AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS vs AMD Ryzen 7 7840H Comparison

Both AMD processors belong to the same Zen 4 (Phoenix) family, share a 4nm TSMC process, and target the mobile segment, but they are positioned differently in the 7000 series lineup. The Ryzen 5 7640HS is a 6-core, 12-thread part with a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Ryzen 7 7840H steps up to 8 cores and 16 threads, with a lower base clock of 3.80 GHz but a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Both share a 35W TDP, the AMD Socket FP8, and identical cache configurations: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The recorded benchmark data shows a clear division of labor: the Ryzen 7 7840H dominates in multi-threaded workloads, while the Ryzen 5 7640HS edges out a narrow win in single-threaded PassMark tests. The database records 15 head-to-head benchmarks, with the Ryzen 7 7840H winning 13 of them and the Ryzen 5 7640HS winning 2.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the database is the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, where the Ryzen 7 7840H scores 23,731 against the Ryzen 5 7640HS’s 12,554. That is a 47.1% advantage for the Ryzen 7, a massive gap that reflects the two extra cores and four extra threads. The single-core Cinebench R23 result is similarly lopsided: the Ryzen 7 scores 3,350, which is 48.8% higher than the Ryzen 5’s 1,715.5. This is notable because single-core performance typically scales with boost clock, and the Ryzen 7’s 5.10 GHz boost is only slightly higher than the Ryzen 5’s 5.00 GHz, yet the score difference is enormous. The database does not explain the reason, but the recorded delta is consistent across both R15 and R23 variants.

In Cinebench R15, the Ryzen 7 7840H leads by 17.3% in multi-core (2,392 vs. 1,978) and by 20% in single-core (337 vs. 269.5). The multi-core margin here is smaller than in R23, which suggests that the R23 workload is more sensitive to core count or that the Ryzen 7’s higher boost clock matters more under sustained load. The Ryzen 5 7640HS does not win any Cinebench test in the head-to-head data.

PassMark tests show a similar pattern, but with some nuances. The Ryzen 7 7840H wins all but one PassMark category. In integer math, the Ryzen 7 scores 96,692 against 73,284, a 24.2% lead. Floating point math shows a 23% lead (58,724 vs. 45,220). Data compression is 21.1% faster (341,520 vs. 269,524), and data encryption is 21.3% faster (20,162 vs. 15,867). Extended instructions, which often benefit from more cores, show a 19.9% lead (25,654 vs. 20,556). The Ryzen 7 also wins in multi-threaded PassMark (27,919 vs. 22,979, a 17.7% lead), physics (1,301 vs. 1,155, an 11.2% lead), and random string sorting (38,938 vs. 31,654, an 18.7% lead). The smallest win for the Ryzen 7 is in find prime numbers, where it scores 83 against 77, a 7.2% edge.

The only two wins for the Ryzen 5 7640HS come in the identical PassMark single-thread tests (listed as both single_thread and singlethread). The Ryzen 5 scores 3,654, while the Ryzen 7 scores 3,641, a 0.4% difference. This is a razor-thin margin, but it is a real win, and it suggests that the Ryzen 5’s higher base clock (4.30 GHz vs. 3.80 GHz) may give it a slight edge in lightly threaded tasks that do not trigger sustained boost behavior. The Ryzen 7’s higher boost clock (5.10 GHz) does not translate into a single-thread PassMark win, which is interesting because it does translate into a large Cinebench R23 single-core win. The data shows that benchmark-specific behavior matters: PassMark single-thread is not the same as Cinebench single-core.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the same Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Phoenix, and manufactured on TSMC’s 4nm process. The die size is identical at 178 mm², and the transistor count is the same at 25,000 million. This means the differences in performance come almost entirely from the core configuration and clock speeds, not from a process or node advantage. The Ryzen 7 7840H has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7640HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. That is a 33% increase in core count and a 33% increase in thread count for the Ryzen 7, which explains the large multi-threaded deltas in Cinebench and PassMark.

The clock speeds differ in an interesting way. The Ryzen 5 7640HS has a higher base clock (4.30 GHz vs. 3.80 GHz), which is unusual for a lower-tier part. The Ryzen 7 7840H has a higher boost clock (5.10 GHz vs. 5.00 GHz), which gives it a slight peak-frequency advantage. In thermal-constrained mobile chassis, the base clock difference could matter for sustained all-core loads, but the benchmark data does not show the Ryzen 5 winning any multi-threaded test. The Ryzen 7’s two extra cores overwhelm the base clock disadvantage.

Cache is identical: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. This means the Ryzen 5 has a total of 6 MB L2 and the Ryzen 7 has 8 MB L2, but the per-core allocation is the same. Neither processor has any 3D V-Cache. Memory support is also identical: DDR5, dual-channel, with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. PCIe is Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only) on both.

