AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS vs Intel Xeon D-2733NT Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS and Intel Xeon D-2733NT split their head-to-head benchmark wins evenly, with two victories each across the shared Cinebench tests. The AMD part takes the older Cinebench R15 suite, while the Intel part dominates the newer R23 workload, which paints a clear picture of their different design priorities.

The Ryzen 9 5980HS wins decisively in Cinebench R15 multicore with a score of 2083 against 1388, a 50.1% advantage. It also wins Cinebench R15 singlecore at 243 versus 195, a 24.6% lead. These are substantial margins, particularly in the multicore test where the AMD chip is half again as fast as the Xeon in that specific workload.

The Xeon D-2733NT flips the script entirely in Cinebench R23. It scores 13775 in multicore versus the Ryzen's 12629, an 8.3% advantage. In singlecore R23, the Xeon posts 1944 against 1529, which is a 21.3% lead. The R23 results are more modern and more representative of current software, so the Intel part holds the edge where it matters for contemporary workloads.

The data suggests the Ryzen 9 5980HS excels in legacy or lighter-threaded rendering tasks that resemble the R15 workload, while the Xeon D-2733NT pulls ahead in sustained modern multi-threaded rendering and single-threaded tasks that scale with the newer R23 instruction set. The user should pick based on which workload generation they actually run. If the software is older or less optimized for modern AVX-512 style instructions, the AMD chip looks stronger. If the software is current and takes advantage of the Xeon's architecture, the Intel part wins.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from completely different design schools. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS uses the Zen 3 architecture on the Cezanne codename, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It packs 10,700 million transistors into a 180 mm² die. The Intel Xeon D-2733NT uses the Ice Lake architecture with the Ice Lake-D codename, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process; the database records no transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Core counts are identical at 8 cores and 16 threads. Cache layouts differ significantly. The AMD chip provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 15 MB of shared L3. The Xeon has more L1 and L2 per core, while the Ryzen has slightly more shared L3.

The integrated graphics situation is a major split. The Ryzen 9 5980HS includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics, while the Xeon D-2733NT has no integrated graphics at all. This alone tells you the AMD part is designed for mobile systems that need a display output without a discrete GPU, while the Intel part assumes a server environment with its own GPU or management controller.

The memory architectures diverge sharply. The Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. The Xeon supports quad-channel DDR4 with 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC memory support. The Xeon's memory bandwidth is 25% higher, and ECC is a hard requirement for many server and workstation deployments.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The Ryzen offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Xeon offers PCIe Gen 4 with 32 lanes from the CPU, doubling both the generation and lane count. This matters for storage arrays, network cards, and accelerators in server contexts.

The market segments tell the story: the Ryzen 9 5980HS is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP6 with a 35 W TDP, while the Xeon D-2733NT is a server or workstation part on Intel BGA 2579 with an 80 W TDP. The release dates differ by roughly a year, with the AMD part releasing in January 2021 and the Intel part in February 2022. Both are listed as Active in production status, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The shared benchmark suite covers four Cinebench tests, and the results are sharply divided. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS scores 2083 against the Intel Xeon D-2733NT's 1388. That is a 50.1% delta in favor of AMD, the largest margin in any test. The Ryzen is simply far ahead in this older multi-threaded workload.

In Cinebench R15 singlecore, the AMD chip scores 243 against the Xeon's 195, a 24.6% advantage. This is consistent with the multicore result and suggests the Zen 3 architecture had a strong showing in the R15 era.

The Cinebench R23 results reverse the standings. In R23 multicore, the Xeon D-2733NT scores 13775 against the Ryzen's 12629, an 8.3% advantage for Intel. The R23 workload is notably more demanding and better optimized for modern architectures, and the Xeon's Ice Lake design responds well to it.

In R23 singlecore, the Xeon scores 1944 against the Ryzen's 1529, a 21.3% lead. This is a striking reversal: the Xeon, despite a much lower boost clock of 3.20 GHz versus the Ryzen's 4.80 GHz, beats the AMD part by over a fifth in single-threaded R23 performance. The architectural efficiency of Ice Lake in this specific workload more than compensates for the raw clock disadvantage.

