AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core 7 253PE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, which wins 10 of the 13 shared benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core 7 253PE takes only 3 wins, all in single-threaded or lightly threaded workloads. The most striking result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD part scores 29,400 against Intel's 24,880, a margin of 18.2%. That gap is substantial for two processors that both target high-performance systems, and it reflects the AMD chip's 16 cores and 32 threads against the Intel's 10 cores and 20 threads.

The single-core story reverses sharply. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel Core 7 253PE scores 3,512 versus 1,807 for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, a 48.5% advantage for Intel. That is the largest single-core gap in the dataset and indicates that the Intel part's higher boost clock of 5.50 GHz, compared to 5.20 GHz for AMD, translates into a commanding lead in lightly threaded rendering. However, the PassMark single-thread results tell a different story: Intel wins by only 3,955 to 3,942, a marginal 0.3% edge. The Cinebench R23 single-core test appears to expose a much larger architectural difference than the PassMark version, which suggests workload sensitivity between the two measurement suites.

In multi-threaded PassMark workloads, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX dominates across the board. The passmark_multithread result shows 53,204 for AMD versus 29,271 for Intel, an 81.8% lead. Data compression is even more lopsided: AMD scores 693,741 against 339,133, a 104.6% advantage. Data encryption shows AMD at 41,974 versus 18,385, a 128.3% lead. Extended instructions follow the same pattern, with AMD at 51,029 and Intel at 21,806, a 134% difference. Integer math gives AMD 202,883 versus 114,158, a 77.7% margin. Floating-point math shows AMD at 121,383 against 80,870, a 50.1% lead. Random string sorting is the largest delta in the entire comparison, with AMD at 81,775 and Intel at 32,777, a 149.5% gap. Prime number finding shows AMD at 273 versus 138, a 97.8% difference, and physics simulation gives AMD 2,297 against 1,845, a 24.5% edge.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX also holds a clear advantage in average benchmark score, recording 69,875 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 7 253PE averages 40,557, which puts it in the 87th percentile. That 29,318-point gap in average score is consistent with the pattern seen across the individual tests, though it is notably the Intel part's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H, which scores 40,431, just 0.3% behind the Intel chip. The AMD part's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X at 69,515, which sits 0.5% behind the 7940HX, and the Intel Core i7-14700K at 69,355, which trails by 0.7%.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is the clear winner in heavily parallel workloads. Every multi-threaded PassMark test in the shared dataset goes to AMD, with margins ranging from 24.5% in physics to 149.5% in random string sorting. Cinebench R23 multi-core also favors AMD by 18.2%. This pattern points to workloads that scale with core count and thread count, such as video encoding, 3D rendering, scientific computation, and data processing. The 16-core, 32-thread configuration with 64 MB of L3 cache gives the AMD part a structural advantage in any task that can use more than 10 cores.

The Intel Core 7 253PE wins in single-core performance, specifically in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it leads by 48.5%. The PassMark single-thread and singlethread tests also go to Intel, but by only 0.3% in both cases. This suggests that Intel's advantage is real but test-dependent. Applications that rely heavily on a single thread, such as older games, some productivity software, or lightly threaded legacy applications, would see a benefit from the Intel part's higher boost clock and per-core cache allocation. The Intel chip also supports ECC memory, which the AMD part does not, making it suitable for systems where data integrity is prioritized.

The AMD part wins in every memory-heavy and encryption-heavy workload in the dataset. Data encryption shows a 128.3% lead, which is notable given that both processors support DDR5 memory. The AMD chip's memory bandwidth is listed at 83.2 GB/s, while the Intel part lists 89.6 GB/s, yet AMD still wins the encryption test by a wide margin. This indicates that the AMD chip's core architecture, not raw memory bandwidth, drives the result. The Intel part does support both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD part supports only DDR5, which gives Intel more flexibility in platform memory choice.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 7 253PE uses the Bartlett Lake architecture on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The process node difference is significant: 5 nm versus 10 nm, which partly explains why AMD achieves 16 cores in a 55 W TDP while Intel fits 10 cores in a 65 W TDP. The AMD chip has 13,140 million transistors across a die size of 2x 71 mm², while the Intel part does not have transistor count or die size recorded in the database.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 64 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core 7 253PE has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part's 64 MB L3 cache is nearly double Intel's 33 MB, which helps in workloads that repeatedly access large working sets. The Intel part has more L2 per core, which can benefit single-threaded performance, and its higher per-core L1 size may contribute to its single-core benchmark wins.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD chip supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a listed bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with a listed bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel part supports ECC memory, while the AMD part does not. PCIe connectivity also differs: AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). This gives the AMD platform more expansion headroom for GPUs and NVMe storage.

The integrated graphics differ. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX uses Radeon 610M, while the Intel Core 7 253PE uses UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. The AMD chip is a mobile-segment processor on AMD Socket FL1, while the Intel part is a desktop-segment processor on Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part released on 2024-01-16, while the Intel part released on 2026-03-08. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $384. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins all multi-threaded tests in the shared dataset. It leads by 18.2% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 81.8% in PassMark multithread, and between 24.5% and 149.5% across the individual PassMark workloads.

Q: Does the Intel Core 7 253PE have any advantage?

A: Yes. It wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 48.5% and wins both PassMark single-thread tests by 0.3%. It also supports ECC memory and both DDR4 and DDR5, which the AMD part does not.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core 7 253PE has 10 cores and 20 threads. The AMD part's higher core count drives its multi-threaded wins.

Q: What are the process nodes?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 7 253PE is built on a 10 nm process at Intel. The AMD part has 13,140 million transistors, while the Intel part has no recorded transistor count.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX lists 83.2 GB/s, and the Intel Core 7 253PE lists 89.6 GB/s. Despite the lower bandwidth, AMD wins the data encryption test by 128.3%.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only). The Intel Core 7 253PE has Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The AMD part provides more expansion capacity.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX | Intel Core 7 253PE |

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

| Cores | 16 | 10 |

| Threads | 32 | 20 |

| Base clock | 2.40 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FL1 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Not recorded |

| Codename | Dragon Range | Bartlett Lake |

| Process node | 5 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 13,140 million | Not recorded |

| Die size | 2x 71 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 64 MB | 33 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 28 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 610M | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release date | 2024-01-16 | 2026-03-08 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $384 |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part number | 100-000001486 | SA4QE |

| Average benchmark score | 69,875 | 40,557 |

| Percentile vs all CPUs | 94 | 87 |