AMD Ryzen 7 260 vs AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark record between these two Hawk Point mobile processors is decisively one-sided. Out of 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS takes 14 wins, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 manages a single victory. That lone triumph comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Ryzen 7 260 scores 2747.5 against 2536, a margin of 8.3%. This is the only test where the lower-tier part leads, and it is notably the gap is substantial in percentage terms, but the workload is an older rendering benchmark.

Every other comparison favors the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS, often by wide margins. The most dramatic difference appears in Cinebench R23, both single-core and multi-core. In R23 single-core, the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 3552 versus 1770.5 for the Ryzen 7 260, a delta of 50.2%. That is not a small edge; it is a near-doubling of the score. Multi-core R23 tells a similar story: 25165 for the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS against 17211.5, a 31.6% advantage. These two results dominate the narrative of the comparison.

The PassMark suite paints a more consistent but less extreme picture. In PassMark multi-thread, the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS posts 30378 against 28078, a 7.6% lead. Single-thread results show 3920 versus 3736, a 4.7% edge. Data compression favors the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS at 368884 versus 351517, a 4.7% difference. Encryption shows 21820 versus 20267, a 7.1% gap. Extended instructions, floating-point math, integer math, and random string sorting all land in the 4.2% to 6.4% range in favor of the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS. The largest PassMark deltas appear in physics, where the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 1430 against 1218, a 14.8% advantage, and in prime number finding, where it leads 91 to 77, a 15.4% gap.

The Cinebench R15 single-core result is peculiar. The Ryzen 7 260 scores 276.5, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 357, giving the latter a 22.5% lead. That is a much larger single-core delta than what appears in R23, which suggests the older R15 test responds differently to the two chips' clock behavior. Regardless, the direction is consistent: the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins every single-threaded test in the database.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear hierarchy. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is the faster processor in nearly every measurable workload. The Ryzen 7 260 holds one advantage in Cinebench R15 multi-core, but that is an isolated result against a broader pattern of 14 losses. The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS leads by 50.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. Even in workloads where the two are closest, such as PassMark data compression and single-thread, the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS maintains a lead of roughly 5%.

For users prioritizing rendering, scientific computing, or any multi-threaded application, the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is the choice based on the recorded scores. Its 31.6% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the kind of margin that translates into materially shorter render times. For single-threaded tasks, the 50.2% advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core is even more compelling, making the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS the better option for responsiveness in everyday applications and lightly threaded workloads.

The Ryzen 7 260 is not without merit. It wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 8.3%, and its average benchmark score of 43717 sits close to the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS's 41963. That average is skewed by the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS's lack of an R20 result in the database, but the overall positioning is notable. The Ryzen 7 260 also matches the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS in its percentile ranking, with both at the 88th percentile among all CPUs. Anyone considering the Ryzen 7 260 should do so for its specific strengths, but the recorded benchmarks show the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS as the dominant performer.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental design. Each uses the Zen 4 architecture and the Hawk Point codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. Transistor count is identical at 25,000 million, and die size matches at 178 mm². The cache hierarchy is the same: 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Neither chip supports 3D V-Cache.

The key architectural differentiators are socket and memory support. The Ryzen 7 260 uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses AMD Socket FP7. Both support DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and both have a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Ryzen 7 260 does not support ECC memory, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS does. PCIe connectivity is identical: Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics are the same on both: Radeon 780M. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The market segment for both is mobile, and both are listed as active production parts.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet shows several differences between the two chips, though core counts and thread counts are identical at 8 and 16, respectively. The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has a higher base clock of 4.00 GHz versus 3.80 GHz for the Ryzen 7 260. Boost clocks differ as well: 5.20 GHz for the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS against 5.10 GHz for the Ryzen 7 260. Both have a TDP of 45 watts.

The socket difference is notable: AMD Socket FP8 for the Ryzen 7 260, AMD Socket FP7 for the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS. ECC memory support is exclusive to the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS. The Ryzen 7 260 belongs to the Ryzen 7 generation, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS carries the 8000 series label. Release dates differ, with the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS launching in 2024-04-15 and the Ryzen 7 260 in 2025-01-05. Part numbers are distinct: 100-000001724 for the Ryzen 7 260, and 100-000001314(FP7r2) or 100-000001386(FP7) for the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 reaches 5.10 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS supports ECC memory, but the AMD Ryzen 7 260 does not.

Q: What is the largest performance difference between the two chips?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 3552 against 1770.5 for the AMD Ryzen 7 260, a 50.2% advantage.

Q: Are the integrated graphics the same on both processors?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 7 260 and the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS feature the Radeon 780M integrated GPU.

Q: How do the two chips compare in PassMark multi-thread?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 30378, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 scores 28078, giving the former a 7.6% lead.

Q: Which processor uses which socket?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 uses AMD Socket FP8, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses AMD Socket FP7.