AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core Ultra X7 358H Comparison

AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core Ultra X7 358H

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX and Intel Core Ultra X7 358H target different performance profiles within the mobile segment. The data shows a clear split: AMD dominates heavily threaded workloads, while Intel wins single-thread and specific specialized tests. Across 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, the Ryzen 9 8940HX takes 9 wins, with the Core Ultra X7 358H taking 6. The average benchmark scores reflect this divide, with the AMD chip scoring 81,103 and placing in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while Intel scores 40,967 and sits in the 87th percentile. These are two very different interpretations of a 16-core mobile processor.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX comes in PassMark integer math, where it scores 189,221 against Intel's 83,147, a massive 127.6% advantage. This workload heavily favors the AMD chip's 32 threads. Data compression shows a similar trend, with AMD scoring 650,984 versus 332,508, a 95.8% lead. Extended instructions follow at 75.3% ahead, with scores of 47,802 and 27,274. The Cinebench R23 multicore test shows AMD at 32,521 versus 18,747, a 73.5% gap, and Cinebench R15 multicore shows a 76.9% lead with scores of 5,355 and 3,027. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 86.8%, 75,381 to 40,357. Data encryption favors AMD by 51%, 39,318 to 26,046. PassMark multithread shows AMD at 49,731 versus 33,802, a 47.1% advantage. The closest AMD win is in floating point math, where it scores 113,921 against 103,842, a modest 9.7% lead.

The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H wins the single-thread tests. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows Intel at 2,080 against AMD's 1,917, a 7.8% lead. Cinebench R15 singlecore is closer, with Intel at 301.5 versus 292, a 3.2% edge. PassMark single thread and singlethread both show Intel at 4,124 versus 3,874, a 6.1% advantage. Intel also wins PassMark physics, scoring 3,021 against 2,104, a 30.4% lead. The PassMark find prime numbers test goes to Intel by 25.5%, with scores of 337 and 251. These wins indicate that Intel's architecture excels at latency-sensitive and lightly threaded tasks.

The Verdict

The recorded data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is the stronger processor for multithreaded content creation, compilation, and heavy data processing. Its 32 threads deliver leads of 47.1% to 127.6% across integer math, compression, encryption, and the Cinebench multicore tests. The average benchmark score of 81,103 places it alongside desktop-class parts; its nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon w5-3535X at 81,115, the Intel Core i9-14900KS at 81,127, and the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 at 80,762. The 8940HX is within 0.5% of those chips, which indicates it performs at a level far above typical mobile processors.

The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H is the choice when single-thread performance and power efficiency take priority. It wins every single-thread benchmark in the comparison, with a 7.8% lead in Cinebench R23 singlecore and a 6.1% lead in PassMark single thread. Its 25W TDP is less than half of AMD's 55W TDP, and its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 at 41,208 and Intel Core Ultra 7 356H at 41,215, show that it is positioned in the upper-midrange mobile tier. The physics test win of 30.4% also suggests better performance in specific simulation or game physics workloads. Users who need maximum parallel throughput should select the AMD, while those who prioritize responsive single-thread performance and lower power draw should consider the Intel.

Architecture Differences

The Ryzen 9 8940HX uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range, built on a 5 nm TSMC process with 13,140 million transistors across a die size of 2x 71 mm². It has 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The cache layout is 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. It uses DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The processor supports PCIe Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes and includes Radeon 610M integrated graphics. It has an unlocked multiplier, uses AMD Socket FL1, and the part number is 100-000001849.

The Core Ultra X7 358H uses the Panther Lake codename, built on a 3 nm Intel process. It has 16 cores and 16 threads, indicating no hyperthreading, with a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The cache configuration differs significantly: 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and only 18 MB of shared L3. It supports LPDDR5X memory in dual-channel mode with a much higher memory bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s. PCIe support is Gen 5 but only 4 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are the Arc B390. The multiplier is locked, the socket is Intel BGA 2540, and the part number is SA4RAQ9ET. The Intel chip relies on a higher memory bandwidth to offset its smaller L3 cache, while AMD uses a larger cache pool to feed its 32 threads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 32 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H has 16 threads, despite both having 16 cores.

Q: How much faster is AMD in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Ryzen 9 8940HX scores 32,521, which is 73.5% higher than the Intel chip's 18,747.

Q: Does Intel win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Core Ultra X7 358H wins all single-thread tests, plus PassMark physics and find prime numbers. Its Cinebench R23 singlecore score of 2,080 beats AMD's 1,917 by 7.8%.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has a TDP of 55W, while the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H has a TDP of 25W.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 64 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: How does memory bandwidth compare?

A: The Intel chip supports 153.6 GB/s over LPDDR5X, which is nearly double the AMD chip's 83.2 GB/s over DDR5, though AMD still wins most memory-sensitive compute benchmarks in this comparison.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX wins in all heavily parallel compute tasks. Integer math shows the largest gap at 127.6%. Data compression, which simulates archiving and file handling, favors AMD by 95.8%. Extended instruction workloads favor AMD by 75.3%. The Cinebench multicore results, which represent full-socket rendering, favor AMD by roughly 73.5% to 76.9%. Data encryption favors AMD by 51%, and random string sorting favors AMD by 86.8%. PassMark multithread shows a 47.1% lead. This processor is the obvious pick for 3D rendering, video encoding, database workloads, and any task that scales with thread count. Its 32 threads and 64 MB L3 cache provide the resources needed for sustained multithreaded throughput.

The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H wins the single-thread and latency-sensitive tests. PassMark physics shows a 30.4% lead, which may translate to better performance in physics simulation within games or engineering applications. The find prime numbers test shows a 25.5% lead, indicating stronger integer single-thread performance in specific algorithmic patterns. Single-thread Cinebench and PassMark scores are consistently higher for Intel by 3.2% to 7.8%. The Intel chip also has a massive memory bandwidth advantage at 153.6 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s, which could benefit certain streaming or bandwidth-bound workloads, though the benchmark data shows AMD still wins most data-heavy tests. The Intel chip's 25W TDP also makes it more suitable for thinner, cooler-running laptops, while the AMD chip's 55W TDP indicates a need for more robust cooling. For users who prioritize battery life and light-thread responsiveness, the Intel chip is the better fit. For users who need maximum compute throughput, the AMD chip is the clear winner.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 32 threads, the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H has 16. Base clocks are 2.40 GHz for AMD and 1.90 GHz for Intel, while boost clocks are 5.30 GHz and 4.80 GHz respectively. TDP differs substantially: AMD at 55W, Intel at 25W. The process nodes differ as well, with AMD on 5 nm TSMC and Intel on 3 nm Intel. Cache configurations diverge completely: AMD uses 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB L3, while Intel uses 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB L3. Memory support differs, with AMD using DDR5 and Intel using LPDDR5X, and memory bandwidth is 83.2 GB/s for AMD versus 153.6 GB/s for Intel. PCIe lane counts are 28 for AMD and 4 for Intel, both Gen 5. The integrated graphics are Radeon 610M for AMD and Arc B390 for Intel. AMD uses Socket FL1 and has an unlocked multiplier, while Intel uses BGA 2540 with a locked multiplier. The release dates also differ, with AMD listed as 2025-04-22 and Intel as 2026-01-04.