AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a complete sweep for the AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX across all eleven shared benchmark comparisons. The largest margin appears in integer math, where AMD delivers 172,943 points against Intel's 62,070, a delta of 178.6%. This is the single most lopsided result in the comparison and suggests a fundamental throughput advantage in arithmetic-heavy workloads.

Data compression follows with AMD at 662,381 versus Intel's 280,340, a 136.3% gap. Extended instructions show a 119.3% difference (53,817 vs 24,542), while random string sorting lands at 104% (70,175 vs 34,402). These three tests all involve memory access patterns and instruction-level parallelism, reinforcing that the AMD part excels when the workload can saturate multiple execution paths.

The multithread score tells a similar story: 51,722 for AMD versus 28,545 for Intel, an 81.2% advantage. This is notable because Intel actually has more physical cores (16 vs 12), yet AMD's 24 threads against Intel's 16 threads reverses the expected outcome. The floating point math test shows a 39.6% lead (115,062 vs 82,415), and data encryption comes in at 51% (32,139 vs 21,291).

Smaller but still decisive margins appear in physics (13.9%, 3,054 vs 2,682), single-thread performance (11.2%, 4,461 vs 4,013), and prime number finding (8%, 323 vs 299). The single-thread result is worth scrutiny: AMD's 4,461 slightly edges Intel's 4,013 despite Intel's higher per-core L1 cache of 192 KB versus AMD's 80 KB. The data suggests clock speed, not cache size, drives this outcome, as AMD boosts to 5.20 GHz while Intel reaches 4.60 GHz.

The average benchmark score disparity is massive: AMD's 106,413 against Intel's 34,485. This places AMD in the 97th percentile of all CPUs, while Intel sits at the 84th. Within their respective peer groups, AMD's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon w7-3555 with an average score of 106,192 (delta 0.2%), meaning AMD effectively ties a workstation-class Xeon. Intel's nearest rival, the Core i7-13700HX at 34,554, shows a delta of -0.2%, meaning the Ultra 5 336H is statistically indistinguishable from that older HX chip.

FAQ

Q: Why does the AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX win every benchmark despite having fewer cores than the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H?

A: The AMD part has 12 cores and 24 threads, while Intel has 16 cores and 16 threads. The extra threads from simultaneous multithreading, combined with a 55 W TDP versus Intel's 25 W, allow AMD to exploit parallel workloads more effectively. The multithread score of 51,722 versus 28,545 (81.2%) confirms this advantage.

Q: Does the Intel chip have any redeeming benchmark performance?

A: The data records zero wins for Intel across the eleven shared tests. The closest margin is prime number finding at 8% (299 vs 323), but Intel still loses. Even in single-thread performance, where Intel's Panther Lake architecture could theoretically compete, AMD leads by 11.2%.

Q: How do these chips compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: AMD's average score of 106,413 places it 0.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon w7-3555 and 0.5% ahead of the Xeon 6521P, while trailing the Xeon w7-2595X by 2.1%. Intel's average score of 34,485 is 0.2% behind the Core i7-13700HX, 0.4% ahead of the Core i5-13450HX, and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X.

Q: What does the percentile ranking indicate?

A: AMD sits at the 97th percentile of all CPUs, meaning only 3% of recorded processors score higher on average. Intel's 84th percentile means 16% of CPUs outrank it. This gap is consistent with the average score difference of roughly 3x.

Q: Is there any benchmark where Intel's higher core count helps?

A: No shared benchmark shows this. Intel's 16 cores without threads cannot overcome AMD's 12 cores with 24 threads in any recorded test. The physics test, which typically scales with core count, still favors AMD at 3,054 versus 2,682.

Q: Which chip has better memory bandwidth?

A: Intel records a higher theoretical memory bandwidth at 115.2 GB/s versus AMD's 89.6 GB/s. However, this does not translate into benchmark wins, as AMD dominates memory-sensitive tests like data compression (662,381 vs 280,340) and random string sorting (70,175 vs 34,402).

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX outperforms the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H in every recorded measurement. The average score difference of 71,928 points (106,413 vs 34,485) represents more than a 3x gap, placing these processors in entirely different performance tiers. AMD's 97th percentile versus Intel's 84th percentile confirms this classification.

