AMD Ryzen 9 9950X vs Intel Core Ultra X9 378H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X records an average benchmark score of 74640, while the Intel Core Ultra X9 378H records 47468. The AMD part sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, and the Intel part sits in the 89th percentile.

Q: How does the single-core performance compare between the two?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel Core Ultra X9 378H scores 4595 versus the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X's 2202, a 52.1% lead for Intel. However, in PassMark single-thread, the AMD part wins 4737 to 4453, a 6.4% edge.

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has 32 threads from 16 cores. The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H has 16 threads from 16 cores, meaning it lacks simultaneous multithreading.

Q: What is the power envelope difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has a TDP of 170 watts, while the Intel Core Ultra X9 378H has a TDP of 25 watts. The Intel part is a mobile processor with a much lower power target.

Q: Which processor wins the most head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X wins 11 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H wins 4, all in single-core or lightly threaded tests.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H supports LPDDR5X with 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Granite Ridge codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It is a desktop part on AMD Socket AM5 with 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H uses the Panther Lake codename from the Core Ultra Series 3, built on a 3 nm process at Intel, and is a mobile part on Intel BGA 2540 with 16 cores and 16 threads. The lack of threads on the Intel part indicates it does not implement simultaneous multithreading, which directly affects its multi-core throughput.

Cache structures differ significantly. The AMD part provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3 cache. The Intel part provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. Although the Intel part has larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations, its total L3 is much smaller. The AMD part also includes ECC memory support, while the Intel part does not. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel processor is locked.

The AMD part features Radeon Graphics as integrated graphics. The Intel part features Arc B390. The AMD processor provides PCIe Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, while the Intel processor provides PCIe Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes. The Intel part uses LPDDR5X memory and reaches 153.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the AMD part uses DDR5 and reaches 89.6 GB/s. The AMD part has a launch MSRP of $649. The Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP.

The Verdict

The recorded data splits cleanly by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X dominates multi-threaded and throughput-heavy workloads. It wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 93.1%, Cinebench R23 multi-core by 25.7%, PassMark multi-thread by 72.4%, and PassMark integer math by 161.4%. It also wins data compression by 131.9%, extended instructions by 128.5%, and random string sorting by 111.4%. For users running rendering, compilation, encryption, or data processing tasks, the AMD part is the clear choice based on the benchmark results.

The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H wins in specific single-core and lightly threaded tests. It leads Cinebench R15 single-core by 25.5% and Cinebench R23 single-core by 52.1%. It also edges out the AMD part in PassMark find prime numbers by 3.4% and PassMark physics by 3.7%. These wins indicate a strong per-core architecture, but the Intel part loses the PassMark single-thread test to the AMD part by 6.4%, which tempers the single-core story.

The power data is decisive for mobile use. The Intel part has a 25 watt TDP versus 170 watts for the AMD part. The Intel processor is a mobile part with an integrated Arc B390 GPU, while the AMD processor is a desktop part. For a laptop or power-constrained system, the Intel part is the only realistic option from this comparison. For a desktop workstation or high-performance PC, the AMD part delivers substantially higher multi-threaded scores.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core Ultra X9 378H |

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

| Cores | 16 | 16 |

| Threads | 32 | 16 |

| Base clock | 4.30 GHz | 2.00 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.70 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 170 W | 25 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel BGA 2540 |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Panther Lake |

| Generation | Ryzen 9 (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)) | Ultra X9 (Panther Lake-H) |

| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| 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 | LPDDR5X |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 153.6 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 4 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Graphics | Arc B390 |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Launch MSRP | $649 | None recorded |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest margin in the comparison belongs to PassMark integer math, where the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X scores 242097 against 92603 for the Intel Core Ultra X9 378H, a 161.4% advantage. Data compression shows a 131.9% lead for AMD (896544 versus 386591). Extended instructions follow at 128.5% (71564 versus 31315). Random string sorting gives AMD a 111.4% lead (94368 versus 44648). Cinebench R15 multi-core shows AMD at 6335 against 3281, a 93.1% win. PassMark multi-thread lands at 66030 versus 38298, a 72.4% margin. Data encryption favors AMD by 48.7% (44366 versus 29840). Floating point math favors AMD by 38.9% (159063 versus 114500). Cinebench R23 multi-core favors AMD by 25.7% (40924 versus 32553). PassMark single-thread favors AMD by 6.4% (4737 versus 4453).

The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H takes its largest win in Cinebench R23 single-core, scoring 4595 against 2202, a 52.1% margin. Cinebench R15 single-core gives Intel a 25.5% win (462 versus 344). PassMark physics gives Intel a 3.7% win (3404 versus 3279). PassMark find prime numbers gives Intel a 3.4% win (357 versus 345). These four wins are the only Intel victories in the recorded head-to-head set.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X wins in every multi-threaded and throughput-oriented category in the head-to-head data. Its 32 threads, 64 MB of L3 cache, and 170 watt power budget allow it to sustain heavy parallel workloads. The PassMark multithread score of 66030 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40924 place it well above the Intel part in rendering, compression, encryption, and math-heavy tasks. The 131.9% lead in data compression and 161.4% lead in integer math indicate strong performance for database operations, file archiving, and scientific computing. The 128.5% lead in extended instructions suggests an advantage in workloads using advanced SIMD or specialized instruction sets. The AMD part also wins the PassMark single-thread test by 6.4%, meaning it is not purely a multi-core specialist.

The Intel Core Ultra X9 378H wins in Cinebench single-core tests by large margins, which indicates a very strong per-core architecture for lightly threaded applications. The 52.1% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is the largest Intel margin. It also wins PassMark physics and find prime numbers by small margins, suggesting an edge in certain latency-sensitive or branch-heavy tasks. However, the Intel part loses PassMark single-thread to the AMD part, so its single-core advantage is not universal. The Intel part has a 25 watt TDP and a mobile socket, so its natural environment is a laptop or compact system where power draw and thermals are the primary constraints. The 153.6 GB/s memory bandwidth from LPDDR5X also gives it a bandwidth advantage over the AMD part's 89.6 GB/s, which may benefit integrated GPU workloads given the Arc B390 graphics.

For desktop builds with room for a 170 watt processor, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is the stronger choice across nearly all recorded benchmarks. For mobile systems, the Intel Core Ultra X9 378H is the appropriate part, with competitive single-core results and a dramatically lower TDP. The two processors do not compete for the same chassis, and the data reflects that split.