AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database records 15 head-to-head comparisons between the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H. The AMD part wins all 15. The largest margins appear in integer-heavy and compression workloads, while the smallest gaps show up in single-threaded tests.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 32172 against 18395 for the Intel part, a 74.9% lead. That is the second-largest delta in the entire comparison. The multi-threaded PassMark test tells a similar story: 54643 versus 33978, a 60.8% advantage. The R15 multi-core run shows 5008 against 3055, a 63.9% gap.

The single-core results are closer but still favor AMD. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2253 versus 2040, a 10.4% delta. PassMark single-thread shows 4672 versus 4072, a 14.7% delta. The R15 single-core run shows 353 versus 303, a 16.5% gap. These numbers indicate that the architectural efficiency of the Zen 5 core carries over into lightly threaded workloads, though the advantage narrows considerably compared to the multi-core tests.

The largest recorded delta is in PassMark integer math, where the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 181056 and the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H scores 83111, a 117.8% difference. Data compression shows a 103.3% delta (683579 versus 336177). Extended instructions show a 98% delta (55243 versus 27898). Random string sorting shows a 75.7% delta (72013 versus 40990). These four workloads all involve sustained throughput on large data sets, which plays directly to the AMD processor's higher thread count and larger cache.

Smaller but still decisive wins appear in floating-point math (120083 versus 103128, 16.4%), physics (3381 versus 2895, 16.8%), data encryption (33421 versus 26345, 26.9%), and prime number search (436 versus 327, 33.3%). Even in the most favorable Intel workload, the AMD chip holds a double-digit lead.

The average benchmark score for the Ryzen 9 9900X is 57498, placing it at the 92nd percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H averages 41215, at the 87th percentile. The nearest rivals for the AMD chip include the AMD EPYC 9015 (57555, -0.1%), the AMD EPYC 7313 (57399, 0.2%), the Intel Core i9-14900 (58115, -1.1%), and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (58323, -1.4%). For the Intel mobile part, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (41208, 0%), the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (41263, -0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (41376, -0.4%), and the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (40967, 0.6%). The data places the 9900X in a different performance class entirely, roughly 39.5% higher average score than the 356H.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from opposite ends of the design spectrum. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a desktop part built on Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, from the 9000 series. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is a mobile part built on Panther Lake architecture, from the Core Ultra Series 3, launched as Panther Lake-H.

The most fundamental difference is core and thread configuration. The AMD chip has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel chip has 16 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part has more physical cores but no hyperthreading, so its thread count is exactly equal to its core count. The AMD part uses simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count. This explains why the AMD chip dominates multi-threaded benchmarks despite having fewer physical cores: it has 24 threads against 16, a 50% advantage.

Clock speeds also diverge sharply. The Ryzen 9 9900X has a 4.40 GHz base clock and a 5.60 GHz boost clock. The Core Ultra 7 356H has a 1.90 GHz base clock and a 4.70 GHz boost clock. The AMD part boosts nearly a full gigahertz higher. The base clock difference is even larger, 4.40 GHz versus 1.90 GHz, reflecting the desktop power envelope versus the mobile one.

Process technology differs as well. The AMD chip uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, with 16,630 million transistors across a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². The Intel chip uses a 3 nm process from Intel's own foundry; the transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database. The Intel process is smaller, but the AMD design still delivers substantially higher performance per thread in the recorded benchmarks.

Cache hierarchy is another differentiator. The Ryzen 9 9900X has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, but the AMD part has over 3.5 times the total L3 cache. In cache-sensitive workloads like data compression and random string sorting, that large L3 advantage shows up clearly in the score deltas.

Memory support also differs. The AMD chip supports DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC memory support. The Intel chip supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The Intel part has the higher memory bandwidth figure, yet this does not translate into a benchmark win in any recorded test.

PCIe connectivity differs in lane count. The AMD chip provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU. The Intel chip provides Gen 5 with 12 lanes from the CPU. Both use the same PCIe generation, but the AMD part offers double the CPU-attached lanes.

Integrated graphics differ, though neither is a focus of the CPU benchmark data. The AMD part includes Radeon Graphics, while the Intel part includes Intel Xe3 Graphics. The Intel part has a 25 W TDP versus 120 W for the AMD part, reflecting the mobile versus desktop market segments. The AMD chip uses an AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel chip uses an Intel BGA 2540 socket. The AMD multiplier is unlocked; the Intel multiplier is not. The AMD part launched on 2024-08-14 with a launch MSRP of $499. The Intel part launched on 2026-01-04 with no recorded MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has 24 threads across 12 cores. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 16 threads across 16 cores. The AMD part has 8 more threads, a 50% advantage.

Q: What is the largest benchmark gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark integer math, where the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X scores 181056 versus 83111 for the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, a 117.8% difference.

Q: How close are the single-core scores?

A: The closest margin is Cinebench R23 single-core, where the AMD part scores 2253 and the Intel part scores 2040, a 10.4% delta. PassMark single-thread shows a 14.7% delta (4672 versus 4072), and Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 16.5% delta (353 versus 303).

Q: Does the Intel part win any benchmark in the database?

A: No. The recorded head-to-head data shows the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X winning all 15 comparisons, with zero wins for the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part has more than three times the L3 capacity.

Q: How do the average scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 57498, at the 92nd percentile. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has an average score of 41215, at the 87th percentile. The AMD part's average is roughly 39.5% higher.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear separation. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X outperforms the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H in every single benchmark test in the database. The multi-threaded workloads show the largest gaps, with Cinebench R23 multi-core at 74.9% and PassMark multithread at 60.8%. The single-threaded tests show a narrower but still consistent advantage, between 10.4% and 16.5% depending on the benchmark.

The architectural reasons are visible in the specification data. The AMD part has 24 threads versus 16, a 5.60 GHz boost clock versus 4.70 GHz, and 64 MB of L3 cache versus 18 MB. These three factors together explain the pattern of results. The Intel part counters with more physical cores (16 versus 12), larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, and higher memory bandwidth (115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s), but none of those advantages produce a single benchmark win in the recorded data.

The market segments are different. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a desktop processor in an AM5 socket with a 120 W TDP and an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is a mobile processor in a BGA 2540 socket with a 25 W TDP and a locked multiplier. The Intel part draws far less power, which is expected for mobile use, but the performance per watt tradeoff is not captured in these benchmark scores. The data only shows that in raw performance, the AMD desktop part is decisively ahead.

For users selecting a processor strictly on the basis of the benchmark scores in this database, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is the higher-performing option across all recorded tests. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H occupies a lower performance tier, closer to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 and the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, according to the nearest rivals data. The AMD part sits alongside server-class chips like the AMD EPYC 9015 and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M in average score, which indicates its performance class is substantially above the mobile Intel part.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 9900X | Intel Core Ultra 7 356H |

|---|---|---|

| Series | 9000 series | Core Ultra Series 3 |

| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |

| Cores | 12 | 16 |

| Threads | 24 | 16 |

| Base clock | 4.40 GHz | 1.90 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.60 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 120 W | 25 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel BGA 2540 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Panther Lake |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Panther Lake |

| Generation | Ryzen 9 (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)) | Ultra 7 (Panther Lake-H) |

| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 16,630 million | Not recorded |

| Die size | 2x 70.6 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2.5 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 64 MB | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 115.2 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 12 lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Graphics | Intel Xe3 Graphics |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2024-08-14 | 2026-01-04 |

| Launch MSRP | $499 | Not recorded |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part number | 100-000000662 | SA4RGQ9EU |

| Average benchmark score | 57498 | 41215 |

| Percentile vs all CPUs | 92 | 87 |