The integrated graphics differ. The Ryzen 5 7640HS uses the Radeon 760M, while the Ryzen 7 7840H uses the Radeon 780M. The database does not include iGPU benchmark scores for either processor, so the performance difference cannot be quantified from the recorded data, but the naming convention indicates a different SKU. Both processors are socketed into AMD Socket FP8, are marked as Active production, and have an unlocked multiplier set to false, meaning overclocking is not supported on either.

The average benchmark scores in the database are close: the Ryzen 5 7640HS has an average score of 30,390, while the Ryzen 7 7840H has an average score of 29,868. This is counterintuitive given the Ryzen 7’s dominance in the head-to-head tests, but it reflects the fact that the average includes different test suites. The Ryzen 5 7640HS sits at the 81st percentile among all CPUs, and the Ryzen 7 7840H also sits at the 81st percentile. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 5 include the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U (0.1% higher average score) and the Intel Core i9-11980HK (0.1% lower), while the Ryzen 7 7840H’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (0.3% lower).

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Ryzen 7 7840H is the faster processor in almost every measured workload. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head tests, and its wins are often large, ranging from 7.2% in find prime numbers to 48.8% in Cinebench R23 single-core. For users who run multi-threaded applications such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or software compilation, the Ryzen 7 7840H is the clear choice. The 47.1% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is a decisive margin that no amount of tuning on the Ryzen 5 can overcome.

The Ryzen 5 7640HS is not without merit, but its advantages are narrow. It wins the PassMark single-thread test by 0.4%, which is within the margin of measurement noise, and it has no other head-to-head wins. Its higher base clock (4.30 GHz vs. 3.80 GHz) might suggest better responsiveness in light tasks, but the benchmark data does not show a consistent single-thread advantage. In fact, the Ryzen 7 wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 48.8%, which is the opposite of what the base clock difference would predict.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical (30,390 vs. 29,868), which means that in a broad mix of workloads, the two processors are statistically similar. But the head-to-head data shows that this average is misleading: the Ryzen 7 wins the heavy workloads by a lot, and the Ryzen 5 wins only a single lightweight test by a hair. For any user who prioritizes multi-threaded performance, the Ryzen 7 7840H is the only rational pick. The Ryzen 5 7640HS makes sense only if the workload is strictly single-threaded and the 0.4% PassMark advantage is meaningful, which is rarely the case in real applications.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7840H has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference?

A: In the PassMark single-thread test, the Ryzen 5 7640HS scores 3,654 against the Ryzen 7 7840H’s 3,641, a 0.4% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ryzen 7 leads by 48.8% (3,350 vs. 1,715.5).

Q: Do both processors use the same architecture and process node?

A: Yes, both use Zen 4 architecture, the Phoenix codename, and TSMC’s 4nm process. They also share the same 178 mm² die size and 25,000 million transistors.

Q: What is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The Ryzen 7 7840H scores 23,731, which is 47.1% higher than the Ryzen 5 7640HS’s 12,554.

Q: Are the integrated graphics different?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 5 7640HS uses the Radeon 760M, while the Ryzen 7 7840H uses the Radeon 780M. The database does not include iGPU benchmark scores.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Ryzen 7 7840H has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Ryzen 5 7640HS has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Ryzen 5 has a higher base clock at 4.30 GHz vs. 3.80 GHz.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 7 7840H wins in every multi-threaded category and most single-threaded categories. Its largest wins are in Cinebench R23 multi-core (47.1% ahead), Cinebench R23 single-core (48.8% ahead), and Cinebench R15 single-core (20% ahead). It also wins PassMark integer math (24.2% ahead), floating point math (23% ahead), data encryption (21.3% ahead), data compression (21.1% ahead), extended instructions (19.9% ahead), random string sorting (18.7% ahead), multi-thread (17.7% ahead), Cinebench R15 multi-core (17.3% ahead), physics (11.2% ahead), and find prime numbers (7.2% ahead). For any workload that uses more than two cores, the Ryzen 7 7840H is the stronger part, and the margin grows with the thread count.

The Ryzen 5 7640HS wins only the PassMark single-thread test, and only by 0.4% (3,654 vs. 3,641). This is a negligible margin, but it is the only head-to-head win for the Ryzen 5. The Ryzen 5’s higher base clock (4.30 GHz) may help in short bursts of single-threaded activity, but the Ryzen 7’s higher boost clock (5.10 GHz) wins in the Cinebench single-core tests. If a user’s primary application is a single-threaded benchmark that matches PassMark’s methodology, the Ryzen 5 could be marginally faster, but the difference is so small that it would be imperceptible in practice.

For use-case guidance: the Ryzen 7 7840H is for content creators, developers, and anyone running parallel workloads. The Ryzen 5 7640HS is for users who prioritize the lowest power draw in light, single-threaded office tasks, but the 35W TDP is the same for both, and the benchmark data shows no other advantage. The database records 2 wins for the Ryzen 5 and 13 for the Ryzen 7, so the choice is clear for anyone who values measured performance over theoretical clock speed advantages.