Ryzen 5 3500U vs Core i7-4940MX

Ryzen 5 3500U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019

Core i7-4940MX

4 Cores8 Thrd57 WWMax: 4 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Ryzen 5 3500U

4 / 8

6,836

+0.8%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i7-4940MX

4 / 8

6,783

0.0%

About PassMark

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Ryzen 5 3500U is positioned at rank 614 and the Core i7-4940MX is on rank 1184, so the Ryzen 5 3500U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3500U

#602

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

811%

#603

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

799%

#604

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

734%

#605

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

730%

#606

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

724%

#608

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

699%

#609

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

670%

#610

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

669%

#611

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

651%

#614

Ryzen 5 3500U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#622

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

#625

Core 3 N355

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

97%

#628

Core i5-1335UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4940MX

#1172

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

4740%

#1173

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

4670%

#1174

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

4288%

#1175

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

4268%

#1176

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4229%

#1178

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4084%

#1179

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3916%

#1180

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3910%

#1181

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3805%

#1184

Core i7-4940MX

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1185

Athlon Neo X2 L325

MSRP: $100|Avg: $5

99%

#1186

Core i3-2370M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

98%

#1187

Core i3-3217UE

MSRP: $225|Avg: $35

98%

#1188

Celeron T3000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $54

97%

#1189

Core m7-6Y75

MSRP: $393|Avg: $393

97%

#1190

Core M-5Y10

MSRP: $281|Avg: $20

95%

#1193

Celeron 900

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

91%

#1194

Pentium T3400

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

91%

#1195

Core 2 Solo SU3500

MSRP: $262|Avg: $15

90%

#1196

Core 2 Duo E8335

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

88%

#1199

Celeron 560

MSRP: $89|Avg: $5

86%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen 5 3500U (2019) utilizes 12 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Ryzen 5 3500U	Core i7-4940MX
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) / 12 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-4940MX (2014) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Ryzen 5 3500U	Core i7-4940MX
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

Ryzen 5 3500U Benchmark Check

Core i7-4940MX Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3500U and Core i7-4940MX

Ryzen 5 3500U

The Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,836 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-4940MX

The Core i7-4940MX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 January 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 57 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,783 points. Launch price was $1,096.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 3500U and Core i7-4940MX share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500U versus 4 GHz on the Core i7-4940MX — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-4940MX (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3500U uses the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture (12 nm), while the Core i7-4940MX uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3500U scores 6,836 against the Core i7-4940MX's 6,783 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 3500U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4940MX.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3500U	Core i7-4940MX
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.1 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	12 nm-45%	22 nm
Architecture	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	6,836	6,783
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,545	—
Geekbench 6 Single	876	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3500U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4940MX uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3500U	Core i7-4940MX
Socket	FP5	PGA946
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 3500U) / not specified (Core i7-4940MX). The Ryzen 5 3500U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Core i7-4940MX requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3500U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3500U rivals Core i5-10210U.