AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clear overall winner in the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX, which claims 9 of the 11 recorded benchmark victories. The margin varies dramatically by workload, however, and the Intel Core i5-14490F holds two notable wins that reveal its strengths.

The largest single victory for AMD comes in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the 8745HX scores 159 against 122 for the i5-14490F, a 30.3% advantage. This is a strong indicator of raw integer throughput per thread, and it aligns with the 27.2% lead in extended instructions (27638 versus 21731) and the 25% lead in random string sorting (44494 versus 35608). These three results suggest that the Zen 4 architecture in the 8745HX handles complex, per-thread workloads with notably higher efficiency than the Raptor Lake part.

Data encryption shows a 19.8% gap in favor of AMD (21840 versus 18225), while integer math delivers a 14.2% lead (100328 versus 87844). The multithread score, which aggregates overall parallel performance, lands at 31517 for AMD versus 28662 for Intel, a 10% difference. Data compression also favors AMD, with 363759 versus 340026, a 7% gap. Single-thread performance is essentially a tie: 3879 versus 3873, a margin of just 0.2% in favor of AMD. This near-parity in single-thread score is notable given the different core counts and clock strategies.

Intel's two wins are concentrated in floating-point and physics workloads. The floating-point math score of 66558 for the i5-14490F beats the 61972 of the 8745HX by 6.9%. The physics score is the largest margin in either direction: 2093 versus 1681, a 19.7% lead for Intel. These results indicate that the Intel part has a meaningful advantage in floating-point-heavy and physics-simulation tasks, despite losing most other comparisons.

The average benchmark score in the database reinforces the overall picture: the 8745HX sits at 60104, while the i5-14490F averages 38149. The AMD part also ranks in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, compared to the 86th percentile for Intel. The nearest rivals for the 8745HX are all high-end parts: the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (60099, 0% delta), the Intel Core i9-14900F (60008, 0.2% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D (59641, 0.8% delta). The i5-14490F, by contrast, sits near the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T (38194, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-13600KF (38103, 0.1% delta). This places the two CPUs in entirely different performance strata, with the 8745HX competing against much higher-end silicon.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX in multithreaded workloads?

A: The 8745HX scores 31517 in the PassMark multithread test, which is 10% higher than the 28662 recorded by the Intel Core i5-14490F.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-14490F win any benchmark categories?

A: Yes, it wins two: floating-point math (66558 versus 61972, a 6.9% lead) and physics (2093 versus 1681, a 19.7% lead).

Q: How close is single-thread performance between the two?

A: The single-thread scores are nearly identical, with the 8745HX at 3879 and the i5-14490F at 3873, a difference of only 0.2% in favor of AMD.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in either direction?

A: The largest margin is in the find prime numbers test, where the 8745HX leads by 30.3% (159 versus 122). The largest Intel lead is in physics at 19.7% (2093 versus 1681).

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in overall benchmark standing?

A: The 8745HX has an average benchmark score of 60104 and ranks in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. The i5-14490F averages 38149 and ranks in the 86th percentile.

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores versus 8 cores for the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX, although both support 16 threads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Dragon Range codename, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i5-14490F uses Raptor Lake architecture under the Raptor Lake-R codename, fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is substantial: 5 nm versus 10 nm, which helps explain the transistor density, with AMD packing 6,570 million transistors into a 71 mm² die. Intel's die size is larger at 215 mm², though transistor count is not recorded in the database for that part.

The cache hierarchies differ in both size and distribution. The 8745HX provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. The i5-14490F offers 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but only 24 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on the AMD part may contribute to its leads in compression, encryption, and sorting workloads, which often benefit from larger shared caches. The Intel part compensates with slightly larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations, which may help its floating-point performance.

The memory support also diverges. The 8745HX supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a recorded memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The i5-14490F supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but no memory bandwidth figure is recorded in the database. This means the AMD part has a specified bandwidth advantage, while the Intel part offers more flexibility in memory choice.

The integrated graphics situation is inverted. The 8745HX includes a Radeon 610M iGPU, while the i5-14490F has no integrated graphics (N/A). This matters for systems built without a discrete GPU, where the AMD part can drive a display and the Intel part cannot. The PCIe configurations also differ: the 8745HX provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-14490F provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The AMD part therefore has more available PCIe lanes for expansion.

