AMD Cezanne benchmarks: Ryzen 5000H 45-watt APUs with Zen 3
AMD enters its next phase. The chip manufacturer introduced the Ryzen 5000 generation, codenamed "Cezanne", at the beginning of January 2021. These APUs are meant to continue to compete against Intel and take market share from the rival in the mid-range and high-priced laptop segments. The 4000 Ryzen generation (Zen 2) was already successful in doing so, both with the 15 Watt U-series as well as with the 35/45-watt H-models.
Good processors prevail, even more so when they have the better price/performance ratio. As a result, we were able to test significantly more laptops with AMD chips in 2020 than in the years before. By the looks of it, this trend will carry on. Not only has AMD caught up with Intel in terms of processor expertise, but it has also surpassed it, which is why we have recommended AMD Ryzen 4000 APUs very often in 2020. It looks like we'll probably be doing that frequently with the Ryzen 5000 series as well.
35/45-watt H-series
Currently, eight 35 and 45-watt variants have been announced for large gaming laptops and workstations. The 35-watt variant (HS at the end) has a reduced base clock speed. The new flagship is the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX - a direct competitor to the Intel Core i9-10980HK. Compared with the former flagship, the Ryzen 9 4900H, performance is said to have increased by 23% (single-core) and 17% (multi-core) in Cinebench R20 according to AMD. Our benchmarks confirm this statement.
All Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 chips use eight cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600H and Ryzen 5 5600HS have to make do with six cores and 12 threads. All H-series chips are based on the new Zen 3 architecture.
| Model | Cores / Threads | Clock speed (base) | Clock speed (boost) | Cache | TDP | Architecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX | 8 / 16 | 3.3 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 20 MB | 45W+ | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS | 8 / 16 | 3.0 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 20 MB | 35W | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX | 8 / 16 | 3.3 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 20 MB | 45W+ | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS | 8 / 16 | 3.0 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 20 MB | 35W | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | 8 / 16 | 3.2 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 20 MB | 45W | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS | 8 / 16 | 2.8 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 20 MB | 35W | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | 6 / 12 | 3.3 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 19 MB | 45W | Zen 3 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS | 6 / 12 | 3.0 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 19 MB | 35W | Zen 3 |
15-watt Ryzen U-series
With a configurable TDP of 10 to 25 watts, these chips are intended for small and light laptops. They also feature up to eight chip cores and only have to accept significant compromises when it comes to the guaranteed base clock speed. The Ryzen 5 U-series comes with 6 cores. It gets confusing in terms of architecture, because the R7 5700U and R5 5500U are still based on the old Zen 2 architecture.
Ryzen 5 5600H (6 cores)
The SoC contains six Zen 3 cores (hexa-core CPU) running at up to 4.2 GHz (Turbo) and supporting SMT/Hyper-Threading (12 threads). The chip is manufactured in the modern 7 nm process at TSMC and was introduced in January 2021.
The SoC still integrates a Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics card with six CUs and a clock rate of up to 1,600 MHz, a dual-channel DDR4 memory controller, and a 128-bit interface. The TDP of the APU is configurable from 35-54 watts like in the 4xxxH (45 watts standard).
The 5600H loses the multi-core comparison (-10%) with Intel's superior Core i7-10875H (Comet Lake, eight cores), but it can easily compete with the i5-10400H: +94%. However, the 5600H is 10% ahead of the i7-10875H when it comes to single-core performance. The situation is different with Tiger Lake at 28 watts, where the i7-1185G7 is on par (single-core) but clearly inferior in multi-core performance (-39%). However, Intel will catch up shortly, since Tiger Lake H35 and H45 are coming. An H35 Core i7-11375H with Turbo Boost 3.0 (sustained 5 GHz boost) was already able to outperform the Core i7-10750H and the Ryzen 7 4800HS in leaked benchmarks (~45%).
The evolution from the 3xxxH to the 4xxxH Ryzen 5 generation is interesting. Compared with the 3000 generation, the current 5000 generation has improved by 131% (single-core +53%). The 4000 generation still has a 10% (multi-core) and 24% (single-core) gain, respectively. AMD had promised a 16% better single-core performance as well as a 14% faster multi-core performance, and we can see that this has been confirmed.
Ryzen 7 5800H (8 cores)
The Ryzen 7 5800H is specified with eight cores, 16 threads, clock frequencies ranging from 3.2 GHz to 4.44 GHz, and 16 MB of L3 cache. The SoC integrates a Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics card with eight CUs and clock speeds of up to 2,000 MHz, a dual-channel DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4-4266 memory controller, and 16 MB of Level 3 cache.
