CPU Comparison

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920 and Intel Core i9-11900KB represent two very different approaches to high-end computing, yet their benchmark scores place them in an unexpectedly close contest. The Threadripper 1920 is a 12-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on AMD’s Zen architecture, while the i9-11900KB is an 8-core, 16-thread mobile-class chip from Intel’s Tiger Lake-H family. Despite the Threadripper’s core-count advantage, the data shows the Intel part winning every single head-to-head comparison in the Cinebench suite, albeit by a narrow margin. The following analysis breaks down those results, answers common questions, and examines the architectural and specification differences that explain this surprising outcome.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i9-11900KB wins all six Cinebench comparisons against the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920. The margins are consistent, with the Intel chip leading by roughly 2.9% to 3% across both multi-core and single-core tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-11900KB scores 1946 against the Threadripper’s 1890, a delta of -2.9% for the AMD part. The single-core R15 result is tighter, 274 versus 266, again a 2.9% deficit for the Threadripper. This pattern repeats in R20, where the Intel processor posts 8112 multi-core and 1145 single-core, against 7877 and 1111 for the AMD chip, with the single-core delta slightly larger at -3%.

Moving to the more demanding Cinebench R23, the story remains unchanged. The i9-11900KB records 19316 multi-core and 2727 single-core, while the Threadripper 1920 manages 18756 and 2647, respectively. The multi-core margin is again 2.9%, and the single-core margin is 2.9% as well. What is remarkable here is that the Threadripper’s 12 cores and 24 threads do not translate into a multi-core victory over an 8-core, 16-thread part. The Intel chip’s higher boost clock of 5.30 GHz, compared to the Threadripper’s 3.80 GHz, appears to compensate for its lower core count in these workloads. The data shows a clean sweep: winsA is 0, winsB is 6.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The Threadripper 1920 has an average score of 5425, placing it at the 60th percentile of all CPUs, while the i9-11900KB averages 5587, at the 61st percentile. The Intel part’s nearest rivals include the Intel Atom x7433RE (avg 5601, delta -0.2%), Intel Core i7-12700T (avg 5606, delta -0.3%), and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 (avg 5610, delta -0.4%). The Threadripper’s nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon W-1290P (avg 5443, delta -0.3%), AMD EPYC 7351P (avg 5469, delta -0.8%), and Intel Core i9-13900TE (avg 5342, delta 1.5%). These rivalries confirm that both processors sit in a similar performance band, despite their architectural differences.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher core count?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core i9-11900KB has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Does the Threadripper 1920 ever outperform the i9-11900KB in any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Intel Core i9-11900KB winning all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23, both multi-core and single-core), with the Threadripper trailing by 2.9% to 3% in each case.

Q: What is the difference in single-core performance?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i9-11900KB scores 2727, while the Threadripper 1920 scores 2647, a 2.9% advantage for Intel. The gap is similar in R15 (274 vs 266) and R20 (1145 vs 1111, a 3% difference).

Q: How do their memory bandwidths compare?

A: The Threadripper 1920 supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s, whereas the i9-11900KB uses dual-channel DDR4 with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

Q: What are the process nodes for each CPU?

A: The Threadripper 1920 is built on a 14 nm process by GlobalFoundries, while the i9-11900KB uses Intel’s 10 nm process. The Intel chip’s die size is 190 mm², while the AMD chip has a die size of 2x 213 mm².

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900KB has a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, significantly higher than the Threadripper 1920’s 3.80 GHz boost clock. The base clocks are 3.30 GHz for Intel and 3.20 GHz for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920 is based on the Zen architecture, codenamed “Whitehaven,” and is part of the 1000 series. It uses a 14 nm process node from GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 2x 213 mm² and a transistor count of 9,600 million. The cache layout is per-core: 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 32 MB L3 cache. The chip supports quad-channel DDR4 memory, delivering 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth, and offers 60 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU. It is a desktop segment part with an unlocked multiplier, fitting the AMD Socket SP3r2.

In contrast, the Intel Core i9-11900KB is built on the Tiger Lake-H architecture, specifically codenamed “Tiger Lake-H.” It uses Intel’s 10 nm process, with a die size of 190 mm². The cache hierarchy differs notably: 80 KB of L1 per core, a larger 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is dual-channel DDR4, with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, and the chip provides 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. It includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750), which the Threadripper lacks, and is classified as a mobile segment part despite its desktop-like performance. The i9-11900KB uses the Intel BGA 1787 socket and also has an unlocked multiplier.

