AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX vs Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data paints a clear picture of two very different mobile flagship philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX takes the overall win count by a wide margin, securing 9 victories against the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX's 4 wins. However, the nature of those wins reveals a fascinating split: Intel dominates in raw compute throughput and single-threaded tasks, while AMD carves out a niche in specific integer and memory-intensive workloads.

The most significant gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where Intel scores 35,589 against AMD's 29,400. That is a 17.4% advantage for the Ultra 9 275HX, a substantial lead that suggests the Intel part sustains its high core count better under sustained all-core loads. The single-core story is similarly one-sided: Intel's 2,204 score beats AMD's 1,807 by a full 18%. This is the largest percentage delta on the board, indicating a clear architectural edge in lightly-threaded responsiveness.

But the AMD side has its own strongholds. The most striking reversal is in PassMark integer math, where AMD scores 202,883 versus Intel's 155,218. That 30.7% advantage is the single biggest win for either chip, and it is a workload that often scales with cache hierarchy and memory subsystem efficiency. AMD also wins data compression by 14% (693,741 to 608,381), extended instructions by 8.5% (51,029 to 47,016), and random string sorting by 10% (81,775 to 74,320). These wins share a common thread: they reward large, fast caches and efficient data movement, areas where AMD's 64 MB L3 cache likely plays a decisive role.

Intel's other wins are equally telling. Floating-point math shows a 36.5% lead (191,186 to 121,383), and physics simulation shows a 31.2% lead (3,338 to 2,297). Prime number finding, a notoriously latency-sensitive test, goes to Intel by 39.1% (448 to 273). Data encryption also favors Intel by 10.9% (47,112 to 41,974). Even in the overall PassMark multithread score, Intel edges ahead by 4.6% (55,759 to 53,204), a closer margin than the Cinebench numbers might suggest. The single-thread PassMark score confirms Intel's lead here as well, 4,713 versus 3,942, a 16.4% gap.

What emerges is a pattern: Intel wins where clock speed and modern vector units matter most, AMD wins where cache capacity and integer pipeline depth dominate. Neither chip is a slouch; both sit at the 94th percentile among all CPUs in the database. But the delta percentages show that the choice between them is not about overall parity, it is about workload-specific optimization.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX scores 35,589, which is 17.4% higher than AMD's 29,400. The Intel chip wins this benchmark outright.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX better at any PassMark test?

A: Yes. AMD wins four head-to-head tests: data compression (693,741 vs 608,381), extended instructions (51,029 vs 47,016), integer math (202,883 vs 155,218), and random string sorting (81,775 vs 74,320). The integer math win is the largest at 30.7%.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-threaded performance?

A: Intel leads in every recorded single-thread test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 2,204 versus AMD's 1,807, an 18% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, Intel scores 4,713 versus AMD's 3,942, a 16.4% advantage.

Q: What is the overall benchmark win count between the two?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX wins 9 of the 13 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins the remaining 4.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are listed at the 94th percentile versus all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores are close: AMD averages 69,875 while Intel averages 67,469, though Intel wins more individual tests.

Q: Which chip has a higher PassMark multithread score?

A: Intel's 55,759 beats AMD's 53,204 by 4.6%. This is a relatively narrow margin compared to the Cinebench multi-core gap.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD's Ryzen 9 7940HX uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, codenamed Dragon Range. Intel's Core Ultra 9 275HX uses the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm TSMC process, codenamed Arrow Lake-HX. The node difference is notable: Intel's 3 nm process is a generation ahead of AMD's 5 nm, which helps explain Intel's clock advantage (5.40 GHz boost versus 5.20 GHz) and its single-thread lead.

Core counts diverge sharply. AMD fields 16 cores with 32 threads, a conventional symmetric design. Intel counts 24 cores but only 24 threads, indicating a hybrid architecture where not all cores support simultaneous multithreading. This explains why Intel's thread count matches its core count, while AMD doubles threads over cores. Despite having fewer threads, Intel still wins multi-threaded workloads in Cinebench and PassMark, suggesting its 24 cores provide more raw parallel throughput than AMD's 16 cores with SMT.

