AMD Ryzen 9 7940H vs Intel Xeon 6357P Comparison

The Intel Xeon 6357P and AMD Ryzen 9 7940H are both 8-core, 16-thread processors, but they target entirely different segments: the Xeon is a server/workstation part on Intel’s Raptor Lake architecture, while the Ryzen is a mobile chip built on Zen 4. Benchmark data shows the Xeon 6357P wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, yet the Ryzen 9 7940H claims a decisive victory in several specialized workloads. Both CPUs sit at the 87th percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical—the Xeon posts 40,630 versus the Ryzen’s 40,431. This close overall parity masks significant per-test divergence, making the choice highly workload-dependent.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6357P is the clear leader in compute-heavy, multi-threaded rendering and physics workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 26,145 against the Ryzen’s 24,703, a 5.8% advantage. The Xeon also dominates PassMark physics with a 77.3% lead (2,305 vs 1,300), and it is 20% faster in floating-point math (74,460 vs 62,057). These results point to a processor that excels at sustained, parallel compute tasks such as 3D rendering, scientific simulation, and any workload relying heavily on floating-point arithmetic.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H, despite its mobile 35W TDP, wins where data manipulation and encryption matter. It leads in PassMark data encryption by 13.1% (21,096 vs 18,324) and in extended instructions by 8.6% (26,804 vs 24,490). Its biggest margin comes in random string sorting, where it is 15.7% ahead (42,093 vs 35,495). The Ryzen also edges out the Xeon in integer math, scoring 101,977 versus 97,375 (a 4.5% advantage). These wins suggest the Zen 4 architecture handles encryption, string processing, and integer-heavy database or compression tasks more efficiently.

For single-thread performance, the Xeon 6357P takes the crown with a 7.1% lead in PassMark single-thread (4,233 vs 3,952) and a 6% advantage in Cinebench R15 single-core (372 vs 351). This makes the Intel part the better choice for lightly-threaded applications where per-core speed is paramount. However, the Ryzen’s wins in encryption and integer math indicate that not all single-threaded workloads favor Intel—the AMD chip’s architecture is simply better optimized for certain instruction patterns.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Xeon 6357P wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests. It scores 2,635 in R15, 10,980 in R20, and 26,145 in R23, against the Ryzen 9 7940H’s 2,490, 10,375, and 24,703 respectively. This translates to a consistent 5.8% advantage for Intel across every Cinebench multi-core iteration.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H better at any compute task?

A: Yes. The Ryzen leads in PassMark data encryption by 13.1% (21,096 vs 18,324), extended instructions by 8.6% (26,804 vs 24,490), random string sorting by 15.7% (42,093 vs 35,495), and integer math by 4.5% (101,977 vs 97,375). Its most significant win is in data encryption, where the margin is substantial.

Q: How do the two compare in single-threaded benchmarks?

A: The Intel Xeon 6357P is faster in every single-thread test. It scores 372 vs 351 in Cinebench R15 (6% lead), 1,550 vs 1,464 in R20 (5.9% lead), 3,691 vs 3,487 in R23 (5.9% lead), and 4,233 vs 3,952 in PassMark single-thread (7.1% lead). The Xeon’s 5.40 GHz boost clock compared to the Ryzen’s 5.20 GHz likely contributes to this edge.

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

A: The largest delta is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Intel Xeon 6357P scores 149 versus the Ryzen’s 81—an 84% advantage for Intel. The second-largest gap is in PassMark physics, where Intel leads by 77.3% (2,305 vs 1,300).

Q: Which CPU has better memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H has a specified memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Xeon 6357P’s memory bandwidth is not listed in the data, though it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Ryzen supports DDR5 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance class overall?

A: Yes, according to the data. Both sit at the 87th percentile among all CPUs. The Xeon’s average benchmark score is 40,630, while the Ryzen’s is 40,431—a difference of less than 0.5%. Their nearest rivals are also clustered tightly, with the Xeon competing against chips like the Intel Core 7 253PE (40,557, 0.2% behind) and the Ryzen against the Intel Xeon 6507P (40,426, 0% delta).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided victory for the Intel Xeon 6357P comes in PassMark find prime numbers. Here the Xeon scores 149, which is 84% higher than the Ryzen’s 81. This test is heavily dependent on integer division and memory latency, and the Xeon’s larger 24 MB L3 cache versus the Ryzen’s 16 MB likely plays a role. The Xeon also crushes the Ryzen in PassMark physics, scoring 2,305 against 1,300—a 77.3% margin—which is remarkable given that both chips have the same core and thread counts.

In floating-point math, the Xeon maintains a 20% lead (74,460 vs 62,057). This is a substantial gap that aligns with the Xeon’s Cinebench wins, as rendering workloads are floating-point intensive. The Xeon’s PassMark multithread score of 30,759 is 5.8% higher than the Ryzen’s 29,063, and its data compression score of 353,521 barely edges out the Ryzen’s 352,077 (0.4% lead).

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H’s strongest counterattack comes in random string sorting, where it posts 42,093 versus the Xeon’s 35,495—a 15.7% advantage. This test measures memory access patterns and cache efficiency for non-sequential data, and the Ryzen’s Zen 4 architecture appears better suited. The Ryzen also wins data encryption decisively (21,096 vs 18,324, a 13.1% lead) and extended instructions (26,804 vs 24,490, an 8.6% lead). In integer math, the Ryzen scores 101,977 against the Xeon’s 97,375, a 4.5% win.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs diverge significantly in their fundamental specifications. The Intel Xeon 6357P has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H starts at 4.00 GHz and boosts to 5.20 GHz. The Xeon’s TDP is 80W, whereas the Ryzen is rated at just 35W—a massive difference that reflects the Xeon’s server/workstation orientation versus the Ryzen’s mobile focus. The Xeon uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP8.

Memory support differs: the Xeon supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ryzen supports only DDR5. The Ryzen has a specified memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; the Xeon’s bandwidth is not listed. PCIe connectivity also varies, with the Xeon offering Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only) and the Ryzen offering Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon 780M graphics, while the Xeon has no integrated graphics. The Xeon’s launch MSRP is $556; the Ryzen has no listed launch MSRP.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon 6357P is built on Raptor Lake architecture (specifically Raptor Lake-R) using Intel’s 10 nm process node, with a die size of 257 mm². The AMD Ryzen 9 7940H uses Zen 4 architecture (codename Phoenix) on TSMC’s 4 nm process, with a smaller die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors. The Xeon’s cache hierarchy features 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Ryzen has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Xeon’s larger per-core L2 and total L3 cache likely contribute to its lead in physics and prime number tests. The Ryzen’s smaller 4 nm process and lower TDP (35W vs 80W) enable higher efficiency, which may explain its wins in encryption and integer math despite fewer cache resources. Both CPUs support ECC memory, but the Xeon is a server/workstation part while the Ryzen is a mobile processor. The Xeon is part of the Xeon 6 generation (Raptor Lake Refresh), while the Ryzen belongs to the 7000 series.