AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX vs Intel Core Ultra X9 388H Comparison

The database places the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H in different performance tiers. AMD’s average benchmark score is 81,103 against Intel’s 44,466, and the AMD part sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs while Intel sits at the 88th. In the 15 shared head-to-head tests, AMD records 9 wins and Intel records 6.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

AMD’s largest win is PassMark integer math, where it scores 189,221 to Intel’s 90,882, a delta of 108.2%. That is the only head-to-head test in which one part more than doubles the other. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD scores 5,355 to Intel’s 2,955, an 81.2% margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core follows at 72% ahead, with 32,521 against 18,911. PassMark data compression shows a 79.9% gap, 650,984 versus 361,763, and random string sorting is 71.3% ahead, 75,381 versus 44,010. Extended instructions favor AMD by 59.6%, 47,802 versus 29,943. Data encryption favors AMD by 38%, 39,318 versus 28,490. PassMark multithread favors AMD by 35.1%, 49,731 versus 36,811. Floating point math is nearly flat, with AMD ahead by 1.2%, 113,921 versus 112,550.

Intel’s wins are concentrated in single-thread and physics-style loads. PassMark physics gives Intel 3,226 to AMD’s 2,104, a 34.8% win. PassMark find prime numbers favors Intel by 29.9%, 358 versus 251. Cinebench R23 single-core goes to Intel, 2,200.5 versus 1,917, a 12.9% margin. PassMark single-thread repeats the pattern at 4,280 versus 3,874, a 9.5% win. Cinebench R15 single-core is 309.5 versus 292, a 5.7% margin. The database also records the same PassMark result under both single-thread field names: 4,280 versus 3,874.

Where Each One Wins

The use-case split maps closely to thread scaling. AMD wins every test with “multi” in the name: Cinebench R15 multi-core, Cinebench R23 multi-core, and PassMark multithread. It also wins integer math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, random string sorting, and floating point math. That set of wins gives AMD the higher average score and the higher percentile placement.

Intel wins the pure single-core tests: Cinebench R15 single-core, Cinebench R23 single-core, and PassMark single-thread. It also wins PassMark physics and PassMark find prime numbers. These wins are enough to put the Intel part at the 88th percentile, but its average score of 44,466 remains well below AMD’s 81,103.

The nearest-rival data in the database reinforces this tier difference. AMD’s closest rival by average score is the Intel Xeon w5-3535X at 81,115 with a delta of 0, followed by the Intel Core i9-14900KS at 81,127 with a delta of 0, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 at 80,762 with a delta of 0.4, and the Intel Xeon 638 at 80,723 with a delta of 0.5. Intel’s closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D at 44,573 with a delta of -0.2, followed by the Intel Core i9-13950HX at 44,342 with a delta of 0.3, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 at 44,309 with a delta of 0.4, and the Intel Core i5-13600 at 44,240 with a delta of 0.5.

Architecture Differences

Both CPUs use 16 cores, but thread counts differ sharply. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX has 32 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H has 16 threads on 16 cores. AMD uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Dragon Range codename, built on TSMC’s 5 nm process with 13,140 million transistors and a die size of 2x 71 mm². Intel uses the Panther Lake architecture on Intel’s 3 nm process; the database records no transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Cache organization also differs. AMD lists 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3. Intel lists 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. Both support dual-channel memory, but AMD uses DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, while Intel uses LPDDR5X with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth. The recorded memory bandwidth advantage sits with Intel, even though its multi-core scores are lower.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics differ: AMD carries a Radeon 610M, while Intel carries an Arc B390. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FL1 and has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel part uses Intel BGA 2540 and has a locked multiplier. TDP is 55 for AMD and 25 for Intel. Release dates are 2025-04-22 for AMD and 2026-01-04 for Intel.

FAQ

Q: What do the average benchmark scores show?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX averages 81,103, while the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H averages 44,466. AMD sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and Intel sits at the 88th.

Q: Which processor wins multi-threaded tests?

A: AMD wins every multi-threaded test in the shared head-to-head set. Cinebench R15 multi-core is 5,355 versus 2,955, Cinebench R23 multi-core is 32,521 versus 18,911, and PassMark multithread is 49,731 versus 36,811. Intel does not win a multi-threaded test in the shared set.

Q: Which processor has the larger single-core advantage?

A: Intel. Its largest single-core margin is in Cinebench R23 single-core, 2,200.5 versus 1,917, a 12.9% difference. PassMark single-thread is 4,280 versus 3,874, a 9.5% difference.

Q: What is Intel’s largest head-to-head win?

A: PassMark physics, 3,226 versus 2,104, a 34.8% margin. Its second-largest win is PassMark find prime numbers at 29.9%, 358 versus 251.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same number of cores?

A: Yes, both have 16 cores. Thread counts differ: AMD has 32 threads, and Intel has 16 threads.

Q: Which CPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: Intel, with LPDDR5X dual-channel memory at 153.6 GB/s. AMD uses DDR5 dual-channel memory at 83.2 GB/s.

Specification Differences

• Series: 8000 series versus Core Ultra Series 3
• Manufacturer: AMD versus Intel
• Threads: 32 versus 16
• Base clock: 2.40 versus 2.10
• Boost clock: 5.30 versus 5.10
• TDP: 55 versus 25
• Socket: AMD Socket FL1 versus Intel BGA 2540
• Architecture: Zen 4 versus Panther Lake
• Codename: Dragon Range versus Panther Lake
• Generation: Ryzen 9 (Zen 4 (Dragon Range)) versus Ultra X9 (Panther Lake-H)
• Process node: 5 nm versus 3 nm
• Foundry: TSMC versus Intel
• Transistors: 13,140 million versus not recorded
• Die size: 2x 71 mm² versus not recorded
• L1 cache: 64 KB per core versus 192 KB per core
• L2 cache: 1 MB per core versus 3 MB per core
• L3 cache: 64 MB versus 18 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR5 versus LPDDR5X
• Memory bandwidth: 83.2 GB/s versus 153.6 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 5, 28 CPU lanes versus Gen 5, 4 CPU lanes
• Integrated graphics: Radeon 610M versus Arc B390
• Release date: 2025-04-22 versus 2026-01-04
• Multiplier unlocked: true versus false
• Part number: 100-000001849 versus SA4QWQ9EK

The Verdict

The recorded data favors the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX for overall throughput. Its average score of 81,103 is far above Intel’s 44,466, and it wins nine of the fifteen shared tests. The AMD part is the stronger option for workloads dominated by multi-core rendering, integer math, compression, encryption, extended instructions, sorting, and multithreaded PassMark tests. Its margins in those tests range from 35.1% to 108.2%.

The Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is the stronger part for single-core, physics, and prime-number workloads. It wins Cinebench R15 and R23 single-core, PassMark single-thread, PassMark physics, and PassMark find prime numbers, with margins from 5.7% to 34.8%. The data indicates that thread-hungry workloads align with the AMD part, while single-thread-limited workloads align with the Intel part.