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 i9-9960X

2018

Why buy it

✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (22 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (10,700 vs 11,591).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,684 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌371.4% higher power demand at 165W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 9 7940HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 165W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i9-9960X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-9960X.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 22 MB).

Core i9-9960X

2018

Ryzen 9 7940HS

2023

Why buy it

✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (22 MB vs 16 MB).
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 165W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i9-9960X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-9960X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (10,700 vs 11,591).
❌Launch MSRP is still $1,684 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌371.4% higher power demand at 165W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 22 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940HS better than Core i9-9960X?

Yes. Ryzen 9 7940HS is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 29.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 8.3% better Geekbench multi-core, 0.2% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 7940HS is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 29.3% 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, Ryzen 9 7940HS is the better fit. You are getting 8.3% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 7940HS is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 9 7940HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $1,684 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i9-9960X only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (17.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA2066.

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

Ryzen 9 7940HS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 16/32. 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 i9-9960X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7940HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9960X	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	168 FPS	267 FPS
medium	148 FPS	242 FPS
high	118 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	235 FPS
medium	120 FPS	193 FPS
high	96 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	76 FPS	163 FPS
medium	70 FPS	136 FPS
high	55 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i9-9960X Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9960X	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	498 FPS	497 FPS
medium	429 FPS	408 FPS
high	366 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	332 FPS	311 FPS
1440p
low	430 FPS	434 FPS
medium	377 FPS	376 FPS
high	325 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	283 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	266 FPS	286 FPS
medium	233 FPS	259 FPS
high	219 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i9-9960X Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9960X	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	748 FPS	750 FPS
medium	748 FPS	750 FPS
high	728 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	645 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	734 FPS	750 FPS
medium	659 FPS	646 FPS
high	624 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	554 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	492 FPS	544 FPS
medium	414 FPS	475 FPS
high	371 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	306 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i9-9960X Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9960X	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	748 FPS	750 FPS
medium	748 FPS	750 FPS
high	748 FPS	750 FPS
ultra	679 FPS	750 FPS
1440p
low	748 FPS	750 FPS
medium	737 FPS	750 FPS
high	639 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	558 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	579 FPS	574 FPS
medium	525 FPS	511 FPS
high	469 FPS	456 FPS
ultra	409 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i9-9960X Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9960X and Ryzen 9 7940HS

Core i9-9960X

The Core i9-9960X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 22 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 29,927 points. Launch price was $1,684.

Ryzen 9 7940HS

The Ryzen 9 7940HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 29,986 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9960X packs 16 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7940HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9960X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9960X versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940HS — a 14.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940HS (base: 3.1 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i9-9960X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940HS uses Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9960X scores 29,927 against the Ryzen 9 7940HS's 29,986 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940HS. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,650 vs 2,646, a 46.4% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940HS that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 10,700 vs 11,591 (8% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940HS). L3 cache: 22 MB (total) on the Core i9-9960X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940HS.

Feature	Core i9-9960X	Ryzen 9 7940HS
Cores / Threads	16 / 32+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	5.2 GHz+16%
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	4 GHz+29%
L3 Cache	22 MB (total)+38%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023)
PassMark	29,927	29,986
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	17,443
Geekbench 6 Single	1,650	2,646+60%
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,700	11,591+8%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9960X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940HS uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9960X versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 7940HS — the Ryzen 9 7940HS supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 7940HS supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-9960X) vs 2 (Ryzen 9 7940HS). PCIe lanes: 44 (Core i9-9960X) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 7940HS) — the Core i9-9960X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-9960X) and FP8,FP7 (Ryzen 9 7940HS).

Feature	Core i9-9960X	Ryzen 9 7940HS
Socket	LGA2066	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	44+120%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9960X) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 7940HS). The Ryzen 9 7940HS includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Core i9-9960X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-9960X targets HEDT, Ryzen 9 7940HS targets Thin-and-light Performance. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 7940HS rivals Core i9-13900H.