AMD Ryzen 7 7840U vs Intel Core i7-11850H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U boosts to 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-11850H reaches 4.80 GHz.

Q: How do the two chips compare in overall benchmark standings?

A: Both sit at the 77th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The Ryzen 7 7840U records an average benchmark score of 25432, while the Core i7-11850H averages 24935.

Q: Which CPU wins more head-to-head tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U wins 14 of the 17 shared head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-11850H takes 3 wins.

Q: What memory technologies do these processors support?

A: The Ryzen 7 7840U supports DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Core i7-11850H supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-11850H has 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U has 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Do both chips use the same process node?

A: No. The Ryzen 7 7840U is built on TSMC's 4 nm process, while the Core i7-11850H uses Intel's 10 nm process.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U and Intel Core i7-11850H represent two very different design philosophies. The Ryzen 7 7840U belongs to AMD's 7000 series and uses the Zen 4 architecture under the codename Phoenix. It is fabricated by TSMC on a 4 nm process, with 25,000 million transistors packed into a 178 mm² die. The Core i7-11850H is Intel's Tiger Lake-H design from the Core 11th Gen family, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a slightly larger die at 190 mm².

Both processors feature 8 cores and 16 threads, so thread counts are identical. The fundamental differences lie in clock strategy, cache layout, memory support, and integrated graphics. The Ryzen 7 7840U operates at a 3.30 GHz base clock and boosts to 5.10 GHz, while the Intel part runs at a lower 2.10 GHz base but still reaches 4.80 GHz on boost. The AMD chip carries a 28 W TDP, whereas the Intel chip has a 35 W TDP, indicating a higher thermal envelope for the latter.

Cache organization differs notably between the two. The Ryzen 7 7840U uses 64 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3. The Core i7-11850H allocates 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with a larger 24 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip therefore has more total cache at the L2 and L3 levels, which can help in workloads that benefit from large working sets.

Memory support is another major divergence. The Ryzen 7 7840U supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, delivering 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth and including ECC support. The Core i7-11850H supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. The AMD chip offers nearly 75% more memory bandwidth, a substantial advantage for memory-intensive tasks.

Integrated graphics also differ. The Ryzen 7 7840U pairs with the Radeon 780M, while the Core i7-11850H uses UHD Graphics 750. Both chips use Socket FP8 and BGA 1787 respectively, and both provide PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The Ryzen 7 7840U is part of the 7000 series with a production status of Active, and the Core i7-11850H is also Active, with a release date of May 2021.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data shows a clear split in strengths. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U dominates the majority of tests, particularly in integer math, floating point math, encryption, compression, and physics workloads. Its 44.8% lead in data encryption and 29.4% lead in extended instructions indicate strong execution efficiency, likely tied to the modern Zen 4 core design and higher memory bandwidth. The 26.2% advantage in integer math and 21.7% in floating point math reinforce this pattern. For general productivity, the Ryzen chip wins multi-threaded PassMark by 23.5% and single-threaded PassMark by 16.2%.

The Intel Core i7-11850H wins in Cinebench R23, both in multi-core and single-core, and in the prime number search test. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16673 against 12719 is the largest single win for Intel, a 23.7% margin. The single-core R23 result also favors Intel by 28.7%. These wins suggest the Intel architecture holds an advantage in certain rendering and single-threaded compute scenarios, despite losing the Geekbench single-core test decisively.

Users who prioritize encryption, compression, general math throughput, and overall multi-threaded performance should lean toward the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U. Users who rely on Cinebench R23 as their primary rendering benchmark, or who work with prime-number-heavy workloads, may find the Intel Core i7-11850H more suitable. The data also shows the AMD chip winning the Geekbench multi-core test by 9.5% and the Geekbench single-core test by 22%, so the AMD advantage is broad across many common benchmark suites.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The Ryzen 7 7840U has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz, compared to 2.10 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost for the Core i7-11850H. TDP is 28 W for AMD and 35 W for Intel. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1787.

