AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core i9-14900F Comparison

The Intel Core i9-14900F and AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX occupy nearly the same performance tier, with average benchmark scores of 60754 and 60695 respectively—a difference of just 0.1%. Both processors rank in the 95th percentile against all CPUs, making them peer-class competitors despite their radically different designs. The Ryzen 9 7940HX wins 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Core i9-14900F takes only 3, yet the overall average scores remain almost identical because the Intel part’s wins come in metrics that carry heavy weight in the aggregate.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX dominates the Cinebench suite across the board. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD scores 4618 against Intel’s 4037, a 12.6% margin. The same 12.6% delta repeats in Cinebench R15 single-core (651 vs 569), R20 multicore (19245 vs 16821), R20 single-core (2716 vs 2374), R23 multicore (45822 vs 40052), and R23 single-core (6469 vs 5654). This uniformity suggests a consistent architectural advantage in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded rendering workloads, not a scaling quirk.

PassMark results reinforce the AMD lead but with varying magnitudes. The largest gap appears in extended instructions, where AMD scores 52217 against Intel’s 31507—a 39.7% deficit for the Core i9-14900F. That is the single biggest proportional loss on the entire comparison sheet. Data compression tells a similar story: AMD’s 706097 beats Intel’s 571596 by 19%. Random string sorting favors AMD by 22.8% (83100 vs 64175), and find prime numbers favors AMD by 22.6% (274 vs 212). Data encryption shows a 17.7% AMD lead (42557 vs 35024), while integer math lands at 11.9% (205157 vs 180737). Even floating-point math, the closest PassMark contest, goes to AMD by 1.3% (122952 vs 121355).

The Intel Core i9-14900F’s three wins are narrower in count but significant in nature. PassMark physics sees Intel score 2934 against AMD’s 2313, a 26.8% advantage—the largest Intel win on the sheet. PassMark single-thread (and its duplicate singlethread entry) shows Intel at 4508 versus AMD’s 3953, a 14% edge. These two metrics highlight Intel’s strength in latency-sensitive, branch-heavy code paths and pure single-thread throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 9 7940HX is the clear choice for rendering and content creation. Every Cinebench iteration—R15, R20, R23, both single and multicore—favors AMD by the same 12.6% margin, indicating a consistent per-thread performance advantage that scales perfectly across thread counts. For compression workloads, the AMD part’s 19% lead in data compression and 22.8% lead in random string sorting make it the superior engine for archives, databases, and text processing. The 39.7% edge in extended instructions suggests AMD handles AVX-class and SIMD workloads substantially better, which matters for scientific computing and media encoding. Encryption tasks also favor AMD by 17.7%, and integer math by 11.9%, covering most CPU-bound productivity software.

The Core i9-14900F wins specifically in physics simulation, where its 26.8% advantage indicates better handling of the irregular, pointer-heavy code in game physics engines. Its 14% single-thread lead over AMD reinforces its suitability for lightly threaded applications that depend on one or two fast cores—legacy software, certain scripting workloads, and responsive UI tasks. The Intel part also matches AMD closely in floating-point math, trailing by just 1.3%, so scientific workloads that are float-heavy rather than integer-heavy will see near-parity.

For all-core throughput, the data points to AMD. PassMark multithread shows AMD at 53904 versus Intel’s 47121, a 12.6% gap. The Core i9-14900F’s 24 cores and 32 threads cannot overcome the Ryzen’s per-core efficiency, despite having 8 more physical cores.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900F has an average benchmark score of 60754, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 60695. The difference is 0.1%, making them statistically equivalent.

Q: How does the Core i9-14900F compare in single-threaded performance?

A: In PassMark single-thread, the Intel part scores 4508 against AMD’s 3953, a 14% lead. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD wins 6469 vs 5654, a 12.6% advantage. The PassMark result favors Intel, while the Cinebench result favors AMD.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two chips?

A: The biggest delta is in PassMark extended instructions, where AMD scores 52217 and Intel scores 31507, giving AMD a 39.7% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in physics simulation?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900F wins PassMark physics with a score of 2934 versus AMD’s 2313, a 26.8% margin. This is Intel’s largest single win.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of threads?

A: Yes, both have 32 threads. The Intel Core i9-14900F uses 24 cores (8 more than AMD), while the Ryzen 9 7940HX uses 16 cores.

