Ryzen 9 5900H
VS
Core i5-1240U

Ryzen 9 5900H vs Core i5-1240U

AMD

Ryzen 9 5900H

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021
VS
Intel

Core i5-1240U

10 Cores12 Thrd9.5 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

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

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-1240U

#153
Core i7-1370P
MSRP: $438|Avg: $280
105%
#158
Core i9-13900H
MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A
103%
#161
Core Ultra 7 268V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
101%
#162
Core Ultra 7 256V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $350
100%
#164
Core i5-1240U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#167
Core Ultra 7 258V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
97%
#169
Core i7-1280P
MSRP: $482|Avg: $482
96%
#173
Core Ultra 5 238V
MSRP: $454|Avg: $454
93%
#176
Core i9-13900HK
MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A
90%
#178
Core i7-1360P
MSRP: $480|Avg: $280
89%
#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
89%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Ryzen 9 5900H delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-1240U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.9% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightRyzen 9 5900HCore i5-1240U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) / 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightRyzen 9 5900HCore i5-1240U
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900H and Core i5-1240U

AMD

Ryzen 9 5900H

The Ryzen 9 5900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 13,510 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i5-1240U

The Core i5-1240U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,387 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5900H packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-1240U offers 10 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-1240U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900H versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1240U — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900H (base: 3.3 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i5-1240U uses Alder Lake-U (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900H scores 13,510 against the Core i5-1240U's 13,387 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900H. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900H vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1240U.

FeatureRyzen 9 5900HCore i5-1240U
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
10 / 12+25%
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz+5%
4.4 GHz
Base Clock
3.3 GHz+200%
1.1 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB+33%
12 MB (total)
L2 Cache
4 MB+220%
1.25 MB (per core)
Process
7 nm
Intel 7 nm
Architecture
Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022)
Alder Lake-U (2022)
PassMark
13,510
13,387
Geekbench 6 Single
1,650
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900H uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-1240U uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 9 5900HCore i5-1240U
Socket
FP6
FCBGA1781
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed
LPDDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
14
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 9 5900H) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1240U). The Core i5-1240U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Ryzen 9 5900H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1240U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1240U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.

FeatureRyzen 9 5900HCore i5-1240U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Iris Xe Graphics 80EU
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Thin & Light Laptop