AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs Intel Core 7 251TE Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX and Intel Core 7 251TE occupy different corners of the processor market, yet their benchmark records show a surprisingly close overall contest in one key workload, while diverging sharply in others. The data records 13 head-to-head tests, with the AMD part winning 11 and the Intel part taking 2. The most notable near-tie comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where Intel scores 25,518 against AMD's 25,265, a margin of only 1%. That result suggests the core-count advantage of the Intel chip (24 cores versus 12) does not translate into a dominant multi-threaded lead in this specific render test. The single-core picture is entirely different. Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core by a massive 48.4%, posting 3,602 versus 1,857. That is a substantial gap, indicating a fundamental difference in per-core efficiency or clock behavior between the two designs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R23 results frame the contest. In multi-core, Intel's 24-core part edges out AMD's 12-core chip by 1%, a result that flatters the smaller AMD design given the 2x core-count disparity. In single-core, Intel's lead expands to 48.4%, the largest single benchmark delta in Intel's favor. The PassMark suite tells a different story, with AMD winning every listed test except the two Cinebench items. The largest AMD wins come in PassMark extended instructions, where AMD scores 36,527 against Intel's 16,974, a 115.2% advantage. PassMark find prime numbers also shows a triple-digit gap: AMD scores 304 versus Intel's 140, a 117.1% lead. These two results point to AMD's strength in specific integer and instruction-heavy workloads, likely stemming from its Zen 4 architecture.

The PassMark data compression test shows AMD at 496,427 against Intel's 334,399, a 48.5% win. Random string sorting favors AMD by 46.2% (57,971 versus 39,643). Encryption also goes to AMD, with 29,919 versus 22,176, a 34.9% margin. The multithread score, which aggregates many threaded operations, shows AMD at 41,732 versus Intel's 30,022, a 39% advantage. Even in floating point math, where the scores are closest, AMD wins by 1.3% (86,747 versus 85,607). Integer math favors AMD by 16.5% (146,506 versus 125,739). Physics tests show AMD ahead by 12.7% (2,185 versus 1,938). In the PassMark single-thread test, AMD wins by 10.9% (3,958 versus 3,568), which contrasts sharply with the Cinebench single-core result where Intel led by 48.4%. This discrepancy between two different single-thread measurement methodologies indicates that the Intel chip's single-core advantage is workload-specific, not universal.

The average benchmark score in the database places AMD at 71,797 with a percentile rank of 94 among all CPUs. Intel's average is 41,650 with a percentile rank of 88. AMD's nearest rivals by average score include the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF at 71,910 (a 0.2% difference) and the Intel Xeon 6517P at 72,350 (a 0.8% difference). Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H at 41,621 (0.1% apart) and the Intel Core i7-14650HX at 41,576 (0.2% apart). These figures place the two processors in different performance tiers, with AMD's average score roughly 72% higher than Intel's.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different manufacturing and design lineages. AMD uses a 5 nm process from TSMC, while Intel uses a 10 nm process from its own foundry. AMD's architecture is Zen 4 under the Dragon Range codename; Intel's is Bartlett Lake. The transistor count differs dramatically: AMD lists 13,140 million transistors across a dual-die design with each die measuring 71 mm², while Intel lists no transistor count but a single die size of 215 mm². AMD's smaller process node and dual-die layout allow for a higher transistor density despite fewer total cores.

Cache structures diverge as well. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 64 MB L3 cache. Intel uses 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and a shared 36 MB L3. The L3 difference is substantial: AMD's 64 MB is nearly double Intel's 36 MB. This larger shared cache likely contributes to AMD's wins in data compression and random string sorting, workloads that benefit from keeping large working sets on-chip. AMD's core count is 12 with 24 threads, while Intel offers 24 cores with 32 threads. The thread-per-core ratio differs: AMD has 2 threads per core, Intel has roughly 1.33 threads per core, indicating Intel uses a mix of performance and efficiency cores.

Memory support also differs. AMD supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth rating of 83.2 GB/s. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with a higher bandwidth rating of 89.6 GB/s. Intel also enables ECC memory, which AMD does not. PCIe lanes favor AMD: Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only) versus Intel's Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 610M, Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket FL1, Intel uses Socket 1700. AMD's multiplier is unlocked; Intel's is locked. AMD's base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost of 5.10 GHz; Intel's base is 1.40 GHz with a boost of 5.40 GHz. The TDP ratings are 55 W for AMD and 45 W for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmark tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins 11 of the 13 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core 7 251TE wins only the two Cinebench R23 tests (multi-core by 1% and single-core by 48.4%).

