AMD's Ryzen 9 4900HS and Intel's Core i9-10885H CPUs battle it out

Eight Cores, 16 Threads

AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS

From $1,450 at Best Buy

Pros

• Higher base clock speed
• Generally more affordable
• 7nm manufacturing process
• Strong integrated graphics

Cons

• Not available in as many laptops
• Single-core performance not as strong

AMD's Ryzen 9 4900HS mobile processor (CPU) doesn't quite match the Intel chip in single-core performance, but it matches or surpasses it in multi-core power. It's also a bit more affordable, though it's not found in as many laptops. These CPUs are generally paired up with a discrete GPU, but if not, Ryzen wins the integrated graphics battle.

Eight Cores, 16 Threads

Intel Core i9-10885H

From $2,360 at HP

Pros

• Higher Turbo boost clock speed
• Available in more laptops
• Better single-core performance

Cons

• Weaker integrated graphics
• More expensive
• Still using 14nm process

Intel's Core i9-10885H is a beast of a CPU, putting up strong single-core performance and multi-core power that is only slightly edged out by the Ryzen 9 chip. The Core i9 is a bit easier to find in a laptop, but it will generally cost more. And if you're using integrated graphics only, Intel's UHD won't measure up to AMD's Radeon Vega.

Ryzen 9 4900HS vs. Core i9-10885H specifications

	AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS	Intel Core i9-10885H
Cores	8	8
Threads	16	16
Base clock	3.0GHz	2.4GHz
Boost clock	4.3GHz	5.3GHz
Cache	12MB	16MB
GPU	Vega 8	Intel UHD
Process	7nm	14nm
TDP	35W	45W
Overclocking	No	No

Ryzen 9 4900HS vs. Core i9-10885H performance

AMD went all in with its Ryzen 4000 mobile CPUs, and the result is an H-series that rivals and often surpasses Intel's own H-series mobile chips. The Ryzen 9 4900HS has 35W thermal design power (TDP), while the Core i9-10885H has a higher 45W TDP. The AMD chip is built using a 7nm process while the Intel CPU is still using a 14nm process. This difference means you should see better power management without sacrificing performance, which is especially important in laptops that run on battery.

Both CPUs have eight cores and 16 threads for multi-threading, and both are going to deliver high-end performance. Pairing these CPUs up with a dedicated GPU will allow it to realize its full potential, though both come with built-in integrated graphics. Intel's UHD 630 graphics are strong, but AMD's Radeon Vega 8 should edge it out in raw performance.

Intel's Turbo boost speed easily outpaces the Ryzen 9's max boost clock speed, though only for short bursts.

Geekbench 5.0 (CPU) (Higher is better)

CPU	Single core	Multi core
AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS	1,221	7,982
Intel Core i9-10885H	1,321	7,671

These numbers are bound to change depending on the device in which the CPU is installed, but in general, you can expect better single-core performance from the Intel chip and similar or better multi-core performance from the Ryzen chip. It's close enough that price and availability will no doubt play a larger role.

How to get your hands on Ryzen 9 4900HS or Core i9-10885H

These mobile CPUs are not available to buy on their own so you must purchase a laptop that has them installed inside. While performance is quite close, the biggest discrepancy could be availability and pricing. The Core i9-10885H is available in plenty of high-end gaming and design Ultrabooks, whereas the Ryzen 9 4900HS is tougher to find.

If you're interested in the Core i9-10885H CPU, you have some attractive options. Dell's XPS 15 9500 is a top pick that makes our list of the best Windows laptop options. Along with 32GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD, and a 15.6-inch 4K UHD+ touch display, you're looking at a price of about $2,695. That's a heavy price, but it's undeniably a fine laptop.

For something just a bit cheaper that's using the Core i9, check out the HP ENVY 15. Other than the CPU, it has 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 15.6-inch 4K AMOLED touch display, and a 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD, all for about $2,360. For a gaming PC, HP's OMEN 15 can be configured with a Core i9-10885H, NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD, and a 15.6-inch display with 144Hz refresh rate. It costs a whopping $2,440 as configured, with limitations on what hardware comes with the Core i9 chip.

The Ryzen 9 4900HS is in the popular ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop, which can be had for as low as about $1,450 when paired up with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD, and a NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q dedicated GPU. That's a much better price, though some of the supporting hardware isn't as impressive.

Overall, your choice will likely come down to price and availability. They're both comparable in terms of performance, but the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is a lot cheaper, even if it's not available in as many laptops.

With AMD Hardware

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

Far more affordable

$1,450 at Best Buy

$1,599 at Amazon

$1,849 at Newegg

The Ryzen 9 4900HS is hard to find at the moment, but if you're a gamer who wants in on the action, this is a solid laptop.

With Intel Hardware

Dell XPS 15 9500

The 15-inch Ultrabook to beat

From $2,695 at Dell

It might come at an eye-watering price, but the XPS 15 with Core i9-10885H CPU is an unbelievable Ultrabook with a ton of power.