AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core i9-11980HK Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS dominates this matchup, winning 12 of the 15 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. It is the clear choice for sustained multi-threaded workloads, memory-bound tasks, and everyday responsiveness. The Intel Core i9-11980HK takes only 3 wins, but those wins are concentrated in two specific areas: Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core, plus the narrow PassMark prime-number test. That makes the Intel part appealing for rendering workloads that scale with the R23 metric and for lightly threaded tasks that respond to raw single-core speed, though the AMD chip counters with a strong PassMark single-thread win of its own.

The split is not subtle. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS leads in data compression by 33.7%, data encryption by 54.4%, extended instruction throughput by 52.7%, floating-point math by 33.6%, integer math by 28.7%, multithreaded PassMark by 32.7%, physics by 29%, random string sorting by 36.2%, and PassMark single-thread by 18.1%. It also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 40.7% and R15 single-core by 6.4%. The Intel Core i9-11980HK counters with Cinebench R23 multi-core, leading by 9.8%, and Cinebench R23 single-core, leading by 31.3%. It also edges out the AMD part in prime-number finding by 8%.

The practical reading is that the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is the more versatile processor for mixed workloads, while the Intel Core i9-11980HK has a narrower but real advantage in the specific rendering and single-core scenarios captured by Cinebench R23. The data also shows the AMD part with a higher average benchmark score of 31074 against the Intel part's 30422, and a slightly better percentile ranking at 82 versus 81. Both processors sit close to comparable rivals in the database: the AMD chip is within 0.6% of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8645HS and 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-13700TE, while the Intel chip is within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-13600H and 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two mobile processors is wide. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core i9-11980HK uses the Tiger Lake architecture under the Tiger Lake-H codename, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a 190 mm² die size. Both have 8 cores and 16 threads, so thread-count parity does not explain the benchmark gaps. The differences lie in clocks, cache, memory, and process efficiency.

The AMD part runs a 4.00 GHz base clock and a 5.20 GHz boost clock. The Intel part runs a 2.60 GHz base clock and a 5.00 GHz boost clock. The AMD base clock is substantially higher, which helps sustained all-core workloads. The L3 cache differs significantly: the AMD chip has 16 MB shared, while the Intel chip has 24 MB shared. Per-core L1 and L2 caches also differ, with the Intel part carrying 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core versus the AMD part's 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core. Despite having less aggregate cache, the AMD part wins most memory-sensitive benchmarks, likely because of its memory subsystem.

Memory support is a major differentiator. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core i9-11980HK supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s. That is a 75% bandwidth advantage for the AMD part in the recorded specifications. The AMD processor also integrates the Radeon 780M graphics, while the Intel part integrates UHD Graphics 750. Both use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, so expansion connectivity is equal. Neither supports ECC memory. The AMD part is production-active with a December 2023 release date, while the Intel part is end-of-life with a May 2021 release. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier and a launch MSRP of $583, while the AMD part's multiplier is locked and no launch MSRP is recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest AMD win is in data encryption, where the Ryzen 9 8945HS scores 21323 against the Core i9-11980HK's 13813, a 54.4% margin. Extended instructions follow closely, with the AMD part at 26964 against 17654, a 52.7% lead. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 40.7% AMD advantage, with scores of 2640 versus 1876. Random string sorting favors AMD by 36.2% (43202 versus 31709), while data compression shows a 33.7% AMD lead (356508 versus 266571). Floating-point math is 33.6% higher on the AMD part (61821 versus 46262), and PassMark multi-thread is 32.7% higher (29780 versus 22436). Physics tests show a 29% AMD lead (1434 versus 1112), and integer math is 28.7% higher (101226 versus 78682). PassMark single-thread favors AMD by 18.1% (3850 versus 3261), and Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 6.4% AMD lead (281 versus 264).

The Intel Core i9-11980HK takes its largest win in Cinebench R23 single-core, scoring 2628 against 1805, a 31.3% margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core also goes to Intel, 18617 versus 16795, a 9.8% lead. The only other Intel win is in prime-number finding, 100 versus 92, an 8% margin. These results show that the Intel part's strongest showing comes in the newer Cinebench R23 workload, where it surpasses the AMD chip despite losing the older R15 tests. The R23 single-core gap is particularly large, suggesting the Intel architecture retains a single-core advantage in that specific benchmark. However, the AMD part's PassMark single-thread win by 18.1% complicates any simple "Intel wins single-core" narrative; the outcome depends heavily on the test suite.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks overall?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS wins 12 of the 15 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i9-11980HK wins 3.

Q: Where does the Intel Core i9-11980HK beat the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS?

A: The Intel part wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 9.8%, Cinebench R23 single-core by 31.3%, and PassMark prime-number finding by 8%.

Q: How large is the AMD lead in data encryption?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS scores 21323 versus 13813, a 54.4% advantage over the Intel Core i9-11980HK.

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

A: Yes, both have 8 cores and 16 threads, but they differ in architecture, process node, cache, and memory support.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel Core i9-11980HK supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the production statuses of these processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is production-active, while the Intel Core i9-11980HK is end-of-life.

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS as the stronger processor for the majority of workloads. Its 12 benchmark wins cover compression, encryption, math throughput, physics, sorting, and multithreaded performance, often by wide margins. The 54.4% encryption lead and 52.7% extended-instruction lead are decisive. For users running mixed productivity, content creation, or any workload that stresses memory bandwidth, the DDR5 support at 89.6 GB/s gives the AMD part a structural advantage that the Intel part's DDR4 at 51.2 GB/s cannot match. The AMD chip also posts a higher average benchmark score (31074 versus 30422) and a higher percentile ranking (82 versus 81).

The Intel Core i9-11980HK should be chosen only when the Cinebench R23 results are the primary consideration. Its 31.3% single-core lead and 9.8% multi-core lead in that specific benchmark are substantial, and the unlocked multiplier offers tuning flexibility that the AMD part lacks. The Intel chip also has more L3 cache (24 MB versus 16 MB) and a higher per-core L1/L2 allocation. However, those advantages do not translate into wins across the broader test suite. The Intel part loses every PassMark test except prime-number finding and loses both Cinebench R15 tests. Given that the AMD part wins the older R15 multi-core by 40.7%, the Intel R23 win appears workload-specific rather than a general performance advantage. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is the safer recommendation for general purpose mobile computing, while the Intel Core i9-11980HK suits niche rendering workloads that mirror Cinebench R23 scaling.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several recorded specification fields. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the Intel Core i9-11980HK has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The AMD part uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, a 4 nm process at TSMC, 25,000 million transistors, and a 178 mm² die. The Intel part uses the Tiger Lake architecture with the Tiger Lake-H codename, a 10 nm process at Intel, no recorded transistor count, and a 190 mm² die. Cache configurations differ: the AMD part has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3, while the Intel part has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3. Memory support differs, with the AMD part using DDR5 at 89.6 GB/s and the Intel part using DDR4 at 51.2 GB/s. The integrated graphics differ, with the AMD part featuring Radeon 780M and the Intel part featuring UHD Graphics 750. The AMD part has a locked multiplier, while the Intel part has an unlocked multiplier. Production status differs: the AMD part is active with a December 2023 release, while the Intel part is end-of-life with a May 2021 release. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $583, while the AMD part has none. Both use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, dual-channel memory buses, and no ECC support.