AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX vs Intel Core i7-13700TE Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX and Intel Core i7-13700TE present a fascinating contrast in design philosophy and benchmark performance. The data shows a clear split: the AMD chip wins 11 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel processor takes 6. The Ryzen 9 5980HX achieves its victories in the Cinebench suite and several Passmark workloads, with margins ranging from 2.6% to 54.2%. The Core i7-13700TE counters with decisive wins in Passmark physics, floating-point math, and prime number calculations, where it leads by as much as 47.5%. For users prioritizing rendering, compression, or encryption, the AMD part is the data-backed choice. For users focused on physics simulations, scientific floating-point workloads, or single-threaded Passmark performance, the Intel part holds the edge. The verdict, strictly from benchmark data, is that the Ryzen 9 5980HX offers broader overall superiority, but the Core i7-13700TE is not without its own specialized strengths.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX as the superior processor for most workloads, but the choice depends entirely on the specific task. The Ryzen 9 5980HX holds a decisive advantage in every Cinebench test, from R15 to R23, in both single-core and multi-core variants. Its multi-core scores are consistently about 6.2% higher, and its single-core scores are about 6.4% higher. This makes it the clear pick for rendering, video encoding, and any application that relies on Cinebench-style performance. The AMD chip also dominates in data compression (310,694 vs 243,565, a 27.6% lead), data encryption (19,221 vs 15,006, a 28.1% lead), and extended instructions (21,209 vs 13,750, a 54.2% lead). These are massive margins that suggest the Ryzen 9 5980HX is significantly better suited for archival work, secure data handling, and AVX-heavy code.

The Intel Core i7-13700TE is not without merit. It wins Passmark physics (1,368 vs 881, a 35.6% lead), floating-point math (66,421 vs 50,223, a 24.4% lead), and find prime numbers (101 vs 53, a 47.5% lead). It also edges out the AMD chip in single-threaded Passmark (3,422 vs 3,326, a 2.8% lead) and integer math (97,911 vs 89,772, an 8.3% lead). For users running physics engines, scientific simulations, or workloads that stress raw floating-point throughput, the Intel part is the data-backed choice. However, the sheer number of AMD wins, coupled with the larger margins in many of those wins, makes the Ryzen 9 5980HX the more versatile recommendation for general-purpose high-performance computing.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX uses the Zen 3 architecture on a 7 nm process, manufactured by TSMC. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The chip is built on the Cezanne codename and fits into the AMD Socket FP6. Its cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s, and it does not support ECC memory. The integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 8. The processor is unlocked for overclocking and is classified as a mobile part.

The Intel Core i7-13700TE uses the Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, manufactured by Intel. It features 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 1100.00 MHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The chip is built on the Raptor Lake-S codename and fits into the Intel Socket 1700. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5 memory, though its memory bandwidth is not specified in the data. It does not support ECC memory. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770. The processor is not unlocked for overclocking and is classified as a desktop part.

The most significant architectural difference is the core count and thread count. The Intel part has twice the cores and 50% more threads, yet it loses in most multi-threaded benchmarks. This indicates that the AMD Zen 3 cores are significantly more efficient per-thread than the Intel Raptor Lake cores, at least in the tested workloads. The Intel part also has a notably higher TDP at 35 W compared to the AMD's 45 W, which is counterintuitive given its lower base clock. The process node difference (7 nm vs 10 nm) and the larger die size for Intel (257 mm² vs 180 mm²) further highlight the architectural divergence.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX's complete dominance in the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 2,000 against Intel's 1,884, a 6.2% lead. In R15 single-core, the AMD scores 282 against 265, a 6.4% lead. The pattern repeats in R20 multi-core (8,337 vs 7,853, 6.2%), R20 single-core (1,176 vs 1,108, 6.1%), R23 multi-core (19,850 vs 18,698, 6.2%), and R23 single-core (2,802 vs 2,639, 6.2%). This consistency across all three Cinebench versions suggests a fundamental per-core performance advantage for the AMD architecture.

The AMD chip also wins the Passmark multithread test, scoring 23,356 versus Intel's 22,754, a 2.6% margin. It extends its lead in data compression (310,694 vs 243,565, 27.6%) and data encryption (19,221 vs 15,006, 28.1%). The largest margin of the entire comparison comes in Passmark extended instructions, where the AMD scores 21,209 against Intel's 13,750, a staggering 54.2% lead. The AMD chip also wins random string sorting (32,238 vs 27,307, 18.1%).

