AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core i9-13900T Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is the decisive winner in this matchup, taking 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks against the Intel Core i9-13900T. The data shows the AMD part leads by substantial margins in nearly every compute-heavy workload, often by 25% or more. The Intel Core i9-13900T, however, retains two clear advantages: single-threaded performance in PassMark tests and a physics workload win. The verdict is straightforward: for multithreaded productivity, content creation, and data processing, the Ryzen 9 7940HX is the superior choice. The Core i9-13900T only makes sense for users prioritizing its specific single-thread PassMark scores or operating under its lower 35W TDP envelope.

The Verdict

Choose the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX for almost any performance-focused task. Its average benchmark score of 60,695 places it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and it sits only 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-14900F and 1.7% ahead of the Core i9-13900T in the same ranking. The Ryzen 9 7940HX delivers a 25.3% advantage in Cinebench R23 multicore (45,822 vs. 36,580) and a 31.2% lead in PassMark data compression (706,097 vs. 538,254). These are not marginal wins; they represent a generational gap in throughput.

Pick the Intel Core i9-13900T only if your workload is dominated by the specific PassMark single-thread test, where it scores 4,177 versus the AMD's 3,953 (a 5.4% lead), or the PassMark physics test, where it wins 2,497 to 2,313 (a 7.4% lead). The Intel part also has a 95th percentile ranking and an average score of 61,729, which is 1.7% higher than the AMD chip's average. However, that higher average is driven by its single-thread and physics wins, which do not translate into broader application performance. The Intel chip's launch MSRP is $549.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX dominates every Cinebench test across R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. In all six Cinebench comparisons, it wins by exactly 25.2% or 25.3%. This indicates a consistent architectural advantage in both lightly-threaded and fully-threaded rendering workloads. It also wins all PassMark compute tests except two: data compression (31.2% lead), encryption (23.7% lead), extended instructions (75.7% lead), find prime numbers (56.6% lead), floating point math (13% lead), integer math (30.4% lead), multithread (25.3% lead), and random string sorting (31.2% lead).

The Intel Core i9-13900T wins only the PassMark physics benchmark (2,497 vs. 2,313) and the PassMark single-thread benchmark (4,177 vs. 3,953). The physics win is notable because it suggests a specific advantage in simulated physics calculations, likely due to the Intel architecture's handling of that particular instruction pattern. The single-thread win is also interesting because the AMD chip wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 25.3% (6,469 vs. 5,164). This discrepancy indicates that PassMark's single-thread test measures a different aspect of performance than Cinebench's single-core test, favoring Intel's design.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is built on TSMC's 5 nm process using the Zen 4 architecture (codename Dragon Range), while the Intel Core i9-13900T uses Intel's 10 nm process with the Raptor Lake architecture (codename Raptor Lake-S). The AMD chip has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel chip has 24 cores and 32 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD part wins most multithreaded tests, indicating higher per-core efficiency.

The cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 64 MB L3 cache. The Intel Core i9-13900T has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and only 36 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip's larger L3 cache (64 MB vs. 36 MB) likely contributes to its dominance in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption. The Intel chip's transistor count is not listed, but its die size is 257 mm², compared to the AMD's dual-die design at 2x 71 mm².

Memory support also differs: the AMD chip supports only DDR5 with dual-channel memory and a listed bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory, but its memory bandwidth is not listed. The Intel chip supports ECC memory, while the AMD chip does not. For PCIe, the AMD chip offers Gen 5 with 28 CPU-only lanes, while the Intel chip offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU-only lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD chip has Radeon 610M, while the Intel chip has UHD Graphics 770. The AMD chip is marked for the mobile segment, uses AMD Socket FL1, and has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel chip is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700 with a locked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-13900T has the higher average score at 61,729, compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX's 60,695. However, this average is skewed by the Intel chip's wins in specific tests, while the AMD chip wins the vast majority of individual benchmarks.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX win every Cinebench test?

A: Yes. The AMD chip wins all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23, each in single-core and multi-core) with a deltaPct of 25.2% or 25.3% over the Intel chip.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark extended instructions, where the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 52,217 versus the Intel Core i9-13900T's 29,719, a 75.7% advantage for AMD.

Q: Does the Intel Core i9-13900T have any advantage in multithreaded workloads?

A: No. The AMD chip wins PassMark multithread (53,904 vs. 43,036, a 25.3% lead) and all Cinebench multicore tests. The Intel chip's only wins are in PassMark physics and PassMark single-thread.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-13900T has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. Both have the same thread count, but the AMD chip wins most multithreaded benchmarks despite fewer cores.

Q: What are the TDP differences?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has a TDP of 55W, while the Intel Core i9-13900T has a TDP of 35W. The Intel chip is rated for lower power consumption, but the AMD chip delivers higher performance in most tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX's cleanest sweep is across the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD chip scores 45,822 against the Intel's 36,580, a 25.3% lead. The single-core R23 result follows the same pattern: 6,469 vs. 5,164, again 25.3% ahead. This consistency extends to R20 and R15, where the AMD chip leads by 25.3% in multicore (19,245 vs. 15,363 in R20; 4,618 vs. 3,687 in R15) and by 25.2% or 25.3% in single-core (2,716 vs. 2,168 in R20; 651 vs. 520 in R15). The data indicates the AMD architecture is uniformly faster in rendering and CPU-bound 3D workloads.

In PassMark tests, the AMD chip's largest victory is in extended instructions, scoring 52,217 versus the Intel's 29,719 — a massive 75.7% gap. The find prime numbers test shows a 56.6% lead (274 vs. 175), and integer math shows a 30.4% lead (205,157 vs. 157,324). The AMD chip also wins data compression (706,097 vs. 538,254, +31.2%), random string sorting (83,100 vs. 63,358, +31.2%), multithread (53,904 vs. 43,036, +25.3%), data encryption (42,557 vs. 34,415, +23.7%), and floating point math (122,952 vs. 108,779, +13%).

The Intel Core i9-13900T's wins are limited to two PassMark tests. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 4,177 versus the AMD's 3,953, a 5.4% advantage. In PassMark physics, it scores 2,497 versus the AMD's 2,313, a 7.4% lead. These are the only three benchmark wins for Intel (the single-thread and singlethread tests are identical, counting as one distinct result). The AMD chip's 14 wins versus Intel's 3 wins make the overall performance picture unambiguous.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX uses 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core i9-13900T uses 24 cores and 32 threads. The AMD chip has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz; the Intel chip has a base clock of 1100.00 MHz (listed as such) and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The TDP differs significantly: the AMD chip is rated at 55W, while the Intel chip is rated at 35W. The process nodes are different: AMD uses 5 nm at TSMC, while Intel uses 10 nm at Intel. The AMD chip's transistor count is listed as 13,140 million with a die size of 2x 71 mm², while the Intel chip has no listed transistor count and a die size of 257 mm².

Cache specifications diverge: the AMD chip has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3; the Intel chip has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3. Memory support shows the AMD chip only supports DDR5, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5; both are dual-channel, but only the AMD chip has a listed memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. ECC memory support is present on the Intel chip but absent on the AMD chip. PCIe lanes differ: the AMD chip has Gen 5 with 28 CPU-only lanes, while the Intel chip has Gen 5 with 20 CPU-only lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon 610M on the AMD chip and UHD Graphics 770 on the Intel chip. The AMD chip is a mobile part on AMD Socket FL1 with an unlocked multiplier; the Intel chip is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700 with a locked multiplier. The AMD chip's release date is 2024-01-16, while the Intel chip's is 2023-01-03.