AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS vs Intel Core 9 273PTE Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS and Intel Core 9 273PTE are both 82nd-percentile performers, but they achieve that status through very different strategies. The AMD chip wins 10 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel part takes 5, yet the Intel chip’s wins are often in the most demanding single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. The data shows a clear split: AMD dominates in integer-heavy and data-processing tasks, while Intel leads in prime-number finding, physics simulation, and the latest Cinebench versions.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Core 9 273PTE scores 20,445 against the AMD’s 16,713, a 18.3% advantage. This is the largest single-core or multi-core margin in the entire comparison, and it flips the expected narrative for a 35W mobile chip versus a 45W desktop part. The Intel chip also wins Cinebench R15 single-core by a narrow 2.4% (290 vs 283) and Cinebench R23 single-core by a massive 38% (2,886 vs 1,790). That 38% delta in R23 single-core is the biggest percentage gap in any test where Intel wins, suggesting the Bartlett Lake architecture has a significant IPC advantage in modern AVX-512 or similar workloads.

However, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS strikes back hard in PassMark’s data-crunching tests. It beats Intel by 41.2% in data compression (365,352 vs 258,704), by 52.8% in data encryption (21,777 vs 14,253), and by 72.3% in extended instructions (27,480 vs 15,952). The 72.3% delta is the largest of any test in the entire dataset, showing a massive lead in SIMD-heavy code. AMD also wins integer math by 25% (103,044 vs 82,411) and multi-thread by 25.1% (30,098 vs 24,054), which are nearly identical margins, indicating consistent throughput advantages in general-purpose compute.

The two Cinebench R15 results paint a mixed picture. AMD wins R15 multi-core by 28.9% (2,656 vs 2,060), but Intel wins R23 multi-core by 18.3%. This reversal suggests the newer R23 test favors Intel’s higher boost clock and possibly better memory latency handling, while R15 rewards AMD’s higher base clock and lower thread-count scaling. In PassMark single-thread, AMD wins by 13% (3,878 vs 3,433), which contradicts the Cinebench single-core results. This inconsistency is typical of different instruction mixes: PassMark’s single-thread test appears to favor AMD’s Zen 4 integer pipeline, while Cinebench’s renderer favors Intel’s higher boost clock.

Intel’s other wins are more niche. It beats AMD by 35.2% in find prime numbers (142 vs 92) and by 24.4% in physics (1,917 vs 1,450). The physics result is notable because it’s a real-world gaming simulation workload, and the prime-number test is a classic single-threaded integer benchmark. AMD’s wins in floating-point math are narrow at just 3.7% (62,897 vs 60,673), showing that the two are nearly equal in FP throughput. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 46.3% (42,386 vs 28,973), another data-management victory.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS has an average benchmark score of 31,593, while the Intel Core 9 273PTE averages 31,143. The AMD part is 450 points ahead, but both sit in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. The AMD chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-13500 with a 0.3% delta, while the Intel chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-12700F with a 0.2% delta.

Q: Does the Intel chip always win in single-core performance?

A: No. Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 2.4% and Cinebench R23 single-core by 38%, but AMD wins PassMark single-thread by 13%. The PassMark result (3,878 vs 3,433) is a different test that measures a broader instruction mix, while Cinebench is a pure render workload. So single-core leadership depends on the application.

Q: Why does AMD win so many PassMark tests but lose Cinebench R23?

A: AMD wins 8 of the 11 PassMark subtests, including data compression, encryption, integer math, and multi-thread. Intel wins only find prime numbers and physics. Cinebench R23 multi-core is a long-running render that scales across all 12 Intel cores and 24 threads, whereas PassMark’s multi-thread test might not scale as well or uses different memory patterns. The Intel chip’s higher boost clock (5.50 GHz vs 5.20 GHz) also helps in bursty Cinebench workloads.

Q: What is the difference in core counts and how does it affect results?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PTE has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite having 50% more cores, Intel only leads in 5 benchmarks and loses the overall head-to-head 10-5. AMD’s higher base clock (4.00 GHz vs 1.40 GHz) and larger per-core cache efficiency likely compensate for the core deficit in many tests.

Q: Which chip has better memory support?

A: Both support dual-channel memory with identical bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The AMD chip supports DDR5 only, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both support ECC memory. The Intel chip’s PCIe Gen 5 interface (16 lanes) is newer than AMD’s PCIe Gen 4 (20 lanes), but that doesn’t show up in CPU benchmarks.

Q: Is the Intel chip worth its launch MSRP of $549?