The Intel chip's only quantitative advantages in the database are higher memory bandwidth (115.2 vs 89.6 GB/s), more physical cores (16 vs 12), larger per-core L1 cache (192 KB vs 80 KB), and a smaller process node (3 nm vs 4 nm). None of these translate into benchmark victories. The data indicates that for any workload represented in the shared tests, the AMD part is the superior choice.

The verdict from the numbers alone: select the AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX if benchmark performance is the sole criterion. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H may appeal to scenarios where its lower 25 W TDP matters for thermal or battery constraints, but the recorded performance data offers no competitive reason to choose it.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every fundamental specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX uses 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H offers 16 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks diverge sharply: AMD starts at 3.00 GHz, Intel at 1.90 GHz. Boost clocks show AMD reaching 5.20 GHz versus Intel's 4.60 GHz.

Thermal design power favors Intel at 25 W against AMD's 55 W. Sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket FL1, Intel uses BGA 2540. Process nodes differ by generation: AMD is 4 nm from TSMC, Intel is 3 nm from its own foundry. Cache layouts are structurally different: AMD provides 80 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core with 64 MB shared L3, while Intel provides 192 KB L1 and 2.5 MB L2 per core with 18 MB shared L3.

Memory support shows Intel accepting both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while AMD lists DDR5 only. Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 115.2 GB/s versus AMD's 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported by AMD but not by Intel. PCIe lanes differ: AMD offers 28 lanes, Intel offers 12 lanes (both Gen 5, CPU only). Integrated graphics are distinct: AMD uses Radeon 610M, Intel uses Xe3 Graphics. The multiplier is unlocked on AMD but locked on Intel. AMD's transistor count is recorded at 16,630 million across a 2x 70.6 mm² die, while Intel's transistor count and die size are not recorded.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX belongs to the 9000 series built on Zen 5 architecture with the Fire Range codename. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H comes from the Core Ultra Series 3 using Panther Lake architecture with the Panther Lake-H codename. These represent distinct design philosophies: Zen 5 emphasizes high IPC with fewer, wider cores, while Panther Lake focuses on a denser 3 nm process with more numerous but narrower cores.

The cache hierarchy reveals the architectural split. AMD's per-core L1 of 80 KB and L2 of 1 MB are modest, but the 64 MB shared L3 is nearly 3.5x larger than Intel's 18 MB shared L3. This large L3 likely explains AMD's dominance in data compression and random string sorting, workloads that benefit from large on-chip data residency. Intel's larger per-core L1 (192 KB) and L2 (2.5 MB) do not compensate in the recorded benchmarks.

Threading strategy differs fundamentally. AMD enables simultaneous multithreading, doubling 12 cores into 24 threads. Intel's 16 cores run with 16 threads, no SMT. This explains why AMD wins the multithread test by 81.2% despite having fewer physical cores. The 55 W TDP on AMD versus 25 W on Intel also indicates the power budget available for sustained all-core operation.

Process technology shows Intel at 3 nm versus AMD at 4 nm, but this node advantage does not yield performance wins. The foundry difference matters: Intel fabricates its own chip, while AMD uses TSMC. The recorded data shows no performance benefit from Intel's smaller node. ECC support on AMD suggests a workstation-oriented design, while its absence on Intel positions that chip for consumer mobile use.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX wins every single benchmark category in the shared dataset. The most decisive victories come in integer math (178.6% ahead), data compression (136.3%), extended instructions (119.3%), and random string sorting (104%). These are compute-heavy, memory-hungry tasks that benefit from AMD's combination of 24 threads, large 64 MB L3 cache, and high 5.20 GHz boost clock.

The multithread score (81.2% ahead) indicates AMD dominates any workload that can use more than 16 threads. The single-thread score (11.2% ahead) shows AMD also leads in lightly threaded applications, which is unusual given Intel's higher per-core cache. The floating point and encryption tests show 39.6% and 51% leads respectively, covering scientific and security workloads.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H records zero benchmark wins. Its advantages exist only in specifications: lower TDP (25 W), higher memory bandwidth (115.2 GB/s), more physical cores (16), and a 3 nm process node. These specifications do not produce any recorded performance victory. The data suggests Intel's chip could be relevant for power-constrained mobile designs, but the benchmark database contains no test where it outperforms AMD.

For users prioritizing raw performance across compression, encryption, math, physics, and sorting workloads, the AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX is the only choice supported by the data. The Intel chip's higher core count and newer process node remain theoretical advantages that the recorded benchmarks do not confirm.