[Comparison] Intel Core i9-10980HK vs AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS – the expensive Intel CPU has a questionable performance

In 2021 we all saw the debut of the mobile AMD Zen 3 processors. These CPUs bring better performance to the table compared to the previous AMD generation (Zen 2) which is still fast and you can find a lot of AMD Zen 2-based devices on the market right now.

When it comes to Intel things are a bit different. The 10th gen Comet Lake-H CPUs are still their top offer and if you remember, these CPUs are a slight refresh of the Coffee Lake processors with a bit higher frequencies and a slightly refined 14nm tech process.

Because of that, we decided to do a “new vs old” comparison – Intel Core i9-10980HK vs AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS. The Core i9-10980HK is still one of the fastest Intel’s mobile offerings but it’s not that different compared to the good old i9-9980HK – which leads us to the point where the Core i9-10980HK isn’t that new because it origins from the i9-9980HK. And it looks like the “old” AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS isn’t that old because it’s a more modern and efficient chip compared to its Intel rival despite the fact that you can find AMD Zen 3 Ryzen 9 CPUs on the market.

Hm, probably it sounds a bit confusing for the regular consumer but it is what it is.

More detailed specs here – Intel Core i9-10980HK / AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS

Quick Specs

The Intel Core i9-10980HK looks like a worthy competitor and maybe it is because it’s still a monster of a processor. It has 8 cores and 16 threads and tons of cache – 16MB cache size. The 4900HS has the same core and thread count and it has a higher base clock (2.40 GHz vs 3.00 GHz) but its boost frequency is lower than Intel’s one (5.30 GHz vs 4.30 GHz).

The AMD CPU has half the cache size compared to Intel Core i9-10980HK – just 8MB. The Intel CPU has a 45W TDP while the AMD CPU is rated at 35W (the Ryzen 9 4900HS is the same chip as the Ryzen 9 4900H, the only difference is that the latter has a 45W TDP). AMD definitely has an advantage with the max supported memory frequencies of 4900HS – DDR4-3200MHz; LPDDR4-4266MHz while the Core i9 beast is a bit shy with its just DDR4-2933.

Let’s check the graphs.

Specs table:

Intel Core i9-10980HKAMD Ryzen 9 4900HS
Cores / Threads8 / 168 / 16
Base / Max frequency2.40 – 5.30 GHz3.00 – 4.30 GHz
Cache16 MB L3 Cache8 MB L3 Cache
TDP / up / down45W / 65W / –35W / – / –
Memory supportDDR4-2933
DDR4 – Up to 3200MHz
LPDDR4 – Up to 4266MHz

CPU Benchmarks

The Intel behemoth isn’t too powerful when it comes to 3D rendering and it’s 14% slower compared to its AMD rival. Expectedly, the Intel chip is way faster in Photoshop than the Ryzen 4900HS.


GPU Benchmarks

As you may already know, the AMD RX Vega 8 is a really powerful iGPU with much faster CUs than the Zen+ ones – just check the table below. It’s hard to find configurations with Intel Core i9-10980HK and AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS without a dedicated GPU but it’s worth mentioning the difference between the integrated video cards.

 

AMD RX Vega 8Intel UHD 630
3DMark Firestrike3834 (+219%)1203

Verdict

The main advantage of the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is that you can find it in much cheaper devices compared to the ones configured with the Intel Core i9-10980HK. The latter is a decent product, it’s faster in Photoshop but that cannot justify its super-high price. On top of that, the Core i9-10980HK is fitted mainly in big and heavy laptops with good cooling solutions because the CPU dissipates a lot of heat.

The AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is a much more refined product and you can find it in a wider range of notebooks including compact and slimmer devices compared to the Intel-based laptops.

All laptops with Intel Core i9-10980HK:


All laptops with AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS:

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