AMD Ryzen 5 240 vs AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and AMD Ryzen 5 240 are both active mobile processors on the AMD Socket FP8 platform, but the benchmark data shows a clear and consistent performance hierarchy. The Ryzen AI 7 350 wins 14 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests, establishing itself as the superior processor for almost all workloads. The Ryzen 5 240, however, holds a single, specific advantage that could matter for certain users. This analysis breaks down where each chip excels, what the data says about their relative performance, and who should choose which.

Where Each One Wins

The performance split is heavily skewed toward the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, but the nature of its wins varies by workload type. Its largest margins come in heavily threaded and physics-based tasks. For instance, the Ryzen AI 7 350 leads by 27.3% in PassMark physics and 23.1% in Cinebench R23 multicore. This pattern indicates that its 8-core, 16-thread configuration, built on the Zen 5 architecture, provides a substantial advantage in rendering, scientific computing, and any application that scales with core count. The data also shows a strong lead in floating-point math, with a 17.5% advantage, and integer math, with a 17% lead. These are foundational compute tasks, and the Ryzen AI 7 350 simply outmuscles the Ryzen 5 240 across the board.

The Ryzen AI 7 350 also wins in single-threaded performance, although the margins are smaller. It leads by 12.4% in Cinebench R23 single-core and 8.9% in Cinebench R15 single-core. This suggests that its Zen 5 cores have a higher instructions-per-clock (IPC) than the Zen 4 cores in the Ryzen 5 240, even though both chips have the same 5.00 GHz boost clock. The Ryzen AI 7 350 is also faster in data compression (13.5% lead), prime number finding (14.3% lead), and extended instruction workloads (7.3% lead). Even in random string sorting, where the difference is smallest, the Ryzen AI 7 350 still wins by 2.7%. This near-sweep shows that the Ryzen AI 7 350 is not just faster in one specific area; it is the more capable processor for general-purpose computing.

The AMD Ryzen 5 240 has exactly one victory in the head-to-head data: PassMark data encryption. It scores 15849 against the Ryzen AI 7 350's 15244, a 3.8% advantage. This is a narrow but notable win, suggesting that the Ryzen 5 240's Zen 4 architecture, with its different cache layout (16 MB shared L3 vs. 8 MB on the Ryzen AI 7 350), handles this specific cryptographic workload more efficiently. This is not a typical daily workload for most users, but for those who frequently handle encrypted data or certain security-related tasks, the Ryzen 5 240 offers a small but measurable benefit. It is also notably the Ryzen 5 240 has a higher base clock of 4.30 GHz compared to the Ryzen AI 7 350's 2.00 GHz, which could contribute to its performance in this specific test despite having fewer cores.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 is the clear winner for almost all users. It delivers superior performance in the vast majority of benchmark tests, including single-core, multi-core, math, and compression workloads. The Ryzen AI 7 350's 84th percentile ranking among all CPUs, along with its average benchmark score of 34222, places it in the same performance tier as processors like the AMD EPYC 4244P (34220) and the Intel Core i5-13450HX (34333). It is a genuinely high-performing mobile chip.

The AMD Ryzen 5 240 is not a poor processor; it also sits at the 84th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 33542. However, it is consistently slower than the Ryzen AI 7 350. The data shows it is comparable to the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H (33537) and the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS (33667). The choice between these two chips should come down to a specific need. If a user prioritizes data encryption performance, the Ryzen 5 240 is the only option that wins in a head-to-head test. For any other workload, the Ryzen AI 7 350 is the better choice.

The Ryzen AI 7 350 is the processor to pick for video editing, 3D rendering, software compilation, and gaming. Its multi-core lead of 23.1% in Cinebench R23 and 19.2% in Cinebench R15 directly translates to faster render times and smoother multitasking. The Ryzen 5 240 is a suitable choice for a more specialized user who handles large amounts of encrypted data, where its 3.8% advantage could be relevant. For everyone else, the Ryzen AI 7 350's overwhelming benchmark dominance makes it the definitive recommendation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant victory for the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 is in the Cinebench R23 multicore test, where it scores 16014.5 against the Ryzen 5 240's 13013. This 23.1% difference is one of the largest in the dataset and clearly demonstrates the benefit of its 8 cores and 16 threads over the Ryzen 5 240's 6 cores and 12 threads. Similarly, in PassMark physics, the Ryzen AI 7 350 scores 1349 versus 1060, a 27.3% lead. This test is often a good indicator of gaming and simulation performance, and the margin here is substantial.

The Ryzen AI 7 350 also shows a strong lead in Cinebench R15 multicore, winning 2477 to 2078, a 19.2% advantage. This is consistent with the R23 result and reinforces the multi-core performance gap. In floating-point math, the Ryzen AI 7 350 scores 53230 versus 45301, a 17.5% lead. This is a demanding workload that stresses the CPU's arithmetic units, and the Zen 5 architecture in the Ryzen AI 7 350 clearly handles it better. The integer math test follows a similar pattern, with the Ryzen AI 7 350 winning 85651 to 73189, a 17% lead.

