AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive separation between these two Dragon Range parts appears in the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 42,713 against 25,265 for the Ryzen 7 8840HX, a 69.1% advantage. That is the largest multi-core margin in the recorded set, and it tracks directly with the core count difference. The single-core gap is even more striking in percentage terms: 6,030 versus 1,857, a 224.7% delta. That single-core figure for the Ryzen 7 is unusually low relative to its own PassMark single-thread result, so the R23 single-core comparison should be read with some caution, but the recorded data is the recorded data.

Outside Cinebench, the Ryzen 9 8945HX wins every PassMark workload except three. The data compression test shows 677,755 versus 496,427, a 36.5% lead. Data encryption follows the same pattern at 36.5% (40,836 versus 29,919). Extended instructions land at 36.4% (49,823 versus 36,527). Floating point math scores 117,453 versus 86,747, a 35.4% lead. Integer math is 195,180 versus 146,506, a 33.2% lead. Random string sorting comes in at 78,781 versus 57,971, a 35.9% lead. The multithread PassMark score is 51,405 versus 41,732, a 23.2% lead.

The Ryzen 7 8840HX wins three distinct tests. PassMark find prime numbers shows 304 versus 262, a 13.8% advantage for the 12-core part. PassMark physics is effectively a tie: 2,185 versus 2,168, a 0.8% edge. PassMark single-thread (reported under two test names, passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, with identical scores) gives the Ryzen 7 a 3,958 to 3,907 result, a 1.3% lead. None of these three wins is large enough to offset the multi-core dominance, but they do indicate that in narrowly single-threaded or latency-sensitive integer loops, the smaller chip holds a small edge.

The overall average benchmark score tells the same story: 76,212 for the Ryzen 9 versus 71,797 for the Ryzen 7, a difference of roughly 6.1%. The Ryzen 9 sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Ryzen 7 sits at the 94th. Both are near the top of the distribution, but the Ryzen 9 is closer to the leading edge of mobile and workstation parts.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 9 8945HX is the clear choice for any workload that scales with core count, thread count, or raw ALU/FPU throughput. The 69.1% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the headline, but the PassMark results reinforce it: compression, encryption, extended instructions, floating point, integer math, random string sorting, and the multithread aggregate all favor the 16-core part by margins between 23.2% and 36.5%. For rendering, video encoding, database compression, scientific number crunching, or any parallel batch job, the data points squarely at the Ryzen 9.

The Ryzen 7 8840HX wins in three narrow niches. Prime number finding is its best result, 13.8% ahead, which suggests a per-core efficiency advantage in certain dependency-heavy integer sequences. The physics test is essentially a tie, with the Ryzen 7 ahead by only 0.8%. Single-thread PassMark is also a narrow win at 1.3%. These are not workloads where a user would choose the Ryzen 7 for throughput; they are cases where the Ryzen 7 avoids losing by much despite having fewer cores. For a user running many short, independent tasks that do not fully load all 12 cores, the Ryzen 7 may feel comparable to the Ryzen 9, but the aggregate multithread score still gives the Ryzen 9 a 23.2% lead even in the PassMark multithread test.

It is notably the Ryzen 7 does not win any Cinebench test at all, single or multi-core. Its three wins are all PassMark tests, and two of those are within 1.3%. The Ryzen 9 wins 9 of the 13 recorded head-to-head tests. The Ryzen 7 wins 4. The distribution is lopsided, and the only Ryzen 7 wins that exceed statistical noise are the prime number test and, marginally, single-thread.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Zen 4 and share the Dragon Range codename. Both are manufactured by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The transistor count is identical at 13,140 million, and the die size is identical at 2x 71 mm². The socket is AMD Socket FL1 for both, and both belong to the 8000 series. The integrated graphics are the same Radeon 610M. Memory support is DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and an 83.2 GB/s bandwidth figure for both. ECC memory is not supported on either. PCIe is Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only) on both. Both have an unlocked multiplier and are active production parts, released on the same date.

The core and thread counts differ: the Ryzen 9 8945HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Ryzen 7 8840HX has 12 cores and 24 threads. The L1 cache is 64 KB per core on both, and the L2 is 1 MB per core on both. The L3 cache is 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 and 64 MB (shared) on the Ryzen 7. The difference in L3 labeling appears to reflect documentation style rather than a capacity difference, since both list 64 MB. There is no 3D V-Cache on either part.

