AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U vs Intel Core i9-9900 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between the Intel Core i9-9900 and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U, with each processor dominating different test families. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U wins six of the eight recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i9-9900 takes two decisive victories in the Geekbench suite.

Starting with the Cinebench tests, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U consistently outperforms the Intel Core i9-9900 across all three versions of the render workload. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD scores 1421 against Intel's 1361, a 4.2% advantage. The single-core R15 result follows the same pattern, with AMD at 200 and Intel at 192, a 4% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD again leads by 4.2% in both multicore and single-core tests, scoring 5922 versus 5673, and 835 versus 800 respectively. The R23 results mirror this exactly: AMD scores 14102 against Intel's 13509 in multicore, and 1990 against 1907 in single-core, maintaining that consistent 4.2% margin. This uniformity across all six Cinebench runs suggests a stable, architecture-level advantage for the Zen 3 mobile chip in this particular workload.

The picture reverses completely in the Geekbench tests. The Intel Core i9-9900 scores 8175 in Geekbench multicore, which is 43.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U's 5702. That is a substantial gap, far larger than any of the Cinebench deltas. In Geekbench single-core, Intel leads by a more modest 5.8%, scoring 1687 against AMD's 1594. These Geekbench results likely reflect the desktop processor's higher sustained power envelope and memory bandwidth configuration, but the data itself shows a dramatic divergence between the two benchmark families.

In terms of aggregate positioning, both processors sit at the 57th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core i9-9900 has an average benchmark score of 4163, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U averages 3971. The Intel chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-11500H at 4187 (0.6% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS at 4121 (1% lower), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X at 4114 (1.2% lower), and the Intel Core i5-12500T at 4216 (1.3% higher). For the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U, the closest competitors are the Intel Core i7-6900K at 3970 (essentially tied), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G at 3977 (0.2% higher), the Intel Xeon E5-2669 v3 at 3959 (0.3% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U at 3958 (0.3% lower).

The overall win count is 6 versus 2 in favor of the AMD chip, but the magnitude of Intel's Geekbench multicore victory means that the average score still favors Intel by roughly 4.8%. This creates an interesting dynamic: the AMD wins more individual tests, yet the Intel holds a higher composite average.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from completely different design philosophies and manufacturing ecosystems. The Intel Core i9-9900 is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-R refresh, using a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel. It ships in an Intel Socket 1151 package and targets the desktop market segment. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U uses the Zen 3 architecture under the Cezanne-U codename, fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process. It uses AMD Socket FP6 and is designed for mobile platforms.

Both parts feature 8 cores and 16 threads, so the thread count is identical. The base clocks differ dramatically: Intel runs at 3.10 GHz, while AMD's base clock is listed at 2000.00 MHz, which is 2.00 GHz. The boost clocks are closer, with Intel reaching 5.00 GHz and AMD topping out at 4.50 GHz. The thermal design power tells the bigger story: Intel is rated at 65 W, while AMD is rated at just 15 W. That 50 W difference reflects the mobile versus desktop positioning, and it helps explain why the AMD chip can achieve competitive Cinebench scores despite its lower clock speeds.

Cache hierarchies show both similarities and differences. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the L2 cache differs: Intel provides 256 KB per core, while AMD doubles that to 512 KB per core. The AMD chip also has a much larger transistor count at 10,700 million, compared to Intel's unspecified figure, and a slightly smaller die at 180 mm² versus 180.3 mm² for Intel.

Memory support is DDR4 for both, with dual-channel buses. The memory bandwidth favors AMD at 51.2 GB/s versus Intel's 42.7 GB/s. Neither processor supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while AMD provides Gen 3 with only 8 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both, with Intel's UHD Graphics 630 and AMD's Radeon Vega 8.

The production statuses reflect their lifecycles: Intel's Core i9-9900 is end-of-life, released on 2019-04-22, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U is active, released on 2022-04-18. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking headroom is limited on both sides.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U scores 1990 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 4.2% higher than the Intel Core i9-9900's 1907.

Q: How large is Intel's lead in Geekbench multicore?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900 scores 8175 in Geekbench multicore, which is 43.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U's 5702. This is the largest performance gap in any recorded benchmark between the two.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i9-9900 and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U have 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900 has a TDP of 65 W, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U has a TDP of 15 W, a 50 W difference.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900 has an average benchmark score of 4163, compared to 3971 for the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U. Both sit at the 57th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How does the L2 cache differ between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U has 512 KB of L2 cache per core, double the 256 KB per core found on the Intel Core i9-9900. Both share 16 MB of L3 cache.

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U wins the majority of head-to-head tests, taking six out of eight, and it does so with a remarkable 15 W TDP against Intel's 65 W. The Cinebench results, which span three versions and both single-core and multicore workloads, consistently favor AMD by about 4.2%. This makes the Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U the stronger choice for rendering workloads and tasks that resemble Cinebench's compute patterns, especially when power consumption is a concern.

However, the Intel Core i9-9900 holds the higher average benchmark score at 4163 versus 3971, driven almost entirely by its 43.4% blowout in Geekbench multicore. For applications that follow Geekbench's workload profile, the Intel chip offers dramatically better performance. Its 5.00 GHz boost clock and 65 W power envelope likely contribute to this advantage, though the exact reasons are not in the data. The Intel part also has twice the PCIe lanes (16 versus 8), which could matter for expansion-heavy desktop builds.

The choice depends on workload priority. If the target applications are closer to Cinebench's rendering and content-creation patterns, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U delivers better performance at a fraction of the power. If the target applications align with Geekbench's mixed workload, the Intel Core i9-9900 offers a massive multicore advantage. The Intel chip is also the only one with a recorded launch MSRP of $423, while the AMD part has no listed launch price.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications: base clock (Intel 3.10 GHz, AMD 2.00 GHz), boost clock (Intel 5.00 GHz, AMD 4.50 GHz), TDP (Intel 65 W, AMD 15 W), socket (Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket FP6), architecture (Coffee Lake versus Zen 3), codename (Coffee Lake-R versus Cezanne-U), generation naming, process node (14 nm versus 7 nm), foundry (Intel versus TSMC), transistor count (AMD 10,700 million, Intel unspecified), die size (Intel 180.3 mm² versus AMD 180 mm²), L2 cache (Intel 256 KB per core versus AMD 512 KB per core), memory bandwidth (Intel 42.7 GB/s versus AMD 51.2 GB/s), PCIe lanes (Intel Gen 3, 16 lanes versus AMD Gen 3, 8 lanes), integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630 versus Radeon Vega 8), market segment (Desktop versus Mobile), production status (End-of-life versus Active), release date (2019-04-22 versus 2022-04-18), and part number (SRG18 versus 100-000000581). The launch MSRP of $423 applies only to the Intel part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5875U wins in every Cinebench test recorded: R15 multicore, R15 single-core, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core, all by a consistent 4.0% to 4.2% margin. It also wins on power efficiency with a 15 W TDP, on memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s, and on L2 cache capacity with 512 KB per core. For mobile users or anyone prioritizing low power consumption, the AMD chip is the clear winner across the board in render-heavy workloads.

The Intel Core i9-9900 wins in Geekbench multicore by a commanding 43.4% and in Geekbench single-core by 5.8%. It also holds the higher average benchmark score, the higher boost clock at 5.00 GHz, double the PCIe lanes at 16, and the larger die size at 180.3 mm². For desktop users who need maximum performance in Geekbench-style mixed workloads, the Intel processor is the stronger option despite its higher power draw and end-of-life status. The two chips split the use cases cleanly: AMD for efficient render performance, Intel for Geekbench multicore dominance.