Process technology differs: the Ryzen 7 7840U uses TSMC's 4 nm node, and the Core i7-11850H uses Intel's 10 nm node. The AMD die measures 178 mm² with 25,000 million transistors; the Intel die is 190 mm² with no transistor count recorded in the database.

Cache configurations differ in all three levels. L1 is 64 KB per core on AMD versus 80 KB per core on Intel. L2 is 1 MB per core on AMD versus 1.25 MB per core on Intel. L3 is 16 MB shared on AMD versus 24 MB shared on Intel.

Memory support differs completely: AMD uses DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support, while Intel uses DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s and no ECC. Both support dual-channel memory. PCIe is identical: Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 780M on AMD versus UHD Graphics 750 on Intel.

The Intel chip has a recorded release date of May 2021 and a launch MSRP of $395. The AMD chip has no release date or launch MSRP in the database. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both are classified as Mobile market segment.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results reveal a lopsided contest. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U wins 14 of 17 tests, and the margins are frequently large. The single biggest AMD victory comes in PassMark data encryption, where the Ryzen scores 17691 against 12214, a 44.8% advantage. PassMark physics shows a 31.7% lead (1256 versus 954), and extended instructions favor AMD by 29.4% (20432 versus 15788). Integer math goes to AMD by 26.2% (90852 versus 71996), and multi-thread PassMark favors AMD by 23.5% (24782 versus 20059). Floating point math adds a 21.7% win (51767 versus 42540), and data compression is 21.8% higher on AMD (288604 versus 236949). Random string sorting favors AMD by 18.9% (33757 versus 28395), and single-thread PassMark shows a 16.2% advantage (3565 versus 3069).

In Cinebench R15, AMD wins multi-core by 18.5% (1990 versus 1680) and single-core by 11.4% (264 versus 237). Geekbench results also favor AMD: multi-core by 9.5% (8766 versus 8002) and single-core by 22% (2077 versus 1703).

The Intel Core i7-11850H claims three wins. The most significant is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where Intel scores 16673 against 12719, a 23.7% margin. Cinebench R23 single-core also goes to Intel by 28.7% (2353 versus 1677.5). The third Intel win is in PassMark find prime numbers, 87 versus 80, an 8% margin.

The pattern is consistent: AMD leads in most synthetic workloads, especially those tied to memory bandwidth, integer and floating point throughput, and encryption. Intel retains a narrow but real edge in Cinebench R23 and prime number processing.

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U as the stronger overall processor. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, including every PassMark workload except the prime number search, both Geekbench tests, and both Cinebench R15 tests. Its average benchmark score of 25432 is higher than Intel's 24935, and it achieves this with a lower 28 W TDP compared to Intel's 35 W. The 89.6 GB/s DDR5 memory bandwidth versus 51.2 GB/s on DDR4 explains much of the AMD advantage in memory-sensitive workloads like encryption, compression, and physics.

The Intel Core i7-11850H is not without merit. It wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 23.7% and single-core by 28.7%, which are substantial margins in a widely used rendering benchmark. Its 24 MB of L3 cache, larger than AMD's 16 MB, may contribute to these results. The prime number test also favors Intel by 8%, showing an edge in certain integer-heavy loops.

For most users, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U is the better choice based on the recorded benchmarks. The breadth of wins across encryption, math, compression, and general single-thread and multi-thread performance makes it the more versatile mobile processor. Its higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz and lower TDP reinforce this conclusion.

The Intel Core i7-11850H should be selected only in specific scenarios: when Cinebench R23 rendering performance is the primary requirement, or when the workload resembles the prime number search pattern. The Intel chip's launch MSRP of $395 provides context, but the performance data shows AMD winning the majority of tests regardless of price considerations. Both processors sit at the 77th percentile, indicating comparable overall standing, but the head-to-head results clearly favor the Ryzen 7 7840U in most measured scenarios.