The pattern is clear: the older R15 suite favors the Ryzen 9 5980HS by huge margins, while the newer R23 suite favors the Xeon D-2733NT by solid margins. The database's overall average benchmark score gives the AMD part 4121 versus the Xeon's 3984, a small 3.4% gap in favor of AMD, but both chips sit at the 57th percentile among all CPUs. The average scores are close enough that the specific workload matters far more than the aggregate.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The Intel Xeon D-2733NT has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The AMD part is substantially faster on paper, with a 1.6 GHz higher boost clock, yet the Xeon wins the newer R23 benchmarks anyway.

TDP is a major differentiator. The Ryzen 9 5980HS carries a 35 W TDP, while the Xeon D-2733NT carries an 80 W TDP. That is more than double the power budget for the Intel part, which explains some of its R23 advantage but also makes it unsuitable for thin-and-light mobile designs.

The sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket FP6 versus Intel BGA 2579. The AMD part is a mobile chip, and the Intel part is a server or workstation chip. The Ryzen uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes; the Xeon uses PCIe Gen 4 with 32 lanes. The Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC; the Xeon supports quad-channel DDR4 with 85.3 GB/s and ECC.

The cache hierarchies differ per core. The Ryzen has 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core; the Xeon has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core. The Ryzen has 16 MB shared L3; the Xeon has 15 MB shared L3. The AMD process node is 7 nm from TSMC; the Intel process node is 10 nm from Intel. The AMD part has integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics; the Intel part has none.

The release timing differs: the Ryzen launched in January 2021, the Xeon in February 2022. The Ryzen part number is 100-000000474, the Xeon part number is SRLCJ. Neither has a recorded launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: It depends on the benchmark. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS scores 2083 versus 1388, a 50.1% lead. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Intel Xeon D-2733NT scores 13775 versus 12629, an 8.3% lead. The newer R23 result favors Intel.

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

A: Yes, both have 8 cores and 16 threads. They differ in clocks, cache, memory support, and everything else, but the core and thread counts are identical.

Q: Which chip supports ECC memory?

A: Only the Intel Xeon D-2733NT supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS does not support ECC. The Xeon also uses quad-channel DDR4 with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ryzen uses dual-channel DDR4 with 68.3 GB/s.

Q: Does either processor have integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon D-2733NT has no integrated graphics. This makes the AMD part more suitable for systems without a discrete GPU.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS has an average benchmark score of 4121, while the Intel Xeon D-2733NT scores 3984. Both sit at the 57th percentile among all CPUs. The AMD part's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X at 4114, a 0.2% delta, and the Intel part's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E-2336 at 3985, a 0% delta.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The Intel Xeon D-2733NT has a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. Despite the 1.6 GHz disadvantage, the Xeon wins Cinebench R23 singlecore with 1944 versus 1529.

The Verdict

The choice between these two processors comes down to workload generation and platform requirements. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is the pick for legacy or R15-era rendering workloads, where it beats the Xeon by 50.1% in multicore and 24.6% in singlecore. It also brings integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics, a 35 W TDP, and a 4.80 GHz boost clock, making it viable for mobile systems that need a self-contained CPU with GPU output.

The Intel Xeon D-2733NT is the pick for modern R23-era workloads, where it beats the Ryzen by 8.3% in multicore and 21.3% in singlecore. It offers ECC memory support, quad-channel DDR4 with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth, PCIe Gen 4 with 32 lanes, and no integrated graphics. This is clearly a server or workstation part built for reliability, memory capacity, and I/O expansion, not for mobile use.

The 80 W TDP of the Xeon versus the 35 W TDP of the Ryzen means the Intel part needs serious cooling and power delivery. The Ryzen's 7 nm process from TSMC and smaller power budget make it the more efficient option on paper, but the Xeon's Ice Lake architecture extracts more performance from the newer R23 instruction set despite lower clocks.

For a buyer who runs current software and needs ECC, quad-channel memory, or PCIe Gen 4 lanes, the Xeon D-2733NT is the correct choice. For a buyer who values integrated graphics, low power draw, and strong legacy rendering performance, the Ryzen 9 5980HS is the correct choice. The aggregate scores are close, with the AMD part at 4121 and the Intel part at 3984, but the workload split is too dramatic to ignore. Pick the chip that matches your software generation and platform constraints.