AMD Ryzen 9 4900H vs Intel Core i7-8086K Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H and Intel Core i7-8086K present a fascinating generational and architectural clash, pitting a modern 7 nm mobile processor against a legacy 14 nm desktop part. While both CPUs share an identical overall benchmark percentile rank of 56, their individual performance profiles diverge dramatically depending on the workload and benchmark generation. The data reveals a story of a mobile chip that dominates in older multi-threaded tests, yet cedes significant ground to the older desktop chip in single-threaded and newer application scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head data is the massive victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H in the Cinebench R15 multi-core test. Here, the AMD chip scores 1926.5, a staggering 59.7% higher than the Intel Core i7-8086K’s score of 1206. This is the single largest delta in the comparison, showcasing the Ryzen’s 8-core/16-thread configuration overwhelming the Intel’s 6-core/12-thread design in a heavily threaded legacy workload. The Ryzen 9 4900H also claims victory in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, albeit by a much narrower margin, posting 193 against the Intel’s 170, a 13.5% difference. This early sweep suggests a clear advantage for the AMD part in this older benchmark suite.

However, the narrative flips when we move to more modern and demanding test suites. In Cinebench R23, the Intel Core i7-8086K takes the lead. In the multi-core test, the Intel chip scores 11975, edging out the Ryzen 9 4900H’s 11604 by a margin of 3.1%. While the delta is small, it is significant because it demonstrates that the Ryzen’s multi-threaded advantage from R15 disappears in the newer R23 test. The single-core gap is far more pronounced. The i7-8086K’s score of 1690 in Cinebench R23 single-core is a full 23.4% higher than the Ryzen’s 1294, highlighting the Intel chip’s superior per-core performance at its 5.00 GHz boost clock.

The Geekbench results reinforce this trend. In the multi-core test, the Intel Core i7-8086K scores 7920, which is 16.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H’s 6596. This is a substantial gap that reverses the R15 result completely. The single-core Geekbench score tells a similar story to the R23 test, with the Intel chip scoring 1697 against the AMD’s 1309, a 22.9% difference. Ultimately, the head-to-head tally shows the Intel Core i7-8086K winning 4 out of 6 benchmarks, with its victories in the newer and more demanding tests carrying more weight in a modern context.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The two processors are effectively tied. The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H has an average benchmark score of 3820, while the Intel Core i7-8086K has an average score of 3800. The delta between them is a mere 0.5% in favor of the AMD part.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H compare to the Intel Core i7-8086K in Cinebench R15 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H is the clear winner in this test, scoring 1926.5 compared to the Intel’s 1206. This represents a 59.7% performance advantage for the AMD processor, its largest win in the entire benchmark comparison.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-8086K faster in single-threaded workloads?

A: Yes, the data indicates this is the case for newer benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-8086K outperforms the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H by 23.4% in Cinebench R23 single-core and by 22.9% in Geekbench single-core. However, the AMD chip wins in Cinebench R15 single-core by 13.5%.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for these two CPUs?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core i7-8086K has 6 cores and 12 threads. This configuration gives the AMD chip an advantage in heavily parallelized workloads.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H is listed as "Active" in its production status. The Intel Core i7-8086K is listed as "End-of-life," indicating it is no longer in production.

Q: How do these two CPUs rank among all processors?

A: Both the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H and the Intel Core i7-8086K have an identical percentile rank of 56. This means they outperform 56% of all CPUs in the benchmark database, placing them in the same tier of overall performance.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a split decision. For users focused on maximizing multi-threaded throughput in older applications, the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H is the stronger choice, as evidenced by its overwhelming 59.7% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core. Its 8-core/16-thread design provides a raw parallel processing capability that the Intel chip cannot match in that specific test. Conversely, the Intel Core i7-8086K is the superior option for workloads that favor high clock speeds and single-thread performance, particularly in modern software. Its victories in Cinebench R23 multi-core (by 3.1%), Cinebench R23 single-core (by 23.4%), and both Geekbench tests (by 16.7% and 22.9%) demonstrate a clear performance edge in these scenarios.

The fact that the Intel chip wins in the newer Cinebench R23 multi-core test, despite having fewer cores and threads, suggests that its architectural efficiency and high 5.00 GHz boost clock can overcome the core deficit in this workload. This makes the i7-8086K a more compelling option for users running contemporary applications that may not scale perfectly with core count or that prioritize single-thread responsiveness. Ultimately, the choice hinges on whether the user’s primary applications are from an older era, where the AMD chip dominates, or from a modern context, where the Intel chip shows a consistent advantage.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ significantly in several core specifications. The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H features 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-8086K has 6 cores and 12 threads. The base clock speeds differ, with the AMD chip running at 3.30 GHz and the Intel chip at 4.00 GHz. The boost clocks also differ, with the AMD chip reaching 4.40 GHz and the Intel chip hitting 5.00 GHz. The thermal design power (TDP) is a major point of distinction, with the AMD mobile chip rated at 54 W compared to the Intel desktop chip’s 95 W.

The cache hierarchies are not identical. Both have a 64 KB L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache is 512 KB per core on the AMD chip versus 256 KB per core on the Intel chip. The L3 cache is 8 MB shared on the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H, while the Intel Core i7-8086K has a larger 12 MB shared L3 cache. The memory bandwidth also differs, with the AMD chip supporting 51.2 GB/s and the Intel chip supporting 42.7 GB/s. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the AMD chip featuring Radeon Graphics 512SP and the Intel chip featuring UHD Graphics 630. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD chip does not.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide is significant. The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H is built on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, and manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process node. It is part of the 4000 series and is a mobile processor (AMD Socket FP6). The Intel Core i7-8086K, in contrast, uses the Coffee Lake architecture and is manufactured by Intel on a 14 nm process node. It belongs to the Core i7 40th generation and is a desktop processor (Intel Socket 1151). The Intel chip is considered end-of-life, while the AMD chip is still active.

The difference in process node is a key factor, with the 7 nm AMD chip employing a more advanced manufacturing process than the 14 nm Intel chip. The AMD chip integrates a Radeon Graphics 512SP GPU, while the Intel chip has UHD Graphics 630. The AMD chip supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory, while the Intel chip supports only DDR4. Both have dual-channel memory buses and support PCIe Gen 3, though the Intel chip specifies 16 lanes (CPU only). The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H integrates 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die, while the transistor count and die size for the Intel chip are not listed in the data. The release dates are also distinct, with the AMD chip launching on 2020-03-15 and the Intel chip on 2018-06-04.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H wins decisively in the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, suggesting it is the better option for older, heavily threaded render workloads. Its 59.7% advantage here shows that its 8-core/16-thread configuration provides a substantial edge in legacy multi-threaded software. It also wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test, indicating a small but real advantage in that specific older single-threaded benchmark. This points to a strength in legacy applications and tasks that can leverage its higher core count.

The Intel Core i7-8086K wins in the modern Cinebench R23 multi-core test and both Geekbench tests. Its 3.1% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is notable because it shows that in newer, more optimized rendering workloads, the Intel chip’s higher clock speeds and architectural design can overcome the AMD chip’s core and thread advantage. The substantial single-core wins in Cinebench R23 (23.4%) and Geekbench (22.9%) highlight its dominance in tasks that rely on high clock speeds, such as gaming and lightly-threaded productivity applications. The Geekbench multi-core win by 16.7% also indicates a general-purpose performance advantage in modern system benchmarks. Therefore, the Intel chip is the winner for users prioritizing modern application performance and single-thread responsiveness, while the AMD chip is the winner for users concerned with legacy multi-threaded throughput.