AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded benchmark data presents an unambiguous hierarchy between these two mobile processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins all 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core 3 304 records zero wins. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 81103, placing it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Intel part averages 13745 and sits at the 68th percentile. This is not a close contest by any measure.

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is the clear choice for workloads that demand heavy multithreaded performance, content creation capability, and substantial compute throughput. Its nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Xeon w5-3535X with an average score of 81115, the Intel Core i9-14900KS at 81127, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 at 80762, and the Intel Xeon 638 at 80723. The Ryzen 9 8940HX sits within 0.5% of all four of those parts, which places it in flagship desktop and workstation territory despite being a mobile processor.

The Intel Core 3 304 targets a completely different segment. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX at 13786, the Intel Core i7-8750H at 13868, the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13594, and the AMD EPYC 7443 at 13936. The Intel part trails the Threadripper PRO 3975WX by 0.3%, trails the Core i7-8750H by 0.9%, leads the Core 5 120UL by 1.1%, and trails the EPYC 7443 by 1.4%. This places it in the range of older high-end mobile chips and lower-tier workstation parts.

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is designed for users who need maximum compute density in a mobile platform, while the Intel Core 3 304 is engineered for efficiency-focused systems where moderate performance is acceptable. The launch MSRP for the Intel Core 3 304 is $309. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins in every recorded benchmark category. The largest margins come in heavily parallel workloads. In PassMark integer math, the AMD part scores 189221 against 24640 for the Intel part, a 667.9% advantage. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 32521 for AMD versus 5263 for Intel, a 517.9% lead. Cinebench R15 multicore delivers 5355 against 849, a 530.7% margin. Data compression shows 650984 versus 114775, a 467.2% difference. Random string sorting records 75381 against 13659, a 451.9% lead.

The AMD processor also dominates in encryption and extended instruction workloads. PassMark data encryption scores 39318 versus 8501, a 362.5% margin. Extended instructions show 47802 against 9686, a 393.5% difference. Floating point math records 113921 versus 29722, a 283.3% lead. PassMark multithread shows 49731 versus 11625, a 327.8% margin. Find prime numbers records 251 versus 68, a 269.1% lead. Physics simulation shows 2104 against 868, a 142.4% difference.

The single-threaded results are much closer, which indicates that the Intel architecture has competitive per-core performance. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows 1917 for AMD against 1765 for Intel, a modest 8.6% lead. Cinebench R15 singlecore records 292 versus 264, a 10.6% margin. PassMark single thread shows 3874 versus 3614, a 7.2% difference. The AMD part still wins these tests, but the gaps are small compared to the multithreaded results.

The use-case split is clear from the data. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is the appropriate choice for rendering, compilation, simulation, scientific computing, and any workload that scales across many threads. The Intel Core 3 304 delivers serviceable single-thread performance but falls far behind in every parallel workload. For systems where battery life and low power draw matter more than raw throughput, the Intel part has a role, but the benchmark data cannot justify choosing it for performance reasons.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Dragon Range codename, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename with a 3 nm process at Intel. Both are mobile processors, but their design philosophies diverge sharply.

The AMD part integrates 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The Intel part has 5 cores and 5 threads, with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The thread counts reveal a fundamental difference: the AMD processor supports simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel part has equal core and thread counts, indicating no SMT support.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 64 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core 3 304 has 192 KB of L1 cache total, 2.5 MB of L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part also has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD processor uses DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel processor supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. Neither part supports ECC memory. The PCIe configuration differs as well: the AMD part offers Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics differ. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX includes Radeon 610M graphics, while the Intel Core 3 304 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core. The transistor count for the AMD part is 13,140 million across a die size of 2x 71 mm². No transistor count or die size is recorded for the Intel part.

Power targets diverge significantly. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has a TDP of 55 watts, while the Intel Core 3 304 has a TDP of 15 watts. This explains the performance gap: the AMD part consumes substantially more power to deliver its massive multithreaded advantage. The Intel part's low power target makes it suitable for fanless or lightly cooled designs, though the database does not record any thermal or battery life measurements.

The release dates differ by nearly a year. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX was released on 2025-04-22, while the Intel Core 3 304 was released on 2026-04-15. Both parts remain in active production according to the database. The AMD part uses the AMD Socket FL1, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 1516. The part numbers are 100-000001849 for AMD and SAE3K for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads.

