Core i7-8850H
VS
Ryzen Z2

Core i7-8850H vs Ryzen Z2

Intel

Core i7-8850H

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2018
VS
AMD

Ryzen Z2

8 Cores16 Thrd8 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2025

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i7-8850H is positioned at rank 781 and the Ryzen Z2 is on rank 115, so the Ryzen Z2 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8850H

#769
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1151%
#770
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1134%
#771
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1041%
#772
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1036%
#773
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1027%
#775
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
991%
#776
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
951%
#777
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
949%
#778
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
924%
#781
Core i7-8850H
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#790
Athlon 64 TF-20
MSRP: $50|Avg: $10
98%
#795
Core i3-1115G4E
MSRP: $213|Avg: $47
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen Z2

#31
Ryzen 5 230
MSRP: $200|Avg: $190
100%
#103
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
290%
#104
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
286%
#105
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
263%
#106
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
261%
#107
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
259%
#109
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
250%
#110
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
240%
#111
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
239%
#112
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
233%
#115
Ryzen Z2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#126
Celeron N4000
MSRP: $107|Avg: $30
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen Z2 (2025) utilizes 4 nm technology and DDR5, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightCore i7-8850HRyzen Z2
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) / 4 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-8850H (2018) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR4, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightCore i7-8850HRyzen Z2
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8850H and Ryzen Z2

Intel

Core i7-8850H

The Core i7-8850H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,074 points. Launch price was $395.

AMD

Ryzen Z2

The Ryzen Z2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,106 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Core i7-8850H packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Z2 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen Z2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i7-8850H versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 — a 17% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-8850H uses the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Z2 uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8850H scores 10,074 against the Ryzen Z2's 10,106 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen Z2. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-8850H vs 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2.

FeatureCore i7-8850HRyzen Z2
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz
5.1 GHz+19%
Base Clock
2.6 GHz
3.3 GHz+27%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
16 MB+33%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
8 MB+3100%
Process
14 nm
4 nm-71%
Architecture
Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)
Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark
10,074
10,106
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-8850H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Z2 uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-8850HRyzen Z2
Socket
BGA1440
FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%