Core i9-9880H vs Ryzen 9 5900H

Core i9-9880H vs Ryzen 9 5900H Performance Spectrum

Core i9-9880H

8 / 16

13,531

+0.2%

13,510

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

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 i9-9880H vs Ryzen 9 5900H 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 i9-9880H vs Ryzen 9 5900H: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-9880H

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Ryzen 9 5900H

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9880H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,510 vs 13,531).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-9880H better than Ryzen 9 5900H?

Yes. Core i9-9880H is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-9880H is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9880H is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i9-9880H still makes the most sense overall. Core i9-9880H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 9 5900H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i9-9880H vs Ryzen 9 5900H Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-9880H

The Core i9-9880H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 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: 13,531 points. Launch price was $556.

Ryzen 9 5900H

The Ryzen 9 5900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) 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. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 13,510 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i9-9880H and Ryzen 9 5900H share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-9880H versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900H — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-9880H (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-9880H uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900H uses Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9880H scores 13,531 against the Ryzen 9 5900H's 13,510 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i9-9880H. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9880H vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900H.

Feature	Core i9-9880H	Ryzen 9 5900H
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+4%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.3 GHz+43%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	16 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+6300%	4 MB
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)	Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022)
PassMark	13,531	13,510

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9880H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900H uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.