AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data separates these two mobile processors cleanly. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins 4. The AMD part sits at the 95th percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 76212. The Intel part sits at the 87th percentile, with an average score of 41215. That is a gap of roughly 85% in average score, and it places the two chips in entirely different performance classes.

The Ryzen 9 8945HX is the choice for workloads that demand heavy multithreading, large data transforms, and sustained compute. Its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (average score 76155, delta 0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (average score 75779, delta 0.6%), which places it in flagship desktop-class territory despite being a mobile part. The Core Ultra 7 356H, by contrast, sits alongside the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (average score 41208, delta 0%) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (average score 41263, delta -0.1%), indicating a mid-range mobile position.

For a buyer who needs maximum compute density in a laptop, the AMD part is the clear data-backed pick. For a buyer who prioritizes lower power draw, a specific set of single-threaded tasks, and a more recent process node, the Intel part has targeted advantages. The data does not support calling the Intel chip a general competitor to the AMD chip; it wins in narrow, specific workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX dominates the Cinebench suite across the board. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 42713 against 18395, a 132.2% advantage. In R23 singlecore, it scores 6030 against 2040, a 195.6% advantage. The R15 and R20 runs show the same pattern, with AMD ahead by 40.9% and 47.6% in multicore, and 100.3% and 47.6% in singlecore respectively. These are not marginal wins; they are category-level separations.

The AMD chip also wins every PassMark throughput test except three. Data compression shows 677755 against 336177, a 101.6% lead. Integer math shows 195180 against 83111, a 134.8% lead. Random string sorting shows 78781 against 40990, a 92.2% lead. Extended instructions show 49823 against 27898, a 78.6% lead. Multithread shows 51405 against 33978, a 51.3% lead. Encryption shows 40836 against 26345, a 55% lead. Floating point math shows 117453 against 103128, a 13.9% lead.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins four tests. PassMark find prime numbers shows 327 against 262, a 19.9% advantage for Intel. PassMark physics shows 2895 against 2168, a 25.1% advantage. PassMark single thread and singlethread both show 4072 against 3907, a 4.1% advantage. These wins are concentrated in prime-number computation, a physics simulation workload, and a narrow single-threaded metric. They do not offset the AMD chip's wins in broader compute categories.

Architecture Differences

The two chips use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is built on Zen 4 architecture with the Dragon Range codename, part of the 8000 series. It uses a 5 nm process from TSMC and contains 13,140 million transistors across a dual-die layout of 2x 71 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H uses Panther Lake architecture, part of the Core Ultra Series 3, built on a 3 nm process at Intel.

Core counts match at 16, but thread counts do not. The AMD chip supports 32 threads, while the Intel chip supports 16 threads. This means the AMD part has simultaneous multithreading enabled across all cores, while the Intel part does not. That difference alone explains much of the multithreaded benchmark gap.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD chip provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB L3. The Intel chip provides 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. The AMD chip's larger L3 pool (64 MB vs 18 MB) supports its data-heavy workloads. The Intel chip's larger per-core L1 and L2 capacities reflect a different cache hierarchy design.

Memory support also differs. The AMD chip uses DDR5 with dual-channel memory and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel chip supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel part has a higher memory bandwidth figure, but this does not translate into benchmark wins in the recorded data.

PCIe lane counts differ. The AMD chip provides Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes. The Intel chip provides Gen 5 with 12 CPU lanes. The AMD part has a 24.1% advantage in CPU-connected PCIe lane count, relevant for high-throughput peripherals.

The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier and uses AMD Socket FL1. The Intel chip has a locked multiplier and uses Intel BGA 2540. The AMD part integrates Radeon 610M graphics, while the Intel part integrates Intel Xe3 Graphics. Neither integrated GPU was benchmarked in the recorded data.

The AMD chip lists a TDP of 55, while the Intel chip lists a TDP of 25. The AMD part draws more power by specification, consistent with its higher performance envelope. The Intel part's lower TDP aligns with its smaller win profile and more recent process node.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, compared to 41215 for the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H. The AMD chip also ranks at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel chip ranks at the 87th percentile.

