AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is decisive: the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins 12 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 takes three. The 8940HX dominates every multithreaded and throughput-oriented workload in the database, with margins ranging from 33.3% to 182%. The AI 7 450 wins only in Cinebench R23 single-core and both PassMark single-thread tests, and even there the advantage is narrow. This is a classic high-core-count flagship versus efficient mid-range part, but the specific workloads matter.

The 8940HX is the clear choice for heavily parallel tasks. Its Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 5355 versus 2713 for the AI 7 450, a 97.4% lead, shows the 16-core part nearly doubling the 8-core part in a rendering workload. The R23 multi-core result reinforces that: 32521 against 18316, a 77.6% margin. Number crunching follows the same pattern. PassMark integer math shows 189221 versus 88531, a 113.7% advantage, and floating-point math shows 113921 versus 54447, a 109.2% lead. Data compression also favors the larger chip heavily: 650984 versus 315906, a 106.1% difference. Encryption is even more lopsided at 142% (39318 versus 16247). Prime number finding shows the largest gap of all: 251 versus 89, a 182% lead for the 8940HX.

The AI 7 450 wins only where single-thread efficiency matters most. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2038 versus 1917, a 5.9% advantage for the newer Zen 5 architecture. PassMark single-thread shows a tiny 0.7% lead (3901 versus 3874). These wins indicate that for lightly threaded applications, the AI 7 450 is slightly faster per core, but the margins are small enough that most users would not notice the difference outside of specific tasks.

The intermediate results also favor the 8940HX. PassMark multi-thread shows 49731 versus 26350, an 88.7% lead. Extended instructions show 47802 versus 22400, a 113.4% margin. Random string sorting, a memory-latency-sensitive test, shows 75381 versus 35648, a 111.5% lead. Physics simulation shows 2104 versus 1578, a 33.3% advantage, which is the smallest multi-core margin but still a clear win. The overall average benchmark score places the 8940HX at 81103 versus 39485 for the AI 7 450, a roughly 105% gap. The 8940HX sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the AI 7 450 sits at the 87th.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design generations and use different manufacturing processes. The 8940HX uses Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm process from TSMC, with a chiplet design described as "2x 71 mm²" die size. The AI 7 450 uses Zen 5 architecture, which the database lists as "Zen 5 / Zen 5c" for the Ryzen AI 400 generation, on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with a monolithic die size of 195 mm². The process node shrink and newer core design explain why the AI 7 450 manages a higher single-core score despite lower clock speeds.

Cache allocation differs substantially. The 8940HX has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a large 64 MB L3 cache. The AI 7 450 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, but only 8 MB of L3. The 8940HX carries 13,140 million transistors across its two chiplets, while the database records no transistor count for the AI 7 450. The larger L3 cache on the 8940HX is a major factor in its data-heavy workload advantages, particularly in the random string sorting test where the 111.5% lead shows strong cache and memory subsystem performance.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The 8940HX pairs with a Radeon 610M, while the AI 7 450 includes a Radeon 860M. The AI 7 450 also supports ECC memory, which the 8940HX does not. PCIe capability differs: the 8940HX uses Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while the AI 7 450 uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Memory support overlaps on DDR5, but the AI 7 450 adds LPDDR5X support and shows a slightly higher memory bandwidth figure of 89.6 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s for the 8940HX.

The sockets are different: the 8940HX uses AMD Socket FL1, while the AI 7 450 uses AMD Socket FP8. The 8940HX has an unlocked multiplier, while the AI 7 450 does not. The 8940HX belongs to the 8000 series, while the AI 7 450 belongs to the Ryzen AI 400 series. The release dates differ, with the 8940HX appearing in the database on 2025-04-22 and the AI 7 450 on 2026-01-04.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the entire comparison belongs to the 8940HX in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 251 against 89, a 182% advantage. This test is highly parallel and cache-sensitive, so the combination of 16 cores and 64 MB of L3 gives the 8940HX a massive edge. Data encryption shows a 142% lead (39318 versus 16247), indicating that the 8940HX handles cryptographic workloads far better, likely due to more cores and the larger cache. Extended instructions show a 113.4% margin (47802 versus 22400), and integer math shows 113.7% (189221 versus 88531). Floating-point math follows at 109.2% (113921 versus 54447). Data compression shows 106.1% (650984 versus 315906). Random string sorting shows 111.5% (75381 versus 35648). Multi-thread shows 88.7% (49731 versus 26350). Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 97.4% (5355 versus 2713). Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 77.6% (32521 versus 18316). Physics shows the smallest multi-core margin at 33.3% (2104 versus 1578).

