AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core i9-14901E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits these two processors into clear domains. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins 10 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i9-14901E takes 5. The margin of victory matters more than the count. AMD's wins are frequently massive, while Intel's are concentrated in single-threaded workloads.

The largest gap in the entire comparison appears in PassMark extended instructions. AMD scores 47,802 against Intel's 17,249, a delta of 177.1%. This is the widest single margin recorded between the two. Data compression shows a similar story: AMD posts 650,984 versus 288,777, a 125.4% advantage. Data encryption follows at 111.7% ahead, with AMD at 39,318 and Intel at 18,571.

Cinebench R15 multicore delivers the second-largest delta. AMD scores 5,355, Intel 2,595, a 106.4% advantage. Random string sorting favors AMD by 92.6% (75,381 versus 39,138). Integer math shows AMD ahead by 67.8% (189,221 versus 112,736). PassMark multithread gives AMD 49,731 against Intel's 30,298, a 64.1% edge. Floating point math adds another AMD win at 40.5% (113,921 versus 81,089). Prime number finding is closer but still AMD's, 251 versus 189, a 32.8% delta.

Cinebench R23 multicore is the narrowest AMD win. AMD scores 32,521, Intel 25,753, a 26.3% advantage. That remains a decisive margin for a heavily threaded rendering workload, but it is the smallest of AMD's victories.

Intel's wins are all in single-thread or lightly-threaded tests. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows Intel at 3,635 versus AMD's 1,917, a 47.3% lead. Cinebench R15 singlecore gives Intel 366 against 292, a 20.2% edge. PassMark single thread (listed twice as single_thread and singlethread with identical scores) shows Intel at 4,354 versus 3,874, an 11% advantage. PassMark physics favors Intel by 30.8%, 3,041 versus 2,104. That physics result is notable because it is the only multi-threaded-adjacent test Intel wins, and the margin is substantial.

The average benchmark scores reflect the overall split. AMD's average is 81,103, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Intel's average is 37,911, in the 86th percentile. AMD's nearest rivals by average score include the Intel Xeon w5-3535X at 81,115 (0% delta) and the Intel Core i9-14900KS at 81,127 (0% delta). Intel's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at 37,904 (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X at 37,943 (-0.1% delta). The gap between the two processors' average scores is 43,192 points, which is larger than Intel's entire average score.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different design philosophies. AMD uses Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, with the Dragon Range codename and a mobile market segment designation. Intel uses Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm Intel process, with the Raptor Lake-R codename and a desktop market segment designation.

Core counts diverge sharply. AMD provides 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel provides 8 cores and 16 threads. AMD's core and thread counts are exactly double Intel's. The cache hierarchy also differs. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. Intel has more private cache per core but far less total L3.

The process node gap is significant. AMD's 5 nm TSMC process allows 13,140 million transistors across a dual-die layout of 2x 71 mm². Intel's 10 nm process uses a single 257 mm² die; the database does not record a transistor count for Intel. Die size alone does not determine performance, but the density difference is evident in the power envelope. AMD's TDP is 55 watts, Intel's is 65 watts. AMD delivers twice the cores and twice the threads at a lower TDP.

Socket and platform support differ completely. AMD uses Socket FL1, Intel uses Socket 1700. AMD's PCIe implementation provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only). Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). AMD supports DDR5 memory only, dual-channel, with a recorded bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel, with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. AMD does not support ECC memory; Intel does.

Integrated graphics also differ. AMD includes Radeon 610M. Intel includes UHD Graphics 770. AMD's multiplier is unlocked; Intel's is locked. Release dates are separated by roughly ten months: Intel launched on 2024-06-30, AMD on 2025-04-22. Both are listed as Active in production status.

The architecture differences explain the benchmark split. AMD's 16 Zen 4 cores with 64 MB of L3 excel at parallel throughput. Intel's 8 Raptor Lake cores with higher per-core cache run faster on single-threaded tasks. The TDP figures reinforce this: AMD sustains heavy multi-threaded loads within 55 watts, while Intel's 65-watt design prioritizes higher clock behavior.

