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Intel Core i9-11900H

Intel Core i9-11900H

Intel Core i9-11900H: Power and Balance in a Mobile Format

Processor analysis for demanding users (2025)

Architecture and Technology Process: 10 nm SuperFin and Willow Cove

The Intel Core i9-11900H processor, introduced in 2021, remains relevant in 2025 for a range of high-end laptops. It is built on the Tiger Lake architecture using the 10 nm SuperFin technology process, which ensures high transistor density and energy efficiency.

- Cores and Threads: 8 cores and 16 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading.

- Clock Speeds: Base frequency — 2.5 GHz, maximum in turbo mode — 4.9 GHz (for a single core). Under full load, all cores can boost up to 4.2 GHz.

- Cache Memory: 24 MB L3, which speeds up data processing in multi-threaded tasks.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics for the 11th generation (Xe-LP architecture) with 32 execution units and a frequency of up to 1.45 GHz. Supports 4K/60 Hz and AV1 decoding.

Architecture features:

- Willow Cove: Improved IPC (instructions per clock) by 15-20% compared to the previous generation.

- PCIe 4.0: Support for 20 lanes for fast SSDs and discrete graphics.

- Thunderbolt 4: Up to 40 Gbps for connecting external devices.

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Power and Battery Life

The nominal TDP of the processor is 35 W, but in reality, under peak loads (e.g., rendering or gaming), consumption reaches 60-70 W. This requires an efficient cooling system in laptops.

Power Management Technologies:

- Intel Dynamic Tuning 2.0: Adaptively adjusts power based on load.

- Speed Shift: Quick switching between P-states to reduce latencies.

For compact devices (ultrabooks), manufacturers often limit TDP to 45 W to avoid overheating, which reduces performance but increases stability.

Performance: Real-World Usage Scenarios

Geekbench 6:

- Single-Core: 1886 (comparable to Apple M2).

- Multi-Core: 7563 (close to AMD Ryzen 7 6800H).

Office Tasks and Multimedia:

- Running 50+ tabs in Chrome, working with Excel spreadsheets with millions of rows — the processor handles it smoothly.

- 4K editing in Premiere Pro: Rendering is 30% faster than the i7-11800H, thanks to high frequencies.

Gaming:

- With iGPU: In DotA 2 (1080p, medium settings) — 45-55 FPS; Cyberpunk 2077 (720p, low) — 20-25 FPS. A discrete graphics card (e.g., RTX 3060) is needed for comfortable gaming.

- With External GPU: When paired with RTX 4070 (via Thunderbolt 4) — 60+ FPS in AAA titles at 1440p.

Turbo Boost Mode:

When temperatures are below 85°C, the processor can maintain high frequencies for 10-15 minutes, then reduces to 3.8-4.0 GHz. In gaming laptops with liquid cooling systems (e.g., ASUS ROG Zephyrus), throttling is minimal.

Usage Scenarios: Who is the i9-11900H Suitable For?

1. Professionals:

- Video editors, 3D designers, programmers (code compilation).

- Example: Dell XPS 17 (2025) for $1800 — 4K display, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD.

2. Gamers:

- With RTX 4060/4070 — play Elden Ring or Starfield at high settings.

- Example: MSI GP66 Leopard (2025) — $1700, 165 Hz display.

3. General Users:

- Students, freelancers — working in Photoshop, streaming.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Charge Last?

With a TDP of 35 W and a battery capacity of 80 Wh:

- Web Surfing: 6-7 hours (brightness 50%, Wi-Fi).

- Video (1080p): 5-6 hours.

- Load (rendering): 1.5-2 hours.

Energy Saving Technologies:

- Adaptix Display: Dynamically reduces screen frequency.

- Connected Standby: Background updates while in sleep mode.

Advice: Choose laptops with a battery capacity of at least 90 Wh for more than 8 hours of autonomy in office tasks.

Comparison with Competitors

1. AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX (2021):

- Pros: Better in multi-threaded tasks (Cinebench R23: 13500 vs 12000 for i9).

- Cons: Weaker in single-core tests, no Thunderbolt 4 support.

2. Apple M2 Pro (2023):

- Pros: Battery life up to 18 hours, higher IPC.

- Cons: Limited compatibility with Windows software.

3. Intel Core i7-13700H (2023):

- Pros: +10% in multi-threading, lower heat output.

- Cons: More expensive (laptops starting at $1600).

Pros and Cons of the i9-11900H

Strengths:

- Best-in-class single-core performance.

- Support for Thunderbolt 4 and PCIe 4.0.

- Optimal for hybrid tasks (gaming + work).

Weaknesses:

- High heat output under load.

- iGPU weaker than AMD Radeon 680M.

- By 2025, competitors offer newer architectures.

Laptop Selection Recommendations

1. Device Type:

- Gaming: ASUS ROG, MSI GP/GE series — powerful cooling, discrete graphics.

- Workstation: Dell Precision, Lenovo ThinkPad P15 — ECC memory, ISV certification.

- Ultrabook: HP Spectre x360 — slim design, 90 Wh battery.

2. Key Features to Look For:

- Cooling system (minimum 2 fans + heat pipes).

- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 for future upgrades.

- Display: For gaming — 144 Hz; for work — 4K IPS.

Average price of laptops with i9-11900H in 2025: $1400–$2000.

Final Conclusion

The Intel Core i9-11900H in 2025 is an excellent choice for those seeking versatility without compromise:

- Gamers will appreciate the support for powerful discrete graphics.

- Professionals will benefit from fast rendering and performance with demanding applications.

- The drawbacks of heat generation are mitigated by choosing a laptop with effective cooling systems.

Alternative: If battery life is a priority — consider laptops with Apple M3 or AMD Ryzen 7 7840U. However, for the Windows ecosystem and gaming, the i9-11900H remains a reliable option even four years post-launch.

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Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Mobile
Launch Date
May 2021
Model Name
?
The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.
i9-11900H
Code Name
Tiger Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores
?
Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).
8
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
16
Max Turbo Frequency
?
Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.
4.90 GHz
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
?
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.
Yes
Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency
?
Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom. Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 frequency is the clock frequency of the CPU when running in this mode.
4.90 GHz
Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0
?
Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom.
Yes
L3 Cache
24 MB
CPU Socket
?
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
FCBGA1787
Technology
?
Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.
10 nm SuperFin
TDP
35 W
Max. Operating Temperature
?
Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.
100°C
Number of PCI Express Lanes
?
A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.
20
Instruction Set
?
The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.
64-bit
PCI Express Configurations
?
PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.
Up to 1x16+1x4 | 2x8+1x4 | 1x8+3x4
Microprocessor PCIe Revision
Gen 4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type
?
Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.
Up to 3200 MT/s
Max Memory Size
?
Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.
128 GB
Memory Channels
?
The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.
2
Bus Speed
8 GT/s
Max Memory Bandwidth
?
Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).
51.2 GB/s
ECC Memory Supported
?
ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.
No

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model
?
An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.
Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel® Processors
Graphics Base Frequency
?
Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.
350 MHz
Graphics Frequency
?
Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.
1.45 GHz
DirectX Support
?
DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.
12.1
Execution Units
?
The Execution Unit is the foundational building block of Intel’s graphics architecture. Execution Units are compute processors optimized for simultaneous Multi-Threading for high throughput compute power.
32
Max Resolution (HDMI)
?
Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.
4096x2304@60Hz
Max Resolution (DP)
?
Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.
7680x4320@60Hz
Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)
?
Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.
4096x2304@60Hz
Number of Displays Supported
4
Graphics Output
?
Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.
eDP 1.4b | DP 1.4 | HDMI 2.0b

Miscellaneous

Intel Image Processing Unit
6.0
Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.
Yes
Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.
Yes
Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)
?
Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.
Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2 | Intel® AVX-512
Cache
?
CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.
24 MB Intel® Smart Cache
Intel AES New Instructions
?
Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.
Yes
Intel High Definition Audio
Yes
Intel Volume Management Device (VMD)
?
Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD) provides a common, robust method of hot plug and LED management for NVMe-based solid state drives.
Yes
Intel Boot Guard
?
Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.
Yes
Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
?
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.
Yes
Intel Control-Flow Enforcement Technology
?
CET - Intel Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) helps protect against the misuse of legitimate code snippets through return-oriented programming (ROP) control-flow hijacking attacks.
Yes
Intel Deep Learning Boost (Intel DL Boost)
Yes
Intel Flex Memory Access
Yes
Intel OS Guard
Yes
OpenGL Support
?
OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.
4.6
OpenCL Support
?
OpenCL (Open Computing Language) is a multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for heterogeneous parallel programming.
3.0
Intel Quick Sync Video
?
Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.
Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6
Single Core Score
1886
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
7563
Geekbench 5
Single Core Score
1547
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
7416
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
3134
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
20675

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core
Xeon w9-3495X
2073 +9.9%
Ryzen 5 5600GE
1987 +5.4%
Core i9-11900H
1886
Core i9-10900K
1753 -7.1%
EPYC 7413
1677 -11.1%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
Core i9-9820X
8494 +12.3%
Xeon E5-2699 v4
8057 +6.5%
Core i9-11900H
7563
Ryzen 9 5900HS
7123 -5.8%
Core i9-9940X X-series
6701 -11.4%
Geekbench 5 Single Core
Xeon E-2356G
1673 +8.1%
Core i3-12300HL
1611 +4.1%
Core i9-11900H
1547
Ryzen 7 PRO 5750GE
1467 -5.2%
Ryzen 9 5900HX
1404 -9.2%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
Xeon W-11865MRE
8238 +11.1%
Ryzen 7 3700X
7864 +6%
Core i9-11900H
7416
Ryzen Embedded V3C48
7095 -4.3%
Core i7-10700TE
6678 -10%
Passmark CPU Single Core
Ryzen 9 5900XT
3265 +4.2%
Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H
3203 +2.2%
Core i9-11900H
3134
Ryzen 7 5800HS
3043 -2.9%
Xeon E-2324G
2953 -5.8%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
Core i9-10900X
22480 +8.7%
Ryzen 5 5600
21570 +4.3%
Core i9-11900H
20675
Ryzen 7 4700GE
19831 -4.1%
M3
19214 -7.1%