Q: Which chip has better floating-point math performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX leads in PassMark floating-point math with 122952 against Intel’s 121355, a narrow 1.3% margin. This is the closest benchmark contest between the two.

Specification Differences

The Intel Core i9-14900F and AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX differ in nearly every physical specification. Intel offers 24 cores and 32 threads, while AMD offers 16 cores and 32 threads. Base clocks differ: Intel runs at 2000.00 MHz, AMD at 2.40 GHz (2400 MHz). Boost clocks also diverge—Intel reaches 5.80 GHz, AMD tops out at 5.20 GHz. Thermal design power favors AMD at 55 watts against Intel’s 65 watts.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1700, AMD uses Socket FL1. The Intel part is a desktop processor, while the AMD part is mobile. Process nodes differ substantially—Intel uses 10 nm from its own foundry, AMD uses 5 nm from TSMC. The AMD die contains 13,140 million transistors across two 71 mm² dies; Intel’s die is 257 mm² with no transistor count listed.

Cache hierarchies differ in capacity and distribution. Intel’s L1 is 80 KB per core, L2 is 2 MB per core, and L3 is 36 MB shared. AMD’s L1 is 64 KB per core, L2 is 1 MB per core, and L3 is 64 MB shared. Memory support diverges: Intel accepts DDR4 and DDR5, AMD accepts only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s while Intel lists none. ECC memory is supported on Intel but not AMD. PCIe lanes differ—Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes, AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes.

The AMD part includes integrated Radeon 610M graphics; Intel lists no integrated graphics. The Intel launch MSRP is $524; AMD has no listed launch MSRP. Intel’s multiplier is locked, while AMD’s is unlocked. Release dates are days apart: Intel on 2024-01-07, AMD on 2024-01-16.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is fundamental. Intel uses Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, built on a 10 nm process at Intel’s own foundry. AMD uses Zen 4 under the Dragon Range codename, fabricated on TSMC’s 5 nm process. The process node difference explains much of the efficiency gap: AMD achieves 16 cores within a 55-watt TDP, while Intel needs 65 watts for 24 cores.

Core counts tell a design philosophy story. Intel’s 24 cores with 32 threads implies a hybrid layout of performance and efficiency cores, though the fact pack does not specify the mix. AMD’s 16 cores with 32 threads indicates a uniform high-performance design where every core supports simultaneous multithreading. The fact that AMD matches Intel’s thread count with 8 fewer physical cores suggests each Zen 4 core delivers substantially more per-thread throughput.

Cache design also separates the two. AMD’s 64 MB shared L3 is nearly double Intel’s 36 MB, which likely contributes to AMD’s 12.6% lead in memory-heavy workloads like compression and encryption. Intel’s larger per-core L1 (80 KB vs 64 KB) and L2 (2 MB vs 1 MB) provide faster access to recent working sets, which may explain the 14% single-thread PassMark win despite lower clock speeds overall.

The transistor count difference is stark—AMD packs 13,140 million transistors, while Intel’s count is not listed. AMD’s dual-die design of 2x 71 mm² contrasts with Intel’s single 257 mm² die. This multi-die approach allows AMD to scale cores more flexibly, while Intel’s monolithic die keeps latency lower within the core complex.

Memory architecture diverges with AMD supporting only DDR5 and Intel supporting both DDR4 and DDR5. AMD’s listed 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth gives it a formal advantage in bandwidth-bound workloads, though Intel’s lack of a listed figure prevents direct comparison. ECC support on Intel makes it suitable for error-sensitive compute tasks, while AMD forgoes ECC entirely.

PCIe lane allocation favors AMD with 28 Gen 5 lanes versus Intel’s 16, giving AMD more headroom for multiple GPUs or storage devices. The inclusion of Radeon 610M integrated graphics on AMD means the chip can drive a display without a discrete GPU, while Intel requires external graphics. The unlocked multiplier on AMD permits overclocking, whereas Intel’s locked multiplier restricts frequency adjustment.

Both processors share the same 95th percentile ranking against all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores differ by only 0.1%. The data shows two different architectural solutions reaching the same performance plateau: Intel’s higher core count and clock speeds offset by AMD’s process advantage and larger cache. The Ryzen 9 7940HX wins most benchmarks through superior per-core efficiency, while the Core i9-14900F claims specific victories in physics and single-thread PassMark tests. For users prioritizing rendering, compression, or SIMD-heavy code, the AMD part is the stronger choice. For physics simulation or applications that reward raw single-thread speed, Intel holds the edge.