The most striking architectural difference is the core and thread count versus clock speed trade-off. The Threadripper’s 12 cores and 24 threads are undermined by its lower 3.80 GHz boost clock, while the i9-11900KB’s 8 cores and 16 threads benefit from a 5.30 GHz boost clock. Additionally, the Intel chip’s newer 10 nm process likely contributes to higher clock speeds and better single-thread efficiency, as evidenced by its consistent single-core wins. The memory bandwidth advantage lies with AMD (85.3 GB/s vs 51.2 GB/s), but that does not translate into a benchmark victory in Cinebench, which may not be memory-bandwidth-limited in these tests.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i9-11900KB is the clear winner across all tested workloads. It outperforms the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920 in every Cinebench scenario, with margins ranging from 2.9% to 3%. This holds true even in multi-core tests, where the Threadripper’s 12 cores and 24 threads should theoretically give it an advantage over the i9-11900KB’s 8 cores and 16 threads. The data suggests that the Intel chip’s superior boost clock of 5.30 GHz and newer 10 nm architecture are more decisive factors than raw core count in these specific benchmarks.

For users prioritizing single-thread performance, the i9-11900KB is the obvious choice, as it leads in all three single-core tests (R15, R20, and R23). For multi-threaded workloads, the results are counterintuitive: despite having 50% more cores and 50% more threads, the Threadripper 1920 still trails the i9-11900KB in multi-core Cinebench scores. The Intel part’s average benchmark score of 5587 is higher than the Threadripper’s 5425, and its percentile ranking (61st vs 60th) reflects this edge.

However, the Threadripper 1920 is not without its merits. It offers quad-channel memory support with 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which could benefit memory-intensive applications not represented in the Cinebench suite. It also has more PCIe lanes (60 Gen 3 vs 20 Gen 4), which may be relevant for multi-GPU configurations. But based on the data available, the i9-11900KB is the superior performer in CPU rendering benchmarks. The launch MSRP of the Intel part is $539, though no pricing analysis is provided here. Ultimately, the verdict from the data is straightforward: the Intel Core i9-11900KB wins on raw benchmark performance, while the Threadripper 1920’s advantages lie in memory bandwidth and PCIe lane count, which do not show up in the head-to-head tests.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every key specification category, reflecting their distinct design targets. Here are the fields where they diverge:

• Cores: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920 has 12 cores; Intel Core i9-11900KB has 8 cores.
• Threads: 24 threads for AMD vs 16 threads for Intel.
• Base Clock: 3.20 GHz (AMD) vs 3.30 GHz (Intel).
• Boost Clock: 3.80 GHz (AMD) vs 5.30 GHz (Intel).
• TDP: 140 W (AMD) vs 65 W (Intel).
• Socket: AMD Socket SP3r2 vs Intel BGA 1787.
• Architecture / Codename: Zen (Whitehaven) for AMD vs Tiger Lake-H for Intel.
• Process Node: 14 nm (GlobalFoundries) for AMD vs 10 nm (Intel) for Intel.
• Die Size: 2x 213 mm² (AMD) vs 190 mm² (Intel).
• Transistors: 9,600 million (AMD) vs not specified (Intel).
• L1 Cache (per core): 96 KB (AMD) vs 80 KB (Intel).
• L2 Cache (per core): 512 KB (AMD) vs 1.25 MB (Intel).
• L3 Cache: 32 MB (AMD) vs 24 MB shared (Intel).
• Memory Bus: Quad-channel (AMD) vs Dual-channel (Intel).
• Memory Bandwidth: 85.3 GB/s (AMD) vs 51.2 GB/s (Intel).
• PCIe: Gen 3, 60 lanes (AMD) vs Gen 4, 20 lanes (Intel).
• Integrated Graphics: None (AMD) vs UHD Graphics 750 (Intel).
• Market Segment: Desktop (AMD) vs Mobile (Intel).
• Launch MSRP: Not provided (AMD) vs $539 (Intel).
• Part Number: YD1920A9UC9AE (AMD) vs SRKU4 (Intel).