AMD Ryzen 3 8440U vs Intel Core i5-1240U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clear split in workload types, with the Intel Core i5-1240U winning 11 of the 17 recorded benchmarks and the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U taking 6. The most dramatic Intel victory comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i5-1240U scores 226 against the Ryzen 3's 154, a 46.8% advantage. That pattern repeats in PassMark's prime number search, where Intel leads 63 to 43, another 46.5% margin. Physics simulation also favors Intel heavily: 981 versus 685, a 43.2% gap. Floating-point math sees Intel at 29,726 versus 23,017, a 29.1% lead, and integer math is 20% ahead at 44,968 against 37,468.

The Intel chip also wins the older Cinebench R20 multi-core test with 5,013 versus 4,571 (9.7% ahead) and R15 multi-core with 1,242 versus 1,097 (13.2% ahead). Data encryption goes to Intel at 8,964 versus 8,012 (11.9% ahead), and PassMark multi-thread shows Intel at 13,406 against 12,805 (4.7% ahead). Cinebench R23 single-core is nearly tied, with Intel at 1,559 and AMD at 1,536, a slim 1.5% edge for Intel.

The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U's biggest win is equally decisive but in a different direction. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD posts 10,884 against Intel's 7,902, a 27.4% advantage. That is the single largest delta in either direction across all tests. Extended instructions also favor AMD heavily: 11,059 versus 7,932, a 28.3% lead. Random string sorting goes to AMD at 17,725 versus 15,996 (9.8% ahead). Data compression is close, with AMD at 146,273 versus 143,102 (2.2% ahead). PassMark single-thread goes to AMD at 3,648 versus 3,239, an 11.2% gap, and the duplicate single-thread result confirms the same margin.

The pattern is consistent: Intel dominates in most scalar and legacy multi-core workloads, while AMD wins in modern AVX-512-style extended instructions and in the most recent Cinebench multi-core version. The R23 multi-core result is particularly notable because it flips the older R15 and R20 multi-core results, suggesting the AMD chip scales better under sustained all-core load with its higher 28 W TDP, while Intel's 9 W part wins shorter or less demanding bursts.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct use cases. The Intel Core i5-1240U is the better choice for legacy application compatibility, physics simulation, encryption tasks, and general integer or floating-point math. Its 46.8% lead in R15 single-core and 43.2% lead in PassMark physics are decisive for older software that relies on single-threaded performance. It also wins the multi-threaded PassMark test, so for traditional productivity suites, the Intel chip holds a measurable edge.

The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U, however, is the stronger pick for modern multi-core rendering and vectorized workloads. Its 27.4% win in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the headline, as that test is a standard for content creation. The 28.3% lead in extended instructions points to better handling of AVX-512 or similar instruction sets, which matters for scientific computing, video encoding, and some AI workloads. The 11.2% single-thread lead in PassMark also suggests snappier general responsiveness in light tasks.

From the database's average benchmark scores, the two chips are nearly neck-and-neck overall: Intel averages 16,957, AMD averages 16,663. Both sit at the 70th percentile of all CPUs, meaning neither is a clear overall winner. The nearest rival data confirms this: Intel's closest competitors include the AMD EPYC 7702 (0.1% apart) and the Intel Core i7-1260P (0.3% apart), while AMD's closest includes the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U (0.5% apart) and the Intel Core i5-1235U (0.6% apart). These are essentially performance peers, not class leaders.

For a buyer, the decision hinges on software. If the workload is dominated by Cinebench R23 or extended instruction sets, choose the Ryzen 3 8440U. If the workload is older, math-heavy, or physics-based, the Core i5-1240U is the safer bet. The 4.7% multi-thread win for Intel in PassMark suggests it handles general parallel tasks well, but the R23 result warns that sustained all-core boost may favor AMD.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental split is in design philosophy. The Intel Core i5-1240U uses Alder Lake-U architecture on Intel's 10 nm process, with 10 cores and 12 threads. It is a hybrid design, though the database only lists total cores and threads, not the P-core/E-core split. Its base clock is 1,100 MHz with a 4.40 GHz boost, and it carries a 9 W TDP. The L1 cache is 80 KB per core, L2 is 1.25 MB per core, and L3 is 12 MB shared. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, with PCIe Gen 4. The integrated graphics are Iris Xe 80EU, and the socket is Intel BGA 1781. It launched in February 2022.

