AMD Ryzen 3 8440U vs AMD Ryzen 5 40 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 40 and AMD Ryzen 3 8440U are both mobile processors with 4 cores and 8 threads, but they come from different generations and architectures. The recorded benchmark data shows a decisive performance advantage for the Ryzen 3 8440U, which wins 14 of the 15 head-to-head tests. The sole win for the Ryzen 5 40 comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, a legacy test that does not reflect modern workloads. This analysis breaks down the numbers, the specification differences, and the use cases where each chip makes sense.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Ryzen 3 8440U scores 10884 against 4841 for the Ryzen 5 40. That is a 55.5% lead for the Ryzen 3 8440U. The gap is similarly large in Passmark's find prime numbers test, where the Ryzen 3 8440U scores 43 versus 20, a 53.5% advantage. Extended instructions also favor the Ryzen 3 8440U by 41.8% (11059 vs 6437), and floating point math shows a 34% lead (23017 vs 15194). These are not marginal differences; the Ryzen 3 8440U is substantially faster in compute-heavy tasks.

Single-core performance is also dominated by the Ryzen 3 8440U in modern tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1536 against 1150, a 25.1% lead. Passmark single-thread shows 3648 versus 2477, a 32.1% advantage. The only single-core test where the Ryzen 5 40 comes out ahead is Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 165.5 versus 154, a 7.5% edge. That result is an outlier, likely due to the older benchmark's sensitivity to clock behavior or memory latency, but it is the only recorded win for the Ryzen 5 40.

In memory and encryption workloads, the Ryzen 3 8440U also leads. Data encryption scores 8012 versus 6646, a 17% difference. Data compression is closer, with 146273 versus 141533, a 3.2% lead. Random string sorting shows a 14.7% advantage (17725 vs 15124). The multithread Passmark score is 12805 versus 9341, a 27.1% lead, and physics simulation scores 685 versus 432, a 36.9% gap.

The average benchmark score reflects this overall trend. The Ryzen 3 8440U records an average of 16663, while the Ryzen 5 40 sits at 15882. Both chips land in the 70th percentile of all CPUs, but the Ryzen 3 8440U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U and Intel Core i5-1235U, while the Ryzen 5 40's nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 75F3 and Intel Core Ultra 5 134U. That places the Ryzen 3 8440U in a higher performance tier despite the same core count.

Looking at the full set of head-to-head results, the Ryzen 3 8440U leads by at least 3.2% in every test except the R15 single-core anomaly. The largest gaps appear in multi-core and math-heavy workloads, which suggests that the combination of higher clocks, larger caches, and a newer architecture gives it a decisive edge in sustained compute.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U boosts to 4.70 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 40 reaches 4.30 GHz.

Q: How do the L3 cache sizes compare?

A: The Ryzen 3 8440U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, double the 4 MB found on the Ryzen 5 40.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Ryzen 3 8440U has a TDP of 28W, while the Ryzen 5 40 is rated at 15W.

Q: Which chip wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Ryzen 3 8440U scores 10884, which is 55.5% higher than the Ryzen 5 40's 4841.

Q: Are there any tests where the Ryzen 5 40 wins?

A: Yes, it wins in Cinebench R15 single-core, scoring 165.5 versus 154, a 7.5% advantage.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The Ryzen 5 40 supports LPDDR5, while the Ryzen 3 8440U supports DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U is the faster processor in nearly every measurable workload. It leads by double-digit percentages in multi-core, single-core, math, encryption, and physics tests. The only exception is a single legacy benchmark where the Ryzen 5 40 edges ahead by 7.5%. For anyone choosing between these two for a new system, the Ryzen 3 8440U is the performance pick.

The Ryzen 5 40 does have one clear advantage: its TDP is 15W versus 28W for the Ryzen 3 8440U. That lower thermal envelope makes it a candidate for ultraportable or passively cooled designs where power draw is more important than raw performance. However, the benchmark scores show that the Ryzen 3 8440U delivers substantially more performance per core, and the 4-core, 8-thread configuration is identical on both. If the workload is anything beyond light office tasks, the Ryzen 3 8440U is the better choice.

