Core i9-11980HK vs Ryzen 9 5900HX

CPU

GPU

Core i9-11980HK

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 5 GHz2021

Core family

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Ryzen 9 5900HX

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021

Ryzen family

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Core i9-11980HK vs Ryzen 9 5900HX Performance Spectrum

Core i9-11980HK

8 / 16

22,244

+0.2%

22,198

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen 9 9900X3D

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 i9-11980HK 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 i9-11980HK 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 i9-11980HK

2021

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 9 5900HX

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (13,955 vs 14,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $266 MSRP, while Core i9-11980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-11980HK better than Ryzen 9 5900HX?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5900HX is ahead with a 13.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-11980HK pulls ahead with 0.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i9-11980HK also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-11980HK is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i9-11980HK is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Core i9-11980HK comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $266 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 9 5900HX only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i9-11980HK makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 50% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB) and 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 i9-11980HK vs Ryzen 9 5900HX Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-11980HK

The Core i9-11980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-HK (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 22,244 points. Launch price was $583.

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.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i9-11980HK and Ryzen 9 5900HX share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-11980HK versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900HX — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-11980HK (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-11980HK uses the Tiger Lake-HK (2021) architecture (10 nm SuperFin), while the Ryzen 9 5900HX uses Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-11980HK scores 22,244 against the Ryzen 9 5900HX's 22,198 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i9-11980HK. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 14,029 vs 13,955 (0.5% advantage for the Core i9-11980HK). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,129 vs 1,845, a 14.3% lead for the Core i9-11980HK that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,766 vs 7,587 (25.1% advantage for the Core i9-11980HK). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-11980HK vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5900HX.

Feature	Core i9-11980HK	Ryzen 9 5900HX
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+9%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.3 GHz+27%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+50%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm SuperFin	7 nm-30%
Architecture	Tiger Lake-HK (2021)	Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	22,244	22,198
Cinebench R23 Multi	14,029	13,955
Geekbench 6 Single	2,129+15%	1,845
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,766+29%	7,587

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-11980HK uses the FCBGA1787 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900HX uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i9-11980HK supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-11980HK) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5900HX) — the Core i9-11980HK offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM570,WM590 (Core i9-11980HK) and FP6 (Ryzen 9 5900HX).

Feature	Core i9-11980HK	Ryzen 9 5900HX
Socket	FCBGA1787	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200, LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

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Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-11980HK supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i9-11980HK) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900HX). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 32EUs (Core i9-11980HK) and Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 9 5900HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-11980HK targets Enthusiast Gaming Laptop, Ryzen 9 5900HX targets Gaming Laptop / Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i9-11980HK rivals Ryzen 9 5900HX; Ryzen 9 5900HX rivals Core i9-11980HK.

Feature	Core i9-11980HK	Ryzen 9 5900HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 32EUs	Radeon RX Vega 8
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Enthusiast Gaming Laptop	Gaming Laptop / Mobile Workstation