The market segments reflect their intended use: the 8745HX is a mobile part with a TDP of 55, while the i5-14490F is a desktop part with a TDP of 65. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Intel part is locked. Both are currently in active production. The release dates differ by over a year: the 8745HX was released in April 2025, while the i5-14490F was released at the end of December 2023.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ: 8 cores for the AMD part versus 10 cores for the Intel part, with both providing 16 threads. Clock speeds show the AMD part with a higher base clock of 3.60 GHz versus 2.50 GHz for Intel, and a slightly higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. This clock advantage helps explain the AMD lead in several single-thread and per-core workloads.

The process node difference is 5 nm (TSMC) for AMD versus 10 nm (Intel). The die size is 71 mm² for AMD versus 215 mm² for Intel. Transistor count is recorded only for the AMD part at 6,570 million. The L3 cache differs: 32 MB shared for AMD versus 24 MB shared for Intel. The L1 and L2 per-core caches are larger on the Intel part: 80 KB versus 64 KB for L1, and 1.25 MB versus 1 MB for L2.

Memory support: AMD uses DDR5 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is recorded only for AMD at 83.2 GB/s. PCIe lanes differ: 28 lanes for AMD versus 16 lanes for Intel, both Gen 5. The integrated graphics differ: Radeon 610M for AMD versus N/A for Intel. TDP is 55 for AMD versus 65 for Intel. The multiplier is unlocked on AMD and locked on Intel. The socket differs: AMD Socket FL1 versus Intel Socket 1700. The market segment is mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel. The part numbers are 100-000001851 for AMD and SRN35 for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX wins in the majority of measured categories, and the pattern of those wins points to workloads that depend on integer math, data manipulation, and parallel throughput. The 30.3% lead in find prime numbers and the 27.2% lead in extended instructions indicate strong per-thread execution efficiency. The 25% lead in random string sorting and the 19.8% lead in data encryption point to fast memory access and efficient cache utilization. The 14.2% lead in integer math and the 10% lead in multithread performance round out a broadly capable profile. The near-tie in single-thread score (0.2% lead) means the AMD part does not sacrifice single-thread responsiveness for its other gains.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins in floating-point math and physics. The 19.7% lead in physics is the largest margin either way, and the 6.9% lead in floating-point math suggests that the Intel architecture handles certain numerical workloads with greater efficiency. These wins are meaningful for any application that relies heavily on floating-point operations, such as scientific simulations, certain rendering tasks, and physics engines. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches on the Intel part may contribute to these results.

The market segment difference also matters for use cases. The 8745HX is a mobile processor, so its wins are available in a laptop or compact form factor. The i5-14490F is a desktop processor, so its wins apply to stationary builds. The presence of integrated graphics on the AMD part means systems without a discrete GPU can still use it for display output, while the Intel part requires a separate graphics card.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward split. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX is the stronger processor in the majority of benchmark categories, with 9 wins out of 11 head-to-head tests, a 10% multithread lead, and a 92nd percentile standing among all CPUs. It also offers a higher boost clock, more PCIe lanes, a larger L3 cache, integrated graphics, and a lower TDP. The average benchmark score of 60104 places it alongside much more expensive and higher-tier parts, as shown by its nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX and the Intel Core i9-14900F.

The Intel Core i5-14490F is the better choice specifically for floating-point and physics-heavy workloads, where its leads of 6.9% and 19.7% respectively are clear. It also has two more cores, support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and a larger per-core cache. Its average benchmark score of 38149 and 86th percentile ranking place it in a lower performance tier, however, and its nearest rivals are mid-range parts like the Intel Core i5-13600KF and the AMD Ryzen 7 250.

For users who prioritize overall performance, multithreaded throughput, and data-intensive tasks, the recorded data favors the AMD part. For users whose workloads are dominated by floating-point calculations and physics simulations, the Intel part offers a specific advantage that the AMD part does not match. The single-thread scores are effectively identical, so that is not a differentiating factor. The choice ultimately depends on which benchmark categories align with the intended use case, and the data is clear about which CPU wins where.