AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS vs Intel Core 7 240H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS and Intel Core 7 240H are two mobile processors that land within 0.3% of each other in average benchmark score, with the AMD part at 31593 and the Intel part at 31483. Despite this near-tie in overall average, the head-to-head data reveals a lopsided distribution of victories: the Ryzen 9 7940HS wins 13 of the 15 direct comparisons, while the Core 7 240H takes only 2. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests, with AMD dominating in some workloads by over 60% while Intel counters with smaller but notable advantages in specific tasks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive AMD victories come in the PassMark extended instructions and data encryption tests. In extended instructions, the Ryzen 9 7940HS scores 27480 against Intel’s 16897, a 62.6% advantage. Data encryption shows a 43.7% gap, with AMD at 21777 and Intel at 15155. Random string sorting follows closely at 46.8% (42386 vs 28866), and data compression shows a 34.4% lead (365352 vs 271774). These are not marginal differences; they represent fundamental throughput advantages in specific instruction paths and memory-heavy operations.

Integer math is another strong AMD area. The Ryzen 9 7940HS posts 103044 versus 80396 for the Core 7 240H, a 28.2% difference. The PassMark multithread score shows a 25.5% gap (30098 vs 23975), which is notable given both processors have 16 threads. Cinebench results are closer but still favor AMD: R15 multicore shows a 12.5% lead (2656 vs 2360), while R23 multicore narrows to 6% (16713 vs 15764). Single-core results are tighter still — R15 single-core shows a 13.7% gap (283 vs 249), but R23 single-core drops to 4.1% (1790 vs 1719), and PassMark single-thread is just 2.5% (3878 vs 3782).

The Intel Core 7 240H’s two wins are in PassMark physics and find prime numbers. In physics, Intel scores 1723 against AMD’s 1450, a 15.8% advantage. In find prime numbers, Intel scores 102 versus 92, a 9.8% lead. These are isolated wins, and the physics result is particularly interesting because it stands in contrast to the multithread and integer math results where AMD leads by over 25%.

Floating point math is the closest contested area among the larger workloads. AMD scores 62897 versus Intel’s 58905, a 6.8% advantage. This suggests that while AMD generally leads in arithmetic throughput, the Intel part remains competitive in this specific domain. The overall pattern is clear: the Ryzen 9 7940HS wins decisively in most throughput-oriented tests, while the Core 7 240H shows strength only in a narrow set of specialized workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different silicon. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS uses the Zen 4 architecture under the codename Phoenix, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 7 240H uses Raptor Lake architecture under the codename Raptor Lake-H, manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel. This process node difference — 4 nm versus 10 nm — is one of the largest architectural gaps between the two and helps explain the efficiency and performance characteristics visible in the benchmark data.

Core configurations differ significantly. The Ryzen 9 7940HS has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Core 7 240H has 10 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part achieves its thread count through a hybrid design (implied by the Raptor Lake architecture), while AMD uses a uniform 8-core layout. Base clocks differ substantially: AMD runs at 4.00 GHz while Intel runs at 2.50 GHz, yet both boost to 5.20 GHz. Cache hierarchies also diverge. AMD provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3. The Intel part has more total cache at each level, which may contribute to its physics test win.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD part supports DDR5 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; Intel does not provide a bandwidth figure in the data. ECC memory is supported on the AMD part but not on Intel. PCIe connectivity also differs: AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are Radeon 780M on AMD and Iris Xe Graphics 64EU on Intel. The AMD part has a transistor count of 25,000 million on a 178 mm² die; Intel does not provide transistor or die size data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS has an average benchmark score of 31593, compared to 31483 for the Intel Core 7 240H. This places AMD 0.3% ahead, with both processors sitting at the 82nd percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-threaded workloads?

A: In Cinebench R23 multicore, AMD scores 16713 against Intel’s 15764, a 6% lead. The gap widens in PassMark multithread, where AMD scores 30098 versus 23975, a 25.5% advantage, despite both having 16 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core 7 240H win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins 2 of 15 head-to-head tests. It leads in PassMark physics (1723 vs 1450, a 15.8% advantage) and PassMark find prime numbers (102 vs 92, a 9.8% advantage).

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference?

A: The AMD part leads in all single-thread tests. PassMark single-thread shows 3878 vs 3782 (2.5% lead), Cinebench R23 single-core shows 1790 vs 1719 (4.1% lead), and Cinebench R15 single-core shows 283 vs 249 (13.7% lead).

Q: How do the memory support options differ?

A: AMD supports DDR5 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD part also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not. AMD lists a dual-channel memory bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth; Intel lists a dual-channel bus but no bandwidth figure.

Q: What are the core and cache differences?

A: Intel has 10 cores and 16 threads, while AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel provides larger caches: 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3, versus AMD’s 64 KB L1, 1 MB L2, and 16 MB shared L3.

The Verdict

The data supports the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS as the stronger overall performer. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks and leads in every category that matters for general compute throughput: integer math, multithread, data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and floating point math. The margins are substantial in many cases — 62.6% in extended instructions, 43.7% in encryption, 34.4% in compression — which indicates a genuine architectural advantage rather than noise.

The Intel Core 7 240H is not without merit, but its wins are narrow in scope. The 15.8% lead in physics and 9.8% lead in prime number finding are real, but they do not compensate for the 25.5% deficit in multithread or the 28.2% deficit in integer math. The Intel part does offer more cores (10 vs 8) and more L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB), which may appeal to specific workloads, but the benchmark data does not show these advantages translating into broad performance wins.

For buyers prioritizing raw compute performance across a variety of tasks, the Ryzen 9 7940HS is the clear choice. For those with workloads specifically involving physics simulations or prime number calculations, the Core 7 240H offers a measurable edge. The overall average scores are nearly identical — 31593 vs 31483 — but the distribution of wins heavily favors AMD.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | Intel Core 7 240H |

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

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Raptor Lake |

| Codename | Phoenix | Raptor Lake-H |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Cores | 8 | 10 |

| Threads | 16 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.20 GHz |

| 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 specified |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 780M | Iris Xe Graphics 64EU |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| TDP | 35 | 45 |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS wins in every major compute category except two. It leads in Cinebench R15 and R23 for both multicore and single-core, in PassMark data compression, encryption, extended instructions, floating point math, integer math, multithread, random string sorting, and single-thread. The largest margins come in extended instructions (62.6%) and encryption (43.7%), which suggests AMD’s Zen 4 architecture is particularly efficient at processing specialized instruction sets and cryptographic workloads.

The Intel Core 7 240H wins in PassMark physics and find prime numbers. The physics test shows a 15.8% advantage, which is the largest Intel margin in any test. This could indicate that Intel’s higher per-core L2 cache (2 MB vs 1 MB) or its larger L3 cache (24 MB vs 16 MB) provides an advantage in certain physics calculations. The find prime numbers win is smaller at 9.8%, but it is consistent with Intel’s cache advantage in workloads that benefit from storing larger working sets closer to the cores.

For users running mixed workloads — office productivity, content creation, general software development — the Ryzen 9 7940HS offers the broader performance envelope. The 25.5% lead in multithread and 28.2% lead in integer math are decisive for compilation, rendering, and data processing. The Core 7 240H is best suited for niche cases where physics simulation or prime-number-related computation dominates the workload, and even then the total number of wins (2 out of 15) makes it a difficult recommendation for general use.