Ryzen 9 7945HX Vs Core i9 13980HX: Which Is Better?

In the convoluted world of mobile processors, AMD and Intel have been battling it out generation after generation to see who makes the best mobile CPU. In the Ryzen 9 7945HX vs Core i9 13980HX comparison, we will see which processor reigns supreme from the latest generation of processors from team red and team blue.

Key Takeaways

• In our performance tests, the Ryzen processor was about 15% faster than the i9.
• The battery life of our identical laptops was much better on the Intel machine, with it running for about 66% longer.
• The difference in price between the two otherwise identical laptops was about a thousand dollars cheaper when going for team red.

Ryzen 9 7945HX Vs Core i9 13980HX

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Cache: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX has a larger L3 Cache of 64MB, which provides more storage space for frequently accessed data. The Intel Core i9 13980HX has a smaller L3 cache of 36MB. This lower cache for the Intel processor can significantly affect performance, especially in games.
2. Cores: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX features 16 cores and 32 threads. On the other hand, the Intel Core i9 13980HX has 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. The more powerful cores on the AMD processor can help it leverage more performance.
3. TDP: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX has a TDP range of 30W to 150W. In contrast, the Intel Core i9 13980HX has a TDP range of 30W to 130W.
4. Clock Speeds: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX operates at a base clock speed of 2500MHz, which can boost up to 5400MHz. On the other hand, the Intel Core i9 13980HX has a base clock speed of 1600MHz that can boost up to 5600MHz. The lower base clock on the Intel works out to the processor not overworking itself when you don’t need power, and the higher boost clock can certainly help when you do.
5. Processing Nodes: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX is based on a 5nm manufacturing process, which offers improved power efficiency and potential for higher performance compared to the 7nm technology used in the Intel Core i9 13980HX.

Benchmarks

Having taken a look at the different approaches both Intel and AMD take to making the best CPU they possibly can, in this part of the Ryzen 9 7945HX Vs Core i9 13980HX comparison, we will take a look at the performance of both these chips in real-world workloads.

We used the Ryzen-equipped, top-tier Asus Scar 17 and the Intel-equipped Scar 18 to compare these two processors. There is a slight difference in the size of these laptops, but the smaller size of the AMD machine is far from a limiter on the performance. All other specifications of these laptops were identical.

Without further ado, let’s get into the benchmarks.

Battery Life

• In our proprietary youtube playback battery tests, the Ryzen 9 7945HX had 158 minutes of screen on time, which is not ideal, seeing as AMD has traditionally been the better option for a long-lasting laptop in the past.
• On the flip side, the Core i9 got a screen on time of 263 minutes, beating the AMD chip by a significant margin. This shows that Intel has finally overtaken AMD in terms of power efficiency, at least in terms of the highest-end mobile processors.

Cinebench R23

130 watts

• Regarding single-core performance at high wattage, the Ryzen 9 7945HX was slightly slower than the Core i9 13980HX, with a score of 1951 points compared to 2193 on the Intel machine.
• Multi-core performance was much more favorable on the AMD machine, with 34,884 points in contrast to the i9’s 30,227.

  65 watts

  

• We see that Intel maintains its slight lead in single-core performance by cutting the power draw in half, with 2123 points compared to 1923 points on the AMD CPU.
• The Ryzen 9 7945HX widened the gap in multi-core performance when the power was limited. It scored 29,266 points compared to 22,400 on the i9 13980HX.

Blender

130 watts

• In the Monster render, the Ryzen 9 had 248 samples per minute, compared to 199 on the Intel. 
• Switching to the Junkshop render, a similar trend remained. The Ryzen 9 had 163 samples per minute compared to 126 on the i9.
• The trend continued with the Blender Classroom render. The Ryzen 9 had 123 samples per minute, whereas the i9 had 93 samples per minute.

65 watts

• Capping the power at half of the full potential of these machines, the trend of AMD outperforming Intel continued. It had 201 samples per minute in the Monster render, whereas the i9 had 157 samples per minute in the Monster render.
• The Junkshop render was no different, with 137 samples per minute on the Ryzen, whereas the i9 was much slower, with 98 samples per minute.
• Finally, the Classroom render was also far behind on the Intel machine, with the Ryzen getting 100 samples per minute, compared to 68 samples per minute.

 V-Ray

130 watts

• In the V-Ray benchmark, Ryzen kept its superiority over Intel. It had about 27,300 points when run at 130 watts.
• The Intel CPU was considerably behind the Ryzen once again, with it having only 21,171 points.

65 watts

• restricting the power, we still saw a significant lead using the Intel CPU. The Ryzen 9 7935HX got 21,935 points. This performance was still better than what we saw from the Intel CPU at 130 watts
• The Intel CPU was significantly slower, with 15,745 points.

Corona

130 watts

• With the power of these laptops fully unlocked, the Ryzen 9 7945HX finished the render in only 39 seconds.
• The Intel CPU was slower, with the render finishing in 45 seconds. We find it important to mention that most people will not notice the difference between waiting 40 or 45 seconds, though it would make a difference in longer renders.

  65 watts

  

• Lowering the power limit, the Ryzen processor almost matched the performance of the i9 with 130 watts of power. It finished the render in 47 seconds.
• The i9 finished the render in 60 seconds when the power was limited to 65 watts, significantly slower than the Ryzen processor.

Handbrake

130 watts

• Transcoding a 7-minute 4K 60 FPS h.264, the Intel CPU was slightly faster than the Ryzen processor. It finished the transcoding in 737 seconds.
• The Intel CPU finished the transcoding in 704 seconds, which is the first win we have seen thus far for Intel.

65 watts

• Lowering the power limit, the Ryzen regained its lead over the Intel processor. It finished the render in 803 seconds.
• In comparison, the Intel processor finished the Handbreak render in 895 seconds.

Core i9 13980HX Vs Ryzen 9 7945HX: Which One Should You Go For?

• The Ryzen 9 7945HX outperforms the Core i9 13980HX but has lower power efficiency.
• Products with the Ryzen 9 7945HX are significantly cheaper than those equipped with the i9 13980HX.
• The Core i9 13980HX has better battery life and impressive performance, although it is not as powerful as the Ryzen.

Pros And Cons