Cache layouts tell a story of different priorities. AMD allocates 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, plus a shared 64 MB L3. Intel allocates much larger per-core caches: 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core, but a smaller 36 MB shared L3. Intel's larger per-core caches likely boost single-thread and latency-sensitive workloads, while AMD's massive L3 helps with cache-hungry integer and compression tasks. The transistor counts reflect this: Intel packs 17,800 million transistors into a 243 mm² die, while AMD uses 13,140 million across two 71 mm² dies (a chiplet design).

Both use DDR5 memory, but Intel's memory bandwidth is rated higher at 102.4 GB/s versus AMD's 83.2 GB/s. This bandwidth advantage may contribute to Intel's wins in floating-point and physics tests. Both support PCIe Gen 5, though AMD offers 28 lanes versus Intel's 20. Integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 610M, Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. Neither supports ECC memory.

Specification Differences

The most immediate difference is core and thread count: AMD has 16 cores and 32 threads, Intel has 24 cores and 24 threads. Clock speeds favor Intel: base clock 2.70 GHz versus 2.40 GHz, boost clock 5.40 GHz versus 5.20 GHz. Both are rated at 55 W TDP.

The process node favors Intel at 3 nm, while AMD uses 5 nm. Both are fabricated by TSMC, but Intel's transistor count is higher at 17,800 million versus 13,140 million. Die size also differs: Intel uses a single 243 mm² die, AMD uses two 71 mm² dies.

Cache configurations are markedly different. AMD: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, 64 MB L3 shared. Intel: 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, 36 MB L3 shared. Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 102.4 GB/s versus AMD's 83.2 GB/s, both dual-channel DDR5.

Socket and packaging differ: AMD uses AMD Socket FL1, Intel uses Intel BGA 2114. PCIe lanes favor AMD at 28 versus Intel's 20, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics: AMD Radeon 610M versus Intel Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. Release dates differ by about a year: AMD launched on 2024-01-16, Intel on 2025-01-12. Both have unlocked multipliers and are active production parts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX wins in scenarios that demand sustained all-core throughput and high single-thread responsiveness. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,589 is 17.4% ahead, making it the clear choice for rendering, video encoding, and 3D modeling that scales across cores. Its single-core lead of 18% in Cinebench and 16.4% in PassMark means snappier application launches, faster spreadsheet recalculations, and better performance in lightly-threaded games or legacy software. The floating-point math win (36.5% ahead) and physics simulation win (31.2% ahead) point to advantages in scientific computing, simulation, and physics-based game engines. Prime number finding, a classic benchmark for integer and memory latency, goes to Intel by 39.1%, reinforcing its strength in latency-critical integer loops. Data encryption is also Intel's domain, 10.9% ahead, which matters for VPNs, disk encryption, and secure communications.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX wins where its 64 MB L3 cache and integer pipeline excel. Integer math is its crown jewel, 30.7% ahead of Intel. This matters for compilers, code compilation, and any workload that processes large integers in tight loops. Data compression, 14% ahead, benefits from the large cache holding dictionary tables and recent data blocks. Extended instructions, 8.5% ahead, indicate better execution of AVX-512 or similar instruction sets (though the exact ISA is not detailed in the data). Random string sorting, 10% ahead, is a memory-random-access test where AMD's cache hierarchy shines. Users who work with databases, data analytics, compression tools, or cryptographic key generation (integer-heavy) would see tangible benefits from the AMD chip.

The Verdict

The data does not crown a single winner; it identifies two distinct profiles. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is the broader performer, winning 9 of 13 head-to-head tests and taking decisive leads in the most common productivity benchmarks: Cinebench multi-core (17.4%), single-core (18%), and floating-point math (36.5%). For a user who does a mix of rendering, office work, and light gaming, the Intel chip is the safer recommendation based on benchmark coverage.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is the specialist. Its 30.7% integer math lead and 14% data compression win are not trivial; they represent real advantages in specific professional workflows. If the workload is known to be integer-heavy, cache-hungry, or compression-based, the AMD chip is the better choice despite losing the overall scoreboard.

Both processors sit at the 94th percentile, meaning either is a top-tier mobile CPU. The decision hinges on workload: pick Intel for balanced high performance across most tasks, pick AMD for targeted integer and cache-sensitive applications. The recorded data supports both conclusions, but the magnitude of Intel's wins in the most common benchmarks suggests it will satisfy more users in more scenarios.