AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core i9-14900K Comparison

The Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX represent two distinct philosophies in high-end computing: a desktop flagship designed for maximum power and a mobile processor engineered for efficiency. The benchmark data reveals a clear overall winner, but the nuances of where each chip excels tell a more complex story. With 13 benchmark wins for Intel and 2 for AMD, the head-to-head results are lopsided, yet the AMD processor’s specific victories and architectural advantages provide a compelling counter-narrative.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the comparison is in the Passmark physics test, where the Intel Core i9-14900K scores 3140 against the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX’s 2104. This translates to a massive 49.2% advantage for Intel, the largest single delta in the entire data set. This suggests a significant performance gulf in workloads that stress physical simulation and rigid body dynamics, likely benefiting from the Intel chip’s higher clock speeds and desktop-class power delivery.

In the Cinebench suite, Intel’s dominance is consistent and substantial. In R23 multi-core, the i9-14900K posts 39399.5 points versus 32521 for the Ryzen 9 8940HX, a 21.2% lead. The single-core R23 result is similarly decisive, with Intel ahead by 18% (2262.5 vs 1917). The older R15 benchmark shows a tighter but still comfortable margin: Intel wins multi-core by 14% (6103 vs 5355) and single-core by 11.1% (324.5 vs 292). These results indicate that the Intel chip holds a clear edge across both heavily threaded and lightly threaded rendering tasks.

The Passmark integer math test shows Intel’s lead narrowing to 11.3%, with scores of 210622 versus 189221. Data compression also favors Intel by 21.8% (792694 vs 650984), while data encryption shows a 19.1% advantage (46813 vs 39318). Floating-point math is another strong area for Intel, with a 34.3% lead (152975 vs 113921). Random string sorting goes to Intel by 15.4% (86971 vs 75381), and the multi-threaded Passmark score is 18% higher (58674 vs 49731). Even in single-threaded Passmark, Intel wins by 21.2% (4697 vs 3874).

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX’s victories are narrower but notable. It wins the Passmark extended instructions test by 5.5%, scoring 47802 against Intel’s 45154. It also edges out Intel in the find prime numbers test, winning by 8% with a score of 251 versus 231. These wins suggest that in specific algorithmic workloads—likely those leveraging newer instruction sets or highly optimized integer loops—the Zen 4 architecture can pull ahead, even against a chip with a higher clock speed.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The Intel Core i9-14900K uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, by contrast, is based on Zen 4 with the Dragon Range codename, built on TSMC’s 5 nm process. It has 16 cores and 32 threads, meaning it relies on simultaneous multithreading to match Intel’s thread count.

The cache configurations differ significantly. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. AMD’s design offers 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, but a much larger 64 MB of L3 cache. This larger L3 pool on the AMD chip is often beneficial for certain data-heavy workloads, though the benchmark data shows it does not overcome Intel’s raw throughput in most tests.

The memory and I/O capabilities also diverge. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while AMD supports only DDR5. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, but AMD specifies a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Intel’s PCIe configuration offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, whereas AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes. The Intel chip includes UHD Graphics 770 integrated graphics, while the AMD chip has a Radeon 610M. Power envelopes are starkly different: the Intel chip has a 125 W TDP, while the AMD chip is rated at 55 W, reflecting its mobile design intent. The Intel chip is also unlocked, and its launch MSRP is $589; the AMD chip has no launch MSRP listed.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-14900K is the clear choice for compute-heavy, multi-threaded desktop workloads. Its 49.2% lead in physics and 34.3% lead in floating-point math indicate a strong advantage for scientific simulations, video rendering, and 3D modeling. The 21.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 21.8% lead in data compression reinforce its suitability for content creation and file archiving. For users who prioritize maximum performance in professional applications and do not have strict power constraints, the data overwhelmingly points to the Intel part.

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, despite losing the majority of benchmarks, has a clear niche. Its wins in extended instructions and prime number finding suggest it has a more efficient architecture for specific integer-heavy or specialized instruction workloads. More importantly, its 55 W TDP compared to Intel’s 125 W TDP makes it the reasonable choice for mobile systems, where thermal and power budgets are critical. The data shows that the AMD chip can deliver competitive multi-threaded performance (only 18% behind in Passmark multi-thread) while consuming significantly less power, making it a superior option for a high-performance laptop.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K is decisively faster. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 39399.5 versus 32521 for the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, which is a 21.2% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins two of the 15 head-to-head tests. It beats the Intel chip by 5.5% in Passmark extended instructions and by 8% in Passmark find prime numbers.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has 24 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 16 cores. Both processors have 32 threads.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The Intel chip has a TDP of 125 W, while the AMD chip has a TDP of 55 W. This is a major factor in their intended use cases.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 64 MB of shared L3 cache, which is nearly double the 36 MB shared L3 on the Intel Core i9-14900K.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the data?

A: The largest gap is in the Passmark physics test, where the Intel Core i9-14900K leads by 49.2% with a score of 3140 versus 2104 for the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX.

Specification Differences

• Manufacturer: Intel vs AMD
• Series: Core 14th Gen vs 8000 series
• Cores: 24 vs 16
• Base Clock: 3.20 GHz vs 2.40 GHz
• Boost Clock: 6.00 GHz vs 5.30 GHz
• TDP: 125 W vs 55 W
• Socket: Intel Socket 1700 vs AMD Socket FL1
• Process Node: 10 nm vs 5 nm
• Foundry: Intel vs TSMC
• Transistors: N/A vs 13,140 million
• Die Size: 257 mm² vs 2x 71 mm²
• L1 Cache: 80 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
• L2 Cache: 2 MB (per core) vs 1 MB (per core)
• L3 Cache: 36 MB (shared) vs 64 MB
• Memory Support: DDR4, DDR5 vs DDR5
• Memory Bandwidth: N/A vs 83.2 GB/s
• ECC Memory: True vs False
• PCIe Lanes: 16 vs 28
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics 770 vs Radeon 610M
• Market Segment: Desktop vs Mobile
• Release Date: 2023-10-16 vs 2025-04-22
• Part Number: SRN48 vs 100-000001849

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous for raw performance: the Intel Core i9-14900K is the superior processor in almost every measurable way. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head tests, with margins ranging from 11.1% to a staggering 49.2%. For any user building a desktop workstation or gaming PC where power consumption is not a primary concern, the i9-14900K is the clear choice, delivering higher scores in rendering, physics, encryption, and general math workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, however, is not a failure. Its 55 W TDP is less than half of Intel’s 125 W, making it the only viable option for a high-performance laptop. The data shows that it can still achieve 82% of the Intel chip’s multi-threaded performance (49731 vs 58674 in Passmark) while using a fraction of the power. The choice is not about which is faster, but which fits the hardware form factor. If the target is a desktop, the Intel chip wins. If the target is a mobile workstation, the AMD chip is the correct pick based on power requirements alone. The data suggests that the 8940HX is an engineering marvel for its efficiency, but the 14900K is an unabashed performance king.