Q: Does the Intel chip win any benchmark categories?

A: Yes. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins 4 of 17 head-to-head tests: PassMark find prime numbers (327 vs 262, a 19.9% advantage), PassMark physics (2895 vs 2168, a 25.1% advantage), and PassMark single thread / singlethread (4072 vs 3907, a 4.1% advantage in both).

Q: How large is the AMD chip's lead in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX scores 42713 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H scores 18395. That is a 132.2% advantage for the AMD chip.

Q: What explains the multithreading performance gap?

A: Both chips have 16 cores, but the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX supports 32 threads while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H supports 16 threads. The AMD chip's simultaneous multithreading doubles its thread count, which directly benefits multithreaded benchmarks.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has 64 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip also has a higher PCIe lane count (28 vs 12 CPU lanes) and a higher TDP (55 vs 25).

Q: What are the release dates for these two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has a release date of 2025-04-22. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has a release date of 2026-01-04. Both are listed as Active in production status.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX comes in Cinebench R23 singlecore, where it scores 6030 against 2040, a 195.6% advantage. This is the most extreme delta in the entire head-to-head set. The R23 multicore result is nearly as lopsided: 42713 against 18395, a 132.2% lead. Integer math in PassMark shows 195180 against 83111, a 134.8% lead. Data compression shows 677755 against 336177, a 101.6% lead. These four tests alone establish the AMD chip as the dominant compute processor.

The AMD chip also leads by 100.3% in Cinebench R15 singlecore (607 vs 303), by 92.2% in random string sorting (78781 vs 40990), and by 78.6% in extended instructions (49823 vs 27898). The multithread test shows 51405 vs 33978, a 51.3% lead. Encryption shows 40836 vs 26345, a 55% lead. The R20 tests show 17939 vs 12153 in multicore and 2532 vs 1715 in singlecore, both at 47.6% leads. Floating point math shows 117453 vs 103128, a 13.9% lead. The R15 multicore result shows 4305 vs 3055, a 40.9% lead.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins by its largest margin in PassMark physics, scoring 2895 against 2168, a 25.1% advantage. The prime number test shows 327 against 262, a 19.9% advantage. The single-thread tests show 4072 against 3907, a 4.1% advantage. These wins are real but narrow in scope. The Intel chip's highest win percentage (25.1% in physics) is still smaller than the AMD chip's lowest non-trivial win percentage (13.9% in floating point math).

Specification Differences

The two chips differ in nearly every measured specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX uses Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H uses Panther Lake architecture on a 3 nm Intel process. The AMD chip is built on the Dragon Range codename, part of the 8000 series; the Intel chip is built on the Panther Lake-H codename, part of the Core Ultra Series 3.

Core counts match at 16 each, but threads differ: 32 for AMD, 16 for Intel. Base clocks differ at 2.50 GHz for AMD and 1.90 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks differ at 5.40 GHz for AMD and 4.70 GHz for Intel. TDP differs at 55 for AMD and 25 for Intel.

Sockets differ: AMD Socket FL1 for AMD, Intel BGA 2540 for Intel. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel chip does not. Cache differs at every level: L1 is 64 KB per core for AMD vs 192 KB per core for Intel; L2 is 1 MB per core for AMD vs 2.5 MB per core for Intel; L3 is 64 MB for AMD vs 18 MB shared for Intel.

Memory support differs: DDR5 for AMD, DDR5 and LPDDR5X for Intel. Both use dual-channel memory, but bandwidth differs at 83.2 GB/s for AMD and 115.2 GB/s for Intel. PCIe differs: Gen 5 with 28 CPU lanes for AMD, Gen 5 with 12 CPU lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 610M for AMD, Intel Xe3 Graphics for Intel.

Transistor count and die size are listed for AMD (13,140 million transistors, 2x 71 mm²) but not recorded for Intel. The AMD chip's part number is 100-000001848; the Intel chip's part number is SA4RGQ9EU. Neither chip has a recorded launch MSRP, and both are listed as Active in production.