Intel Core i7-9750H vs AMD Ryzen 7 5800H vs Intel Core i9-9980HK

Intel Core i7-9750H

The Intel Core i7-9750H is a high-end processor for laptops with six cores based on the Coffee Lake architecture (2019 refresh, CFL-HR). The processor clocks at between 2.6 and 4.5 GHz (4 GHz with 6 cores) and can execute up to twelve threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. According to Intel, the CPU is manufactured in an improved 14nm (14nm++) process. Compared to the predecessor, the Core i7-8750H, the 9750H offers improved clock rates and a larger L3 cache.

The Coffee Lake architecture is similar to Kaby Lake and differs only in the amount of cores (now max. eight cores for the high end versions) and the improved 14nm process (14nm++ according to Intel).

Performance

Multi-thread performance is most comparable to the Intel Core i9-8950HK, an expensive hexa-core processor of the previous generation. While performance gains over the outgoing 8th Gen H-class chips are unimpressive to say the least, the average Core i7-9750H in our database is much faster than the Ryzen 7 3750H and other H-class Ryzen chips AMD sells as of mid 2019.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term power limit of around 70 W, the Walmart EVOO Gaming 17 is among the fastest laptops powered by the 9750H that we know of. It can be 40% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 is supposed to offer a slightly higher performance as its clock rate has been increased by 50 MHz compared to the UHD 630 of the 8750H CPU. The architecture is identical to that of the Intel HD Graphics 630. We do expect a performance improvement, but as a low-end solution it will probably only display current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power consumption

This Core i7 series chip has a default TDP (also known as the long-term power limit) of 45 W, a value that laptop makers are allowed to reduce slightly, 35 W being the lowest Intel-recommended value. Doing so would result in lower clock speeds and lower performance. Either way, a proper cooling solution is a must for a CPU like this.

The hexa-core Intel CPU is made with one of the old 14 nm Intel processes for below average, as of late 2022, energy efficiency.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800H

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800H is a high-performance octa-core processor of the Cezanne product family. It was released in Q1 2021; it is designed for use in larger laptops, primarily gaming laptops and DTRs. The Ryzen features eight SMT-enabled Zen 3 cores running at 3.2 GHz (base clock speed) to 4.4 GHz (highest Boost frequency possible) along with the Vega 8 iGPU. The chip has 16 MB of L3 cache.

Architecture

The Ryzen 7 5800H is manufactured on the modern 7 nm TSMC process, just like the outgoing Ryzen 7 4800H was; both CPUs have 8 cores and 16 threads, too. The underlying microarchitecture is what makes the two vastly different as the newer Zen 3 microarchitecture brings a massive IPC improvement over Zen 2. To be specific, AMD promises an increase of up to 19%, with independent reviews pointing to a lower (but sizeable nonetheless) 12% increase.

Ryzen 5 5800H supports dual-channel DDR4-3200 and quad-channel LPDDR4-4266 RAM. Unlike the desktop-grade Ryzen 5000-series processors, Ryzen 5 5800H does not support PCI-Express 4.0, meaning NVMe SSDs will be limited to read/write rates of 3.9 GB/s.

The CPU gets soldered straight on to the motherboard (FP6 socket interface) and is thus not user-replaceable.

Performance

The Ryzen is a marvel of a processor. As far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned, the average 5800H in our database trades blows with the Intel Core i5-12500H, Core i7-11800H, Core i7-12650H, Core i9-11950H and also the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H. Needless to say, a system built around this CPU will have little difficulty chewing through pretty much any workload imaginable for years to come.

With the long-term CPU power limit of 75 W, the Lenovo Legion 5 15ACH is among the fastest 5800H-toting laptops that we have tested; it can be at least 20% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest laptops built around the 5800H in our database such as the HP Victus 16 or the Asus ZenBook 14X OLED.

Graphics

In addition to its eight CPU cores, the APU has the Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics adapter. Just like the name suggests, Vega 8 features 8 Compute Units (8 x 64 = 512 unified shaders); in the case of Ryzen 7 5800H, the Vega runs at up to 2,000 MHz.

On paper, this iGPU is inferior to the 96 EU Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7. However, as is usually the case, synthetic benchmarks do not tell the entire story, as AMD's drivers are superior to those of Intel. As a result, the Vega will let you play a lot of games released in 2020 and 2021 at reasonable resolutions (up to Full HD 1080p) and Low to Medium presets. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is playable at 1080p (High), to give you an example. As the iGPU has no VRAM of its own, it is paramount that fast system RAM is used.

The graphics adapter definitely supports 2160p UHD monitors at 60 Hz. AVC, HEVC, MPEG-2, VP9-encoded videos can be hardware-decoded with the Vega but there is no AV1 support here; such a video will be software-decoded for much lower energy efficiency.

Power consumption

This AMD APU has a default TDP (also known as the long-term Power Limit) of 45 W that can be changed to anything between 35 W and 54 W by laptop makers, with clock speeds and performance changing accordingly as a result. No matter the exact value, an active cooling solution is a must.

The Ryzen 7 5800H is built with TSMC's 7 nm process for very decent, as of early 2022, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i9-9980HK

The Intel Core i9-9980HK is a high-end processor for laptops with eight cores based on the Coffee Lake architecture (2019 refresh, CFL-HR). The processor clocks at between 2.4 - 5 GHz and can execute up to sixteen threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. The 5 GHz can only be reached using the "Thermal Velocity Boost" which allows one core to boost to 5 GHz (+100 MHz) as long as the CPU temperature is below 50°C. Multiple cores can be boosted +100 MHz? below 50°C (not verified). Compared to the predecessor, the Core i9-8950HK, the 9980H is based on the same architecture but offers 2 more cores and higher clock speeds (boost).

According to Intel, the CPU is manufactured in an improved 14nm (14nm++) process. The i9-9980HK is the fastest model of the Coffee-Lake-H (refresh) series at the time of announcement and offers an unlocked multiplier for overclocking of the CPU.

The Coffee Lake architecture is similar to Kaby Lake and differs only in the amount of cores (now max. eight cores for the high end versions) and the improved 14nm process (14nm++ according to Intel).

Performance

Due to the two additional cores, performance has increased by almost 33% compared to a similar clocked 6-core processor. According to first benchmarks, the mobile variant can reach the performance of the Core i9-9900K if the cooling is sufficient.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is supposed to offer a slightly higher performance as its clock rate has been increased by 50 MHz. The architecture is identical to that of the Intel HD Graphics 630. We do expect a performance improvement, but as a low-end solution it will probably only display current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 45 watts and therefore the i9 is only suited for big laptops with good cooling solutions.