AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between the two processors. Across the Cinebench suite, the Intel Core 5 221E consistently takes the lead. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel scores 2613 versus AMD's 2536, a 2.9% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar pattern, with Intel at 368 and AMD at 357, a 3% difference. Moving to Cinebench R20, Intel leads by 3% in both multicore (10891 vs 10569) and single-core (1537 vs 1491) tests. The R23 results maintain the trend: Intel scores 25933 multicore against AMD's 25165 (3% ahead) and 3661 single-core against 3552 (3% ahead).

The Passmark suite reveals a more nuanced picture. Intel wins the majority of these tests, but AMD secures decisive victories in several specialized workloads. The largest margin in the entire comparison belongs to AMD in Passmark extended instructions, where it scores 27714 against Intel's 18216, a massive 52.1% advantage. AMD also dominates data compression with 368884 versus 324285 (13.8% ahead) and data encryption with 21820 versus 19205 (13.6% ahead). Random string sorting goes to AMD as well, 44668 against 37686, an 18.5% lead.

Intel's Passmark wins include find prime numbers, where it scores 173 versus AMD's 91, a striking 47.4% margin. Floating point math favors Intel at 79028 versus 63490, a 19.7% gap. Integer math shows Intel ahead by 12.2% (117813 vs 103390). Physics performance heavily favors Intel, 2230 versus 1430, a 35.9% difference. The multithread test is nearly a tie, with Intel at 30510 and AMD at 30378, just 0.4% apart. Single-thread performance also goes to Intel, 4147 versus 3920, a 5.5% margin.

The overall win count stands at 13 for Intel and 4 for AMD. However, the magnitude of AMD's wins in compression, encryption, and especially extended instructions suggests workload-specific strengths that raw win counts do not fully capture. The data indicates Intel holds a broad but modest lead in rendering and general compute, while AMD shows concentrated superiority in security-related and string-processing tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD's Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Hawk Point, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. Intel's Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. The manufacturing difference is substantial: AMD's die measures 178 mm² with 25,000 million transistors, while Intel's die is larger at 257 mm² with no transistor count recorded in the database.

Core configuration differs markedly. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel offers 14 cores and 20 threads. This explains Intel's advantage in heavily threaded workloads like Passmark physics and floating point math. AMD compensates with higher base clock speed: 4.00 GHz versus Intel's 2.70 GHz. Both processors reach the same 5.20 GHz boost clock, which aligns with their similar single-core performance in Cinebench tests.

Cache hierarchies diverge significantly. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. Intel's larger cache per core and bigger L3 pool likely contribute to its advantage in prime number finding and integer math, where memory access patterns matter.

Memory support shows another split. AMD supports DDR5 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses with identical 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Both support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs: AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes, Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes, giving Intel a newer interface standard but fewer lanes.

Integrated graphics present a notable difference. AMD uses the Radeon 780M, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 730. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so the performance implications remain qualitative. AMD's part is marked as a mobile processor with a 45 W TDP, while Intel's is a desktop processor with a 65 W TDP. Intel uses Socket 1700, AMD uses Socket FP7. AMD's release date is 2024-04-15, Intel's is 2025-01-12. Intel has a recorded launch MSRP of $232; AMD's launch MSRP is not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has an average benchmark score of 41963, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 221E has an average score of 40144, placing it in the 87th percentile. Despite Intel winning more individual head-to-head tests, AMD's average score is higher.

Q: How does the Intel Core 5 221E compare to its nearest rival?

A: Intel's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, with an average score of 40081. Intel leads that rival by 0.2%. Its other close rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40048, 0.2% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 9 270 (40246, 0.3% behind), and the Intel Core i9-13905H (40313, 0.4% behind).

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in either direction?

A: The largest margin is AMD's 52.1% lead in Passmark extended instructions, scoring 27714 against Intel's 18216. The second largest gap is Intel's 47.4% lead in Passmark find prime numbers, scoring 173 versus AMD's 91.

Q: Do the two processors share the same boost clock?

A: Yes, both reach a maximum boost clock of 5.20 GHz. Their single-core Cinebench R23 scores are close, with Intel at 3661 and AMD at 3552, a 3% difference. The identical boost clock helps explain the comparable single-thread performance.

Q: Which processor supports more memory types?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS supports DDR5 only. Both use dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and both support ECC memory.

Q: How do the two processors rank in overall percentile?

A: AMD ranks in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while Intel ranks in the 87th percentile. The difference is small, reflecting their close average scores of 41963 and 40144 respectively.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS | Intel Core 5 221E |

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

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 2.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.20 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Not recorded |

| Codename | Hawk Point | Bartlett Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 25,000 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 178 mm² | 257 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB per core | 80 KB per core |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB per core | 2 MB per core |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB shared | 24 MB shared |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 780M | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2024-04-15 | 2025-01-12 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $232 |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins in four specific Passmark workloads. It excels in data compression, scoring 368884 against Intel's 324285, a 13.8% margin. Data encryption shows a 13.6% advantage with 21820 versus 19205. The most significant win is extended instructions, where AMD's 27714 dwarfs Intel's 18216 by 52.1%. Random string sorting also favors AMD, 44668 versus 37686, an 18.5% lead. These results point to strengths in security-related operations, compression algorithms, and workloads that use specialized instruction sets.

The Intel Core 5 221E wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head tests. It takes every Cinebench test, with consistent 3% margins across R15, R20, and R23 in both single and multicore. In Passmark, Intel leads in find prime numbers (47.4% ahead), physics (35.9% ahead), floating point math (19.7% ahead), integer math (12.2% ahead), single-thread (5.5% ahead), and multithread (0.4% ahead). The physics advantage is particularly notable given the 2230 versus 1430 score gap. Intel's 14-core configuration with 20 threads likely drives these wins in compute-heavy workloads.

The Verdict

The data supports different choices depending on the application profile. For rendering tasks measured by Cinebench, the Intel Core 5 221E delivers a consistent but modest 3% advantage across all versions. For physics simulation and floating point math, Intel's lead expands to 35.9% and 19.7% respectively. Users running prime number calculations would see a 47.4% improvement with Intel.

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS offers a compelling alternative for specific workloads. In extended instructions, AMD outperforms Intel by 52.1%, a decisive margin for any application leveraging those instructions. Data compression and encryption workloads see 13.8% and 13.6% improvements respectively. The AMD chip also achieves this with a 45 W TDP versus Intel's 65 W, suggesting lower power draw in mobile contexts, though the database does not provide efficiency benchmarks.

The average benchmark scores tell a nuanced story. AMD's average of 41963 exceeds Intel's 40144, placing it in the 88th percentile versus Intel's 87th. This indicates that AMD's wins, while fewer, occur in areas that carry significant weight in the overall average. The nearest rivals list shows both processors trading positions with similar-tier CPUs: AMD's closest rival is the Intel Core i7-14700T at 0.1% difference, while Intel's closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 at 0.2%. The overall picture is one of near parity in general performance, with Intel holding the edge in traditional compute and AMD dominating specialized instruction workloads.