Single-threaded performance is closer but still favors the Ryzen AI 7 350. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1958 versus 1742, a 12.4% lead. In the PassMark single-thread test, the margin is smaller at 4.3%, with scores of 3834 and 3675. This indicates that while the Ryzen AI 7 350 has a better single-core architecture, the Ryzen 5 240's high base clock of 4.30 GHz helps it remain competitive in this area. The data also shows a 13.5% lead for the Ryzen AI 7 350 in data compression (304089 vs 267963) and a 14.3% lead in finding prime numbers (80 vs 70).

The lone win for the AMD Ryzen 5 240 is in PassMark data encryption. It scores 15849, while the Ryzen AI 7 350 scores 15244. The 3.8% difference is the only time the Ryzen 5 240 is ahead. This is a notable data point because it shows that the Ryzen 5 240's architecture is not universally slower. The Ryzen AI 7 350 also wins in PassMark multithread (24935 vs 22658, a 10% lead) and extended instructions (21678 vs 20201, a 7.3% lead), but these margins are smaller than its wins in the multi-core tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster for multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 is significantly faster. It wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test by 23.1% (16014.5 vs 13013) and the Cinebench R15 multicore test by 19.2% (2477 vs 2078). It also leads in PassMark multithread by 10% (24935 vs 22658).

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 240 better at anything?

A: Yes, the data shows the AMD Ryzen 5 240 is better at data encryption. It scores 15849 in the PassMark data encryption test, which is 3.8% higher than the Ryzen AI 7 350's score of 15244. This is the only head-to-head test it wins.

Q: How do the core counts differ between these two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 240 has 6 cores and 12 threads. This difference in core count is a major reason for the Ryzen AI 7 350's superior multi-core benchmark results.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: Both processors have the same maximum boost clock of 5.00 GHz. However, the AMD Ryzen 5 240 has a much higher base clock of 4.30 GHz compared to the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350's base clock of 2.00 GHz.

Q: What is the difference in overall benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 has an average benchmark score of 34222, while the AMD Ryzen 5 240 has an average score of 33542. Both processors are in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, but the Ryzen AI 7 350 has a higher absolute average score.

Q: Do both processors use the same socket?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and the AMD Ryzen 5 240 use the AMD Socket FP8. This means they are designed for the same mobile platform, though the Ryzen AI 7 350 has a TDP of 28 W and the Ryzen 5 240 has a TDP of 45 W.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures, which explains their performance characteristics. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 is based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a codename of Krackan Point. It belongs to the Ryzen AI 300 generation, which uses a combination of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC, with a die size of 195 mm². Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a total of 8 MB of L3 cache. It also features an integrated Radeon 860M GPU.

In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 5 240 is based on the older Zen 4 architecture, with a codename of Hawk Point. It belongs to the Ryzen 5 generation and is also built on a 4 nm TSMC process, but with a slightly smaller die size of 178 mm². It has 25,000 million transistors. Its cache layout differs, with 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a larger 16 MB of shared L3 cache. It features an integrated Radeon 760M GPU. The larger L3 cache on the Ryzen 5 240 likely contributes to its win in the data encryption test, as it can hold more of the working set for that workload.

The Ryzen AI 7 350 also has a different memory setup, supporting both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the Ryzen 5 240 only supports DDR5. Both have dual-channel memory buses and the same memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Ryzen AI 7 350 has 16 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Ryzen 5 240 has 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only). These architectural differences, particularly the core count and the newer Zen 5 cores, are what drive the Ryzen AI 7 350's benchmark dominance.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences between the two processors are clear and directly impact performance. The most significant difference is the core and thread count: the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 240 has 6 cores and 12 threads. This two-core advantage is the primary driver of the Ryzen AI 7 350's large multi-core benchmark wins.

The base clocks are also very different. The AMD Ryzen 5 240 has a base clock of 4.30 GHz, which is significantly higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350's base clock of 2.00 GHz. However, both share the same boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The TDP also differs, with the Ryzen AI 7 350 rated at 28 W and the Ryzen 5 240 rated at 45 W. This suggests the Ryzen AI 7 350 is designed for more power-efficient systems.

The cache configurations are another point of difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 8 MB of L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 240 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 16 MB of L3 cache, which is shared. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the Ryzen AI 7 350 featuring a Radeon 860M and the Ryzen 5 240 featuring a Radeon 760M. Finally, the Ryzen AI 7 350 supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, while the Ryzen 5 240 only supports DDR5. The PCIe lane count also differs, with the Ryzen AI 7 350 offering 16 lanes and the Ryzen 5 240 offering 20 lanes.