AMD Ryzen 9 4900H vs Intel Core i7-9700KF Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H and Intel Core i7-9700KF present a classic clash of design philosophies: a mobile, power-efficient 8-core/16-thread part against a desktop, high-clock 8-core/8-thread part. Benchmark data shows a split decision, with the AMD chip winning the older Cinebench R15 tests while the Intel chip dominates the newer Cinebench R23 and Geekbench suites. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—3820 for the AMD versus 3787 for the Intel—placing both at the 56th percentile among all CPUs, yet the underlying performance profiles could not be more different.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H takes two of the six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, both from the Cinebench R15 suite. In the multicore test, the AMD scores 1926.5 against Intel’s 1219, a massive 58% advantage. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison and reflects the benefit of simultaneous multithreading (SMT) in a workload that scales well with thread count. The AMD also wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test, scoring 193 versus 172, a 12.2% margin. This older benchmark appears to favor the AMD’s Zen 2 architecture’s efficiency per clock in this specific test.

The Intel Core i7-9700KF wins the remaining four benchmarks, including all of the newer and more demanding tests. In Cinebench R23 multicore, Intel scores 12100 against AMD’s 11604, a 4.1% victory. The single-core Cinebench R23 result is more decisive: Intel’s 1708 dwarfs AMD’s 1294, a 24.2% lead. Geekbench tells a similar story, with Intel winning multicore 7620 to 6596 (13.4% ahead) and single-core 1681 to 1309 (22.1% ahead). The pattern is clear: AMD wins the legacy R15 workload, while Intel dominates every modern benchmark in the dataset.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H uses TSMC’s 7 nm process with a 156 mm² die containing 9,800 million transistors. It is part of the 4000 series, codenamed Renoir, based on the Zen 2 architecture, and targets the mobile market segment via AMD Socket FP6. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, all within a 54 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. It supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and includes Radeon Graphics 512SP integrated graphics.

The Intel Core i7-9700KF uses Intel’s older 14 nm process with a 180.3 mm² die, and transistors are not listed in the data. It is part of the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, based on the Coffee Lake architecture, and targets the desktop segment via Intel Socket 1151. It also has 8 cores but only 8 threads, with a higher base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, at a much higher 95 W TDP. The cache includes 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and a larger 12 MB shared L3. It supports only DDR4 in dual-channel with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, has no integrated graphics, and is marked as end-of-life. The Intel chip also has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the AMD does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is the Cinebench R15 multicore test, where the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H leads by 58%. The AMD’s score of 1926.5 versus Intel’s 1219 shows how effectively the 16 threads can be utilized in this workload, despite the Intel’s higher clock speeds. The Cinebench R15 single-core result also favors AMD, with 193 versus 172, a 12.2% win that is surprising given Intel’s clock advantage. This suggests the Zen 2 architecture had a per-clock efficiency edge in this specific benchmark generation.

The tables turn dramatically in Cinebench R23. Intel wins the multicore test with 12100 against AMD’s 11604, a 4.1% margin that flips the R15 result. The single-core R23 is a rout: Intel scores 1708 versus AMD’s 1294, a 24.2% lead. Geekbench multicore shows Intel ahead by 13.4% (7620 vs 6596), and Geekbench single-core shows Intel ahead by 22.1% (1681 vs 1309). The data suggests that newer benchmark versions reward Intel’s higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz and larger 12 MB L3 cache more heavily, while the older R15 tests were more sensitive to thread count.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H has 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-9700KF has only 8 threads. Both have 8 cores.

Q: Why does the AMD win the Cinebench R15 multicore test by so much?

A: The AMD scores 1926.5 versus Intel’s 1219, a 58% advantage. This likely reflects the AMD’s 16 threads being fully utilized in the older R15 workload, which scales well with additional threads.

Q: How large is Intel’s single-core lead in the newer benchmarks?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel leads by 24.2% (1708 vs 1294). In Geekbench single-core, Intel leads by 22.1% (1681 vs 1309).

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700KF has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H’s 4.40 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The AMD supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4, while the Intel supports only DDR4. The AMD also has higher memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s compared to Intel’s 42.7 GB/s.

Q: Which processor is still in active production?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H is marked as “Active,” while the Intel Core i7-9700KF is marked as “End-of-life.”

The Verdict

The data indicates that the Intel Core i7-9700KF is the better choice for modern, single-threaded and lightly-threaded workloads. Its wins in Cinebench R23 single-core (24.2% ahead) and Geekbench single-core (22.1% ahead) are decisive, and it also wins the multicore versions of those newer tests. For users running current software that relies on high clock speeds, the Intel’s 4.90 GHz boost and 12 MB L3 cache provide a clear advantage. The Intel also has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, and is a desktop part with a 95 W TDP.

The AMD Ryzen 9 4900H is the pick for legacy workloads that scale with thread count. Its 58% win in Cinebench R15 multicore is the largest margin in the comparison, and its 12.2% single-core win in that same suite shows it was competitive in older software. The AMD also has a much lower 54 W TDP, making it far more power-efficient, and it includes integrated graphics, which the Intel lacks. For a mobile platform, the AMD’s 7 nm process and lower power draw are significant advantages. The data shows a clear trade-off: Intel for modern performance, AMD for legacy multithreading and efficiency.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H and Intel Core i7-9700KF. Both have 8 cores, but the AMD has 16 threads versus Intel’s 8. The AMD’s base clock is 3.30 GHz and boost is 4.40 GHz, while the Intel’s are 3.60 GHz and 4.90 GHz respectively. TDP differs significantly: AMD at 54 W versus Intel at 95 W. The AMD uses AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel uses Intel Socket 1151. The AMD is built on TSMC’s 7 nm process with a 156 mm² die and 9,800 million transistors, while the Intel uses Intel’s 14 nm process with a 180.3 mm² die. The L2 cache differs: AMD has 512 KB per core, Intel has 256 KB per core. The L3 cache also differs: AMD has 8 MB shared, Intel has 12 MB shared. Memory support differs, with AMD supporting DDR4 and LPDDR4 and Intel only DDR4; memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for AMD and 42.7 GB/s for Intel. The AMD has integrated Radeon Graphics 512SP, while the Intel has none. The AMD is mobile, active, and has a locked multiplier, while the Intel is desktop, end-of-life, and has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel has a launch MSRP of $374.