A: The data shows the Intel chip is slower in more tests than the AMD chip, but it wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core by large margins. The AMD chip has no listed launch MSRP, so a direct price comparison is impossible. The Intel chip’s higher TDP (45W vs 35W) and desktop socket (LGA 1700) suggest it targets a different use case than the mobile AMD part.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 4nm TSMC process, with a die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors. The Intel Core 9 273PTE uses the Bartlett Lake architecture on a 10nm Intel process, with no transistor or die size data provided. The process node difference is stark: 4nm vs 10nm, which explains why AMD can fit 8 cores with a 4.00 GHz base clock in a 35W TDP, while Intel needs 12 cores with a 1.40 GHz base clock to hit 45W.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. AMD provides 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with 16 MB shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core, with a much larger 36 MB shared L3. That extra 20 MB of L3 cache likely helps Intel in the physics test and prime number finding, where data reuse is high. However, AMD’s smaller L3 is offset by its higher clock speeds and more efficient Zen 4 core design.

The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 780M, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 730. No iGPU benchmarks are provided, but the Radeon 780M is typically a more capable part for light gaming. Memory support also differs: AMD is DDR5-only, while Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Both use a dual-channel bus at 89.6 GB/s. The PCIe interface differs: AMD has Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel has Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The Intel chip is unlocked? No, both have multiplierUnlocked set to false.

The manufacturing foundry is different: TSMC for AMD, Intel for Intel. This explains the process node gap and likely contributes to AMD’s power efficiency. The Intel chip’s release date is set for 2026-03-08, while AMD has no release date listed, but the AMD part is in the 7000 series, indicating an earlier launch. Both are marked as Active in production.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | Intel Core 9 273PTE |

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

| Cores | 8 | 12 |

| Threads | 16 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 1.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 35W | 45W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| 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 | 36 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 |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $549 |

The core and thread counts are the most obvious differences: Intel has 50% more cores and threads. The base clock difference is enormous (4.00 vs 1.40 GHz), but Intel’s boost clock is higher (5.50 vs 5.20 GHz). The TDP difference of 10W is modest, but the market segment difference is critical: AMD is a mobile part, Intel is a desktop part. The Intel chip’s launch MSRP of $549 is the only listed price, and it’s a desktop CPU, so it’s not a direct competitor to the mobile AMD chip.

The Verdict

The data does not declare a single winner. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS wins 10 benchmarks, including all three PassMark data-processing tests (compression, encryption, extended instructions) and the integer math test by 25%. The Intel Core 9 273PTE wins 5 benchmarks, but two of those are Cinebench R23 multi-core (18.3% ahead) and single-core (38% ahead). If your workloads are Cinebench or similar rendering tasks, the Intel chip is the clear choice. If your workloads involve data compression, encryption, or general integer math, the AMD chip is faster by margins of 25% to 72%.

The average benchmark scores are close: 31,593 for AMD vs 31,143 for Intel, a 1.4% difference. Both sit at the 82nd percentile. The AMD chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-13500 (0.3% delta), while the Intel chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-12700F (0.2% delta). This means the Intel Core 9 273PTE is essentially a slightly better Core i7-12700F, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS is a slightly better Core i5-13500. Neither chip is dramatically faster than its closest peers.

The market segments are the deciding factor. The AMD chip is a mobile part with a 35W TDP, making it suitable for laptops. The Intel chip is a desktop part with a 45W TDP and a $549 launch MSRP, meaning it’s for desktop builds. You wouldn’t put an LGA 1700 chip in a laptop, nor an FP8 chip in a desktop. So the verdict is use-case dependent: for a laptop, the Ryzen 9 7940HS is the only option. For a desktop, the Core 9 273PTE offers better Cinebench performance but loses in most other tests.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS wins in: data compression (41.2% ahead), data encryption (52.8%), extended instructions (72.3%), integer math (25%), multi-thread (25.1%), random string sorting (46.3%), floating-point math (3.7%), PassMark single-thread (13%), and Cinebench R15 multi-core (28.9%). These are the workloads that favor high clock speeds and efficient Zen 4 cores: database operations, scientific computing, encryption, and general productivity. The 72.3% lead in extended instructions is enormous and suggests AVX-512 or similar vector workloads are vastly faster on AMD.

Intel Core 9 273PTE wins in: Cinebench R23 multi-core (18.3% ahead), Cinebench R23 single-core (38%), Cinebench R15 single-core (2.4%), find prime numbers (35.2%), and physics (24.4%). These are rendering, single-threaded integer, and physics simulation workloads. The 38% lead in R23 single-core is the largest single-threaded advantage, making it the chip for software that relies on one fast core. The physics win is important for gaming, as physics engines are heavily threaded but latency-sensitive.

The overall split is 10-5 in AMD’s favor, but Intel’s wins are in more demanding, modern benchmarks. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result is particularly relevant because it’s a common CPU comparison tool. If you trust Cinebench as the primary metric, the Intel chip looks better. If you trust PassMark’s broader suite, the AMD chip wins. The data supports both conclusions, so the final choice depends on which benchmark suite matches your actual applications.