The new Ryzen 7 5800H outperforms its 4800H predecessor by 7 or 10% in multi-core performance and even 23-24% in single-core performance. AMD promised that the Zen 3 architecture would run 19% faster than Zen 2 at identical clock speeds, so together with the 200 MHz higher clock speeds, we should expect a performance increase of around 25%. This is confirmed here in Multi-CPU.
Intel's Comet Lake Core i7 with the same number of cores is 19% and 15% behind (multi and single-core performance, respectively). Compared with the R7 3750H, the 5800H has only improved a little. +11-14% in multi-core and +25-26% in single-core mode. The respective cooling system typically always makes a difference; our two 17-inchers with the 5800H also have a small difference of 3% in Multi-CPU.
Intel's 28-watt Tiger Lake i7-1185G7 is on par in single-core but 55% behind in multi-core performance.
| Cinebench R15 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Intel i7-1185G7 28Watt | |
| Intel i7-10875H | |
| Ryzen 7 4800H | |
| Ryzen 7 3750H | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 4800H | |
| Ryzen 7 3750H | |
| Intel i7-10875H | |
| Intel i7-1185G7 28Watt | |
Ryzen 9 5900HS (8 cores, 35 watts)
The SoC contains eight Zen 3 cores (octa-core) with clock speeds of up to 4.6 GHz (Turbo) and SMT/Hyper-Threading support (16 threads). The chip is manufactured in the modern 7 nm process at TSMC. The "S" in the name denotes the 35-watt version of the CPU.
The SoC integrates a Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics card with eight CUs and a clock rate of up to 2,000 MHz, a dual-channel DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4-4200 memory controller, and 16 MB of Level 3 cache. The TDP is still configurable from 25-45 watts (35 watts default).
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS can't take the top spot in the ranking, since it belongs to the R9 5980HS - at least in single-core use. The situation is quite different in multi-core performance, where the Ryzen 9 5900HS takes the top spot, if we disregard the R9 3900 desktop. The 5900HS can clearly stand out from the Intel i9-10980HK: +56% in Multi CPU. In Single, on the other hand, we see a standoff (+3%). The older 4900HS is improved by 8% (Multi). The R9 5980HS can't hold its own against the Intel i9-10980HK (-13%).
Regarding the 28-watt Tiger Lake i7-1185G7, there's a small surprise, because it has a small lead of 6% in single-core mode. However, it's 54% behind in multi-core use, just like the Ryzen 7. We are eager to see how the soon-to-be-released Core i7-11375H (quad-core, 28-35 watts, Tiger Lake) will perform.
| Cinebench R15 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Intel i7-1185G7 28Watt | |
| Ryzen 9 5900HS | |
| Intel i9-10980HK | |
| Ryzen 9 3900 Desktop | |
| Ryzen 9 4900HS | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Ryzen 9 3900 Desktop | |
| Ryzen 9 5900HS | |
| Ryzen 9 4900HS | |
| Intel i9-10980HK | |
| Intel i7-1185G7 28Watt | |
Ryzen 5900HS, 5800H, and 5600H compared
If we put all 5000 APUs and Intel counterparts together, we get the following picture: The 5800H and 5900HS are at the top; the R9 5980HS follows with some distance. Intel's top i9 (Comet Lake) is at least 11% behind. The 28-watt i7-1185G7 is among the top places in single-core mode alongside the R9 5980HS, but it drops to the last place in multi-core performance.
We don't see a significant advantage in favor of the 5900HS in our benchmarks! The 5800H is often even a bit better. This could be due to the 45-watt standard TDP that the 5800H is allowed to use, while the R9 5900HS is the 35-watt variant.
