AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core i7-14701TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive overall picture: the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins 14 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-14701TE takes one. The average benchmark score tells the same story, with the AMD part at 81103 versus 26013 for Intel, placing the Ryzen at the 95th percentile of all CPUs compared to the Core i7's 78th.

The most lopsided victory for AMD comes in PassMark data encryption, where the Ryzen 9 8940HX scores 39318 against 11699 for the Intel chip, a delta of 236.1%. That result indicates a substantial advantage in cryptographic workloads. Similarly, PassMark random string sorting shows a 231.2% gap, with 75381 versus 22760. Extended instructions also heavily favor AMD, 47802 to 14354, a 233% difference, suggesting the Ryzen 9 handles SIMD and specialized instruction sets with far greater throughput.

Multi-core rendering workloads continue the trend. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD processor posts 5355 versus 1716 for Intel, a 212.1% margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 90.9% lead, with 32521 against 17035. The Ryzen 9 8940HX also wins PassMark multi-thread by 148.1%, recording 49731 to 20042. Integer math follows the pattern, with AMD at 189221 and Intel at 65792, a 187.6% advantage. Floating-point math shows a 126.8% gap, 113921 to 50219.

The AMD chip dominates compression work as well. PassMark data compression scores 650984 for the Ryzen 9 against 220520 for the Core i7, a 195.2% delta. Prime number finding, a test sensitive to core count and memory latency, favors AMD by 75.5%, with scores of 251 and 143. Even the physics test, often a mixed workload, goes to AMD by 13.1%, 2104 to 1860.

The single exception is Cinebench R23 single-core. Here the Intel Core i7-14701TE wins with 2405 against 1917, a 20.3% advantage. That result shows Intel's Raptor Lake architecture retains a clear lead in lightly threaded, clock-sensitive workloads. However, in PassMark single-thread, the AMD part wins by 46.9%, scoring 3874 versus 2637. The Cinebench R15 single-core test also goes to AMD, 292 to 242, a 20.7% margin. So the Intel victory in R23 single-core is an outlier rather than a consistent trend. The data suggests the Ryzen 9 8940HX holds a strong overall advantage across both multi-core and most single-threaded tests, with the Intel chip only taking the one specific rendering benchmark.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. 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 i7-14701TE uses Raptor Lake, specifically Raptor Lake-R, on a 10 nm process at Intel's own fabs. The process node difference is significant: TSMC's 5 nm process versus Intel's 10 nm node, which affects density and power characteristics.

Core counts diverge sharply. The AMD part has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel part has 8 cores and 16 threads. That doubling of core and thread counts explains much of the multi-core benchmark gap. The Ryzen 9 8940HX also has a higher base clock at 2.40 GHz versus 2.10 GHz, and a higher boost clock at 5.30 GHz versus 5.20 GHz. The TDP reflects the mobile positioning of the AMD chip at 55 watts, while the Intel desktop part is rated at 45 watts.

Cache layouts differ as well. The AMD processor offers 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel processor has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has a larger per-core L1 and L2 allocation, but the AMD chip's total L3 capacity is nearly double at 64 MB versus 33 MB. The AMD die size is listed as 2x 71 mm², while the Intel die measures 257 mm², with the AMD part using 13,140 million transistors.

Memory support also separates the two. The Ryzen 9 8940HX supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a recorded bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel Core i7-14701TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but no memory bandwidth figure is recorded. The Intel part supports ECC memory, while the AMD part does not. PCIe connectivity shows the AMD chip with Gen 5 and 28 lanes, while the Intel chip has Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ by vendor. The AMD part uses Radeon 610M, while the Intel part uses UHD Graphics 770. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel processor is locked. Socket types are incompatible: AMD uses Socket FL1, while Intel uses Socket 1700. The market segments also differ, with the AMD chip classified as Mobile and the Intel chip as Desktop. Release dates show the Intel part arriving in 2024-06-30, while the AMD part came later in 2025-04-22.

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 i7-14701TE has 8 cores and 16 threads. That core count difference drives the AMD chip's large multi-core benchmark leads.

Q: Does the Intel chip win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-14701TE wins Cinebench R23 single-core with a score of 2405 versus 1917 for the AMD chip, a 20.3% advantage. It is the only head-to-head test where Intel comes out ahead.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX supports DDR5 memory only. The Intel Core i7-14701TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but only the AMD part has a recorded bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701TE supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX does not. This could matter for error-sensitive workloads.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has a TDP of 55 watts, and the Intel Core i7-14701TE has a TDP of 45 watts. The AMD part is classified as a mobile processor, while the Intel part is a desktop processor.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX uses Radeon 610M graphics, while the Intel Core i7-14701TE uses UHD Graphics 770. No benchmark scores for the integrated GPUs are recorded in the database.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field. Core count: AMD has 16 cores, Intel has 8. Threads: AMD has 32, Intel has 16. Base clock: AMD at 2.40 GHz, Intel at 2.10 GHz. Boost clock: AMD at 5.30 GHz, Intel at 5.20 GHz. TDP: AMD at 55 watts, Intel at 45 watts. Socket: AMD uses Socket FL1, Intel uses Socket 1700. Architecture: Zen 4 versus Raptor Lake. Codename: Dragon Range versus Raptor Lake-R. Process node: 5 nm versus 10 nm. Foundry: TSMC versus Intel. Transistors: 13,140 million for AMD, no figure recorded for Intel. Die size: 2x 71 mm² for AMD, 257 mm² for Intel.

Cache configuration differs by level. L1 cache: 64 KB per core for AMD, 80 KB per core for Intel. L2 cache: 1 MB per core for AMD, 2 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache: 64 MB for AMD, 33 MB shared for Intel. Memory support: DDR5 only for AMD, DDR4 and DDR5 for Intel. Memory bandwidth: 83.2 GB/s for AMD, no figure for Intel. ECC support: false for AMD, true for Intel. PCIe lanes: 28 for AMD, 16 for Intel. Integrated graphics: Radeon 610M versus UHD Graphics 770. Market segment: Mobile versus Desktop. Release date: 2025-04-22 for AMD, 2024-06-30 for Intel. Multiplier unlocked: true for AMD, false for Intel. The Intel part has a higher per-core L1 and L2 cache allocation, but the AMD part holds a large L3 advantage and a much higher core count.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins across almost every workload category recorded in the database. Multi-core rendering, as shown by Cinebench R15 multi-core and R23 multi-core scores, goes decisively to AMD. Data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating-point math, integer math, multi-thread performance, physics simulation, random string sorting, and single-thread performance in PassMark all favor the AMD part. The 16-core, 32-thread configuration with 64 MB of L3 cache makes it the clear choice for heavily parallel workloads, content creation, and compute-intensive tasks. Its mobile classification with a 55 watt TDP and 5.30 GHz boost clock also positions it as a high-end option for portable systems that need desktop-class throughput.

The Intel Core i7-14701TE wins only in Cinebench R23 single-core, with a 20.3% margin. That result, combined with its higher per-core L1 and L2 cache allocations, suggests the Intel architecture holds an edge in specific lightly threaded rendering scenarios. The Intel chip also supports ECC memory and both DDR4 and DDR5, which gives it flexibility for systems requiring error-correcting memory or legacy memory modules. Its 45 watt TDP and desktop classification make it a lower-power, lower-core-count option. The locked multiplier means no overclocking, but the 5.20 GHz boost clock is competitive. For users prioritizing single-core Cinebench R23 performance, ECC support, or memory type flexibility, the Intel part has a role. For everything else in the recorded data, the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX delivers substantially higher scores, often by triple-digit percentage margins.