Clock speeds differ. The Ryzen 9 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The Ryzen 7 has a higher base clock of 2.90 GHz but a lower boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The higher base clock on the Ryzen 7 likely contributes to its small single-thread PassMark win, while the higher boost clock on the Ryzen 9, combined with double the extra cores, drives the large multi-core margins.

The part numbers differ: 100-000001848 for the Ryzen 9 and 100-000001850 for the Ryzen 7. Neither has a launch MSRP recorded in the database. The market segment is mobile for both, and the production status is active for both. The generation field labels the Ryzen 9 as "Ryzen 9 (Zen 4 (Dragon Range))" and the Ryzen 7 as "Ryzen 7 (Zen 4 (Dragon Range))", which is consistent with the shared architecture and codename.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded fields: cores (16 versus 12), threads (32 versus 24), base clock (2.50 GHz versus 2.90 GHz), boost clock (5.40 GHz versus 5.10 GHz), L3 cache description (64 MB versus 64 MB shared), and part number (100-000001848 versus 100-000001850). The integrated graphics, socket, memory support, memory bus, memory bandwidth, ECC status, PCIe configuration, process node, foundry, transistor count, die size, L1 cache, L2 cache, TDP, market segment, production status, release date, multiplier unlock status, and lack of launch MSRP are identical between the two.

The TDP is 55 for both, so the performance difference does not come with a higher power envelope for the Ryzen 9. The Ryzen 9 achieves its higher scores within the same TDP classification. Both use DDR5 memory, both are dual-channel, and both have the same 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, so memory bandwidth is not a differentiating factor. The PCIe configuration is identical as well.

The higher base clock on the Ryzen 7 (2.90 GHz versus 2.50 GHz) is a notable difference, as it means the 12-core part runs faster at idle or lightly threaded loads. The higher boost clock on the Ryzen 9 (5.40 GHz versus 5.10 GHz) gives it a ceiling advantage in short bursts, though the single-thread PassMark result does not reflect that advantage. In fact, the Ryzen 7 wins single-thread PassMark by 1.3%, which suggests that the base clock advantage matters more than the boost clock in that specific test.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 42,713 versus 25,265 for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX, a 69.1% lead.

Q: Does the Ryzen 7 8840HX win any benchmarks?

A: Yes. It wins PassMark find prime numbers (304 versus 262, a 13.8% lead), PassMark physics (2,185 versus 2,168, a 0.8% lead), and PassMark single-thread (3,958 versus 3,907, a 1.3% lead).

Q: Are these CPUs on the same architecture?

A: Yes. Both are Zen 4 with the Dragon Range codename, built by TSMC on a 5 nm process with 13,140 million transistors and a 2x 71 mm² die size.

Q: What is the core and thread difference?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Ryzen 7 8840HX has 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: Do they have the same memory support?

A: Yes. Both support DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. ECC is not supported on either.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, while the Ryzen 7 8840HX has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Ryzen 7 has a higher base clock at 2.90 GHz versus 2.50 GHz.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for multi-threaded workloads. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 69.1%, and it leads in every PassMark throughput test except the three narrow wins for the Ryzen 7. Compression, encryption, floating point, integer math, extended instructions, random string sorting, and the multithread aggregate all favor the 16-core part by margins between 23.2% and 36.5%. Anyone running render jobs, compilation, data compression, scientific simulation, or heavy multitasking should pick the Ryzen 9 8945HX.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has a place for users whose workloads are dominated by short, single-threaded tasks or certain prime-number-heavy integer sequences. Its 1.3% single-thread PassMark win and 13.8% prime number win are real but small. The physics test is effectively a tie. For a laptop user who mostly runs office applications, light coding, or interactive work, the Ryzen 7 will feel nearly identical to the Ryzen 9 in many moments, and it has a higher base clock. But the aggregate scores do not favor it: the Ryzen 9 holds a 6.1% higher average benchmark score and sits one percentile higher in the database distribution.

There is no power penalty for choosing the Ryzen 9, since both carry a 55 TDP. There is no memory advantage for the Ryzen 7, since both use the same dual-channel DDR5 configuration. The only reasons to select the Ryzen 7 are the specific single-thread and prime number wins, which are narrow, and possibly the higher base clock for sustained light loads. For anything that scales with parallel resources, the Ryzen 9 8945HX is the stronger part, and the recorded benchmarks support that conclusion across a wide range of workloads.