| Cinebench R20 | |
| CPU (Single Core) | |
| Intel i7-1185G7 28Watt | |
| Ryzen 9 5900HS | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | |
| Ryzen 9 4900HS | |
| Intel i9-10980HK | |
| Ryzen 7 4800HS | |
| Intel i7-10875H | |
| Intel i7-9750H | |
| Ryzen 5 4600H | |
| CPU (Multi Core) | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 9 5900HS | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 9 4900HS | |
| Intel i7-10875H | |
| Ryzen 7 4800HS | |
| Intel i9-10980HK | |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | |
| Ryzen 5 4600H | |
| Intel i7-9750H | |
| Intel i7-1185G7 28Watt | |
| Cinebench R11.5 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | |
| Ryzen 9 4900HS | |
| Ryzen 7 4800HS | |
| Ryzen 5 4600H | |
| Intel i7-9750H | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | |
| Ryzen 7 4800HS | |
| Ryzen 9 4900HS | |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | |
| Ryzen 5 4600H | |
| Intel i7-9750H | |
Test devices: Acer, Asus, Schenker
Three manufacturers equipped us with AMD Cezanne laptops. Acer uses the Ryzen 5 5600H, Ryzen 7 5800H, and Ryzen 9 5900HX in the Nitro 5. The graphics go up to the GeForce RTX 3080, and the GTX 1650 is the entry level - just like in the two Nitro 5 test devices. We have two Nitro 5s at hand: The 15-inch AN515-45-R05E and the 17-inch AN517-41-R3FK. Both have a matte Full HD IPS display at 144 Hz (optionally 360 Hz), but a high-resolution QHD IPS display at a 165 Hz refresh rate is also available. In terms of storage, both Nitros go big: Both have a 256 GB SSD as system drive and an accompanying 1 TB HDD.
Asus sent us a Zephyrus G15, a 15-inch gaming laptop equipped with a Ryzen 9 5900HS, the top model of the 35-watt series that is NOT overclockable. The display has QHD on board (2560x1440), and the graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. The storage options are also powerful here: A 512 GB SSD is available as the main drive and a 1 TB SSD as the secondary drive.
We also received a 13-inch model from Asus at the last minute, the ROG Flow X13 with a Ryzen 9 5980HS. This APU didn't excel in multi-core mode as much as expected; this might be due to convertible's slim 16 mm chassis that leaves little room to cool a 35-watt APU.
Schenker's Neo 17 is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Discreet looks paired with extremely powerful hardware: A Ryzen 7 5800H meets an Ampere Geforce RTX 3070.
| Laptop | Acer Nitro 5 AN517-41-R3FK | Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA503Q | Schenker XMG Neo 17 (Tongfang GM7ZG7S) | Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R05E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 17.3" FHD 144 Hz | 15.6" WQHD 165 Hz | 17.3" WQHD 165 Hz | 17.3" FHD 144 Hz |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | AMD Ryzen R9 5900HS | AMD Ryzen R7 5800H | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H |
| Graphics card | GeForce GTX 1650 | GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop (100 W TDP) | GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop (max. 140 W TDP) | GeForce GTX 1650 |
| RAM | 1x 8 GB DDR4 | 2x 16 GB DDR4 | 2x 8 GB DDR4 | 1x 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD | 1 TB SSD | 512 GB SSD | 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit | Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit | Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit | Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit |
Verdict
The Ryzen 5000 series packs a punch in performance, although not by the same amount in every model of the 5000H processors. While the Ryzen 9 5900HS (35 watts) is only 8/9% faster than the 4900HS (35 watts) (Multi/Single), we see an increase of +10/24% for the Ryzen 5 and +10/26% for the Ryzen 7. At the top end, the possibility for performance increases is low.
Compared to Intel's top processors, the Ryzen 5000 series proves to be on par (Ryzen 5) or even better (Ryzen 7, Ryzen 9). If you have the choice between a Core i5-10xxxH and the Ryzen 5 5000H, you should go for the Ryzen instead. However, a strong octa-core Core i7 (10th Gen) is preferable to a Ryzen 5 5000H. When it comes to the Ryzen 7 5000H versus the 10th Gen Core i7, you should go with AMD. In the case of the Ryzen 9, the balance also swings in favor of AMD, but the differences of +12 and +3% in comparison with the i9-10980HK are rather marginal.
The bottom line is that the new Ryzen 5000 35/45-watt Cezanne APUs offer a better price/performance ratio than comparable Intel products, assuming that the AMD chips are installed in the lower-priced laptops. They outperform the Comet Lake H series (10th Gen Intel) and the 28-watt Tiger Lake i7-1185G7 as well, at least in multi-core use. The 5900HS doesn't have a significant advantage over a 5800H based on the benchmarks, but things could look quite different with the overclockable 5900HX.
However, Intel is following suit. The soon-to-be-released Core i7-11375H (Tiger Lake H35 and H45) could turn the tide in Intel's favor again; the first leaked benchmarks are promising.
We'll soon provide the corresponding reviews of the laptops tested here. Only then will it become clear whether AMD is also the better choice in terms of heat development, noise, and battery life.
