AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core 5 221TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data records a decisive sweep: the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins all 15 head-to-head tests against the Intel Core 5 221TE. No recorded test goes the other way. The margins are substantial across every category, from single-thread work to heavily parallel loads.

The largest single delta appears in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the AMD part scores 5355 against 1139 for the Intel, a 370.1% advantage. That same pattern repeats in PassMark extended instructions, where the AMD processor delivers 47802 against 9655, a 395.1% gap. Data encryption shows a 338.7% lead (39318 versus 8963), and integer math sits at 347.3% (189221 versus 42303). Random string sorting is close behind at 345.3% (75381 versus 16929). Data compression shows a 315.5% margin (650984 versus 156682), and find prime numbers shows 325.4% (251 versus 59).

Multi-threaded aggregate scores reinforce the same story. PassMark multithread gives the AMD part 49731 versus 13301, a 273.9% advantage. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 32521 versus 11305, a 187.7% lead. Floating point math comes in at 259.8% (113921 versus 31661). Physics simulation shows a smaller but still large gap of 115.4% (2104 versus 977).

Single-thread results narrow the gap but still favor AMD. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 292 versus 160, an 82.5% lead. PassMark single-thread shows 3874 versus 1734, a 123.4% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core shows the closest margin of any recorded test: 1917 versus 1596, a 20.1% lead. Even the smallest single-core win is well outside noise, but it indicates that the Intel part is relatively more competitive in lightly threaded work than in heavy parallel loads.

The average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is 81103, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 5 221TE averages 17860, which lands in the 71st percentile. The AMD processor sits alongside Intel Xeon w5-3535X (81115, 0% delta), Intel Core i9-14900KS (81127, 0% delta), AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 (80762, 0.4% delta), and Intel Xeon 638 (80723, 0.5% delta). The Intel Core 5 221TE sits near AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT (17891, -0.2% delta), Intel Core 5 120U (17898, -0.2% delta), Intel Core 7 350 (17779, 0.5% delta), and AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (17994, -0.7% delta). The two CPUs are not merely on different performance tiers; their nearest rivals do not overlap at all.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports one clear conclusion: the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX outperforms the Intel Core 5 221TE in every benchmark test captured in the database. There is no recorded workload category where the Intel part takes a win. The average score gap is roughly 4.5x in favor of AMD (81103 versus 17860), and the percentile ranking gap is 95th versus 71st.

The Intel Core 5 221TE does carry a launch MSRP of $232, and it supports ECC memory, which the AMD part does not. Those are genuine differentiators for specific system requirements. The data cannot tell a buyer to ignore ECC support or a lower launch price, because those are features and costs, not benchmark scores. But on pure performance measurements, this comparison is one-sided. Anyone choosing the Intel part would be doing so for platform traits, not for measured speed.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins every recorded benchmark, so the use-case split is defined by the size of the margins rather than by which side takes a category. The largest AMD advantages are in multi-core and throughput-heavy workloads: Cinebench R15 multi-core (370.1%), extended instructions (395.1%), data encryption (338.7%), integer math (347.3%), random string sorting (345.3%), and data compression (315.5%). These are workloads that scale with core count, thread count, and cache capacity, and the AMD part has 16 cores and 32 threads against 10 cores and 16 threads.

The smallest AMD advantage appears in Cinebench R23 single-core at 20.1%. Single-thread performance is the closest contest, which makes sense given the boost clocks: the AMD part boosts to 5.30 GHz, the Intel part to 5.00 GHz. Even so, the AMD processor still wins single-thread tests by margins ranging from 20.1% to 123.4%.

The Intel Core 5 221TE shows no recorded wins, but its profile suggests it is not aimed at the same performance envelope. Its 45 TDP, 10 cores, 16 threads, and socket LGA 1700 target a different platform class. The database does not record any test where it beats the AMD part, so a use-case analysis can only note that its strengths, if any, do not appear in these measurements.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX scores 32521 versus 11305 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 187.7% advantage.

Q: How large is the single-thread gap in PassMark?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX scores 3874 against 1734 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 123.4% lead.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 221TE win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins all 15 recorded head-to-head tests, with no wins recorded for the Intel part.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has an average benchmark score of 81103, while the Intel Core 5 221TE averages 17860.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX does not.

Q: How do their CPU percentile rankings compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 221TE sits in the 71st percentile.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX uses Zen 4 architecture on the Dragon Range codename, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 5 221TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm process at Intel. The AMD part is a mobile processor in the 8000 series, while the Intel part is a desktop processor.

Core and thread counts differ sharply. The AMD processor has 16 cores and 32 threads; the Intel processor has 10 cores and 16 threads. The AMD part has 5 nm process technology versus 10 nm for Intel. Transistor count is recorded only for the AMD part at 13,140 million; the Intel transistor count is not listed. Die size also differs: the AMD part uses a 2x 71 mm² configuration, while the Intel die is 215 mm².

Cache organization differs between the two. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. Neither part has 3D V-Cache, per the database.

The AMD processor supports DDR5 memory only, while the Intel processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD side at 83.2 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s. ECC memory is supported only on the Intel part.

Integrated graphics also differ: the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX uses Radeon 610M, while the Intel Core 5 221TE uses UHD Graphics 730. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel processor is locked. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FL1, and the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes, while the Intel part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

Specification Differences

The base clock differs: the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX runs at 2.40 GHz base, the Intel Core 5 221TE at 1.80 GHz. Boost clocks are 5.30 GHz for AMD and 5.00 GHz for Intel. TDP differs as well: 55 W for the AMD part versus 45 W for the Intel part.

Core and thread counts are 16 cores and 32 threads for AMD against 10 cores and 16 threads for Intel. The process node is 5 nm for AMD and 10 nm for Intel. The AMD part was released on 2025-04-22, while the Intel part was released on 2025-01-12. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $232; the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP.

The AMD part has 64 MB of L3 cache; the Intel part has 24 MB of shared L3. Memory support differs: AMD is DDR5 only, Intel is DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 83.2 GB/s for AMD versus 76.8 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory is false for AMD and true for Intel. PCIe lane counts are 28 for AMD and 16 for Intel. The market segment is mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel. The Intel part has a part number of SRVQS, while the AMD part is 100-000001849. The AMD multiplier is unlocked; the Intel multiplier is locked.