The Intel Core i7-13700TE's wins are concentrated in specific Passmark workloads. Its most significant win is in find prime numbers, scoring 101 versus AMD's 53, a 47.5% advantage. It also wins Passmark physics decisively (1,368 vs 881, 35.6%) and floating-point math (66,421 vs 50,223, 24.4%). The Intel part wins integer math (97,911 vs 89,772, 8.3%) and both Passmark single-thread tests (3,422 vs 3,326, 2.8%). These wins suggest that the Intel architecture is particularly strong in raw computational throughput for specific mathematical operations, but it cannot match the AMD chip's overall integrated performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-13700TE has 16 cores and 24 threads. The AMD base clock is 3.30 GHz, whereas the Intel base clock is 1100.00 MHz. Both have the same boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The AMD TDP is 45 W, while the Intel TDP is 35 W. The AMD uses the AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel uses the Intel Socket 1700. The AMD architecture is Zen 3 with the Cezanne codename, while the Intel architecture is Raptor Lake with the Raptor Lake-S codename. The process node is 7 nm for AMD and 10 nm for Intel. The AMD die size is 180 mm², while the Intel die size is 257 mm². The AMD cache is 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3, while the Intel cache is 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD supports only DDR4, while the Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD memory bandwidth is 68.3 GB/s, while the Intel memory bandwidth is not specified. The AMD PCIe is Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the Intel PCIe is Gen 5 with 20 lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 8 for AMD and UHD Graphics 770 for Intel. The AMD is unlocked, while the Intel is locked. The AMD is a mobile part, while the Intel is a desktop part. The AMD was released on 2021-01-11, while the Intel was released on 2023-01-03. The AMD has a part number of 100-000000474, while the Intel has a part number of SRMG4.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700TE has 16 cores and 24 threads, which is double the cores and 50% more threads than the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX's 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX wins, scoring 19,850 against the Intel Core i7-13700TE's 18,698, a 6.2% advantage.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in Passmark extended instructions, where the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX scores 21,209 versus the Intel Core i7-13700TE's 13,750, a 54.2% lead.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-13700TE win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-13700TE wins 6 benchmarks, including Passmark physics (1,368 vs 881), floating-point math (66,421 vs 50,223), and find prime numbers (101 vs 53).

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: Only the Intel Core i7-13700TE supports DDR5 memory, as well as DDR4. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX supports only DDR4.

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX has a higher TDP of 45 W, compared to the Intel Core i7-13700TE's 35 W.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX wins in all Cinebench tests, making it the clear choice for 3D rendering, video editing, and any workload that scales with Cinebench performance. Its 6.2% multi-core lead and 6.4% single-core lead in Cinebench R23 translate to real-world speedups in applications like Blender, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. The AMD chip also excels in data compression, encryption, and extended instructions, making it ideal for file archiving, secure data transport, and scientific computing that uses AVX-512 or similar instruction sets. Its 27.6% lead in data compression and 28.1% lead in encryption are substantial, and its 54.2% lead in extended instructions is the most decisive margin in the entire comparison. For users who value fast multitasking, the AMD chip's 2.6% lead in Passmark multithread also makes it the better choice for heavy multitasking scenarios.

The Intel Core i7-13700TE wins in Passmark physics, floating-point math, integer math, find prime numbers, and single-threaded Passmark tests. Its 35.6% lead in physics makes it the better choice for physics simulations in engineering software or scientific research. Its 24.4% lead in floating-point math is significant for financial modeling, numerical analysis, and other math-heavy applications. The 47.5% lead in find prime numbers suggests a strength in number-crunching tasks that involve primality testing, though this is a niche workload. The Intel chip's 2.8% lead in single-threaded Passmark makes it marginally better for lightly-threaded applications like some legacy software or spreadsheets. Its 8.3% lead in integer math also makes it a reasonable choice for database operations and integer-heavy code. However, given that the AMD chip wins the majority of benchmarks and often by larger margins, the Intel Core i7-13700TE is best reserved for users with specific workloads that match its strengths in mathematical and physics computations.