AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data leaves no ambiguity: the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins all 13 shared benchmark comparisons against the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX. The largest gap appears in floating-point math, where Intel scores 201,773 against AMD's 86,747, a 57% deficit for the AMD part. This is the single biggest performance separation in the dataset, and it signals a substantial difference in how the two processors handle heavy mathematical workloads.

The second-largest margin belongs to prime number finding, a workload that stresses integer iteration and branch prediction. Intel posts 519 versus AMD's 304, a 41.4% advantage. Data encryption also heavily favors Intel, with 50,008 against 29,919, a 40.2% gap. These three tests alone suggest that Intel's architecture has a meaningful edge in workloads that depend on raw throughput and algorithmic execution.

Multi-core rendering follows the same trend. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 39,684 while AMD manages 25,265, a 36.3% difference. This is a decisive margin for a mobile processor comparison, especially given that both parts carry the same 55 W TDP. The single-core Cinebench R23 result is closer but still favors Intel: 2,356 versus 1,857, a 21.2% gap. PassMark single-thread performance mirrors this at 4,951 versus 3,958, a 20.1% lead for Intel.

Several other benchmarks show more moderate but consistent Intel advantages. Integer math sits at 164,839 versus 146,506, an 11.1% difference, the narrowest margin in the entire comparison. PassMark multithread shows 59,439 versus 41,732, a 29.8% gap. Data compression favors Intel at 658,724 versus 496,427, a 24.6% difference. Extended instructions, which measure SIMD and specialized instruction throughput, favor Intel at 51,290 versus 36,527, a 28.8% gap. Random string sorting favors Intel at 80,327 versus 57,971, a 27.8% difference, and physics simulation favors Intel at 3,387 versus 2,185, a 35.5% gap.

The pattern is uniform. Intel wins every single test, and the margins range from 11.1% to 57%. The AMD part does not hold a single victory in any recorded benchmark. For a hardware analyst, the question becomes whether the architecture differences explain the scale of these margins, or whether the core count disparity is the dominant factor.

Architecture Differences

The two processors take fundamentally different design approaches. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX uses a 12-core, 24-thread configuration built on Zen 4 architecture with the Dragon Range codename. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses a 24-core, 24-thread configuration with the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh codename. Both parts are unlocked, both target the mobile segment, and both carry a 55 W TDP, but the internal designs diverge sharply.

Intel builds the 290HX Plus on a 3 nm process at TSMC, while AMD uses a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. The transistor counts reflect the process difference: Intel integrates 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while AMD integrates 13,140 million transistors across a 2x 71 mm² dual-die design. The Intel part uses a monolithic 243 mm² die, whereas AMD's dual-die layout suggests a chiplet approach inherited from the Dragon Range family.

Cache hierarchies also differ significantly. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. Intel allocates 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and only 36 MB of shared L3. The larger AMD L3 pool does not translate into benchmark wins, which raises questions about how effectively that cache is being utilized in the recorded workloads. Intel's smaller shared L3 is paired with a much larger per-core L2 allocation, and the data suggests that this arrangement serves the tested workloads better.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel as well. Both support DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, but Intel records 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus AMD's 83.2 GB/s. PCIe connectivity goes the other way: AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. AMD also lacks ECC memory support, while Intel includes it. Integrated graphics differ too, with AMD using the Radeon 610M and Intel using Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

The process node, transistor budget, core count, cache hierarchy, and memory bandwidth all favor Intel in the recorded data. The AMD part counters with a higher base clock of 2.90 GHz versus Intel's 2.70 GHz, but Intel's boost clock of 5.50 GHz exceeds AMD's 5.10 GHz. Intel also has double the core count, although thread count is identical at 24, which means AMD relies on simultaneous multithreading to reach 24 threads while Intel reaches the same thread count with 24 physical cores and no SMT.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins in every category where both were tested. There is no workload category in the dataset where the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX takes the lead. This is an unusual result for a head-to-head comparison, and it indicates that Intel's architectural choices, specifically the 3 nm process, the 24 physical cores, and the higher memory bandwidth, outperform AMD across the board.

