AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX and Intel Core Ultra 9 285 occupy different corners of the processor market, and the benchmark data reflects that clearly. The Ryzen 7 8745HX is a mobile-focused chip in the 8000 series, built on Zen 4 with a 55 W TDP, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is a desktop part in the Core Ultra Series 2, built on Arrow Lake with a 65 W TDP. Across every head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, the Intel part wins, with deltas ranging from a 20.5% advantage in single-threaded tests to a 68.2% lead in floating-point math. The data shows a decisive performance hierarchy, but the choice between them depends on whether the mobile form factor or desktop performance ceiling matters more.

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is the clear performance winner in every recorded benchmark. It holds a 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs, compared to the Ryzen 7 8745HX's 92nd percentile. Its average benchmark score of 75488 sits far above the AMD part's 60104. The Intel chip's nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 8224P with a delta of -0.1%, while the Ryzen 7 8745HX's closest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX with a delta of 0%. In practical terms, the Intel part is not just ahead of the AMD mobile chip; it competes at the level of server and high-end desktop processors.

The Ryzen 7 8745HX, despite losing every head-to-head test, remains a relevant option for compact or portable systems. Its 55 W TDP and mobile market segment indicate a design focused on power efficiency rather than raw throughput. The data shows it delivers 31517 in PassMark multithread and 3879 in single-thread, which are respectable figures for a mobile processor. Users who need a capable CPU in a laptop chassis should consider it, while those building or upgrading a desktop with space for a 65 W part and a larger socket will find substantially more performance in the Intel chip.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 boosts to 5.60 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX boosts to 5.10 GHz.

Q: What is the difference in average benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has an average benchmark score of 75488, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX scores 60104. The Intel part also ranks higher in the 95th percentile versus the AMD part's 92nd percentile.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of each processor?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX has a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX has 32 MB of shared L3 cache.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX uses the Zen 4 architecture under the codename Dragon Range and belongs to the 8000 series. It is manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 6,570 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 uses the Arrow Lake architecture under the codename Arrow Lake-S and belongs to Core Ultra Series 2. It is manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

The cache hierarchy differs significantly. The AMD part allocates 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part allocates 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, with 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part's larger per-core caches and bigger L3 pool contribute to its higher throughput in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory and I/O features also diverge. Both support DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the Intel part has a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s for AMD. The AMD part supports PCIe Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part includes ECC memory support, which the AMD part lacks. Integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD part uses Radeon 610M, while the Intel part uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts set these processors apart. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 offers 24 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks differ, with the AMD part starting at 3.60 GHz and the Intel part at 2.50 GHz. Boost clocks favor Intel, at 5.60 GHz versus 5.10 GHz for AMD.

Thermal design power points to different intended environments. The AMD part has a 55 W TDP and uses AMD Socket FL1, marking it as a mobile component. The Intel part has a 65 W TDP and uses Intel Socket 1851, marking it as a desktop component. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part does not. The AMD part was released on 2025-04-22, while the Intel part was released on 2024-12-31. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $579. The AMD part's part number is 100-000001851, and the Intel part's is SRQD4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 wins all 11 recorded head-to-head benchmark entries. The largest margin comes in PassMark floating-point math, where the Intel part scores 194988 against the AMD part's 61972, a delta of -68.2% from AMD's perspective. Prime number finding shows a 65.4% gap, with Intel at 459 and AMD at 159. Data encryption favors Intel heavily, at 46949 versus 21840, a 53.5% delta. Physics tests show Intel at 3598 versus AMD's 1681, a 53.3% delta.

Multithreaded performance follows the same pattern. The Intel part scores 56602 in PassMark multithread against AMD's 31517, a 44.3% delta. Integer math shows Intel at 164869 versus AMD's 100328, a 39.1% delta. Extended instructions favor Intel at 45357 versus 27638, also a 39.1% delta. Data compression and random string sorting both show 39.6% deltas, with Intel at 602121 and 73651 respectively, against AMD's 363759 and 44494. Single-thread performance shows the narrowest gap: Intel at 4881 versus AMD's 3879, a 20.5% delta.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 wins in every measured category, but the magnitude of the win varies. Its largest advantages appear in floating-point math, prime number finding, encryption, and physics, where deltas exceed 50%. These results indicate a strong fit for compute-heavy desktop workloads, such as scientific calculations, code compilation, and content rendering. The 24-core design and 36 MB of L3 cache give it a substantial edge in multithreaded tasks, as shown by the 44.3% lead in PassMark multithread.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX, despite losing all benchmarks, has no recorded wins to point to in this dataset. Its strengths lie outside the measured scores: a 55 W TDP, mobile socket, and unlocked multiplier suggest a processor intended for high-performance laptops where power draw and heat are constrained. Its 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes provide more CPU-attached lanes than the Intel part's 20, which could benefit certain mobile workstation configurations. The data shows the Intel part as the superior choice for raw performance, while the AMD part remains the only one of the two designed for portable systems.