AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is unusually sharp, with each processor dominating entirely different workload categories. The AMD part takes 7 wins, while Intel claims 10, but the nature of those victories matters more than the raw count.

The Ryzen 9 8945HX is the clear choice for heavily threaded rendering and compute tasks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 versus Intel's 30867 represents a 38.4% advantage, and the single-core R23 result is even more lopsided at 166.7% ahead. The AMD chip also wins integer math by 56%, data compression by 19.2%, extended instructions by 11.8%, and random string sorting by 14%. These are classic CPU-bound productivity and scientific workloads where the Ryzen's 16 cores and 32 threads provide a decisive edge.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus counters with a different profile. It leads in floating-point math by 27.8%, physics by 38%, and prime number finding by 46.1%. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4757 is 17.9% higher than AMD's 3907, and it edges ahead in Cinebench R20 single-core by 2.7%. The Intel part also wins the multithread PassMark test by a hair-thin 0.4% margin, and data encryption by 3.1%. These results point toward a processor that excels in single-thread responsiveness and specific math-heavy operations, despite having fewer threads overall.

For users choosing between them, the decision hinges on workload type. The Ryzen 9 8945HX is the better fit for video rendering, code compilation, and any task that scales with thread count. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus suits physics simulation, encryption workloads, and single-thread-sensitive applications better.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX records an average benchmark score of 76212, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus averages 66855, sitting in the 93rd percentile.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-core rendering?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 42713 versus 30867 for Intel, a 38.4% lead. However, in Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel wins with 4640 against 4305, a 7.2% margin.

Q: What is the thread count difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads, meaning it does not support simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Which processor offers better single-core performance?

A: The Intel part wins PassMark single-thread with 4757 against 3907, a 17.9% advantage. But AMD wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 166.7% and R15 single-core by 85.1%, a contradiction that reflects different test methodologies.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports 115.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX provides 83.2 GB/s.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single victory in the comparison belongs to AMD in Cinebench R23 single-core. The Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 6030 against Intel's 2261, a 166.7% delta. That is not a small edge; it is more than two and a half times the Intel score. The Cinebench R15 single-core result follows the same pattern, with AMD at 607 and Intel at 328, an 85.1% difference.

AMD also dominates in Cinebench R23 multi-core, posting 42713 versus 30867, a 38.4% advantage. Integer math shows a 56% lead for AMD with 195180 against 125091. Data compression favors AMD by 19.2% (677755 to 568721), extended instructions by 11.8% (49823 to 44565), and random string sorting by 14% (78781 to 69090).

Intel's biggest win is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 486 against AMD's 262, a 46.1% margin. Floating-point math goes to Intel by 27.8% (162692 versus 117453), and physics by 38% (3494 versus 2168). The PassMark single-thread test gives Intel a 17.9% edge (4757 versus 3907). Data encryption is close, with Intel at 42144 and AMD at 40836, a 3.1% difference.

Two multi-core results tell a nuanced story. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, Intel wins 18442 to 17939, just 2.7% ahead. The PassMark multithread test is nearly identical, with Intel at 51596 and AMD at 51405, a 0.4% margin. These near-ties contrast sharply with the 38.4% AMD advantage in R23 multi-core, suggesting the two processors trade blows depending on the specific benchmark engine.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts diverge significantly. AMD uses 16 cores and 32 threads, while Intel offers 18 cores and 18 threads. Clock speeds also differ: AMD has a base of 2.50 GHz and a boost of 5.40 GHz; Intel has a higher base of 4.20 GHz but a lower boost of 5.30 GHz. The TDP gap is substantial, with AMD rated at 55 watts and Intel at 125 watts.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 115.2 GB/s versus AMD's 83.2 GB/s, both using dual-channel DDR5. ECC memory support exists only on the Intel side. PCIe lane counts differ as well, with AMD providing Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only) and Intel providing Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics are different: AMD uses Radeon 610M, while Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. Sockets are incompatible, with AMD on Socket FL1 and Intel on Socket 1851. The market segments also differ, with AMD positioned as mobile and Intel as desktop. Release dates show AMD arriving earlier, on 2025-04-22, while Intel follows on 2026-03-10. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $199.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Dragon Range codename, part of the 8000 series. It is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC with 13,140 million transistors across a dual-die design of 2x 71 mm². The L1 cache is 64 KB per core, L2 is 1 MB per core, and L3 totals 64 MB.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus comes from the Core Ultra Series 2, using the Arrow Lake Refresh codename. It is fabricated on a 3 nm process at TSMC with 17,800 million transistors on a single 243 mm² die. Cache organization differs: L1 is 192 KB per core, L2 is 3 MB per core, and L3 is 30 MB shared.

The transistor count favors Intel by a wide margin, 17,800 million versus 13,140 million, but AMD's dual-die approach keeps individual dies smaller. The cache hierarchy is fundamentally different, with Intel allocating more L1 and L2 per core while AMD provides a larger shared L3 pool. Intel's 3 nm node is smaller than AMD's 5 nm node, which partially explains the higher transistor count on a single die.

The multiplier is unlocked on both processors, and both are marked as active production parts. The AMD part number is 100-000001848, while Intel's is SA4UZ. These architectural choices explain much of the benchmark behavior: AMD's thread-heavy design with 32 threads excels in parallel rendering, while Intel's higher base clock and per-core cache allocation support its single-thread and math-focused wins.