The most extreme Intel advantage appears in floating-point math, where the 57% margin suggests that the 290HX Plus is particularly well suited to scientific computation, financial modeling, and any workload that relies heavily on FPU throughput. The 41.4% advantage in prime number finding points to strength in integer-heavy loops and algorithmic processing. The 40.2% encryption advantage suggests that the Intel part handles cryptographic workloads with considerably more efficiency.

For multi-core rendering, the 36.3% Cinebench R23 multi-core lead positions the Intel part as the stronger choice for 3D rendering, video encoding, and compilation workloads. The single-core results, while narrower at around 20%, still favor Intel, which means even lightly threaded applications like web browsing, office productivity, and legacy software will see a measurable performance uplift on the Intel side.

The AMD part does have structural advantages that are not reflected in the benchmark wins. It offers 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes versus Intel's 20, which matters for users who need maximum expansion for external GPUs, NVMe storage, or other high-bandwidth peripherals. The AMD part also has a larger 64 MB shared L3 cache, which could benefit certain cache-sensitive workloads even if the recorded benchmarks do not show it. The AMD part launched in April 2025, while Intel's part is dated March 2026, so the Intel processor is a newer design by roughly a year.

The average benchmark score tells the same story. Intel records an average score of 79,574 across its benchmark suite, while AMD records 71,797. Intel's percentile ranking among all CPUs sits at 95, compared to AMD's 94. Intel's nearest rivals include the Core i9-14900KF with a 0.3% higher average score and the Core i9-14900K with a 0.6% higher average score, while AMD's nearest rivals include the Core Ultra 7 265KF at 0.2% below and the Xeon 6517P at 0.8% below.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks in the database?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins all 13 shared head-to-head benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX does not win any recorded comparison.

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

A: The largest gap is in PassMark floating-point math, where Intel scores 201,773 versus AMD's 86,747, a 57% difference in Intel's favor.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The AMD part has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel part has 24 cores and 24 threads. Both reach 24 threads, but Intel does so with physical cores while AMD uses simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus has 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: Intel records 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while AMD records 83.2 GB/s. Both use DDR5 on a dual-channel bus.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: Intel has a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. AMD has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. AMD's base clock is higher at 2.90 GHz versus Intel's 2.70 GHz.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus outperforms the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX in every benchmark where both were measured. The margins are not trivial; they range from 11.1% in integer math to 57% in floating-point math. The Intel part also holds a 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs versus AMD's 94th, and its average benchmark score of 79,574 exceeds AMD's 71,797 by roughly 10%.

The AMD part remains a viable option for users who prioritize PCIe expansion, since it offers 28 Gen 5 lanes versus Intel's 20, and its 64 MB L3 cache is double Intel's 36 MB. But for raw compute performance, the recorded data gives no reason to prefer the AMD part. The Intel processor is the newer design, released in March 2026 versus AMD's April 2025, and it uses a more advanced 3 nm process with more transistors and a higher boost clock.

Users who need maximum multi-threaded throughput, single-thread responsiveness, memory bandwidth, or cryptographic performance should choose the Intel part. Users who need more PCIe lanes or a larger L3 cache may prefer the AMD part, but they would be accepting a significant performance penalty in every measured category. The verdict from the data is unambiguous: the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is the stronger processor.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |

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

| Cores | 12 | 24 |

| Threads | 24 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 2.90 GHz | 2.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | TSMC |

| Transistors | 13,140 million | 17,800 million |

| Die Size | 2x 71 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 28 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 610M | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Socket | AMD Socket FL1 | Intel BGA 2114 |

| Codename | Dragon Range | Arrow Lake-HX Refresh |

| Release Date | 2025-04-22 | 2026-03-16 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 71,797 | 79,574 |

| Percentile vs All CPUs | 94 | 95 |