AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core i9-13980HX: Which is the best laptop CPU?

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS and the Intel Core i9-13980HX are some of the best laptop CPUs available today. Besides being super fast, both CPUs are equipped with certain features that give them an edge over the other. So, we get it if you are confused between the two.

To put it briefly, the Intel Core i9-13980HX takes the win due to better specs and features, but the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is also right up there and not a bad option at all. We will do an in-depth comparison between the two and see what both of them excel at.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core i9-13980HX: What are their specifications?

Both processors are quite similar in terms of performance (Image via AMD, Intel)

To get a better idea about this Ryzen 9 8945HS vs i9-13980HX comparison, we will look into the specifications of the two processors. As a disclaimer, I’d like to tell you to not be deceived by the on-paper specs of the i9 processor, as the Ryzen 9 also comes with some very impressive features that give it a good performance boost.

Features	AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS	Intel Core i9-13980HX
Processor Family	Zen 4	Raptor Lake
Cores	8	24 (8 performance, 16 efficient)
Threads	16	32
Base Frequency	4 GHz	2.2 GHz
Max Clock Speed	5.2 GHz	5.6 GHz
Total Cache Memory	16 MB	36 MB Intel Smart Cache
Total L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
TDP	45W	55W

As you can see, the Intel Core i9-13980HX has far better specs on paper. However, the Ryzen 9 8945HS comes with a better iGPU and greater AI performance with its AMD Ryzen AI. Apart from cores and threads, the Intel CPU also provides more cache and this means you can process daily tasks and games much more efficiently.

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core i9-13980HX: How are they performance-wise?

Laptops that feature the Ryzen 9 and Intel i9 CPUs (Image via Asus, MSI)

Both processors offer incredible performance. As mentioned above, the Ryzen 9 has a better-integrated graphics processor, which gives it a small edge over the Intel CPU. But due to factors like cache, clock speed, and core count being greater on the Intel Core i9-13980HX, it would be the better performer here.

The Intel Core i9-13980HX processor has a lower base clock speed of 2.2 GHz, compared to the 4 GHz speed of the latter. However, the Intel processor has a boost clock of 5.6 GHz, which is slightly higher than the 5.2 GHz speed of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Benchmark	AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS	Intel Core i9-13980HX
Cinebench R23 single core	1788	2193
Cinebench R23 multi core	17070	30866
Geekbench 6 single core	2616	2715
Geekbench 6 multi core	13316	16823

Judging by the table above, you can see it's quite a close match when it comes to single-core performance, but the difference is quite a bit in multi-core tasks. This is because of the greater number of cores and threads on the Intel CPU. We feel the Intel processor would be the better choice for daily computing and gaming. However, it is more power-hungry than the AMD processor.

Gaming performance

While AMD comes with a better integrated GPU, it can potentially beat Intel in terms of gaming. However, they're almost around the same ballpark in terms of performance when paired with a more powerful GPU.

The following data has been sourced from the GizmoSlipTech YouTube channel. However, as a heads-up, I’d like to inform you that the same GPU has not been used on both laptops. The Ryzen 9 is running on a laptop with the RTX 4070 GPU and the latter runs on a system with the RTX 4080.

Games	AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS (with RTX 4070)	Intel Core i9-13980HX (with RTX 4090)
Hogwarts Legacy	73 fps	98 fps
Cyberpunk 2077	79 fps	90 fps
Dead Space	81 fps	100 fps
Forza Horizon 5	120 fps	148 fps

While the comparison above isn't entirely fair due to the different GPUs, we can get a good estimate of the performance of the two processors. Put in similar graphics cards and you can expect similar relatively framerates. Albeit Intel would still have slightly better numbers.

Check out this laptop with Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU: ASUS ROG Zephyrus

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core i9-13980HX: Which has greater value for money?

Intel Core processors have greater value for money due to better performance (Image via Intel)

Both processors are relatively similarly priced. As these are laptop GPUs, you can't buy them as is, and a majority of the laptop's price depends on other factors like GPU, display, etc. However, as you can get laptops with either of these CPUs at similar prices, typically around the ballpark of $1500-$2500, we feel the Intel i9 processor would be the better one to go for.

You'd be well off with either one, so choose the laptop based on your needs and requirements. For daily tasks and processing, either one would do, but for gaming exclusively, the Intel Core i9-13980HX would be the better CPU.

Check out this laptop with the i9-13980HX CPU: Asus ROG Strix

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core i9-13980HX: Final Verdict

Judging by the specs and features it provides, we feel the Intel i9-13980HX would be the winner. It not only offers greater processing speeds for daily tasks, it is also a solid option for gaming. However, you could also go for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS as it is still a good CPU nevertheless.

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Edited by Ashmita Bhatt