The nearest rival data reinforces this. The Ryzen 3 8440U's average score of 16663 places it within 0.5% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U and 0.6% of the Intel Core i5-1235U, while the Ryzen 5 40's 15882 is within 0.1% of the AMD EPYC 75F3 and 0.2% of the Intel Core Ultra 5 134U. That puts the Ryzen 3 8440U in a different performance class, even though both chips share the same core and thread counts.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Ryzen 3 8440U has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, compared to 2.80 GHz and 4.30 GHz for the Ryzen 5 40. The TDP is 28W versus 15W. The socket is different: the Ryzen 5 40 uses AMD Socket FT6, while the Ryzen 3 8440U uses AMD Socket FP7. The process node is 4 nm for the Ryzen 3 8440U and 6 nm for the Ryzen 5 40. The die size is 137 mm² for the Ryzen 3 8440U and 100 mm² for the Ryzen 5 40. The Ryzen 3 8440U has 20,900 million transistors, while the Ryzen 5 40 does not have a recorded transistor count.

Cache configurations also differ. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, but the L2 cache is 1 MB per core on the Ryzen 3 8440U versus 512 KB per core on the Ryzen 5 40. The L3 cache is 8 MB shared versus 4 MB shared. Memory support is DDR5 for the Ryzen 3 8440U and LPDDR5 for the Ryzen 5 40, with memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s versus 88.0 GB/s. PCIe connectivity is Gen 4 with 14 lanes on the Ryzen 3 8440U, while the Ryzen 5 40 offers Gen 3 with 4 lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon 740M on the Ryzen 3 8440U and Radeon 610M on the Ryzen 5 40. The release dates are also different: the Ryzen 3 8440U launched in December 2023, while the Ryzen 5 40 is dated September 2025. The Ryzen 3 8440U belongs to the 8000 series, while the Ryzen 5 40 has no recorded series. The generation field also differs, with the Ryzen 3 8440U listed as Ryzen 3 (Zen 4 (Hawk Point)) and the Ryzen 5 40 as Ryzen 5 (Zen 2 (Mendocino)).

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is significant. The Ryzen 5 40 is built on Zen 2 (codename Mendocino) using a 6 nm process, while the Ryzen 3 8440U uses Zen 4 (codename Hawk Point) on a 4 nm process. Both are manufactured by TSMC. The newer Zen 4 architecture brings a larger L2 cache (1 MB per core versus 512 KB) and double the L3 cache (8 MB versus 4 MB). The memory controller is also updated, with DDR5 support on the Ryzen 3 8440U versus LPDDR5 on the Ryzen 5 40. The PCIe interface is newer on the Ryzen 3 8440U, offering Gen 4 with 14 lanes compared to Gen 3 with 4 lanes. The integrated GPU is also more capable on the Ryzen 3 8440U, with the Radeon 740M versus the Radeon 610M. These architectural differences explain the large performance deltas seen in the benchmarks.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 3 8440U wins in 14 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests. That includes all multi-core tests, all modern single-core tests, all math and encryption workloads, and all memory-intensive operations. It is the clear choice for productivity, content creation, and any task that benefits from higher clock speeds and a larger cache. The only test where the Ryzen 5 40 wins is Cinebench R15 single-core, which is an older benchmark that may not reflect current software. The Ryzen 5 40's lower TDP (15W) could make it attractive for fanless or ultra-low-power designs, but the performance penalty is steep. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 3 8440U is 55.5% faster, and in Passmark multithread it is 27.1% faster. If power efficiency is the absolute priority and the workload is limited to light tasks, the Ryzen 5 40 might be considered, but the data shows that the Ryzen 3 8440U is the superior processor for almost any real-world use.