Ryzen Z2 vs Core i7-8850H

Ryzen Z2

8 Cores16 Thrd8 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2025

Core i7-8850H

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2018

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Ryzen Z2

8 / 16

10,106

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

Core i7-8850H

6 / 12

10,074

0.0%

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 Ryzen Z2 is positioned at rank 115 and the Core i7-8850H is on rank 781, 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 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 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 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.

Insight	Ryzen Z2	Core i7-8850H
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) / 4 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) / 14 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.

Insight	Ryzen Z2	Core i7-8850H
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.

Ryzen Z2 Benchmark Check

Core i7-8850H Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

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

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

🧠

Memory & Platform

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