AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

The database compares the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D, a desktop Zen 5 part on AMD Socket AM5, with the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, a mobile Panther Lake-H part on Intel BGA 2540. The AMD part wins 13 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel part wins 2. Average benchmark scores are 58,386 for AMD and 41,215 for Intel, placing them in the 92nd and 87th percentiles of all CPUs respectively.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher PassMark average score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D averages 58,386, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H averages 41,215. The AMD part sits in the 92nd percentile, the Intel part in the 87th.

Q: How large is the AMD lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD scores 22,807 versus 18,395 for Intel, a 24% advantage.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins?

A: Yes. Intel wins PassMark data encryption with 26,345 versus 22,856, a 13.2% higher result, and PassMark floating point math with 103,128 versus 81,998, a 20.5% higher result.

Q: What are the core counts and cache arrangements?

A: The AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads with 96 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel has 16 cores and 16 threads with 18 MB shared L3 cache. Intel's per-core L1 is 192 KB and per-core L2 is 2.5 MB; AMD's per-core L1 is 80 KB and per-core L2 is 1 MB.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D supports ECC memory; the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H does not.

Q: What are the release dates?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H was released on 2026-01-04, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D followed on 2026-01-28.

The Verdict

Benchmark results indicate a clear overall leader. The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D wins 13 of the shared tests, including all four Cinebench tests, and has a higher average score (58,386 vs 41,215) and percentile rank (92nd vs 87th). The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins PassMark data encryption and floating point math. The Intel part is also the mobile option: it uses Intel BGA 2540, has a TDP of 25, and supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth. For desktop workloads such as rendering, compression, integer math, physics, and single-thread performance, the data points to the AMD. For a mobile platform, or for workloads specifically dominated by encryption and floating-point math, the recorded data points to the Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head set shows 13 AMD wins and 2 Intel wins. AMD's largest win is PassMark integer math: 123,140 vs 83,111, a 48.2% margin. Data compression follows at 41.1% (474,501 vs 336,177), extended instructions at 40.8% (39,272 vs 27,898), physics at 44.1% (4,171 vs 2,895), and find prime numbers at 33% (435 vs 327). In Cinebench, AMD leads R23 multi-core by 24% (22,807 vs 18,395), R15 multi-core by 16.2% (3,551 vs 3,055), R23 single-core by 9.2% (2,228 vs 2,040), and R15 single-core by 13.2% (343 vs 303). PassMark multithread goes to AMD by 21.6% (41,318 vs 33,978), random string sorting by 21.4% (49,764 vs 40,990), and single-thread by 15.5% (4,704 vs 4,072).

Intel's two wins are data encryption at 26,345 vs 22,856, a 13.2% higher result, and floating point math at 103,128 vs 81,998, a 20.5% higher result. The largest single margin in the comparison is AMD's 48.2% integer math win; Intel's largest is 20.5% in floating point math.

Specification Differences

• Series: AMD 9000 series vs Intel Core Ultra Series 3
• Manufacturer: AMD vs Intel
• Architecture: Zen 5 vs Panther Lake
• Codename: Granite Ridge vs Panther Lake
• Generation: Ryzen 7 (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)) vs Ultra 7 (Panther Lake-H)
• Process node: 4 nm TSMC vs 3 nm Intel
• Cores: 8 vs 16
• Base clock: 4.70 vs 1.90
• Boost clock: 5.60 vs 4.70
• TDP: 120 vs 25
• Socket: AMD Socket AM5 vs Intel BGA 2540
• L1 cache: 80 KB per core vs 192 KB per core
• L2 cache: 1 MB per core vs 2.5 MB per core
• L3 cache: 96 MB shared vs 18 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR5 vs DDR5 and LPDDR5X
• Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s vs 115.2 GB/s
• ECC memory: supported vs not supported
• PCIe: Gen 5, 24 lanes vs Gen 5, 12 lanes
• Integrated graphics: Radeon Graphics vs Intel Xe3 Graphics
• Market segment: Desktop vs Mobile
• Release date: 2026-01-28 vs 2026-01-04
• Launch MSRP: $499 vs not recorded
• Multiplier: unlocked vs locked
• Transistors: 8,315 million vs not recorded
• Die size: 70.6 mm² vs not recorded
• Part number: 100-000001973 vs SA4RGQ9EU

Architecture Differences

AMD's Zen 5 architecture is built on Granite Ridge at TSMC's 4 nm process, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. Intel's Panther Lake architecture is built on Intel's 3 nm process; transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database. The core setups differ: AMD uses 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel uses 16 cores and 16 threads.

Cache strategy differs strongly. AMD concentrates capacity in 96 MB shared L3, while Intel provides 18 MB shared L3 but larger per-core L1 and L2. Memory architecture also differs: both support DDR5, but Intel adds LPDDR5X and reaches 115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. AMD supports ECC memory, Intel does not. AMD exposes 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, Intel exposes 12. Integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics on AMD and Intel Xe3 Graphics on Intel.

AMD is a desktop Socket AM5 part with an unlocked multiplier and a TDP of 120. Intel is a mobile BGA 2540 part with a locked multiplier and a TDP of 25. The higher boost clock on AMD, 5.60 vs 4.70, and the large L3 cache align with AMD's broad benchmark lead.

Where Each One Wins

AMD wins the entire Cinebench set: R15 multi-core, R15 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core. AMD also wins PassMark data compression, extended instructions, find prime numbers, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread. These wins cover rendering, compression, integer calculation, physics simulation, and single-thread responsiveness.

Intel wins PassMark data encryption and floating point math. Those two results indicate an Intel advantage for encryption-heavy work and floating-point math workloads. In the database's nearest-rival comparison, AMD sits 0.1% above Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M, 0.5% above Intel Core i9-14900, 0.2% below Intel Xeon w5-2545, and 0.7% below AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470. Intel sits level with AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440, 0.1% below Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, 0.4% below AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, and 0.6% above Intel Core Ultra X7 358H. The aggregate data gives AMD 13 wins and Intel 2 wins among the shared benchmarks.