AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a decisive split between these two mobile processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins 8 of the 13 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H takes 5. The margins, however, are not evenly distributed. AMD’s victories are frequently enormous, while Intel’s are mostly narrow or specific to single-threaded workloads.

The largest single gap appears in PassMark integer math. The Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 202,883 against the Ultra 5’s 62,070, a delta of 226.9%. That is more than a threefold advantage in raw integer throughput. Data compression shows a similar story: AMD records 693,741 versus 280,340, a 147.5% lead. Random string sorting follows with 81,775 against 34,402, a 137.7% gap. Extended instructions show 51,029 versus 24,542, a 107.9% difference. Data encryption is nearly double: 41,974 versus 21,291, a 97.1% lead.

Floating-point math also favors AMD, though by a smaller margin. The Ryzen 9 7940HX posts 121,383 against 82,415, a 47.3% advantage. Multi-thread performance in PassMark shows 53,204 versus 28,545, an 86.4% lead. Cinebench R23 multi-core confirms the trend: AMD scores 29,400 against Intel’s 23,991, a 22.5% lead. These results indicate a processor built for parallel throughput, with AMD’s 16 cores and 32 threads providing substantial headroom over Intel’s 16 cores and 16 threads.

Intel’s wins are concentrated in single-thread and light-thread tests. The most striking is Cinebench R23 single-core: the Ultra 5 336H scores 3,387 against AMD’s 1,807, a 46.6% advantage. That is a massive reversal of the multi-core result. PassMark single-thread shows a much narrower margin: 4,013 versus 3,942, only 1.8% ahead. The same 1.8% gap appears in the duplicate PassMark singlethread entry. Intel also wins PassMark physics with 2,682 versus 2,297, a 14.4% lead, and PassMark find prime numbers with 299 versus 273, an 8.7% edge.

The pattern is clear. AMD dominates every heavily parallel workload, often by triple-digit percentages. Intel wins where the workload depends on a single core or a small number of threads, with its single-core lead in Cinebench R23 being the standout outlier. The physics result is interesting because it suggests Intel’s architecture handles that specific simulation workload better despite having half the threads.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is the clear choice for any workload that scales across cores. Its 16 cores and 32 threads, combined with 64 MB of L3 cache, allow it to sustain massive throughput in compression, encryption, sorting, and math-heavy tasks. The PassMark integer math result, at 226.9% ahead, reflects an architecture optimized for parallel integer operations. Data compression and random string sorting, both memory and cache sensitive, also show triple-digit leads, indicating that the larger cache and higher thread count directly translate to real-world data processing speed.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H wins in scenarios where single-core speed is the bottleneck. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,387 versus AMD’s 1,807 is a 46.6% margin that cannot be ignored for applications relying on one primary thread. The PassMark single-thread result, while only 1.8% ahead, still favors Intel. The physics benchmark, where Intel leads by 14.4%, suggests a specific advantage in that simulation workload, possibly due to its newer Panther Lake architecture. The find prime numbers test, though a narrow 8.7% win, also goes to Intel.

In practical terms, AMD wins rendering, video encoding, batch file processing, database operations, and any scientific computing that uses many threads. Intel wins interactive applications, legacy single-threaded software, and workloads where per-core frequency dominates. The boost clock difference matters here: AMD reaches 5.20 GHz, while Intel reaches 4.60 GHz, but Intel’s higher single-core score indicates a more efficient IPC per clock in single-threaded execution. The TDP difference also matters: AMD runs at 55 watts, Intel at 25 watts, so Intel’s single-thread wins come at a much lower power envelope.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct use cases. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is the stronger processor for multi-threaded performance. Its 22.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 86.4% lead in PassMark multi-thread, and triple-digit leads in integer math, compression, and sorting make it the obvious pick for sustained parallel workloads. The database places it at the 94th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69,875. Its nearest rivals in that score band include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F at 69,996 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core i7-14700KF at 70,163 (0.4% behind), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X at 69,515 (0.5% ahead), and the Intel Core i7-14700K at 69,355 (0.7% ahead). This places the 7940HX in desktop-class territory for multi-threaded capability.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H occupies the 84th percentile with an average score of 34,485. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700HX at 34,554 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core i5-13450HX at 34,333 (0.4% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X at 34,260 (0.7% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 at 34,222 (0.8% ahead). Intel’s processor is competitive with those mid-range parts, but it sits at roughly half the average score of AMD’s part. The 84th percentile versus the 94th percentile encapsulates the overall performance gap.

For a user who prioritizes single-thread responsiveness, the Ultra 5 336H delivers a 46.6% advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core. That is a significant edge for applications that cannot use more than one or two threads. However, the overall average score difference, 69,875 versus 34,485, means AMD’s part is roughly twice as fast on aggregate. The verdict from the data: the Ryzen 9 7940HX for multi-threaded workloads, the Core Ultra 5 336H for single-threaded workloads and lower power consumption.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. It scores 29,400 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 23,991 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H, a 22.5% lead. In PassMark multi-thread, AMD scores 53,204 versus 28,545, an 86.4% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H. It scores 3,387 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1,807 for AMD, a 46.6% margin. In PassMark single-thread, Intel leads narrowly with 4,013 versus 3,942, a 1.8% difference.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: Both have 16 cores. AMD has 32 threads, while Intel has 16 threads. AMD’s base clock is 2.40 GHz with a 5.20 GHz boost; Intel’s base is 1.90 GHz with a 4.60 GHz boost.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head results?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark integer math, where AMD scores 202,883 versus 62,070, a 226.9% advantage. The second largest is data compression, where AMD leads by 147.5% with 693,741 versus 280,340.

Q: How do the two processors rank overall in the database?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX sits at the 94th percentile with an average benchmark score of 69,875. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H sits at the 84th percentile with an average score of 34,485.

Q: What are the thermal design power ratings?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has a TDP of 55 watts. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has a TDP of 25 watts.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX belongs to the 7000 series and uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Dragon Range codename. It is built on TSMC’s 5 nm process with 13,140 million transistors across a die size of 2x 71 mm². It uses AMD Socket FL1 and has an unlocked multiplier. Cache is organized as 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. It does not support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity is Gen 5 with 28 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics come from the Radeon 610M. The part number is 100-000001486.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H uses the Panther Lake architecture from the Core Ultra Series 3. It is built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It uses Intel BGA 2540 and has a locked multiplier. Cache is organized as 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. Memory support includes DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth. ECC memory is not supported. PCIe connectivity is Gen 5 with 12 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics use Intel Xe3 Graphics. The part number is SA4RD.

The release dates differ by two years: AMD shipped on 2024-01-16, Intel on 2026-01-04. Both are currently active in production. The most notable architectural contrast is thread support. AMD provides simultaneous multithreading, doubling its 16 cores to 32 threads. Intel does not, keeping 16 threads for its 16 cores. This explains much of the multi-threaded performance gap. The cache distribution also differs significantly: AMD’s 64 MB L3 is more than triple Intel’s 18 MB, though Intel has a larger per-core L1 (192 KB versus 64 KB) and L2 (2.5 MB versus 1 MB). Intel’s memory bandwidth is higher at 115.2 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s, which helps its single-threaded data access. The process nodes differ as well: AMD uses 5 nm from TSMC, Intel uses 3 nm from its own foundry. These architectural choices explain the benchmark outcomes: AMD’s thread-heavy design with massive L3 dominates parallel workloads, while Intel’s newer process and higher per-core cache efficiency drive its single-core wins.