AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data paints a remarkably one-sided picture. In the 13 recorded head-to-head comparisons, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX wins every single contest, with no wins recorded for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX. This is not a narrow margin of victory; the Intel part leads by double digits in most workloads.

The largest disparity appears in floating-point math. Intel scores 194998, while AMD manages 86747, a delta of 124.8%. That is more than double the throughput, a decisive advantage for scientific computing, financial modeling, or any workload that leans heavily on FPU performance. Data encryption also shows a massive gap: Intel's 48567 versus AMD's 29919, a 62.3% lead. For tasks involving cryptographic operations or secure data handling, the Intel chip is clearly the stronger choice.

Physics simulation follows a similar pattern, with Intel at 3476 and AMD at 2185, a 59.1% difference. Prime number finding, often used as a proxy for integer-heavy algorithmic efficiency, sees Intel at 460 versus AMD's 304, a 51.3% lead. These are not marginal improvements; they represent substantial performance tiers separating the two processors.

Multi-threaded performance, a key indicator for content creation and compilation workloads, shows Intel at 56902 in the PassMark multithread test, compared to AMD's 41732, a 36.4% delta. Cinebench R23 multicore reinforces this: Intel scores 36429.5, AMD 25265, a 44.2% advantage. In single-threaded tasks, the gap narrows but remains clear. Cinebench R23 single-core shows Intel at 2187.5 versus AMD's 1857, a 17.8% lead. PassMark single-thread records 4618 for Intel and 3958 for AMD, a 16.7% difference.

Data compression favors Intel by 27.3%, with scores of 631885 and 496427. Extended instruction sets, relevant for SIMD-heavy code, show a 34.6% advantage for Intel (49148 versus 36527). Random string sorting, a test of memory access patterns and branch prediction, gives Intel 77196 against AMD's 57971, a 33.2% lead. The closest contest is integer math, where Intel's 155076 only edges out AMD's 146506 by 5.8%. Even in that near tie, Intel still takes the win.

The overall average benchmark score reflects this dominance. Intel's average sits at 76155, while AMD's is 71797, a difference of 4358 points. Intel's percentile ranking among all CPUs is 95, compared to AMD's 94, a one-point gap that masks the scale of the per-test victories.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. Intel's Core Ultra 9 285HX belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-HX. The process node is 3 nm, fabricated by TSMC, with a transistor count of 17,800 million and a die size of 243 mm². AMD's Ryzen 7 8840HX is part of the 8000 series, using the Zen 4 architecture under the Dragon Range codename. It is built on a 5 nm process, also from TSMC, but with fewer transistors at 13,140 million and a smaller die footprint of 2x 71 mm².

The core configurations diverge sharply. Intel offers 24 cores and 24 threads, while AMD provides 12 cores and 24 threads. Both support the same thread count, but Intel achieves it with more physical cores, which can benefit workloads that scale with core count rather than simultaneous multithreading. The cache hierarchy differs as well. Intel allocates 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 36 MB of L3. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a much larger shared 64 MB of L3. AMD's bigger L3 cache could help with certain data-heavy tasks, but the benchmark results show Intel's overall architecture still prevails in the tested scenarios.

Memory bandwidth also favors Intel. The Intel chip supports dual-channel DDR5 with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, while AMD's dual-channel DDR5 tops out at 83.2 GB/s. That is a 19.2 GB/s difference, or roughly a 23% higher theoretical ceiling for Intel. PCIe connectivity goes the other way: AMD offers Gen 5 with 28 lanes from the CPU, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes. For users with multiple high-speed storage devices or GPUs, AMD's extra lanes could be relevant.

Integrated graphics differ as well. Intel ships Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units, while AMD includes Radeon 610M. The Intel iGPU is likely more capable for light gaming or media acceleration, though the database records no direct graphics benchmarks for these parts. ECC memory support is present on Intel but absent on AMD, a consideration for workstation users who require error-correcting memory.

Clock speeds show a mixed picture. Intel's base clock is 2.80 GHz with a boost of 5.50 GHz. AMD starts higher at 2.90 GHz base but boosts lower to 5.10 GHz. Intel's higher boost ceiling likely contributes to its single-threaded wins. Both processors have unlocked multipliers, making them suitable for overclocking, and both are listed as active production parts for the mobile segment.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX is the faster processor across every benchmark recorded. For users prioritizing raw performance, particularly in floating-point math, encryption, physics, or multi-threaded compilation, Intel is the clear choice. The 124.8% lead in floating-point math alone is enough to justify selection for compute-heavy roles. The 44.2% advantage in Cinebench R23 multicore suggests that rendering and 3D workloads will see substantial time savings.

AMD's Ryzen 7 8840HX, however, is not without merit. It offers the same 24 threads with fewer physical cores, which can be more power-efficient per thread in certain scenarios. Its larger 64 MB L3 cache may benefit workloads that repeatedly access a large working set. The 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes provide more expansion headroom for multi-GPU setups or arrays of NVMe drives. For users who need maximum connectivity or who work with cache-sensitive algorithms, AMD could be the better fit, even if it loses every benchmark in this comparison.

That said, the average benchmark score difference is 4358 points, and Intel holds a higher percentile ranking. The verdict from the recorded data is straightforward: choose Intel for performance, choose AMD for its specific architectural features like cache size and PCIe lane count, but do not expect competitive benchmark results.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Cores: Intel 24, AMD 12
• Threads: Both 24
• Base Clock: Intel 2.80 GHz, AMD 2.90 GHz
• Boost Clock: Intel 5.50 GHz, AMD 5.10 GHz
• Socket: Intel BGA 2114, AMD Socket FL1
• Architecture: Arrow Lake, Zen 4
• Codename: Arrow Lake-HX, Dragon Range
• Generation: Ultra 9 (Arrow Lake-HX), Ryzen 7 (Zen 4 (Dragon Range))
• Process Node: 3 nm, 5 nm
• Transistors: 17,800 million, 13,140 million
• Die Size: 243 mm², 2x 71 mm²
• L1 Cache: 192 KB per core, 64 KB per core
• L2 Cache: 3 MB per core, 1 MB per core
• L3 Cache: 36 MB shared, 64 MB shared
• Memory Bandwidth: 102.4 GB/s, 83.2 GB/s
• ECC Memory: True, False
• PCIe: Gen 5, 20 Lanes, Gen 5, 28 Lanes
• Integrated Graphics: Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU, Radeon 610M
• Part Number: SRVFJ, 100-000001850
• Release Date: 2025-01-12, 2025-04-22

Identical fields include both using DDR5 memory, dual-channel memory bus, 55 W TDP, unlocked multiplier, mobile market segment, and active production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX wins all 13 head-to-head comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX records zero wins.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest difference is in floating-point math, where Intel scores 194998 versus AMD's 86747, a delta of 124.8%.

Q: How do they compare in single-threaded performance?

A: Intel leads in Cinebench R23 single-core with 2187.5 against AMD's 1857, a 17.8% advantage. PassMark single-thread shows a similar gap: 4618 versus 3958, a 16.7% lead.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both support DDR5 with a dual-channel memory bus. However, Intel achieves 102.4 GB/s bandwidth while AMD reaches 83.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: AMD provides 28 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while Intel offers 20 Gen 5 lanes.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: Yes, both have unlocked multipliers. They also share the same 55 W TDP and are both mobile parts with active production status.