The AI 7 450 wins are narrower. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2038 versus 1917, a 5.9% margin. PassMark single-thread shows 3901 versus 3874, a 0.7% margin. The single-thread score appears twice in the database under two test names, and both record the same result. These wins show the newer Zen 5 core has a per-thread advantage, but it is modest. The 8940HX still wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 292 versus 215, a 35.8% margin, which is interesting because the R15 single-core test is older and may be less optimized for the newer architecture. That result, though, is the only single-core test where the 8940HX wins.

The overall pattern is unambiguous. The 8940HX wins every test that can use more than a couple of cores, and it wins most of them by large margins. The AI 7 450 wins only the modern single-core tests, and by small margins. Any workload that scales across threads will favor the 8940HX significantly.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The 8940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the AI 7 450 has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clock differs: 2.40 GHz for the 8940HX versus 2.00 GHz for the AI 7 450. Boost clock differs: 5.30 GHz for the 8940HX versus 5.10 GHz for the AI 7 450. The 8940HX carries a 55 W TDP, while the AI 7 450 carries a 28 W TDP. The 8940HX uses AMD Socket FL1, the AI 7 450 uses AMD Socket FP8. Architecture differs: Zen 4 versus Zen 5. Process node differs: 5 nm versus 4 nm. Cache differs: the 8940HX has 64 KB L1 per core and 64 MB L3, while the AI 7 450 has 80 KB L1 per core and 8 MB L3. Both have 1 MB L2 per core. Memory support differs: the 8940HX supports DDR5 only, while the AI 7 450 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. Memory bandwidth differs: 83.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. ECC support differs: the 8940HX does not support ECC, the AI 7 450 does. PCIe differs: Gen 5 with 28 lanes versus Gen 4 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 610M versus Radeon 860M. The multiplier is unlocked on the 8940HX but locked on the AI 7 450. Release dates differ: 2025-04-22 versus 2026-01-04.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Ryzen 9 8940HX wins every multi-core test in the database, with margins ranging from 33.3% in PassMark physics to 182% in PassMark find prime numbers.

Q: Which processor wins single-core tests?

A: The Ryzen AI 7 450 wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 5.9% and PassMark single-thread by 0.7%, but the Ryzen 9 8940HX wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 35.8%.

Q: How do the cache sizes compare?

A: The Ryzen 9 8940HX has 64 KB of L1 per core and 64 MB of L3 cache, while the Ryzen AI 7 450 has 80 KB of L1 per core and 8 MB of L3 cache. Both have 1 MB of L2 per core.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Ryzen 9 8940HX has a 55 W TDP, while the Ryzen AI 7 450 has a 28 W TDP.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Ryzen AI 7 450 supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen 9 8940HX does not.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare?

A: The Ryzen 9 8940HX includes a Radeon 610M, while the Ryzen AI 7 450 includes a Radeon 860M.

The Verdict

The data clearly separates these two processors by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is the stronger part for any multithreaded task. Its 16 cores, 32 threads, and 64 MB of L3 cache deliver leads of 77.6% to 182% across rendering, encryption, compression, math, and sorting benchmarks. Its average benchmark score of 81103 places it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i9-14900KS and AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395, both with average scores within 0.5%. The 8940HX also wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test by 35.8%, showing that its older architecture still handles legacy tests well.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 is the more efficient part, with a 28 W TDP versus 55 W, and it uses a newer Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm process. It wins only the modern single-core tests, and by small margins: 5.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core and 0.7% in PassMark single-thread. Its 8 MB of L3 cache is a significant limitation for data-heavy workloads, and its average benchmark score of 39485 places it at the 87th percentile. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS and AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with scores within 0.7%.

Users who run renderers, compilers, data compression, encryption, or any parallel compute workload should select the Ryzen 9 8940HX. The margins are too large to ignore. Users who prioritize single-thread performance in modern applications and want lower power consumption should consider the Ryzen AI 7 450, but the single-thread advantage is small. The 8940HX is the faster processor overall, winning 12 of 15 tests, and its only losses are narrow single-thread margins. The AI 7 450 offers better efficiency and a newer core design, but the recorded data shows it cannot match the 8940HX in throughput.