AMD Ryzen 9 7940H vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H and Intel Core 5 221E are both 87th-percentile CPUs, but they achieve that standing through opposite strategies. The Intel Core 5 221E wins 13 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, including every Cinebench test and the majority of PassMark workloads, making it the stronger all-around performer. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H counters with four decisive wins in specialized tasks — data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting — where its lead ranges from 8.6% to a massive 47.1%. Choose the Intel Core 5 221E for raw compute density, physics simulation, and integer-heavy workloads; choose the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H for cryptographic work, compression pipelines, and vectorized instruction sets. The Intel part also carries a lower launch MSRP of $232, though both chips sit in the same performance tier.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core 5 221E is the faster processor in almost every measurable category. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25933 beats the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H’s 24703 by 4.7%, and that margin holds steady across R15, R20, and single-core variants — every Cinebench result lands between 4.6% and 4.8% in Intel’s favor. The Intel chip also wins PassMark multithread (30510 vs 29063), integer math (117813 vs 101977), floating-point math (79028 vs 62057), and physics (2230 vs 1300, a 41.7% blowout). For users running rendering, scientific computing, or any workload that scales across cores, the Core 5 221E is the clear pick.

However, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H is not without its own territory. Its 47.1% lead in PassMark extended instructions (26804 vs 18216) suggests a substantial advantage in AVX-512 or similar vector workloads. It also wins data compression (352077 vs 324285, +8.6%), encryption (21096 vs 19205, +9.8%), and random string sorting (42093 vs 37686, +11.7%). These are not minor edges — they represent real-world speedups for database compression, secure communication, and sorting algorithms. If your software heavily uses these specific instruction paths, the AMD part delivers meaningfully better throughput.

The tie-breaker comes from averages and percentiles. Both CPUs sit at the 87th percentile, and their average benchmark scores nearly match: 40431 for AMD versus 40144 for Intel, a spread of less than 1%. The nearest rival lists reinforce this parity — the AMD sits within 0.3% of the Intel Xeon 6369P and Core i9-13905H, while the Intel sits within 0.4% of the Ryzen 9 270 and Core i9-13905H. Verdict: the Intel Core 5 221E wins on breadth and consistency, but the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H is the specialist that wins where it counts for specific niches. For a general-purpose desktop build, take Intel; for a cryptography or compression server, take AMD.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E wins every single-core test. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3661 beats the AMD’s 3487 by 4.8%, and its PassMark single-thread score of 4147 beats the AMD’s 3952 by 4.7%.

Q: How do the two compare in multithreaded workloads?

A: Intel leads in all multithreaded benchmarks. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 25933 for Intel versus 24703 for AMD (-4.7%), and PassMark multithread shows 30510 versus 29063 (-4.7%). The only multithread-adjacent wins for AMD are in data compression, encryption, and string sorting.

Q: What is the AMD’s biggest advantage?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H leads by 47.1% in PassMark extended instructions (26804 vs 18216). It also wins data encryption by 9.8% (21096 vs 19205) and data compression by 8.6% (352077 vs 324285).

Q: What is the Intel’s biggest advantage?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E dominates in PassMark physics with a 41.7% lead (2230 vs 1300). It also wins floating-point math by 21.5% (79028 vs 62057) and integer math by 13.4% (117813 vs 101977).

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H and the Intel Core 5 221E list ECC memory support as true.

Q: How do their average scores compare?

A: The AMD averages 40431, and the Intel averages 40144 — a gap of about 0.7%. Both are at the 87th percentile of all CPUs.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design schools. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H uses the Zen 4 architecture on TSMC’s 4nm process node, packing 25,000 million transistors into a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename on Intel’s 10nm process, with a larger 257 mm² die and no transistor count listed. This process advantage helps AMD achieve its 4.00 GHz base clock, while Intel starts lower at 2.70 GHz — though both boost to 5.20 GHz.

Core counts diverge sharply. The AMD packs 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel offers 14 cores and 20 threads. Cache structures also differ: AMD allocates 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, plus 16 MB shared L3. Intel gives each core 80 KB L1 and 2 MB L2, with 24 MB shared L3. The larger L3 cache on Intel likely contributes to its wins in integer and floating-point math, where data locality matters.

Memory support shows another split. The AMD supports only DDR5, while the Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 — a flexibility advantage for system builders. Both run dual-channel with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and support ECC. PCIe generations differ: AMD uses Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while Intel uses Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics also differ, with AMD featuring Radeon 780M and Intel featuring UHD Graphics 730. The AMD is a mobile part on Socket FP8, while the Intel is a desktop part on Socket 1700.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 7940H | Intel Core 5 221E |

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

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 2.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.20 GHz |

| TDP | 35 | 65 |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Die Size | 178 mm² | 257 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 780M | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | Not listed | 2025-01-12 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $232 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite paints a consistent picture of Intel superiority. Across R15, R20, and R23, the Intel Core 5 221E wins every multicore and single-core test by margins between 4.6% and 4.8%. The R23 multicore gap is 1230 points (25933 vs 24703), and the single-core gap is 174 points (3661 vs 3487). This uniformity suggests Intel’s architecture simply executes these rendering workloads more efficiently, regardless of thread count.

PassMark results split into two camps. Intel wins the raw compute tests: physics (2230 vs 1300, +41.7%), floating-point math (79028 vs 62057, +21.5%), and integer math (117813 vs 101977, +13.4%). Intel also wins find prime numbers (173 vs 81, +53.2%) — its largest lead anywhere — and multithread (30510 vs 29063, +4.7%).

AMD’s wins are concentrated in data manipulation. Extended instructions shows the widest gap: 26804 vs 18216, a 47.1% advantage. Data encryption favors AMD by 9.8% (21096 vs 19205), data compression by 8.6% (352077 vs 324285), and random string sorting by 11.7% (42093 vs 37686). These four wins suggest AMD’s Zen 4 cores have superior SIMD or cryptographic instruction throughput.

The win tally is decisive: Intel claims 13 victories, AMD claims 4. Yet the average scores tell a closer story — AMD’s 40431 versus Intel’s 40144. The Intel wins are numerous but often narrow (4.7% in most tests), while AMD’s wins include the single largest margin (47.1%). This is a tale of consistent broad performance versus specialized spikes.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core 5 221E wins for: physics simulation, floating-point-heavy scientific computing, integer workloads, prime number crunching, and any Cinebench-style rendering task. Its 41.7% physics lead and 21.5% floating-point lead make it the choice for engineering software and 3D rendering. The 13.4% integer math advantage helps with database queries and general computation. With 14 cores and 20 threads versus AMD’s 8 and 16, the Intel part also offers more parallel throughput for well-threaded applications — though the benchmark data shows that advantage capped at 4.7% in multithread tests.

AMD Ryzen 9 7940H wins for: cryptography (data encryption +9.8%), compression workloads (data compression +8.6%), string sorting (+11.7%), and any AVX-512 or extended instruction set usage (+47.1%). The 47.1% extended instructions margin is the standout — if your software explicitly uses those instructions, the AMD part will crush Intel. Its lower TDP of 35 vs 65 also suggests better efficiency per watt, though the data does not include power consumption benchmarks.

For a desktop workstation, the Intel Core 5 221E is the safer default. Its wins span more categories and include the most common professional workloads. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H is the specialist’s choice — its wins are fewer but deeper, particularly in the extended instructions category. Both CPUs sit at the 87th percentile, so either will perform well; the question is whether your workload hits AMD’s specific strengths or falls into Intel’s broad dominance.