AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS vs Intel Core i9-11900 Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11900 and AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS are both 8-core, 16-thread processors, but they target entirely different segments: the former is an end-of-life desktop chip, while the latter is an active mobile part. The benchmark data reveals a clear split in their performance profiles. The Intel chip, with its 5.20 GHz boost clock, dominates heavily in Cinebench tests, particularly in single-core and multi-core workloads. Conversely, the AMD chip, despite its lower 35W TDP, shows surprising strength in several Passmark tests, including integer math and physics simulations. The head-to-head results show Intel winning 9 of 15 tests, but the AMD part wins the overall Passmark multithread score and single-thread score, making the choice between them highly workload-dependent.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic performance gap between these two processors appears in Cinebench testing. In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the Intel Core i9-11900 scores 18,985 compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS’s 11,515, giving Intel a commanding 64.9% lead. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison. The single-core picture is similarly lopsided: Intel scores 2,680 versus AMD’s 1,514, a 77% advantage. In the older Cinebench R15 tests, the multi-core scores are identical at 1,913, but Intel wins the single-core test 270 to 239, a 13% edge. These results indicate that the Intel architecture’s higher clock speeds translate directly into superior raw rendering performance.

The Passmark suite paints a more nuanced picture. Intel wins the data compression test with 285,159 versus 282,624, a marginal 0.9% difference. Intel also takes extended instructions (19,654 vs 18,897, a 4% lead), find prime numbers (63 vs 56, a 12.5% lead), floating point math (48,948 vs 48,096, a 1.8% lead), and random string sorting (33,054 vs 29,350, a 12.6% lead). However, AMD strikes back in several key areas. The Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS wins data encryption decisively, scoring 17,837 versus Intel’s 13,942, a 21.8% advantage. AMD also leads in integer math (88,124 vs 83,893, a 4.8% edge), physics (1,043 vs 977, a 6.3% edge), and the Passmark multithread score (22,775 vs 22,456, a 1.4% edge). The Passmark single-thread scores are nearly identical, with AMD edging out Intel 3,400 to 3,373, a mere 0.8% difference.

Looking at the overall average benchmark scores, the Intel Core i9-11900 posts a 32,226 average, which places it at the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS has a slightly lower average of 31,850, but it also sits at the 82nd percentile. The nearest rivals for Intel include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (avg score 32,233, a 0% delta), the Intel Core i5-14400F (32,279, -0.2% delta), and the Intel Core i7-12800H (32,121, 0.3% delta). For AMD, the nearest rivals are the Intel Core i5-14450HX (32,040, -0.6% delta), Intel Core i7-13705H (32,076, -0.7% delta), and AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS (31,593, 0.8% delta). These figures show both processors are competitive within their own performance brackets.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 leads in Cinebench R15 single-core (270 vs 239, 13% delta) and Cinebench R23 single-core (2,680 vs 1,514, 77% delta). However, in the Passmark single-thread test, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS scores 3,400 versus Intel’s 3,373, a 0.8% advantage for AMD.

Q: How do the multi-core scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by a massive 64.9% (18,985 vs 11,515). In Cinebench R15 multi-core, both chips tie at 1,913. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS wins the Passmark multithread test with 22,775 versus 22,456, a 1.4% edge.

Q: Is the AMD processor better at any specific task?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS shows a clear advantage in data encryption, scoring 17,837 versus Intel’s 13,942, a 21.8% improvement. It also wins in integer math (88,124 vs 83,893, 4.8%), physics (1,043 vs 977, 6.3%), and the Passmark multithread score.

Q: What is the overall win count in the head-to-head tests?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 wins 9 out of 15 benchmark tests, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS wins the remaining 6. The Intel wins are concentrated in Cinebench and several Passmark sub-tests, while AMD wins in encryption, integer math, physics, multithread, and single-thread Passmark tests.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 has an average benchmark score of 32,226, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS has an average of 31,850. Both processors sit at the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, indicating similar overall performance levels.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 has a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i9-11900 is the clear choice for workloads that depend on Cinebench-style rendering and single-core performance. Its 64.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 77% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core are decisive advantages that would matter significantly for content creation and 3D modeling tasks. The Intel chip also wins in several Passmark sub-tests, including data compression, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, and random string sorting.

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, despite being a mobile processor with a 35W TDP, proves more efficient in specific workloads. Its 21.8% lead in data encryption is notable, and it also wins in integer math, physics, and the Passmark multithread and single-thread scores. However, the magnitude of these wins is generally smaller than Intel’s Cinebench advantages. For users who prioritize encryption performance or integer-heavy workloads, the AMD chip is the better option.

The data indicates the Intel chip is the superior performer for most compute-intensive applications, but the AMD chip holds its own in specific tasks and does so while consuming significantly less power (35W TDP versus 65W). The choice ultimately depends on whether the user values raw rendering performance over efficiency and specific encryption capabilities.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Intel Core i9-11900 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Intel chip has a TDP of 65W, whereas the AMD chip has a TDP of 35W. The Intel part uses the Intel Socket 1200, while the AMD part uses the AMD Socket FP7. The Intel processor is end-of-life and was released on 2021-03-15, while the AMD processor is active and was released on 2022-04-18. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $439; the AMD chip has no launch MSRP listed. Both have 8 cores and 16 threads, but the AMD chip uses DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the Intel chip uses DDR4 with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Intel part features UHD Graphics 750, while the AMD part features Radeon 680M integrated graphics.

Architecture Differences

The architectural differences between these two CPUs are substantial. The Intel Core i9-11900 is built on Rocket Lake architecture using Intel’s 14 nm process node, with a die size of 276 mm². The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS uses Zen 3+ architecture (codenamed Rembrandt) on TSMC’s 6 nm process, with a smaller die size of 208 mm². Both processors have identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip is a desktop processor, while the AMD chip is a mobile processor. Both support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), but the memory support differs: Intel uses DDR4 dual-channel, while AMD uses DDR5 dual-channel. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel chip is from the Core 11th Gen series, while the AMD chip is from the 6000 series.