AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS dominates this comparison, winning 14 of the 17 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. Its wins are concentrated in heavily multithreaded workloads and integer-heavy operations, while the Intel Core i5-14490F takes the remaining three in specific math and physics simulations.

The AMD part leads across the entire Cinebench suite, from R15 through R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests. The largest Cinebench margin is a consistent 9.4% advantage in every multi-core run and in the R20 and R23 single-core runs, with R15 single-core close behind at 9.2%. This indicates a broad architectural efficiency edge that scales across render workloads regardless of thread count.

In PassMark tests, the AMD chip wins data compression by 8.5%, data encryption by 19.7%, extended instructions by 27.5%, integer math by 17.7%, multithread by 6%, random string sorting by 25.4%, and single-thread by 1.2%. The integer and encryption results are particularly decisive, suggesting the Zen 4 cores handle branch-heavy and cryptographic workloads with noticeably more throughput.

The Intel i5-14490F counters in three PassMark tests: find prime numbers by 25.4%, physics by 31.7%, and floating point math by 4.6%. The physics result is the single largest swing in either direction, and the prime number test shows the Intel cores sustain a substantial lead in that specific algorithm. These wins point to scenarios where raw FPU throughput or certain scalar loops favor the Intel design.

For real-world use, the AMD processor is the stronger all-around choice for rendering, compression, encryption, and general productivity. The Intel part has a narrow niche in physics simulation and floating-point-heavy calculations, plus the prime number test, but those three wins do not offset the AMD part's broader sweep.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is built on a 4 nm TSMC process, while the Intel Core i5-14490F uses Intel's 10 nm process. The AMD part is a mobile-oriented chip with a 45 W TDP, an AMD Socket FP7 package, and a Hawk Point codename under the Zen 4 architecture. The Intel chip is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP, Intel Socket 1700, and a Raptor Lake-R codename under the Raptor Lake architecture.

Core counts differ: the AMD processor has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel processor has 10 cores and 16 threads. The Intel chip has more physical cores but matches the thread count, which means the AMD part relies on simultaneous multithreading across all cores, while the Intel part likely uses a mix of performance and efficiency cores to reach 10 cores and 16 threads.

Cache layouts diverge significantly. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Intel part holds a 50% advantage in L3 capacity, which can help in workloads with large working sets.

Memory support also differs. The AMD chip supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel access and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, with dual-channel access, but no bandwidth figure is recorded in the database. The AMD part supports ECC memory; the Intel part does not.

PCIe capabilities favor the Intel chip: it offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD part offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are present on the AMD chip as a Radeon 780M, while the Intel part has none. The AMD chip uses a 178 mm² die with 25,000 million transistors; the Intel chip uses a 215 mm² die with no transistor count recorded.

Clock speeds show the AMD part with a 4.00 GHz base and 5.20 GHz boost, versus the Intel part's 2.50 GHz base and 5.00 GHz boost. The AMD chip boosts higher and has a much higher base clock, which contributes to its single-thread and multi-thread advantages despite having fewer cores.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a uniform pattern. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 2536 against 2318, a 9.4% lead. In R15 single-core, it is 357 against 327, a 9.2% lead. R20 multi-core shows 10569 versus 9660, again 9.4%. R20 single-core is 1491 versus 1363, 9.4%. R23 multi-core is 25165 versus 23000, 9.4%. R23 single-core is 3552 versus 3247, 9.4%. Every Cinebench test lands near the same delta, which suggests the AMD core architecture delivers a consistent throughput advantage regardless of render thread count.

PassMark data encryption reveals the largest AMD margin: 21820 versus 18225, a 19.7% win. Extended instructions follow at 27714 versus 21731, a 27.5% win. Random string sorting shows 44668 versus 35608, a 25.4% win. Integer math delivers 103390 versus 87844, a 17.7% win. These four tests show the AMD part excels when the workload involves data transformation, sorting, or cryptographic operations.

The Intel wins are equally clear. Physics shows 2093 versus 1430, a 31.7% margin for Intel. Find prime numbers shows 122 versus 91, a 25.4% margin for Intel. Floating point math shows 66558 versus 63490, a 4.6% margin for Intel. The physics result is the largest delta in the entire comparison, and the prime number test confirms that the Intel cores handle certain iterative scalar loops much faster.

The closest contest is PassMark single-thread, where the AMD scores 3920 versus 3873, a 1.2% margin. This narrow lead is important: it means the AMD chip's single-core advantage is real but slim, while its multi-core and specialized workload advantages are much larger. The PassMark multithread test shows 30378 versus 28662, a 6% win for AMD, and data compression shows 368884 versus 340026, an 8.5% win.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 25165, which is 9.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14490F's 23000.

Q: Does the Intel chip win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-14490F wins PassMark physics by 31.7% (2093 versus 1430) and find prime numbers by 25.4% (122 versus 91).

Q: Which chip has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has 8 cores. Both have 16 threads.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD chip supports DDR5 only, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Does either processor have integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS includes a Radeon 780M integrated GPU. The Intel Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-14490F boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS | Intel Core i5-14490F |

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

| Cores | 8 | 10 |

| Base clock | 4.00 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Raptor Lake |

| Process node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die size | 178 mm² | 215 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB per core | 80 KB per core |

| L2 cache | 1 MB per core | 1.25 MB per core |

| L3 cache | 16 MB shared | 24 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | Not recorded |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

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

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 780M | N/A |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS as the faster processor in the majority of benchmark scenarios. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, including every Cinebench run, with margins between 1.2% and 27.5%. Its consistent 9.4% lead across all Cinebench multi-core and most single-core tests indicates a well-rounded core design that does not sacrifice single-thread speed for multi-thread throughput.

The Intel Core i5-14490F has a narrower but real set of advantages. It wins the physics simulation test by a substantial 31.7%, the prime number finding test by 25.4%, and floating point math by 4.6%. These results suggest that for workloads dominated by FPU operations or specific scalar loops, the Intel part can outperform the AMD chip despite losing most other tests.

The AMD processor also carries practical advantages beyond raw scores: it includes integrated graphics, supports ECC memory, has a lower 45 W TDP, and uses a smaller 4 nm process. The Intel processor counters with DDR4 and DDR5 support, more L3 cache, and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity.

The verdict from the data is clear. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is the better choice for general productivity, rendering, compression, encryption, and integer-heavy tasks. The Intel Core i5-14490F is preferable only when the workload specifically matches its physics, prime number, or floating-point strengths. For a balanced assessment across the recorded benchmarks, the AMD chip delivers a wider and more consistent performance envelope.