AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark database presents a clear split between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins 9 of 13 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins 4. The Ryzen 9 7940HX delivers overwhelming multi-threaded performance, with its largest margins in integer math (240.7% ahead), data compression (196.5% ahead), and random string sorting (184.2% ahead). It also leads in Cinebench R23 multicore by 33.8%. The Core Ultra 5 225T counters with decisive single-thread wins: 41.7% ahead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 9.3% ahead in PassMark single-thread tests. The Intel part also edges out the AMD chip in prime number finding by 3.9%.

The data indicates the Ryzen 9 7940HX is the choice for heavily threaded workloads, rendering, compression, and encryption tasks. Its average benchmark score of 69875 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, matching the performance class of desktop flagships like the Intel Core i7-14700KF (average score 70163, only 0.4% higher) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (average score 69515, which the 7940HX beats by 0.5%). The Core Ultra 5 225T, with an average score of 30468 and an 82nd percentile ranking, sits in a different performance tier, comparable to mobile parts like the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS (average score 30390, only 0.3% lower) and the Intel Core i5-13600H (average score 30548, which beats it by 0.3%).

For users prioritizing threaded throughput, the Ryzen 9 7940HX is the clear winner from the recorded data. For users whose workloads are single-threaded or lightly threaded, the Core Ultra 5 225T shows a measurable advantage. The Intel part operates with fewer cores and threads but delivers higher per-thread performance, making it suitable for responsive everyday use and applications that do not scale beyond a few threads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing nodes. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, using the Zen 4 architecture with the codename Dragon Range. It is a 16-core, 32-thread processor with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. Its thermal design power is 55 W. The chip uses 13,140 million transistors across a die size of 2x 71 mm². The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The integrated graphics are Radeon 610M. The CPU is unlocked, allowing multiplier adjustment, and it is classified as a mobile segment part with an active production status.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses a 3 nm process at TSMC, based on the Arrow Lake architecture with the codename Arrow Lake-S. It is a 10-core, 10-thread processor with no hyper-threading, running at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its thermal design power is 65 W. The chip contains 17,800 million transistors on a die size of 243 mm². The cache configuration features 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration with a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. This processor is not multiplier unlocked, meaning it is locked for overclocking. It is a desktop segment part with an active production status.

The core count difference is substantial: the AMD part offers 16 cores and 32 threads versus 10 cores and 10 threads for the Intel part. The AMD chip has a higher boost clock by 0.30 GHz, while the Intel chip has a slightly higher base clock by 0.10 GHz. The Intel part uses more transistors despite having fewer cores, and its die is significantly larger. The cache strategies differ, with AMD providing a large 64 MB L3 pool and Intel providing 20 MB of shared L3 but larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations. The Intel part offers higher memory bandwidth (102.4 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s). The AMD processor supports 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while the Intel processor supports 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads.

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T is faster. It scores 3101 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1807 for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, a 41.7% advantage. It also leads in PassMark single-thread with 4348 versus 3942, a 9.3% advantage.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX compare to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is substantially faster. In Cinebench R23 multicore it scores 29400 versus 21971, a 33.8% lead. In PassMark multithread it scores 53204 versus 25358, a 109.8% lead.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Both support DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX uses a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses a 3 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has an average benchmark score of 69875, placing it in the 94th percentile. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has an average benchmark score of 30468, placing it in the 82nd percentile.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification field in the database.

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX | Intel Core Ultra 5 225T |

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

| Series | 7000 series | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |

| Cores | 16 | 10 |

| Threads | 32 | 10 |

| Base Clock | 2.40 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FL1 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Dragon Range | Arrow Lake-S |

| Generation | Ryzen 9 (Zen 4 (Dragon Range)) | Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | TSMC |

| Transistors | 13,140 million | 17,800 million |

| Die Size | 2x 71 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 64 MB | 20 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 28 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 610M | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2024-01-16 | 2024-12-31 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | 100-000001486 | unknown |

The AMD chip has a higher boost clock, more cores, more threads, more L3 cache, and more PCIe lanes. The Intel chip has a higher base clock, a smaller process node, more transistors, a larger die, larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, higher memory bandwidth, and a higher TDP. The AMD part is socketed for FL1 and targets mobile platforms, while the Intel part uses Socket 1851 for desktop.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records 13 head-to-head comparisons between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins 9, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins 4.

The largest AMD victory comes in PassMark integer math. The Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 202883 against 59543 for the Core Ultra 5 225T, a 240.7% difference. This indicates a massive advantage in arithmetic-heavy integer workloads. Data compression shows a similar pattern: the AMD chip scores 693741 versus 233998, a 196.5% lead. Random string sorting follows at 184.2% ahead, with scores of 81775 and 28774 respectively. Extended instructions place the AMD part 154.1% ahead (51029 versus 20083), and data encryption is 129.5% ahead (41974 versus 18289). PassMark multithread shows a 109.8% lead (53204 versus 25358). Floating point math is 46.7% ahead (121383 versus 82751). Cinebench R23 multicore shows a 33.8% lead (29400 versus 21971). The smallest AMD win is in PassMark physics at 11.9% (2297 versus 2053).

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins its largest comparison in Cinebench R23 single-core. It scores 3101 against 1807 for the AMD chip, a 41.7% margin. This is a notable result, showing that the Intel architecture delivers significantly higher per-core performance in this rendering workload. In PassMark single-thread and PassMark singlethread tests, the Intel chip scores 4348 versus 3942, a 9.3% advantage in both. The Intel processor also wins PassMark find prime numbers with a score of 284 versus 273, a 3.9% margin.

The pattern in the data is consistent. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX dominates in all multi-threaded and throughput-oriented tests, often by margins exceeding 100%. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T leads in single-threaded tests, with its largest advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core. The prime number test is the closest comparison, with the Intel chip winning by a narrow 3.9% margin.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this split. The AMD part averages 69875 across all recorded tests, while the Intel part averages 30468. The AMD chip's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (average score 69515, which the 7940HX leads by 0.5%) and the Intel Core i7-14700K (average score 69355, which the 7940HX leads by 0.7%). The Intel chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13600H (average score 30548, which leads the 225T by 0.3%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS (average score 30390, which the 225T leads by 0.3%). These comparisons show that the Ryzen 9 7940HX performs at the level of high-end desktop processors, while the Core Ultra 5 225T performs at the level of mid-range mobile processors, despite its desktop market segment classification.