PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-13900HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 7 8840HX.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 7 8840HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (42,275 vs 42,437).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i9-13900HX.

Core i9-13900HX

2023

Ryzen 7 8840HX

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 7 8840HX.

Why buy it

✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13900HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (42,275 vs 42,437).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i9-13900HX.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13900HX better than Ryzen 7 8840HX?

Yes. Core i9-13900HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-13900HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13900HX is the better fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 32 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i9-13900HX still looks like the safer overall buy. Core i9-13900HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 6.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 7 8840HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023) and 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i9-13900HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 8840HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
1080p
low	321 FPS	267 FPS
medium	311 FPS	244 FPS
high	247 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	252 FPS
medium	240 FPS	206 FPS
high	178 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	192 FPS	175 FPS
medium	164 FPS	143 FPS
high	123 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HX Open Ryzen 7 8840HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
1080p
low	401 FPS	654 FPS
medium	350 FPS	566 FPS
high	286 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	252 FPS	367 FPS
1440p
low	341 FPS	554 FPS
medium	306 FPS	494 FPS
high	255 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	303 FPS
4K
low	191 FPS	312 FPS
medium	174 FPS	283 FPS
high	166 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	212 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HX Open Ryzen 7 8840HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
1080p
low	762 FPS	847 FPS
medium	626 FPS	677 FPS
high	543 FPS	599 FPS
ultra	467 FPS	514 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	676 FPS
medium	567 FPS	541 FPS
high	485 FPS	468 FPS
ultra	423 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	497 FPS	483 FPS
medium	430 FPS	400 FPS
high	383 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HX Open Ryzen 7 8840HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
1080p
low	1012 FPS	1057 FPS
medium	905 FPS	966 FPS
high	792 FPS	843 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	760 FPS
1440p
low	840 FPS	842 FPS
medium	739 FPS	747 FPS
high	646 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	568 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	620 FPS	619 FPS
medium	555 FPS	553 FPS
high	491 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HX Open Ryzen 7 8840HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13900HX and Ryzen 7 8840HX

Core i9-13900HX

The Core i9-13900HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 42,437 points. Launch price was $668.

Ryzen 7 8840HX

The Ryzen 7 8840HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 April 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Dragon Range (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 42,275 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13900HX packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 7 8840HX offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-13900HX has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i9-13900HX versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8840HX — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900HX (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i9-13900HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 8840HX uses Dragon Range (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13900HX scores 42,437 against the Ryzen 7 8840HX's 42,275 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i9-13900HX. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900HX vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8840HX.

Feature	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
Cores / Threads	24 / 32+100%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+6%	5.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.9 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+78%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)	Dragon Range (2025)
PassMark	42,437	42,275
Cinebench R23 Multi	29,493	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,878	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,944	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13900HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 8840HX uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200 on the Core i9-13900HX versus 5600 on the Ryzen 7 8840HX — the Ryzen 7 8840HX supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-13900HX supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-13900HX) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 8840HX) — the Ryzen 7 8840HX offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM770,WM790 (Core i9-13900HX) and FP8,FP7 (Ryzen 7 8840HX).

Feature	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
Socket	FCBGA1964	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+314572700%	64
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-13900HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 8840HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i9-13900HX) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 7 8840HX). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-13900HX) and AMD Radeon 780M (Ryzen 7 8840HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-13900HX targets Performance Gaming / Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i9-13900HX rivals Ryzen 9 7945HX; Ryzen 7 8840HX rivals Core i7-13700H.

Feature	Core i9-13900HX	Ryzen 7 8840HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	AMD Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Performance Gaming / Mobile Workstation	—