AMD Ryzen 9 7940H vs Intel Core i9-13905H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H and Intel Core i9-13905H are two mobile processors that end up nearly tied in overall average benchmark score, with the AMD part at 40431 and the Intel part at 40313, a difference of just 0.3% in favor of AMD. Yet the head-to-head data reveals they achieve that parity through completely opposite strengths: AMD dominates in single-core and certain specialized workloads, while Intel counters with multi-core and physics-based advantages. The scoreboard shows AMD winning 9 of the 17 direct comparisons, but the margins tell a more nuanced story than the win count suggests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single-core results are where AMD delivers its most decisive blows. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ryzen 9 7940H scores 3487 against Intel's 2020, a 72.6% advantage. That is not a marginal lead; it is a generational gap in per-thread performance. Cinebench R15 single-core tells a similar tale, with AMD at 351 versus Intel's 246, a 42.7% delta. Even in PassMark single-thread, AMD leads 3952 to 3703, a 6.7% edge. These results point to a Zen 4 architecture that extracts far more work from a single thread than Raptor Lake-H can muster.

Multi-core results are more mixed and reveal Intel's counter-punching strategy. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel wins 2857 to 2490, a 12.8% margin. Cinebench R20 multicore also goes Intel's way, 10605 to 10375, though only by 2.2%. However, the newer Cinebench R23 multicore flips decisively to AMD, with 24703 versus 20034, a 23.3% lead. This suggests AMD's advantage grows as the workload becomes more sustained and demanding, possibly reflecting thermal or power behavior under longer renders.

PassMark's suite splits the pair almost evenly. Intel wins data compression 354330 to 352077, a razor-thin 0.6% margin, and takes floating point math 73434 to 62057, a 15.5% lead. Intel also dominates find prime numbers, 122 to 81, a 33.6% gap, and physics, 2054 to 1300, a 36.7% margin. AMD answers with extended instructions, 26804 to 21297, a 25.9% win, random string sorting 42093 to 37460, a 12.4% edge, and data encryption 21096 to 20464, a 3.1% advantage. Integer math is essentially a tie, with AMD ahead 101977 to 101716, just 0.3%.

Where Each One Wins

The data suggests AMD's Ryzen 9 7940H is the pick for single-threaded responsiveness and instruction-heavy workloads. Its Cinebench R23 single-core lead of 72.6% over Intel is the largest gap in the entire comparison, indicating exceptional per-core efficiency. The 25.9% win in PassMark extended instructions further cements this, as that metric often correlates with SIMD and vectorized code performance. For users running applications that rely on a few fast threads — legacy software, certain compilers, or lightly threaded games — the AMD part's 5.20 GHz boost clock and Zen 4 architecture appear to deliver tangible benefits.

Intel's Core i9-13905H wins in scenarios that stress the whole package. The 36.7% lead in PassMark physics and 33.6% in find prime numbers suggest strong multi-core integer throughput, likely from its 14 cores and 20 threads. The 15.5% win in floating point math indicates Intel handles FP-heavy simulation or scientific workloads better. Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore wins, while modest at 12.8% and 2.2% respectively, show Intel's edge in certain render paths. However, the R23 multicore loss by 23.3% complicates the picture, implying that Intel's advantage is workload-specific rather than universal.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD's Ryzen 9 7940H uses Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, packing 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel's Core i9-13905H uses Raptor Lake architecture on Intel's 10 nm process, with 14 cores and 20 threads. The core count disparity is stark — Intel has 6 more cores and 4 more threads — yet AMD nearly matches it in average score, highlighting the efficiency of Zen 4.

Cache layouts differ significantly. AMD provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel offers 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3. Intel's larger caches give it more on-die storage, but AMD's smaller, faster design appears to compensate in latency-sensitive workloads. The die sizes reflect the process gap: AMD's die is 178 mm² with 25,000 million transistors, while Intel's is 257 mm² with no transistor count listed. AMD's smaller die on a more advanced process is a clear manufacturing advantage.

Memory and I/O also diverge. AMD supports only DDR5 dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 dual-channel, but its memory bandwidth is not listed. AMD's PCIe implementation is Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5 with only 8 lanes. The integrated graphics differ as well: AMD uses Radeon 780M, Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics 96EU. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is off the table for both.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-13905H boosts to 5.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H reaches 5.20 GHz. Intel's 0.2 GHz advantage does not translate into single-core wins, as AMD leads all single-thread tests.

Q: How do the core counts differ?

A: Intel has 14 cores and 20 threads, versus AMD's 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite having 6 fewer cores, AMD's average benchmark score is 40431, just 0.3% above Intel's 40313.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark margin?

A: AMD's 72.6% win in Cinebench R23 single-core is the biggest gap, with scores of 3487 for AMD and 2020 for Intel. The second-largest is Intel's 36.7% win in PassMark physics.

Q: Does either CPU support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-13905H does not list ECC support in its specifications.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H has an average score of 40431, slightly ahead of Intel's 40313. Both sit at the 87th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What process nodes are used?

A: AMD uses TSMC's 4 nm process, while Intel uses its own 10 nm process. AMD's die is 178 mm², compared to Intel's larger 257 mm² die.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 7940H | Intel Core i9-13905H |

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

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 2.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.40 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Raptor Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| 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 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | Not listed |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 8 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 780M | Iris Xe Graphics 96EU |

| Transistors | 25,000 million | Not listed |

| Release Date | Not listed | 2023-01-03 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $697 |

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload priorities. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H is the superior choice for single-threaded performance, with its 72.6% Cinebench R23 single-core lead over Intel being the standout metric. It also wins in encryption, extended instructions, random string sorting, and integer math, making it better suited for security workloads, vectorized code, and general productivity tasks that favor per-core speed. Its lower 35 W TDP versus Intel's 45 W also suggests better power efficiency, though no direct power consumption tests are in the data.

The Intel Core i9-13905H is the better option for multi-threaded physics and floating-point workloads. Its 36.7% lead in PassMark physics and 15.5% win in floating point math are substantial, and it also edges out AMD in data compression, find prime numbers, and the older Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore tests. With 14 cores and 20 threads, Intel offers more parallel headroom for heavily threaded applications, and its Gen 5 PCIe support provides faster I/O potential despite fewer lanes.

For most users, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H is the more versatile pick. Its single-core dominance affects everyday responsiveness and lightly threaded apps, while its R23 multicore win by 23.3% shows it can handle sustained multi-threaded loads just as well, if not better, than Intel's higher-core-count part. The Intel chip is the specialist, winning where raw FP and physics throughput matter most. Choose based on the specific benchmark profile: AMD for general excellence, Intel for physics and FP-heavy simulations.