AMD Ryzen 9 7940H vs Intel Core Ultra 7 265H Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H and AMD Ryzen 9 7940H are two mobile processors that land in the same performance neighborhood. The database records an average benchmark score of 41621 for the Intel part, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD part averages 40431, in the 87th percentile. Their nearest rivals in the database are close: the Intel sits within 0.6% of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, and the AMD sits within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-13905H. This head-to-head comparison breaks down where each chip wins and why.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H takes the majority of the head-to-head tests, winning 11 of 17 recorded comparisons. Its largest margin comes in Passmark find prime numbers, where it scores 335 against the AMD's 81, a 313.6% lead. That is a massive gap, indicating a strong advantage in integer-heavy prime enumeration. The Intel also dominates floating point math, scoring 109123 versus 62057, a 75.8% lead, and physics, with 2497 versus 1300, a 92.1% lead. Data encryption goes to Intel as well, 26005 versus 21096, a 23.3% advantage. In the Passmark multithread test, Intel scores 34027 against 29063, a 17.1% lead, and in Passmark single thread it leads 4334 to 3952, a 9.7% margin.

Cinebench results are split by version. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel wins 2989 to 2490, a 20% lead. In Cinebench R20, Intel wins both multicore (12131 vs 10375, 16.9%) and singlecore (1712 vs 1464, 16.9%). The extended instructions test is a near tie, with Intel at 26805 and AMD at 26804, a delta of 0%.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H wins the remaining six tests. Its biggest win is Cinebench R23 singlecore, where it scores 3487 against Intel's 2080, a 40.3% lead. In Cinebench R23 multicore, AMD wins 24703 to 19940, a 19.3% advantage. AMD also takes Cinebench R15 singlecore, 351 to 307, a 12.5% lead. In Passmark data compression, AMD scores 352077 versus 334711, a 4.9% win. Integer math goes to AMD, 101977 versus 85479, a 16.2% lead, and random string sorting goes to AMD, 42093 versus 40742, a 3.2% margin.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H is the clear choice for workloads that stress encryption, floating point math, physics simulation, and prime number finding. Its Passmark encryption score is 23.3% higher, and its floating point math score is 75.8% higher. The physics test shows a 92.1% advantage, and the prime number test is over four times faster. For general multithreaded tasks as measured by Passmark, Intel leads by 17.1%, and for single-threaded Passmark tasks it leads by 9.7%. In the older Cinebench R15 and R20 versions, Intel also holds the edge in both single and multicore.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H wins in integer math, data compression, random string sorting, and the Cinebench R23 suite. Its integer math score is 16.2% higher, and its data compression score is 4.9% higher. Random string sorting is a 3.2% win. Most notably, AMD dominates Cinebench R23, both in singlecore (40.3% lead) and multicore (19.3% lead). This suggests that for modern rendering workloads that use the R23 benchmark, the AMD part is the stronger performer, even though the older Cinebench versions favor Intel.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H uses the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It has 16 cores and 16 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. Each core has 192 KB of L1 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache, with a shared 24 MB L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H uses the Zen 4 architecture, built on a 4 nm process, also at TSMC. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, relying on simultaneous multithreading to reach the same thread count. Each core has 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2, with a shared 16 MB L3 cache. The AMD part has a listed transistor count of 25,000 million and a die size of 178 mm², while the Intel part does not have those figures recorded.

Memory support differs as well. The Intel chip supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the AMD chip supports DDR5 only. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, but Intel's memory bandwidth is 102.4 GB/s versus AMD's 89.6 GB/s. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel provides Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are different: Intel has Arc Graphics 140T, AMD has Radeon 780M. Both support ECC memory, and both are mobile parts with locked multipliers.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specifications. The Intel has 16 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 2.20 GHz for Intel and 4.00 GHz for AMD, but boost clocks are closer: 5.30 GHz for Intel and 5.20 GHz for AMD. Thermal design power is 28 W for Intel and 35 W for AMD. Sockets are different: Intel uses BGA 2049, AMD uses FP8. The process node is 3 nm for Intel and 4 nm for AMD. Cache sizes differ: Intel has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3; AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth is 102.4 GB/s for Intel and 89.6 GB/s for AMD. PCIe generation and lane count differ: Intel Gen 5 with 8 lanes, AMD Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are Arc Graphics 140T versus Radeon 780M. The Intel part has a release date of 2025-01-12, while the AMD part has no recorded release date. Part numbers also differ, with Intel using SRQAQ and AMD listing three part numbers for different sockets.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H has 16 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H has 8 cores. Both have 16 threads.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel boosts to 5.30 GHz, while the AMD boosts to 5.20 GHz.

Q: Which CPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel has 102.4 GB/s, the AMD has 89.6 GB/s.

Q: Which CPU wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H wins with 24703 versus 19940, a 19.3% lead.

Q: Which CPU has better single-thread performance?

A: It depends on the benchmark. In Cinebench R23 singlecore, AMD leads by 40.3%, but in Passmark single thread, Intel leads by 9.7%.

Q: What are the process nodes?

A: Intel uses 3 nm, AMD uses 4 nm, both from TSMC.

The Verdict

The recorded data shows the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H winning 11 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with a higher average score (41621 vs 40431) and a slightly higher percentile (88 vs 87). The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H wins 6 tests, but its victories are concentrated in the Cinebench R23 suite and integer-heavy Passmark tests. For users who prioritize encryption, floating point math, physics simulation, or prime number finding, the Intel part is clearly ahead. For those who rely on Cinebench R23 as a proxy for modern rendering workloads, the AMD part is the better choice. The Intel also offers higher memory bandwidth and a newer process node, while the AMD has a higher base clock and more PCIe lanes. The choice comes down to the specific application mix. If the priority is the broad set of Passmark sub-tests and overall average score, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H is the stronger pick. If the priority is the latest Cinebench R23 scores, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H takes the win.