AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX vs Intel Core i9-14901E Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and Intel Core i9-14901E occupy different corners of the processor market, one a mobile flagship and the other a desktop embedded-class part. The benchmark data shows a clear overall winner in the AMD chip, which secures 14 of the 17 recorded test victories, while the Intel part takes three. The average benchmark score for the AMD processor is 76212, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel chip averages 37911, sitting in the 86th percentile. This gap is substantial, and the head-to-head results confirm it across nearly every workload category.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite delivers the most lopsided results in favor of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD scores 4305 against Intel's 2595, a 65.9% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows the same pattern: 607 for AMD versus 366 for Intel, also a 65.8% lead. Moving to R20, the multicore scores are 17939 for AMD and 10816 for Intel, again a 65.9% delta, and the single-core test repeats that exact percentage with 2532 versus 1526. In R23, the multicore result is 42713 for AMD and 25753 for Intel, while single-core shows 6030 against 3635. Every Cinebench test, regardless of version or core count, lands at a 65.9% margin in AMD's favor, indicating a consistent and fundamental performance gap in rendering workloads.

Passmark tests paint a similar picture, though with some variation in magnitude. The largest single margin is in extended instructions, where AMD scores 49823 and Intel scores 17249, a 188.8% difference. Data compression shows AMD at 677755 versus Intel's 288777, a 134.7% lead, and random string sorting gives AMD 78781 against 39138, a 101.3% margin. Data encryption favors AMD by 119.9% with scores of 40836 and 18571. Integer math shows a 73.1% gap (195180 versus 112736), and multithread performance gives AMD 51405 against Intel's 30298, a 69.7% advantage. Floating point math is closer in relative terms, with AMD at 117453 and Intel at 81089, a 44.8% lead. Even the narrowest AMD win, find prime numbers at 262 versus 189, still represents a 38.6% margin.

The Intel Core i9-14901E claims three wins, and they are instructive. Passmark single-thread and singlethread tests (recorded as separate entries with identical scores) show Intel ahead at 4354 against AMD's 3907, a 10.3% advantage. The physics test goes to Intel by a wider margin: 3041 versus 2168, a 28.7% lead. These results indicate that Intel holds an edge in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive workloads, but the overall trend is overwhelmingly in AMD's direction.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It packs 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The die is composed of two 71 mm² chiplets, containing a total of 13,140 million transistors. Cache is organized as 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. The processor draws a 55 W TDP and uses AMD Socket FL1, targeting the mobile market segment. It supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth rating of 83.2 GB/s, and it offers PCIe Gen 5 with 28 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics come in the form of a Radeon 610M. The multiplier is unlocked, and the part number is 100-000001848.

The Intel Core i9-14901E uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-R, built on a 10 nm process at Intel. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The single die measures 257 mm², and the cache layout differs substantially: 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. TDP is rated at 65 W, and the socket is Intel Socket 1700. This is a desktop part. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, and it includes ECC memory support, which the AMD chip lacks. PCIe is Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics is the UHD Graphics 770. The multiplier is locked, and the part number is Q49ESRNJH.

The core count difference is the dominant architectural factor: AMD provides twice as many cores and threads. The AMD chip also uses a smaller process node (5 nm versus 10 nm) and a larger L3 cache (64 MB versus 36 MB). Intel counters with a higher boost clock (5.60 GHz versus 5.40 GHz) and a higher base clock (2.80 GHz versus 2.50 GHz), along with a higher TDP (65 W versus 55 W). Intel's per-core L1 and L2 caches are larger, but the shared L3 is smaller. Memory support is broader on Intel with DDR4 compatibility, but AMD has a stated memory bandwidth figure of 83.2 GB/s. ECC memory is available only on the Intel side.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX wins in every multithreaded and throughput-oriented category. Cinebench multicore tests, which scale with core count and thread count, show a consistent 65.9% advantage. Passmark multithread, integer math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting all favor AMD by margins ranging from 38.6% to 188.8%. These results point to workloads that can use many cores simultaneously, such as video rendering, code compilation, data processing, and scientific computing. The 16-core, 32-thread configuration is the clear driver of these wins.

The Intel Core i9-14901E wins in single-threaded performance, where its higher boost clock and larger per-core cache help. The Passmark single-thread test shows a 10.3% lead, and the physics test, which often reflects burst performance, gives Intel a 28.7% edge. These are workloads where the processor is limited by one core's speed rather than by how many cores are available. Lightweight tasks, some simulation workloads, and applications with poor threading scaling may see better responsiveness on the Intel part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX averages 76212, while the Intel Core i9-14901E averages 37911.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The Passmark extended instructions test shows the biggest difference, with AMD scoring 49823 against Intel's 17249, a 188.8% margin.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i9-14901E wins the Passmark physics test and the Passmark single-thread and singlethread tests, with leads of 28.7% and 10.3% respectively.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core i9-14901E has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD processor supports DDR5 only, while the Intel processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every recorded specification. The AMD chip has 16 cores and 32 threads, versus 8 cores and 16 threads on Intel. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for AMD and 2.80 GHz for Intel, while boost clocks are 5.40 GHz and 5.60 GHz respectively. TDP is 55 W for AMD and 65 W for Intel. Sockets are AMD Socket FL1 and Intel Socket 1700. The architecture is Zen 4 for AMD and Raptor Lake for Intel, with codenames Dragon Range and Raptor Lake-R. Process nodes are 5 nm (TSMC) and 10 nm (Intel). The AMD die uses two 71 mm² chiplets with 13,140 million transistors; the Intel die is a single 257 mm² piece. L1 cache is 64 KB per core on AMD and 80 KB per core on Intel. L2 cache is 1 MB per core on AMD and 2 MB per core on Intel. L3 cache is 64 MB on AMD and 36 MB on Intel. Memory support is DDR5 for AMD and DDR4 plus DDR5 for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 83.2 GB/s for AMD and not specified for Intel. ECC memory is false for AMD and true for Intel. PCIe lanes are 28 for AMD and 16 for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon 610M for AMD and UHD Graphics 770 for Intel. Market segments are Mobile for AMD and Desktop for Intel. The multiplier is unlocked on AMD and locked on Intel.

The Verdict

The data points to a decisive choice for most workloads. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX delivers a 65.9% advantage across all Cinebench tests and leads in 14 of 17 benchmarks. It sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part sits in the 86th percentile. For rendering, data processing, and any multithreaded application, the AMD processor is the clear pick based on the recorded scores.

The Intel Core i9-14901E is the better choice only for specific single-threaded scenarios. Its 10.3% lead in Passmark single-thread and 28.7% lead in physics indicate an advantage in workloads that cannot use many cores. It also offers ECC memory support and DDR4 compatibility, which may matter for certain embedded or stability-critical applications. For users prioritizing raw single-core speed or requiring ECC functionality, the Intel part has a role. Otherwise, the benchmark record favors AMD across the board.