GB/s vs AMD 76.8 GB/s
• ECC Memory: Intel false vs AMD true
• Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 750 vs AMD Radeon 680M
• Production Status: Intel End-of-life vs AMD Active
• Release Date: Intel 2021-05-10 vs AMD 2023-01-03
• Multiplier Unlocked: Intel true vs AMD false
• Launch MSRP: Intel $583 vs AMD none

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK boosts to 5.00 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U tops out at 4.70 GHz.

Q: How much faster is the Intel chip in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK scores 18,617 versus 12,768 for the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, giving Intel a 45.8% lead.

Q: Does the AMD processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U supports ECC memory, whereas the Intel Core i9-11980HK does not.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK has a TDP of 45 watts, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U has a TDP of 15 watts.

Q: Which processor wins in PassMark single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7736U wins with a score of 3,350, which is 2.7% higher than the Intel Core i9-11980HK’s 3,261.

Q: Are these processors socket-compatible?

A: No, the Intel Core i9-11980HK uses Intel BGA 1787, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U uses AMD Socket FP7, making them incompatible with each other’s motherboards.