Where Each One Wins

AMD dominates any workload that scales with core count, thread count, or large shared cache. The PassMark results show this clearly. Data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, integer math, floating point math, multithread, random string sorting, and prime number finding all go to AMD. The deltas range from 32.8% to 177.1%. Cinebench R15 and R23 multicore also go to AMD, with the R23 result at 26.3% being the smallest multi-threaded win.

The extended instructions result deserves attention. AMD's 177.1% lead suggests the Zen 4 implementation handles AVX-class workloads far more efficiently in this comparison. Data compression at 125.4% and encryption at 111.7% indicate strong throughput for archival, database, and security-related tasks. Random string sorting at 92.6% points to memory and cache behavior that benefits from the 64 MB L3.

Intel wins single-threaded and lightly-threaded tasks. Cinebench R23 singlecore is Intel's best result, a 47.3% lead. Cinebench R15 singlecore follows at 20.2%. PassMark single thread shows an 11% edge. PassMark physics, which measures a specific simulated physics workload, goes to Intel by 30.8%. That physics result is the outlier: it is the only Intel win that is not purely single-threaded, yet the margin is larger than Intel's single-thread wins.

Users working with rendering engines that use many cores will favor AMD. Users running applications that depend heavily on single-core speed, such as certain legacy software or lightly threaded games, will see Intel's advantage. The data does not record gaming benchmarks, so no claim about gaming performance can be made beyond what the listed tests show.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear division. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is the stronger processor for parallel workloads. Its 16 cores, 32 threads, and 64 MB L3 produce wins in 10 of 15 head-to-head tests, including all compression, encryption, math, and multi-threaded rendering tests. Its average benchmark score of 81,103 places it in the 95th percentile, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon w5-3535X and Intel Core i9-14900KS, both at negligible deltas.

The Intel Core i9-14901E is the stronger processor for single-threaded workloads. Its Cinebench R23 singlecore score of 3,635 beats AMD's 1,917 by 47.3%, and its PassMark single-thread score of 4,354 beats AMD's 3,874 by 11%. Its average score of 37,911 places it in the 86th percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and AMD Ryzen 7 9700X.

The choice depends on workload shape. A system built around heavily threaded compute tasks should use the AMD part. A system focused on single-thread responsiveness should use the Intel part. The TDP difference, 55 watts for AMD versus 65 watts for Intel, adds a power efficiency argument for AMD in sustained multi-threaded work, though the database does not record actual power consumption measurements.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core i9-14901E has 8 cores and 16 threads. AMD has exactly double the core and thread counts.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: PassMark extended instructions shows AMD at 47,802 versus Intel at 17,249, a 177.1% delta. This is the widest gap in the head-to-head data.

Q: Does Intel win any tests?

A: Yes. Intel wins Cinebench R15 singlecore, Cinebench R23 singlecore, PassMark physics, and PassMark single thread (recorded twice). The largest Intel win is Cinebench R23 singlecore at 47.3%.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: AMD supports DDR5 only, dual-channel, with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel, with no bandwidth figure recorded.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX does not.

Q: What are the TDP ratings?

A: AMD is rated at 55 watts. Intel is rated at 65 watts. AMD delivers more cores and threads at a lower TDP in the recorded specifications.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX | Intel Core i9-14901E |

|-------|---------------------|----------------------|

| Cores | 16 | 8 |

| Threads | 32 | 16 |

| Base clock | 2.40 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.30 GHz | 5.60 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FL1 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Raptor Lake |

| Codename | Dragon Range | Raptor Lake-R |

| Process node | 5 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 13,140 million | Not recorded |

| Die size | 2x 71 mm² | 257 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 64 MB | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | Not recorded |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 28 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 610M | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Release date | 2025-04-22 | 2024-06-30 |