AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D vs Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D and Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M represent two drastically different approaches to high-end computing, with the former being a mobile gaming-class processor and the latter a server/workstation part from an earlier era. The benchmark data reveals a clear generational and architectural divide, with the AMD chip dominating in 13 out of 15 head-to-head tests, while the Intel chip shows surprising strength in specific single-threaded Cinebench workloads. This analysis will break down the data to determine which processor holds the advantage in various scenarios.

FAQ

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D compare to the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M in overall benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D has a higher average benchmark score of 59641, compared to the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M's 58323. Despite this, both processors sit at the 92nd percentile against all CPUs, indicating they are both top-tier performers.

Q: Which processor wins in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D wins decisively, scoring 32782 compared to the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M's 29403. This represents an 11.5% advantage for the AMD chip.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M have any benchmark victories?

A: Yes, it wins two head-to-head tests: Cinebench R15 single-core (418 vs 311, a 25.6% advantage) and Cinebench R23 single-core (4151 vs 1935, a 53.4% advantage).

Q: What is the biggest single benchmark win for the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D?

A: The largest margin of victory is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the AMD chip scores 446 against the Intel's 141, a 216.3% difference. The AMD also wins data encryption with a 140.4% delta.

Q: How do the core and thread counts differ between the two processors?

A: The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M has more cores and threads, with 24 cores and 48 threads compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D's 16 cores and 32 threads. Despite fewer cores, the AMD chip still wins most multi-threaded tests.

Q: What is the difference in their process nodes and architecture?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D uses a 5 nm process from TSMC with a Zen 4 architecture, while the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M uses a 14 nm process from Intel with the Cascade Lake architecture.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and process technologies. The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D is a mobile part from the 7000 series, using the Zen 4 architecture and codename Dragon Range, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The chip contains 17,840 million transistors on a die size of 2x 71 mm².

The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M is a server/workstation processor using the Cascade Lake architecture (Cascade Lake-SP), manufactured on a 14 nm process at Intel. It offers 24 cores and 48 threads, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The Intel chip contains 8,000 million transistors, roughly 45% of the transistor count of the AMD chip.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, but crucially, it features 128 MB of shared L3 cache, which includes a 1x 64MB 3D V-Cache slice. The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M has the same 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per-core configuration, but only 35.75 MB of shared L3 cache, a fraction of the AMD's capacity.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD chip supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel chip supports DDR4 memory, though specific bus and bandwidth figures are not listed in the data. Both processors support ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D also includes integrated Radeon 610M graphics, whereas the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M has no integrated graphics listed.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a clear picture of two processors for different purposes. The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D is the performance leader in almost every measurable category, winning 13 of 15 head-to-head tests. Its generational advantage in process node (5 nm vs 14 nm), higher boost clock (5.40 GHz vs 3.90 GHz), and massive L3 cache (128 MB vs 35.75 MB) allows it to outperform the Intel chip despite having fewer cores and threads.

The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M's only wins come in single-core Cinebench tests, where it shows a substantial advantage in R23 single-core (4151 vs 1935) and a smaller edge in R15 single-core (418 vs 311). This suggests that for specific legacy single-threaded workloads, the Intel part might have an edge, but these are isolated cases. For all other workloads, including multi-threaded rendering, data compression, encryption, and physics calculations, the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D is the superior choice based on the data.

The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M offers more cores and threads (24/48 vs 16/32), but this does not translate into wins in most multi-threaded benchmarks, likely due to the AMD's architectural efficiency and higher clock speeds. The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D should be the pick for anyone prioritizing raw performance across a broad range of tasks, while the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M might be considered only for specific single-threaded legacy applications.

Specification Differences

The core specifications of the two processors differ substantially across nearly every field. The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M has 24 cores and 48 threads. The AMD chip has a lower base clock of 2.30 GHz compared to the Intel's 2.40 GHz, but a significantly higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz versus 3.90 GHz.

The thermal design power (TDP) differs drastically, with the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D rated at 55 W and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M at 165 W. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket FL1, while the Intel chip uses the Intel Socket 3647. The AMD processor is a mobile part, whereas the Intel is a server/workstation part.

The process node and foundry are different, with the AMD using a 5 nm process from TSMC and the Intel using a 14 nm process from Intel. The AMD chip has 17,840 million transistors, while the Intel has 8,000 million. The AMD die size is listed as 2x 71 mm², but no die size is given for the Intel.

Cache configurations differ in L3 only, with AMD having 128 MB shared and Intel having 35.75 MB shared; both have 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core. The AMD supports DDR5 memory with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth on a dual-channel bus, while the Intel supports DDR4 with no listed bus or bandwidth. Both support ECC memory. The AMD has PCIe Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only) and integrated Radeon 610M graphics, while the Intel has no PCIe or integrated graphics listed. The AMD has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel is locked. The AMD was released on 2023-07-26, while the Intel was released on 2018-12-10.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is lopsided in favor of the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. In multi-core Cinebench R15, the AMD scores 5600 against the Intel's 2963, an 89% advantage. The Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows a closer race, with AMD at 32782 and Intel at 29403, an 11.5% delta. This indicates that while the AMD is faster, the Intel's higher core count helps it remain competitive in this specific workload.

The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M's wins are confined to single-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel scores 418 against the AMD's 311, a 25.6% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel's lead is much larger, scoring 4151 against the AMD's 1935, a 53.4% delta. This suggests that for certain single-threaded workloads, the Intel architecture has a specific advantage that is not replicated in other tests.

The PassMark suite shows the AMD dominating across the board. In data compression, AMD scores 699988 vs Intel's 573896, a 22% delta. Data encryption shows a massive gap, with AMD at 42367 and Intel at 17625, a 140.4% difference. Extended instructions see AMD at 52310 vs Intel's 35529, a 47.2% delta. The largest win is in finding prime numbers, where AMD scores 446 vs Intel's 141, a 216.3% advantage.

Other PassMark tests continue the trend. Floating point math has AMD at 121619 vs Intel's 73514, a 65.4% delta. Integer math shows AMD at 201217 vs Intel's 129213, a 55.7% advantage. The multi-thread test has AMD at 57476 vs Intel's 34592, a 66.2% delta. Physics shows AMD at 4321 vs Intel's 2080, a 107.7% advantage. Random string sorting has AMD at 83919 vs Intel's 69236, a 21.2% delta. Finally, the single-thread PassMark test shows AMD at 4050 vs Intel's 2320, a 74.6% advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D is the clear winner in most use cases. It excels in multi-core rendering workloads, as shown by its 89% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 11.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core. For data-intensive tasks like compression and encryption, the AMD is significantly faster, with 22% and 140.4% respective leads. Math-heavy computations, including floating point and integer math, favor the AMD by 65.4% and 55.7% respectively. The AMD also wins in physics simulations (107.7% delta) and general multi-threaded performance (66.2% delta).

The Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M's strengths lie almost exclusively in single-core Cinebench workloads. It wins Cinebench R15 single-core with a 25.6% delta and Cinebench R23 single-core with a 53.4% delta. These results suggest that for very specific legacy applications that are heavily dependent on single-threaded Cinebench-style performance, the Intel chip might be preferable. However, this advantage does not extend to the PassMark single-thread test, where the AMD wins by 74.6%.

Overall, the data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D is the superior processor for almost all workloads, with the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M being a niche choice for specific single-threaded tasks. The AMD's wins in 13 out of 15 benchmarks, including all multi-threaded and most single-threaded tests, make it the more versatile and capable processor in this comparison.