Core i9-11900F vs Ryzen 9 5900HX

Intel

Core i9-11900F

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2021
Core family
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 9 5900HX

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021
Ryzen family
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Core i9-11900F vs Ryzen 9 5900HX Performance Spectrum

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.

Core i9-11900F vs Ryzen 9 5900HX FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i9-11900F vs Ryzen 9 5900HX: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i9-11900F

2021

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Lower PassMark (22,052 vs 22,198).
    • 44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
    • No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5900HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
    • No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 5900HX.

    Ryzen 9 5900HX

    2021

    Why buy it

    • +0.7% higher PassMark.
    • Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
    • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
    • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon RX Vega 8, while Core i9-11900F needs a discrete GPU.
    • Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-11900F.

    Trade-offs

    • Launch MSRP is still $266 MSRP, while Core i9-11900F mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Ryzen 9 5900HX better than Core i9-11900F?
    It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i9-11900F is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900HX pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900HX is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Ryzen 9 5900HX is the better buy right now. Ryzen 9 5900HX comes in at an unclear MSRP at $266 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i9-11900F is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (83.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Ryzen 9 5900HX makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

    Core i9-11900F vs Ryzen 9 5900HX Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

    Intel

    Core i9-11900F

    The Core i9-11900F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 22,052 points. Launch price was $299.

    AMD

    Ryzen 9 5900HX

    The Ryzen 9 5900HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 22,198 points. Launch price was $299.

    Processing Power

    Both the Core i9-11900F and Ryzen 9 5900HX share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-11900F versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900HX — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-11900F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-11900F uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900HX uses Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-11900F scores 22,052 against the Ryzen 9 5900HX's 22,198 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900HX. Both processors carry 16 MB (total) of L3 cache.

    FeatureCore i9-11900FRyzen 9 5900HX
    Cores / Threads
    8 / 16
    8 / 16
    Boost Clock
    5.1 GHz+11%
    4.6 GHz
    Base Clock
    2.5 GHz
    3.3 GHz+32%
    L3 Cache
    16 MB (total)
    16 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    256K (per core)
    512K (per core)+100%
    Process
    14 nm
    7 nm-50%
    Architecture
    Rocket Lake (2021)
    Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021)
    PassMark
    22,052
    22,198
    Cinebench R23 Multi
    13,955
    Geekbench 6 Single
    1,845
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    7,587
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Core i9-11900F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900HX uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureCore i9-11900FRyzen 9 5900HX
    Socket
    LGA1200
    FP6
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 4.0
    PCIe 4.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR4-3200, LPDDR4-4266
    Max RAM Capacity
    64 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    16
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-11900F) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900HX). The Ryzen 9 5900HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon RX Vega 8), while the Core i9-11900F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900HX targets Gaming Laptop / Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900HX rivals Core i9-11980HK.

    FeatureCore i9-11900FRyzen 9 5900HX
    Integrated GPU
    Yes
    IGPU Model
    Radeon RX Vega 8
    Unlocked
    Yes
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    Gaming Laptop / Mobile Workstation