AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a dominant performance profile for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. Across the 13 shared benchmark tests, the AMD processor secures 12 wins, while the Intel Core i5-14490F takes a single victory. The magnitude of the AMD wins varies from a narrow margin in single-threaded tests to dramatic leads in multi-threaded and compute-heavy workloads.

The largest advantage appears in PassMark extended instructions, where the Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 51,029 against the Core i5-14490F's 21,731, a lead of 134.8%. Data encryption follows closely, with the AMD part at 41,974 versus 18,225, a 130.3% advantage. Integer math shows a similar trend: 202,883 versus 87,844, a 131% edge. Random string sorting also tilts heavily toward AMD, with scores of 81,775 and 35,608, representing a 129.7% difference. These results indicate that the AMD processor's throughput in parallel integer and encryption workloads is roughly double that of the Intel chip.

Data compression produces a 104% delta, with the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scoring 693,741 compared to the Intel part's 340,026. Multi-thread performance in PassMark shows an 85.6% lead, as the AMD processor records 53,204 against 28,662. Floating point math also favors AMD substantially, with a score of 121,383 versus 66,558, an 82.4% advantage. The find prime numbers test, which is often sensitive to memory latency and integer throughput, shows AMD at 273 versus 122, a 123.8% lead.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 29,400, while the Core i5-14490F scores 23,000. That is a 27.8% advantage for the AMD processor. The PassMark physics test is comparatively close, with AMD at 2,297 and Intel at 2,093, a 9.7% margin. Single-thread performance in PassMark is nearly tied: the AMD part scores 3,942, and the Intel part scores 3,873, a 1.8% difference favoring AMD.

The Intel Core i5-14490F's only head-to-head win comes in Cinebench R23 single-core. The Intel processor scores 3,247, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 1,807. That is a 44.3% delta in Intel's favor, a significant reversal from the multi-core result. This pattern suggests the Intel chip has a substantially higher single-core rendering capability in this specific test, while the AMD chip dominates in nearly every other measured workload.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and process nodes. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is built on TSMC's 5 nm process and uses the Zen 4 architecture. Its codename is Dragon Range, and it belongs to the Ryzen 9 generation. The die is composed of two 71 mm² chiplets, with a total transistor count of 13,140 million. The Intel Core i5-14490F uses Intel's 10 nm process, which Intel markets under the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-R for this refresh generation. Its die size is 215 mm², and the database does not list a transistor count for the Intel part.

Core configuration differs sharply. The AMD processor offers 16 cores and 32 threads, all based on Zen 4. The Intel processor provides 10 cores and 16 threads, which in Raptor Lake designs typically combines performance cores and efficiency cores, though the database records no core-type breakdown. The AMD part has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The Intel part has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Despite the higher boost clock on AMD, the single-core Cinebench R23 result favors Intel, which indicates architectural efficiency differences beyond raw clock rates.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX allocates 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a 64 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i5-14490F allocates 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a 24 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD processor's L3 cache is therefore substantially larger, which likely contributes to its strong data compression and encryption results.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD processor supports DDR5 only, with a dual-channel memory bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also with a dual-channel bus, but the database lists no memory bandwidth figure for it. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX provides PCIe Gen 5 with 28 lanes from the CPU. The Intel Core i5-14490F provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics also separate the two: the AMD part includes a Radeon 610M iGPU, while the Intel part lists N/A for integrated graphics, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for display output.

The market segments differ. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is classified as a mobile processor and uses AMD Socket FL1. The Intel Core i5-14490F is a desktop processor using Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part does not. The production status for both is Active. The AMD part's release date is recorded as January 16, 2024, and the Intel part's release date as December 31, 2023. Neither part has a launch MSRP in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins in nearly every measured category. Its 16 cores and 32 threads give it a massive throughput advantage in multi-threaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29,400 versus 23,000 confirms this. PassMark multi-thread, integer math, floating point math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, find prime numbers, random string sorting, and physics all favor the AMD processor. The data suggests the AMD part is well suited for rendering, compilation, scientific computing, and any workload that can use many threads.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins only in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 3,247 versus 1,807. That result indicates a significant single-thread rendering advantage. For applications that depend heavily on single-threaded performance in Cinebench-style rendering, the Intel chip holds an edge. However, the PassMark single-thread test tells a different story: the AMD part scores 3,942, and the Intel part scores 3,873, a 1.8% AMD lead. The discrepancy between the two single-thread tests suggests that the Intel advantage is workload-specific rather than universal.

The AMD processor also shows a higher overall benchmark profile. Its average benchmark score is 69,875, and its percentile versus all CPUs is 94. The Intel Core i5-14490F has an average score of 38,149 and a percentile of 86. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F at 69,996 (a -0.2% delta), the Intel Core i7-14700KF at 70,163 (-0.4%), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X at 69,515 (+0.5%), and the Intel Core i7-14700K at 69,355 (+0.7%). The Intel Core i5-14490F's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T at 38,194 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i5-13600KF at 38,103 (+0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 7 250 at 38,221 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-13600HX at 38,261 (-0.3%). These rival comparisons place the AMD part in a much higher performance tier.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across most of their recorded specifications. Core count: 16 versus 10. Thread count: 32 versus 16. Base clock: 2.40 GHz versus 2.50 GHz. Boost clock: 5.20 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. TDP: 55 watts versus 65 watts. Socket: AMD Socket FL1 versus Intel Socket 1700. Architecture: Zen 4 versus Raptor Lake. Codename: Dragon Range versus Raptor Lake-R. Generation: Ryzen 9 (Zen 4 Dragon Range) versus Core i5 (Raptor Lake Refresh). Process node: 5 nm versus 10 nm. Foundry: TSMC versus Intel. Transistor count: 13,140 million versus not listed. Die size: 2x 71 mm² versus 215 mm². L1 cache per core: 64 KB versus 80 KB. L2 cache per core: 1 MB versus 1.25 MB. L3 cache: 64 MB versus 24 MB. Memory support: DDR5 only versus DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth: 83.2 GB/s versus not listed. PCIe: Gen 5 with 28 lanes versus Gen 5 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics: Radeon 610M versus N/A. Market segment: Mobile versus Desktop. Multiplier: unlocked versus locked. Part number: 100-000001486 versus SRN35. Release date: January 16, 2024 versus December 31, 2023.

Shared specifications include dual-channel memory bus, ECC support set to false for both, and production status set to Active for both. Neither part has a launch MSRP recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 29,400 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i5-14490F scores 23,000. The AMD part leads by 27.8%.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmark?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i5-14490F wins Cinebench R23 single-core with a score of 3,247, compared to 1,807 for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, a 44.3% advantage.

Q: How do the two compare in single-thread PassMark?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 3,942, and the Intel Core i5-14490F scores 3,873. The AMD part leads by 1.8%.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX supports DDR5 only. The Intel Core i5-14490F supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: What is the cache configuration difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache.