AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H Comparison

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and Intel Core Ultra 5 338H occupy different tiers of the mobile processor market, and the benchmark data reflects a clear split between raw compute dominance and specific efficiency-oriented tasks. The Ryzen 9 8945HX, with 16 cores and 32 threads, is positioned as a high-end part, while the Core Ultra 5 338H, with 12 cores and 12 threads, targets a more power-conscious segment. Across the recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the AMD part wins 13 tests, while the Intel part wins 4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victories for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX come in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 42,713 against Intel's 16,331, a delta of 161.5%. This is the largest percentage gap in the entire comparison. The Cinebench R20 multi-core test shows a similar trend: 17,939 for AMD versus 10,213 for Intel, a 75.6% advantage. Cinebench R15 multi-core follows with 4,305 versus 2,504, a 71.9% lead. The data indicates that the Ryzen 9 8945HX delivers roughly 1.7 to 2.6 times the multi-threaded Cinebench performance of the Core Ultra 5 338H, depending on the specific test generation.

Single-core results also heavily favor AMD, though the margins vary. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 6,030, while the Core Ultra 5 338H scores 2,044, a 195% delta. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 2,532 versus 1,441, a 75.7% lead. The Cinebench R15 single-core test records 607 for AMD and 305 for Intel, a 99% difference. These scores indicate that the Zen 4 architecture in the AMD part provides a substantial per-thread performance advantage over the Panther Lake architecture in the Intel part, at least as measured by these specific Cinebench versions.

PassMark results continue the pattern, with AMD winning the majority of sub-tests. The largest single-subtest margin is in PassMark integer math, where AMD scores 195,180 and Intel scores 64,934, a 200.6% delta. Data compression shows AMD at 677,755 against Intel's 276,539, a 145.1% lead. Random string sorting favors AMD with 78,781 versus 34,082, a 131.2% gap. Extended instructions see AMD at 49,823 and Intel at 23,906, a 108.4% difference. Data encryption shows AMD at 40,836 versus 21,367, a 91.1% lead. Floating point math is closer but still favors AMD: 117,453 versus 84,067, a 39.7% advantage. The PassMark multithread score has AMD at 51,405 and Intel at 28,717, a 79% delta.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H claims four wins, and they are concentrated in specific sub-tests. The most notable is PassMark physics, where Intel scores 2,697 against AMD's 2,168, a delta of -19.6% (meaning AMD trails by that percentage). Intel also wins PassMark find prime numbers with 304 versus 262, a -13.8% delta. In the single-thread category, the PassMark single-thread test shows Intel at 4,180 and AMD at 3,907, a -6.5% delta. The duplicate PassMark singlethread test records the same scores and the same -6.5% delta. These wins indicate that the Intel part has strengths in specific physics simulations, prime number calculations, and one particular single-threaded PassMark workload, despite losing the Cinebench single-core tests decisively.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is the superior processor for almost all compute-intensive tasks. Its wins in every Cinebench test, both multi-core and single-core, are substantial. The data shows it delivers over double the performance in Cinebench R23 multi-core and nearly triple in R23 single-core. For users whose workloads rely on these rendering and simulation benchmarks, the choice is clear: the AMD part provides significantly higher throughput.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins in a narrower set of scenarios. Its victories in PassMark physics and find prime numbers suggest a particular efficiency in those specific algorithmic workloads. The PassMark single-thread score also shows Intel ahead, but this is an isolated result that conflicts with the Cinebench single-core data, where AMD leads by large margins. The overall average benchmark score reinforces the AMD advantage: the Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average score of 76,212, while the Core Ultra 5 338H has 33,989. The AMD part sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the Intel part's 84th percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX wins in scenarios that demand high core counts and thread-level parallelism. Its 16 cores and 32 threads, combined with a 64 MB L3 cache, make it well suited for video rendering, 3D modeling, software compilation, and other multi-threaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,713 is the strongest indicator of this capability. The PassMark data compression and integer math scores also point to strengths in data processing and general computation. The Ryzen 9 8945HX also wins in single-core Cinebench tests, which matters for lightly threaded applications that still rely on high per-core performance.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins in specific algorithmic tasks. The PassMark physics score of 2,697 suggests that its architecture handles certain physics calculations more efficiently than the AMD part. The find prime numbers score of 304 indicates a particular strength in prime number generation. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,180 shows that in that specific test, Intel's per-thread execution is faster, even though Cinebench single-core results contradict this. The Intel part's lower TDP of 25 watts, compared to 55 watts for AMD, is a qualitative factor for thermally constrained systems, but the performance data shows it loses most compute comparisons.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 42,713, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H scores 16,331. This gives AMD a 161.5% lead in that test.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins four tests: PassMark physics, PassMark find prime numbers, and two PassMark single-thread tests. The PassMark physics score is 2,697 for Intel versus 2,168 for AMD, a -19.6% delta.

Q: What is the difference in single-core Cinebench R23 performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 6,030, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H scores 2,044. The delta is 195% in favor of AMD.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76,212, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has an average of 33,989. The AMD part also ranks in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part ranks in the 84th percentile.

Q: Which processor wins in PassMark integer math?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 195,180, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H scores 64,934. This is a 200.6% delta in favor of AMD.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the Intel part is close to the AMD part?

A: The closest Intel win is in PassMark single-thread, where Intel leads by 6.5%. The closest AMD win in percentage terms is in PassMark floating point math, where AMD leads by 39.7%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and manufacturing processes. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX uses the Zen 4 architecture with the codename Dragon Range, fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. It contains 13,140 million transistors across a die size of 2x 71 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H uses the Panther Lake architecture with the codename Panther Lake-H, fabricated by Intel on a 3 nm process. The Intel part has no recorded transistor count or die size in the database.

The cache structures differ significantly. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a 64 MB L3 cache. The Intel part has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, and an 18 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD part has a larger total L3 cache, which contributes to its multi-threaded performance advantages. The Intel part has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, which may explain its wins in specific single-threaded PassMark sub-tests.

Memory support also differs. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H supports LPDDR5X memory with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s. The Intel part has a higher memory bandwidth rating, which is notable for memory-intensive workloads, though the benchmark data does not show it translating into overall performance wins.

PCIe lanes differ as well. The AMD part has Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part has Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only). The AMD part provides more PCIe lanes for expansion, which matters for systems with multiple GPUs or NVMe drives. The integrated graphics also differ: the AMD part uses Radeon 610M, and the Intel part uses Arc B370.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are a primary differentiator. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has 12 cores and 12 threads. The AMD part has double the threads, which directly supports its multi-threaded benchmark wins.

Clock speeds also differ. The AMD part has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The Intel part has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The AMD part has higher base and boost clocks, aligning with its Cinebench single-core wins.

Thermal design power differs, with the AMD part rated at 55 watts and the Intel part at 25 watts. The sockets are different: AMD uses Socket FL1, and Intel uses BGA 2540. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. The release dates differ, with the AMD part released in 2025-04-22 and the Intel part in 2026-01-04. The production status for both is listed as Active. Neither part has a recorded launch MSRP in the database.