The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U is a Zen 4 part from the Hawk Point codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, a 3.00 GHz base clock, and a 4.70 GHz boost. The TDP is 28 W, substantially higher than Intel's 9 W, which explains its sustained performance advantage in R23 multi-core. The cache is smaller per core: 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2, with 8 MB shared L3. It supports only DDR5 memory, dual-channel, with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. PCIe is Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are Radeon 740M. The socket is AMD Socket FP7, and the part number is listed as 100-000001325 (FP7r2) or 100-000001332 (FP7). It launched in December 2023, roughly a year and a half after Intel.

The transistor count and die size are only listed for AMD: 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die. Intel's process node is 10 nm, which is larger than TSMC's 4 nm, but the database does not provide Intel's transistor count or die size for comparison. The memory support difference is notable: Intel can use older DDR4, which may be cheaper or more available in existing systems, while AMD is DDR5-only. Both chips lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers.

The core count disparity is stark: 10 cores and 12 threads versus 4 cores and 8 threads. Yet AMD's R23 multi-core win suggests that Zen 4's higher IPC and higher boost clock (4.70 GHz versus 4.40 GHz) more than compensate for the core deficit in that specific test. The 28 W TDP allows AMD to sustain those clocks, while Intel's 9 W part likely throttles under load. The database does not list power draw figures beyond TDP, so no further wattage comparison is possible.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U scores 10,884 versus Intel's 7,902, a 27.4% advantage for AMD.

Q: Which CPU wins in single-threaded PassMark performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U scores 3,648 versus Intel's 3,239, an 11.2% lead for AMD. However, Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 46.8% (226 versus 154).

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 3 8440U supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Intel chip has a 9 W TDP, while the AMD chip has a 28 W TDP. This likely explains AMD's sustained multi-core advantage in R23.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U boosts to 4.70 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-1240U boosts to 4.40 GHz.

Q: What are their integrated graphics?

A: Intel uses Iris Xe 80EU, while AMD uses Radeon 740M.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-1240U wins in these scenarios based on benchmark data:

• Legacy single-threaded applications: The 46.8% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core (226 versus 154) and the 1.5% edge in R23 single-core (1,559 versus 1,536) make it the choice for older software that cannot use multiple cores.
• Physics simulation: The 43.2% advantage in PassMark physics (981 versus 685) is massive, so any engineering or gaming physics workload favors Intel.
• Integer and floating-point math: Intel leads integer math by 20% (44,968 versus 37,468) and floating-point by 29.1% (29,726 versus 23,017), which benefits spreadsheet calculations, financial modeling, and general number crunching.
• Data encryption: Intel scores 8,964 versus 8,012 (11.9% ahead), so tasks involving encryption or hashing run faster on the i5.
• Older multi-core benchmarks: Cinebench R15 multi-core (13.2% ahead) and R20 multi-core (9.7% ahead) suggest Intel is stronger in workloads that were optimized for earlier Cinebench versions.
• Overall PassMark multi-thread: Intel wins 13,406 versus 12,805 (4.7% ahead), indicating a general parallel task advantage in the PassMark suite.

The AMD Ryzen 3 8440U wins in these scenarios:

• Modern rendering workloads: The 27.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,884 versus 7,902) is the clearest signal. Any 3D rendering, video export, or content creation that uses R23-style scaling will run noticeably faster on AMD.
• Vectorized and extended instruction sets: The 28.3% lead in PassMark extended instructions (11,059 versus 7,932) points to better AVX-512 or similar performance. This is critical for scientific computing, machine learning inference, and some compression algorithms.
• Data compression: AMD scores 146,273 versus 143,102 (2.2% ahead), so file archiving and decompression are slightly faster.
• Random string sorting: AMD wins 17,725 versus 15,996 (9.8% ahead), which helps with database indexing or text processing tasks.
• PassMark single-thread: AMD's 3,648 versus 3,239 (11.2% ahead) suggests snappier response in lightweight, single-threaded desktop apps, even though Intel wins the Cinebench single-core tests.

The summary from the database is that the Intel chip is a generalist with broad wins across many traditional metrics, while the AMD chip is a specialist that excels in the most modern, demanding multi-core and vectorized workloads. The 11-6 win count for Intel is balanced by the fact that AMD's biggest win (R23 multi-core) is larger than any single Intel margin except the R15 single-core result. For a user who prioritizes the latest rendering benchmarks, the Ryzen 3 8440U is the clear pick, but for legacy compatibility and math-heavy tasks, the Core i5-1240U remains competitive. The 70th percentile ranking for both chips confirms they are mid-pack performers, not top-tier, but each has a distinct niche where it excels.