AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS vs Intel Core i9-11980HK Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11980HK and AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS are both 8-core, 16-thread mobile processors, yet they represent vastly different design eras. The Intel part is a Tiger Lake-H product from the 11th Gen family, built on Intel’s 10 nm process, while the AMD chip is a Zen 4-based Phoenix part on TSMC’s 4 nm node. Both processors sit at the 81st percentile of all CPUs in the database, but their benchmark profiles diverge sharply. The Intel chip wins 3 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD chip takes 12, although the Intel victories include two massive Cinebench R23 margins. The data shows a generational shift in efficiency and raw compute, but also reveals that the older Intel design retains specific strengths in certain single-thread and multicore workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS boosts to 5.10 GHz, which is slightly higher than the Intel Core i9-11980HK’s 5.00 GHz. The AMD part also has a much higher base clock of 3.80 GHz compared to Intel’s 2.60 GHz.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK has an average benchmark score of 30422, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS scores 29955. This places Intel roughly 1.5% higher on average, even though both CPUs share the same 81st percentile ranking among all CPUs.

Q: Which processor wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK wins Cinebench R23 multicore with a score of 18617, compared to AMD’s 15102. This gives Intel a 23.3% advantage in that specific workload.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS supports DDR5 memory and achieves 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is significantly higher than the Intel Core i9-11980HK’s DDR4-based 51.2 GB/s. The AMD part also supports ECC memory while the Intel does not.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS has 16 MB. However, AMD’s per-core L1 and L2 caches are smaller: 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 compared to Intel’s 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2.

Q: What is the production status of each chip?

A: The Intel Core i9-11980HK is listed as end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS is marked as active production. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $583; no MSRP is listed for the AMD part.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two mobile processors is substantial. The Intel Core i9-11980HK uses the Tiger Lake-H architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process node with a die size of 190 mm². In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS leverages the Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC node, packing 25,000 million transistors into a 178 mm² die. This process advantage gives AMD a denser, more power-efficient design, reflected in its lower 35 W TDP compared to Intel’s 45 W TDP.

Cache layouts differ markedly. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with a 24 MB shared L3 pool. AMD uses 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with a smaller 16 MB shared L3. Despite the smaller total cache, AMD’s higher memory bandwidth (89.6 GB/s vs. 51.2 GB/s) compensates by feeding data faster from DDR5 memory. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the Intel part.

Both processors use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, so connectivity is equal. However, their integrated graphics differ: Intel pairs the CPU with UHD Graphics 750, while AMD includes Radeon 780M. The sockets are incompatible by design, with Intel using BGA 1787 and AMD using Socket FP8. AMD’s multiplier is locked, while Intel’s is unlocked, offering overclocking flexibility on the older platform.

The manufacturing foundries also tell a story: Intel fabricates its own chip, while AMD outsources to TSMC. This is reflected in the production status, with Intel’s part already end-of-life and AMD’s still active. The Intel part launched in May 2021, while no release date is listed for the AMD chip. These architectural differences explain why the newer AMD part generally dominates in throughput-heavy benchmarks, despite the Intel chip’s higher peak clock and larger L3 cache.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a clear picture for different use cases. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS is the better all-around performer, winning 12 of 15 head-to-head tests. Its advantages are broad: 22.9% faster in data compression, 33% faster in data encryption, 31.4% faster in extended instructions, and 22.8% faster in floating-point math. For users running modern multi-threaded applications, content creation tools, or data processing workloads, the AMD chip delivers consistently higher throughput. Its 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and DDR5 support also future-proof it for memory-intensive tasks.

The Intel Core i9-11980HK, however, is not obsolete. It wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test by 23.3% and the R23 single-core test by a massive 49.2%. This suggests that for certain legacy or specific workloads — particularly those optimized for Intel’s architecture or older instruction sets — the Intel chip can still outperform its newer rival. It also wins the prime number finding test by 13.6%, indicating strength in integer-heavy sequential tasks.

For most users, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS is the logical choice given its active production status, lower 35 W TDP, and superior performance across the majority of benchmarks. The Intel part makes sense only for those who specifically need its unique Cinebench R23 strengths or require an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Given that Intel is end-of-life and AMD is active, the data suggests AMD is the safer long-term investment for mobile computing.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-11980HK | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS |

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

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.10 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1787 | AMD Socket FP8 |

| Architecture | Tiger Lake | Zen 4 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 25,000 million |

| Die Size | 190 mm² | 178 mm² |

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

| L2 Cache (per core) | 1.25 MB | 1 MB |

| L3 Cache (shared) | 24 MB | 16 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 750 | Radeon 780M |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

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

| Launch MSRP | $583 | Not listed |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in this comparison is the Cinebench R23 single-core test, where the Intel Core i9-11980HK scores 2628 against AMD’s 1761. That is a 49.2% lead for Intel, an enormous margin that suggests the Tiger Lake architecture retains a significant advantage in lightly-threaded, short-duration workloads. The Intel chip also wins the R23 multicore test with 18617 versus 15102, a 23.3% delta, and the prime number finding test with 100 versus 88, a 13.6% edge.

AMD’s victories are more numerous and spread across a wider range of tests. In Cinebench R15, the AMD chip takes both multicore (2222.84 vs. 1876) and single-core (274 vs. 264), with margins of 15.6% and 3.6% respectively. The PassMark suite shows AMD dominating heavily: data compression scores 345536 versus 266571 (22.9% ahead), data encryption scores 20627 versus 13813 (33% ahead), and extended instructions score 25747 versus 17654 (31.4% ahead). Floating-point math favors AMD at 59921 versus 46262 (22.8%), integer math at 98682 versus 78682 (20.3%), and multithread at 28633 versus 22436 (21.6%). Physics testing gives AMD a 19.2% edge (1376 vs. 1112), and random string sorting shows AMD ahead by 21.4% (40364 vs. 31709). Finally, single-threaded PassMark performance sees AMD winning 3753 versus 3261, a 13.1% advantage.

The pattern is consistent: Intel wins in Cinebench R23 and prime numbers, while AMD wins in nearly every other metric, particularly those involving data manipulation, encryption, and floating-point operations. The Cinebench R15 results also favor AMD, suggesting that the Intel lead in R23 is workload-specific rather than general. Overall, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS is the more versatile processor, but the Intel Core i9-11980HK proves that even an older architecture can dominate in select scenarios.