Q: How large is the performance gap in multithreaded workloads?

A: In Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX scores 32521 against 5263 for the Intel Core 3 304, a 517.9% advantage. PassMark multithread shows 49731 versus 11625, a 327.8% margin.

Q: Are the single-threaded results close?

A: Yes, relatively close. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows 1917 for AMD against 1765 for Intel, an 8.6% lead. PassMark single thread records 3874 versus 3614, a 7.2% difference.

Q: What are the memory specifications for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX uses DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core 3 304 uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX boosts to 5.30 GHz, while the Intel Core 3 304 boosts to 4.30 GHz.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has a TDP of 55 watts, while the Intel Core 3 304 has a TDP of 15 watts.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX compare to its nearest rivals?

A: Its nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon w5-3535X at 81115, the Intel Core i9-14950KS at 81127, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 at 80762, and the Intel Xeon 638 at 80723. The AMD part is within 0.5% of all four.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table records 15 comparisons, and the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins all of them. The largest margin is in PassMark integer math, where the AMD part scores 189221 against 24640 for Intel, a 667.9% advantage. This test measures raw integer computation throughput, and the 16-core, 32-thread AMD processor simply overwhelms the 5-core, 5-thread Intel part.

Cinebench R15 multicore shows 5355 for AMD versus 849 for Intel, a 530.7% margin. Cinebench R23 multicore records 32521 versus 5263, a 517.9% lead. These are the two primary rendering benchmarks in the database, and both confirm that the AMD part delivers over six times the multithreaded rendering performance of the Intel part.

Data compression in PassMark shows 650984 for AMD against 114775 for Intel, a 467.2% difference. Random string sorting records 75381 versus 13659, a 451.9% lead. These tests exercise memory bandwidth and cache efficiency, and the AMD part's 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel 83.2 GB/s memory bus provide a clear structural advantage over the Intel part's 6 MB of shared L3 cache and single-channel 59.7 GB/s bus.

Extended instructions show 47802 for AMD versus 9686 for Intel, a 393.5% margin. Data encryption records 39318 against 8501, a 362.5% lead. PassMark multithread shows 49731 versus 11625, a 327.8% difference. Floating point math records 113921 versus 29722, a 283.3% lead. Find prime numbers shows 251 versus 68, a 269.1% margin. Physics simulation records 2104 versus 868, a 142.4% difference.

The single-threaded results are much tighter but still favor AMD. Cinebench R15 singlecore shows 292 for AMD versus 264 for Intel, a 10.6% lead. Cinebench R23 singlecore records 1917 versus 1765, an 8.6% margin. PassMark single thread shows 3874 versus 3614, a 7.2% difference. The PassMark database records the single-thread test twice under slightly different names, and both entries show the same scores and the same 7.2% margin.

The overall average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is 81103, placing it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 3 304 averages 13745, placing it at the 68th percentile. The AMD part's average score is roughly 5.9 times higher than the Intel part's average, which mirrors the multithreaded benchmark margins.

The nearest rival data for the AMD part confirms its position among high-end processors. The Intel Xeon w5-3535X scores 81115 with a 0% delta, the Intel Core i9-14900KS scores 81127 with a 0% delta, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 scores 80762 with a 0.4% delta, and the Intel Xeon 638 scores 80723 with a 0.5% delta. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is effectively tied with these desktop and workstation parts, which is remarkable for a mobile processor.

The nearest rival data for the Intel Core 3 304 tells a different story. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX scores 13786 with a -0.3% delta, the Intel Core i7-8750H scores 13868 with a -0.9% delta, the Intel Core 5 120UL scores 13594 with a 1.1% delta, and the AMD EPYC 7443 scores 13936 with a -1.4% delta. The Intel part is competitive with these older or lower-tier parts, but it does not approach the performance class of the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX.

The benchmark data does not record any scenario where the Intel Core 3 304 outperforms the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX. Every test in the head-to-head table favors AMD, and the margins range from 7.2% in single-threaded PassMark to 667.9% in integer math. The Intel part's lower TDP of 15 watts versus 55 watts for AMD suggests an efficiency-oriented design, but the database contains no power efficiency measurements to quantify that tradeoff. The recorded data shows that the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is in a different performance class entirely.