AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall win for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus, which takes 11 of the 13 head-to-head comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX claims only 2 wins. The margin of victory for Intel is often substantial, particularly in multi-threaded and floating-point workloads.

The largest single gap appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Intel part scores 5917 against AMD's 1857, a delta of -68.6 percent. This is not a close contest; the Intel processor delivers more than three times the score in this specific test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel again dominates with 41913 versus 25265, a -39.7 percent delta. That translates to Intel being roughly 66 percent higher in raw score, a massive advantage for heavily threaded rendering workloads.

Floating-point math shows a similar story. The Intel chip records 163567 in PassMark floating point math, while AMD manages 86747, a -47 percent delta. Physics simulation follows the same pattern: Intel scores 3843 against AMD's 2185, a -43.1 percent gap. Prime number finding, another compute-heavy test, shows Intel at 482 versus 304, a -36.9 percent delta.

Data encryption also favors Intel, with 37813 versus 29919, a -20.9 percent delta. Extended instructions testing shows Intel ahead at 39283 compared to 36527, a -7 percent gap. PassMark multi-thread scores put Intel at 48270 versus 41732, a -13.5 percent delta. Single-thread performance, measured twice in the data as PassMark single thread and singlethread, both show 4764 for Intel and 3958 for AMD, a -16.9 percent delta. Random string sorting goes to Intel as well, 60020 against 57971, a -3.4 percent gap.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins are narrower but real. In PassMark data compression, AMD scores 496427 versus Intel's 493179, a 0.7 percent advantage. In integer math, AMD leads clearly with 146506 against 122449, a 19.6 percent margin. These two wins show that AMD retains a specific strength in integer-heavy and compression-oriented tasks, but they are the exception rather than the rule across the benchmark suite.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins across the broadest range of workloads. Its advantages appear in every Cinebench test, both single-core and multi-core, which indicates strong performance in rendering and general CPU-bound tasks. The large leads in floating point math, physics, and prime number finding point to excellent raw compute throughput for scientific and simulation-style workloads. The encryption win suggests solid performance in security-related processing. The multi-thread and single-thread PassMark results confirm that Intel is ahead in both parallel and sequential execution.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins specifically in data compression and integer math. The compression result, while narrow at 0.7 percent, shows that AMD's architecture handles this particular data manipulation task efficiently. The integer math win is more pronounced at 19.6 percent, indicating that AMD has a clear edge in workloads that depend heavily on integer arithmetic, such as certain database operations, financial calculations, and some game physics engines.

For users prioritizing Cinebench rendering scores, floating-point simulation, or encryption, the Intel part is the obvious choice based on these measurements. For integer math or data compression tasks, the AMD chip delivers better results. The overall average benchmark score in the database places AMD at 71797 with a 94th percentile against all CPUs, while Intel sits at 61834 with a 93rd percentile. These percentile figures indicate both processors are high-end mobile parts, but the average score difference is notable.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Dragon Range codename, part of the 8000 series. It is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 13,140 million transistors on a die size of 2x 71 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh codename, part of Core Ultra Series 2, built on a 3 nm process also at TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

Cache configurations differ substantially. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The L3 allocation is dramatically different: AMD has over twice the shared L3 capacity, which can benefit certain workloads that reuse large datasets. Intel's per-core L1 and L2 are larger, which may help with more localized data access patterns.

The core and thread counts also differ fundamentally. AMD offers 12 cores and 24 threads, using simultaneous multithreading to double thread count. Intel offers 20 cores and 20 threads, with no hyperthreading, meaning each core handles exactly one thread. Despite having fewer threads, Intel still wins most multi-threaded benchmarks, which indicates higher per-core throughput.

Process node differences are significant. Intel uses a 3 nm process versus AMD's 5 nm, which contributes to Intel's higher transistor count and potentially better power efficiency per transistor. Both use TSMC as the foundry, but the newer node gives Intel a density advantage.

Integrated graphics differ as well. AMD includes a Radeon 610M, while Intel includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The database does not provide graphics benchmarks, so no performance comparison is possible here.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ: 12 for AMD versus 20 for Intel. Thread counts also differ: 24 for AMD versus 20 for Intel. Base clocks are 2.90 GHz for AMD and 2.40 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.10 GHz for AMD and 5.30 GHz for Intel. Both have a TDP of 55, which is identical.

Sockets differ: AMD uses AMD Socket FL1, while Intel uses Intel BGA 2114. Memory support is the same type, DDR5, and both use dual-channel memory buses. However, memory bandwidth differs: AMD records 83.2 GB/s, while Intel records 102.4 GB/s, a substantial gap in theoretical bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory.

PCIe lanes differ: AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Both have unlocked multipliers. The production status is Active for both, with AMD released on 2025-04-22 and Intel on 2026-03-16. Neither has a launch MSRP recorded in the database.

Part numbers differ: AMD uses 100-000001850, Intel uses SADST. The process node is 5 nm for AMD and 3 nm for Intel. Transistor counts are 13,140 million for AMD and 17,800 million for Intel. Die sizes are 2x 71 mm² for AMD and 243 mm² for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 12 cores.

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 24 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins with a score of 41913 versus 25265, a -39.7 percent delta favoring Intel.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins PassMark data compression with 496427 versus 493179, and PassMark integer math with 146506 versus 122449.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 102.4 GB/s, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 83.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the process node difference?

A: The AMD processor is built on a 5 nm process, while the Intel processor is built on a 3 nm process, both at TSMC.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus for most workloads. It wins 11 of 13 head-to-head tests, with particularly strong leads in Cinebench R23 single-core (-68.6 percent) and multi-core (-39.7 percent), floating point math (-47 percent), and physics (-43.1 percent). The Intel part also delivers higher memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s, and a higher boost clock at 5.30 GHz versus 5.10 GHz. Its 20 cores and 3 nm process node provide a strong foundation for multi-threaded and compute-heavy applications.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins in data compression and integer math, with a 19.6 percent margin in the latter. It also offers more threads (24 versus 20) and a larger shared L3 cache (64 MB versus 30 MB), which may be beneficial for specific cache-sensitive workloads. Its 94th percentile ranking against all CPUs is slightly higher than Intel's 93rd percentile, and its average benchmark score of 71797 exceeds Intel's 61834.

The choice depends on workload priorities. For rendering, simulation, encryption, and general high-performance computing, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is the superior option based on the recorded scores. For integer math, data compression, or applications that benefit from a large shared L3 cache and higher thread count, the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has a measurable advantage. The data does not support a single universal winner; it supports a clear split between Intel's dominance in most tests and AMD's targeted strengths in two specific areas.