AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U vs Intel Core i9-14901E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i9-14901E dominates the head-to-head comparison, winning 16 of the 17 recorded benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U secures a single victory. The most decisive Intel wins come in PassMark physics, where it scores 3041 against 1174, a 61.4% advantage, and in PassMark find prime numbers, where it delivers 189 versus 76, a 59.8% edge. These are not marginal differences; they represent fundamental performance gaps in specific workloads.

In Cinebench testing, the Intel part leads consistently across all six runs. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 25753 for Intel against 20254 for AMD, a 21.4% gap. Single-core performance follows the same pattern: Cinebench R23 singlecore 3635 versus 2859, also 21.3% behind. The Cinebench R15 and R20 results confirm the trend, with Intel ahead by 21.3% to 21.4% in every variant. The consistency of these margins suggests the difference is structural rather than workload-specific.

PassMark integer math shows Intel at 112736 against AMD's 88339, a 21.6% lead, while floating point math delivers 81089 versus 50746, a 37.4% advantage. Data encryption favors Intel by 11.5%, scoring 18571 against 16441. Random string sorting goes to Intel at 39138 versus 33109, a 15.4% margin. Data compression is closer, with Intel at 288777 and AMD at 272664, only 5.6% apart. PassMark multithread places Intel at 30298 against 23850, a 21.3% edge, and single-thread at 4354 versus 3641, a 16.4% margin.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U's only win is PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 19132 against Intel's 17249, a 10.9% advantage. This is a narrow but clear victory in a test that measures SIMD and specialized instruction throughput. It indicates the Zen 4 architecture retains strength in certain extended instruction workloads, even as it trails across nearly every other metric.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-14901E wins in rendering, physics simulation, encryption, compression, sorting, and general math workloads. Its Cinebench sweep covers both single and multi-threaded rendering tasks, making it the stronger choice for content creation that relies on those engines. The physics score of 3041 against 1174 indicates a major advantage in simulation-heavy applications, and the prime number test result of 189 versus 76 points to superior integer throughput in sequential computation.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U wins only in extended instructions, with a 10.9% margin. This suggests its Zen 4 core handles certain advanced instruction sets with higher efficiency than the Intel part. For workloads that depend heavily on those specific instructions, the AMD processor holds an advantage, but the scope of that advantage is limited to a single benchmark category.

The data shows the Intel part is faster in aggregate by a substantial margin. Its average benchmark score stands at 37911, while AMD's average is 32233. The Intel CPU also ranks in the 86th percentile against all CPUs, compared to AMD's 83rd percentile. These overall metrics reinforce the head-to-head results: Intel wins the vast majority of tests, and its wins are often large.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is built on Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core i9-14901E uses Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The process node difference is significant: TSMC's 4 nm node is denser than Intel's 10 nm node, which helps explain AMD's smaller die size of 178 mm² versus Intel's 257 mm².

The AMD chip integrates 25,000 million transistors on that 178 mm² die. Intel's transistor count is not recorded in the database, but its larger die area suggests a different physical layout. Cache configurations differ markedly. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel uses 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. Intel's larger L3 cache, more than double AMD's, provides a substantial buffer for frequently accessed data.

Memory support also diverges. AMD supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a recorded bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, though its memory bandwidth is not recorded in the database. Both support ECC memory. PCIe capabilities differ: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes. Intel's newer PCIe generation offers higher per-lane bandwidth, though AMD offers more total lanes.

The integrated graphics solutions differ as well. AMD uses the Radeon 780M, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. The market segments are distinct: AMD's processor is classified as mobile, while Intel's is desktop. Both are currently active in production. AMD's release date is recorded as 2024-04-15, while Intel's is 2024-06-30.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are identical: 8 cores and 16 threads for both processors. The differences appear in clock speeds and power. AMD has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Intel has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Intel's lower base clock but higher boost clock reflects its desktop positioning and higher power envelope.

Thermal design power differs substantially. AMD is rated at 28 W, while Intel is rated at 65 W. This is a major distinction: the AMD chip is designed for mobile efficiency, while the Intel chip targets desktop performance with a higher power budget. The sockets reflect this split: AMD uses AMD Socket FP7, while Intel uses Intel Socket 1700.

Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. AMD's part numbers are 100-000001317 (FP7r2) and 100-000001377 (FP7), while Intel's part number is Q49ESRNJH. AMD's process node is 4 nm from TSMC; Intel's is 10 nm from Intel. AMD's die size is 178 mm²; Intel's is 257 mm². AMD supports DDR5 only; Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. AMD provides 20 lanes of PCIe Gen 4; Intel provides 16 lanes of PCIe Gen 5.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E boosts to 5.60 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U boosts to 5.10 GHz.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: Intel scores 25753 against AMD's 20254, a 21.4% advantage for Intel.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U wins PassMark extended instructions with a score of 19132 versus Intel's 17249, a 10.9% margin.

Q: Which processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U supports DDR5 only.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference?

A: AMD is rated at 28 W, while Intel is rated at 65 W.

Q: How do the two compare in overall benchmark percentile?

A: Intel ranks in the 86th percentile against all CPUs, while AMD ranks in the 83rd percentile.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear hierarchy. The Intel Core i9-14901E is the faster processor in nearly every recorded benchmark, with an average score of 37911 against AMD's 32233. Its wins span rendering, physics, math, encryption, compression, and sorting. The largest margins, 61.4% in physics and 59.8% in prime numbers, show that Intel's advantage is not confined to a single workload type.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U's sole win in extended instructions, by 10.9%, demonstrates that Zen 4 retains capability in specialized instruction processing. Its 28 W TDP and mobile classification position it for power-constrained environments, while Intel's 65 W TDP and desktop classification target sustained performance. The Intel part's larger L3 cache, 36 MB versus 16 MB, and higher boost clock of 5.60 GHz versus 5.10 GHz, align with its benchmark dominance.

For workloads that prioritize extended instruction throughput or minimal power consumption, the AMD processor has a defined role. For everything else recorded in the database, the Intel Core i9-14901E delivers higher scores, often by margins of 20% or more. The choice depends on whether the application requires the AMD chip's specific extended instruction advantage or the Intel chip's broad performance lead across 16 of 17 benchmarks.