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: AMD's average benchmark score is 71,797, ranking in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Intel's average is 41,650, ranking in the 88th percentile. AMD's average is approximately 72% higher.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in either direction?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark find prime numbers, where AMD leads by 117.1% (304 versus 140). The second largest is PassMark extended instructions, where AMD leads by 115.2% (36,527 versus 16,974). Intel's largest lead is in Cinebench R23 single-core at 48.4%.

Q: Does the Intel chip's higher boost clock help in all single-thread tests?

A: No. Intel has a 5.40 GHz boost versus AMD's 5.10 GHz, and Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 48.4%. However, in the PassMark single-thread test, AMD wins by 10.9% (3,958 versus 3,568), showing the advantage is workload-dependent.

Q: How do the cache sizes differ?

A: AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3. AMD's L3 cache is nearly double Intel's.

Q: Which processor supports more PCIe lanes and what memory types?

A: AMD supports Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only) and DDR5 memory only. Intel supports Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only) and both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Intel also supports ECC memory, while AMD does not.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX | Intel Core 7 251TE |

|----------------|--------------------|--------------------|

| Cores | 12 | 24 |

| Threads | 24 | 32 |

| Base clock | 2.90 GHz | 1.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.10 GHz | 5.40 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FL1 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Process node | 5 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die size | 2x 71 mm² | 215 mm² |

| L1 cache per core | 64 KB | 80 KB |

| L2 cache per core | 1 MB | 1.25 MB |

| L3 cache (shared) | 64 MB | 36 MB |

| Memory support | DDR5 only | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 28 lanes | Gen 5, 16 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 610M | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $384 |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX dominates the PassMark suite, winning 11 of 12 PassMark tests. Its strongest areas are extended instructions (115.2% lead), prime number finding (117.1% lead), data compression (48.5% lead), and random string sorting (46.2% lead). These results point to a processor that excels in data processing, encryption, and instruction-heavy integer workloads. The 64 MB L3 cache and dual-die Zen 4 design appear to provide a significant edge in keeping large datasets close to the cores. The PassMark multithread score, at 39% ahead, reinforces that AMD's lower core count does not hinder its overall threaded throughput in these specific tests. The single-thread PassMark win of 10.9% also shows that AMD's 5.10 GHz boost, despite being lower than Intel's 5.40 GHz, delivers better per-thread performance in that benchmark.

The Intel Core 7 251TE wins only in Cinebench R23. Its multi-core win by 1% is narrow, but its single-core win by 48.4% is decisive. The recorded data shows Intel's 24-core configuration and higher 5.40 GHz boost clock produce a strong result in this specific render workload. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,602 versus 1,857 indicates that for software relying on a single heavily optimized thread, Intel holds a clear advantage. The Intel chip also carries a lower TDP of 45 W versus 55 W, which could matter in power-constrained desktop scenarios, though the data does not include any power or thermal measurements. The higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and dual memory support (DDR4 and DDR5) give Intel flexibility in system configuration, and ECC memory support is a feature absent from AMD.

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits cleanly. For workloads that resemble the PassMark suite, which includes compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number calculations, floating point, integer math, multithreading, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins 11 of 12 tests, often by substantial margins. The 117.1% lead in prime number finding and 115.2% lead in extended instructions are the standout deltas. The AMD processor's average benchmark score of 71,797 places it in the 94th percentile, while Intel's 41,650 lands in the 88th percentile. The AMD chip also offers double the L3 cache (64 MB versus 36 MB) and more PCIe lanes (28 versus 16), which may benefit data-intensive applications and expansion options.

The Intel Core 7 251TE is the choice strictly for Cinebench R23 workloads, where it wins both multi-core (by 1%) and single-core (by 48.4%). The single-core result is exceptional, showing a 3,602 score against AMD's 1,857. For any application that depends on a single thread with high clock speed, Intel is the recorded winner. The Intel chip also supports ECC memory and both DDR4 and DDR5, offers a higher memory bandwidth rating of 89.6 GB/s, and carries a lower TDP of 45 W. Its launch MSRP is $384. The database shows Intel's nearest rivals by average score are the Core Ultra 7 265H (0.1% apart) and Core i7-14650HX (0.2% apart), indicating it sits in a competitive mid-range desktop tier. AMD's nearest rivals, such as the Core Ultra 7 265KF (0.2% apart) and Xeon 6517P (0.8% apart), place it in a higher overall performance bracket.

The verdict from the recorded data is clear: AMD wins the majority of benchmark tests and holds a higher average score and percentile rank. Intel wins the two Cinebench tests, with a particularly strong single-core result. Users prioritizing PassMark-style throughput should select AMD; users prioritizing Cinebench R23 single-core should select Intel. The data does not support a broader claim beyond these specific recorded results.