AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and the Intel Core 5 330 is overwhelmingly one-sided, but not entirely. The AMD processor claims 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head wins, while the Intel part takes 2. The pattern is clear: the Ryzen 9 8945HX dominates every multi-threaded and compute-heavy workload, while the Core 5 330 posts a narrow win in single-threaded PassMark testing.

For productivity and content creation, the AMD part is the clear choice. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42713 versus 13150 for the Intel chip represents a 224.8% advantage. That gap holds across all three Cinebench versions tested, from R15 through R23, with deltas hovering near 225%. The Ryzen 9 8945HX also crushes integer math workloads, scoring 195180 against 33258, a 486.9% margin that reflects its 16 cores and 32 threads versus the Intel chip's 6 cores and 6 threads.

The Intel Core 5 330 does have one meaningful strength: raw single-thread performance in PassMark. It scores 4088 in the single-thread test versus 3907 for the AMD chip, a 4.4% edge. That is a modest win, but it suggests the Intel part can keep up in lightly threaded tasks like basic office work or web browsing where only one or two cores are active. The Intel chip also wins the PassMark singlethread test, which appears to be the same metric recorded under a slightly different name.

The AMD processor's wins are not just broad, they are deep. Data compression shows a 366.5% delta, random string sorting is 343.3% ahead, and extended instructions (SIMD workloads) are 289% ahead. The smallest AMD win outside of Cinebench is in PassMark physics at 80.5%. Even that is a substantial margin, but it is the closest the Intel chip comes to closing the gap in a compute-heavy test.

The practical split is simple. The Ryzen 9 8945HX is built for heavy parallel workloads: rendering, compiling, encoding, scientific simulation. The Core 5 330 is a low-power part (15 W TDP) that can handle everyday tasks and offers slightly better single-thread PassMark performance, but it falls behind by massive margins in every sustained multi-core scenario.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: Which chip wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 42713 versus 13150 for the Intel Core 5 330, a 224.8% advantage for AMD.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Intel Core 5 330 beats the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX?

A: Yes. In PassMark single-thread testing, the Intel chip scores 4088 versus 3907 for AMD, a 4.4% advantage. This appears twice in the data as both "passmark_single_thread" and "passmark_singlethread" with identical scores.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has a 55 W TDP. The Intel Core 5 330 has a 15 W TDP.

Q: How does the average benchmark score compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 330 has an average score of 18345, placing it in the 72nd percentile.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: The AMD chip supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus. The Intel chip supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, but only on a single-channel bus.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data covers 17 tests, and the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX wins 15 of them. The most dramatic margin is in PassMark integer math, where AMD scores 195180 against Intel's 33258. That 486.9% delta is the largest single gap in the entire comparison. It reflects the core count disparity: 16 physical cores with simultaneous multithreading versus 6 cores with no hyperthreading.

Data compression shows a similar story. AMD posts 677755 versus 145287, a 366.5% lead. Random string sorting is 343.3% ahead at 78781 versus 17771. Extended instructions (AVX and similar workloads) are 289% ahead at 49823 versus 12808. Data encryption is 268.7% ahead at 40836 versus 11076.

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. Every version, from R15 to R23, shows a delta between 224.8% and 226.3% in favor of AMD. In R15 multicore, AMD scores 4305 versus 1325. In R15 singlecore, AMD scores 607 versus 186, a 226.3% edge. R20 multicore is 17939 versus 5523 (224.8%), and R20 singlecore is 2532 versus 779 (225%). R23 multicore is 42713 versus 13150 (224.8%), and R23 singlecore is 6030 versus 1856 (224.9%). The consistency across Cinebench versions suggests a stable performance ratio that does not change with workload scaling.

PassMark multithread shows AMD at 51405 versus 15471, a 232.3% lead. Floating point math is 167.6% ahead at 117453 versus 43885. Find prime numbers is 129.8% ahead at 262 versus 114. Physics is the closest AMD win at 80.5%, with scores of 2168 versus 1201.

The two Intel wins are both in the single-thread PassMark test. The scores are identical in both entries: 4088 versus 3907, a 4.4% margin. This is the only area where the Intel chip demonstrates any advantage, and it is narrow. The AMD chip still leads in Cinebench singlecore tests, so the Intel win appears specific to the PassMark single-thread workload rather than a general single-core superiority.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX uses 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 5 330 uses 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for AMD and 1.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.40 GHz and 4.60 GHz respectively.

TDP is a major differentiator. The AMD part is rated at 55 W, while the Intel part is rated at 15 W. That 40 W gap explains much of the performance difference and also positions the two chips for very different laptop designs. The AMD chip requires substantial cooling and power delivery; the Intel chip can operate in thinner, fanless or lightly cooled chassis.

Sockets differ completely. AMD uses Socket FL1, while Intel uses BGA 1516. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel chip does not. Memory support shows AMD with DDR5 only on a dual-channel bus, while Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but only on a single-channel bus. Memory bandwidth reflects this: AMD records 83.2 GB/s versus 59.7 GB/s for Intel. Neither chip supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs substantially. AMD offers Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only). Intel offers Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only). That is a major difference for expansion: the AMD chip can drive high-bandwidth storage and GPU connections, while the Intel chip is limited to fewer, slower lanes.

Integrated graphics also differ. AMD uses Radeon 610M. Intel uses Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. Release dates are separated by almost a year: AMD launched on 2025-04-22, Intel on 2026-04-15. The Intel launch MSRP is $309, stated once here as recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX belongs to the 8000 series and uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Dragon Range codename. It is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The transistor count is 13,140 million, and the die size is 2x 71 mm², indicating a chiplet design with two compute dies. The cache hierarchy is per-core: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. This large L3 pool benefits multi-threaded workloads that share data across cores.

The Intel Core 5 330 belongs to the Core 5 generation under the Wildcat Lake codename. The database does not list a specific architecture name, but the process node is 3 nm, fabricated at Intel. No transistor count or die size is recorded. The cache structure is different: 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The L3 is much smaller than AMD's 64 MB, which helps explain the large gap in cache-sensitive workloads like data compression and random string sorting.

The manufacturing differences are notable. AMD uses TSMC's 5 nm process with a chiplet design (two 71 mm² dies). Intel uses its own 3 nm process. The AMD chip's 13,140 million transistors are recorded, while Intel's transistor count is not available in the database.

The core configurations reflect different design philosophies. AMD uses 16 full Zen 4 cores with simultaneous multithreading, yielding 32 threads. Intel uses 6 cores with no hyperthreading, yielding 6 threads. The Intel chip compensates with a higher single-thread PassMark score, but the lack of multithreading and the much smaller L3 cache put it at a severe disadvantage in any parallel or cache-heavy workload.

The AMD chip's 83.2 GB/s dual-channel memory bandwidth versus Intel's 59.7 GB/s single-channel bandwidth further widens the gap in memory-intensive tasks. The PCIe difference (Gen 5, 28 lanes versus Gen 4, 6 lanes) also reflects the AMD chip's positioning as a high-performance mobile part for gaming laptops and mobile workstations, while the Intel chip targets lower-power systems.