AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core 5 320 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, which claims 10 benchmark wins against 3 for the Intel Core 5 320. The most dramatic gap appears in PassMark integer math, where the AMD part scores 202,883 against 32,323, a margin of 527.7%. This test measures raw arithmetic throughput, and the 16-core, 32-thread configuration of the AMD processor simply overwhelms the 6-core, 6-thread Intel part.

Multi-threaded rendering follows the same pattern. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX records 29,400 points versus 6,197 for the Intel Core 5 320, a 374.4% advantage. That result places the AMD chip in a completely different performance class for heavily threaded workloads. Data compression shows a similar story, with the AMD part scoring 693,741 against 148,779, a 366.3% lead. Encryption workloads also favor AMD heavily, with 41,974 versus 10,984, a 282.1% difference.

The gap narrows somewhat in floating-point math, where AMD leads by 186% (121,383 versus 42,440), and in prime number finding, where the lead is 148.2% (273 versus 110). Random string sorting shows a 353.3% advantage for AMD (81,775 versus 18,038), while extended instructions favor AMD by 284.8% (51,029 versus 13,262). The PassMark multi-thread score confirms the overall pattern: 53,204 for AMD versus 15,450 for Intel, a 244.4% lead.

The Intel Core 5 320 wins the single-threaded contests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 1,926 against 1,807 for AMD, a 6.2% advantage. PassMark single-thread results show a narrower lead for Intel, 4,045 versus 3,942, a 2.5% difference. These are the only three wins for Intel, and they all come from tests that exercise a single core. The physics test shows a smaller AMD lead at 88.1% (2,297 versus 1,221), which still counts as a decisive win but represents the closest multi-threaded margin.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Dragon Range codename, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 13,140 million transistors across a die size of 2x 71 mm². The Intel Core 5 320 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process at Intel's own foundry. No transistor count or die size data exists for the Intel part in the database.

Core counts differ dramatically. The AMD processor offers 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel part provides 6 cores and 6 threads. This means the AMD chip has no simultaneous multi-threading overhead for the Intel part to exploit; it simply has more than double the physical cores and more than five times the thread count. Clock speeds also differ, with AMD boosting to 5.20 GHz from a 2.40 GHz base, while Intel boosts to 4.60 GHz from a 1.50 GHz base.

Cache hierarchies reflect the core count disparity. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 5 320 has 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. This gives the AMD part a substantial cache advantage for workloads that fit within the larger pools.

Memory architecture also diverges. The AMD processor supports DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but uses a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s. Neither processor supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs as well, with AMD offering Gen 5 with 28 lanes from the CPU, while Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes.

Integrated graphics present another contrast. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX includes Radeon 610M graphics, while the Intel Core 5 320 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Intel chip is locked. Production status is active for both, but their release dates differ substantially, with AMD launching in January 2024 and Intel in April 2026.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX dominates every multi-threaded benchmark in the comparison set. This includes rendering, compression, encryption, extended instruction workloads, prime number calculation, floating-point math, integer math, physics simulation, and random string sorting. The data indicates that any application which can utilize more than a few cores will see a massive advantage from the AMD processor. The 374.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and the 527.7% lead in integer math are not incremental improvements; they represent a different performance tier entirely.

The Intel Core 5 320 wins only in single-threaded tests. Its 6.2% advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core and 2.5% lead in PassMark single-thread suggest that its high boost clock of 4.60 GHz, combined with a 3 nm process, delivers slightly better performance when only one core is active. This matters for lightly threaded applications, legacy software, and responsive single-threaded tasks. However, the margin is modest compared to the multi-threaded gaps.

The practical split is clear. For workloads that scale across cores, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is the superior choice by a wide margin. For single-threaded responsiveness, the Intel Core 5 320 has a measurable but small edge. The AMD chip's 94th percentile against all CPUs, compared to Intel's 72nd percentile, reinforces the overall performance ranking. The average benchmark score tells the same story: 69,875 for AMD versus 18,023 for Intel.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field recorded in the database. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX belongs to the 7000 series with a Ryzen 9 generation label and Zen 4 architecture, while the Intel Core 5 320 carries a Core 5 generation label with no architecture field recorded. Core and thread counts differ at 16/32 versus 6/6. Base clocks are 2.40 GHz versus 1.50 GHz, and boost clocks are 5.20 GHz versus 4.60 GHz.

Thermal design power shows a substantial gap, with the AMD part rated at 55 watts and the Intel part at 15 watts. The AMD processor uses AMD Socket FL1, while Intel uses BGA 1516. Process nodes differ at 5 nm for AMD versus 3 nm for Intel, with different foundries (TSMC versus Intel). The AMD part carries 13,140 million transistors across 2x 71 mm² dies; no equivalent data exists for Intel.

Cache configurations differ in both size and structure. AMD provides per-core L1 and L2 caches (64 KB and 1 MB respectively) with a 64 MB L3. Intel provides a total of 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support differs with AMD offering only DDR5 on dual-channel, while Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on single-channel. Memory bandwidth is 83.2 GB/s for AMD versus 59.7 GB/s for Intel. PCIe generation and lane counts differ at Gen 5/28 for AMD versus Gen 4/6 for Intel.

Integrated graphics differ in brand and configuration, with AMD using Radeon 610M and Intel using Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD multiplier is unlocked, the Intel is not. Part numbers are 100-000001486 for AMD and SAE3H for Intel. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $340, while no launch MSRP exists for the AMD part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 29,400 compared to 6,197 for the Intel Core 5 320, a 374.4% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 320 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins three tests: Cinebench R23 single-core (1,926 versus 1,807, a 6.2% lead) and both PassMark single-thread tests (4,045 versus 3,942, a 2.5% lead).

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX provides 83.2 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 bus. The Intel Core 5 320 provides 59.7 GB/s over a single-channel bus supporting DDR5 and LPDDR5X.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 320 boosts to 4.60 GHz.

Q: How do the processors compare in overall benchmark percentile?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX ranks in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 320 ranks in the 72nd percentile. The average benchmark scores are 69,875 for AMD and 18,023 for Intel.