AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 vs Intel Core i7-1280P Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-1280P records an average benchmark score of 26469, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 records 25981. Both sit at the 78th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 leads in both multi-core and single-core. It scores 12532 versus 11666 for Intel in multi-core (a 6.9% lead), and 1915.5 versus 1651 in single-core (a 13.8% lead).

Q: Which chip wins in PassMark integer math?

A: The Intel Core i7-1280P wins integer math by a wide margin, scoring 75485 against AMD's 63078, a 19.7% advantage.

Q: What about floating-point performance?

A: Intel dominates here too. The i7-1280P scores 51355 in PassMark floating-point math, while the Ryzen AI 5 340 scores 39967, giving Intel a 28.5% lead.

Q: Is the AMD chip faster in any PassMark workloads?

A: Yes. The Ryzen AI 5 340 wins in data compression (229796 versus 220621, a 4% lead), extended instructions (16440 versus 12897, a 21.6% lead), random string sorting (24970 versus 24308, a 2.7% lead), and single-thread performance (3683 versus 3316, a 10% lead).

Q: How many benchmark wins does each processor have in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 takes 8 wins, while the Intel Core i7-1280P takes 7 wins across the 15 recorded tests.

The Verdict

The benchmark data shows two processors with contrasting strengths. The Intel Core i7-1280P is the heavier hitter in compute-heavy integer and floating-point workloads, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 pulls ahead in modern single-threaded performance and newer instruction set efficiency.

Pick the Intel Core i7-1280P if your workloads are dominated by math-heavy parallel processing. The data shows a 28.5% win in floating-point math, a 19.7% win in integer math, and a 28.9% win in physics calculations. It also leads in encryption by 14.9% and in find-prime-numbers by 19.4%. This is a chip for crunching numbers across many threads.

Pick the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 if you want the best single-core responsiveness and modern application performance. It leads by 13.8% in Cinebench R23 single-core and by 10% in PassMark single-thread. It also wins in extended instructions by 21.6%, which reflects newer SIMD capabilities. The 6.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core shows that its efficiency can overcome the core-count deficit in some scenarios.

For general mixed use, the head-to-head record is close: 8 wins for AMD, 7 for Intel. The overall average score slightly favors Intel (26469 versus 25981, roughly a 1.9% gap), but the percentile ranking is identical at 78. The choice should be driven by specific workload patterns rather than overall scores.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest Intel wins are substantial. In PassMark floating-point math, the i7-1280P scores 51355 versus 39967 for AMD, a 28.5% margin. Physics follows closely with a 28.9% lead (1411 versus 1095). Integer math shows a 19.7% advantage (75485 versus 63078), and find-prime-numbers gives Intel a 19.4% edge (86 versus 72). Data encryption also goes Intel's way by 14.9% (13179 versus 11470).

The multi-thread PassMark score slightly favors Intel at 20168 versus 19506, a 3.4% lead. The older Cinebench R15 multi-core test also favors Intel by 10.3% (2112 versus 1915). These results suggest that when the workload scales across many threads and uses traditional math operations, the i7-1280P's 14 cores and 20 threads assert themselves.

The AMD wins are equally clear in their domains. The largest margin is in PassMark extended instructions, where the Ryzen AI 5 340 scores 16440 versus 12897, a 21.6% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 13.8% lead (1915.5 versus 1651), and PassMark single-thread shows a 10% lead (3683 versus 3316). Cinebench R23 multi-core goes AMD's way by 6.9% (12532 versus 11666), which is notable given that AMD has only 6 cores and 12 threads versus Intel's 14 cores and 20 threads.

Data compression favors AMD by 4% (229796 versus 220621), and random string sorting favors AMD by 2.7% (24970 versus 24308). The Cinebench R15 single-core test is nearly tied, with AMD ahead by 1.9% (242.6 versus 238).

The pattern is clear: Intel wins where raw throughput across many cores matters, AMD wins where per-thread efficiency and newer instruction execution matter. The 21.6% extended instructions win for AMD is particularly telling, as it reflects the Zen 5 architecture's ability to handle modern AVX-style workloads more efficiently.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ sharply. Intel fields 14 cores and 20 threads, while AMD fields 6 cores and 12 threads. Both have a 28 W TDP and a 4.80 GHz boost clock. Base clocks differ: Intel runs at 1800 MHz, AMD at 2000 MHz.

Memory support splits by generation. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. Both use dual-channel memory buses. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while Intel does not have a recorded bandwidth figure in the database.

PCIe lanes differ: Intel provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: Intel uses Iris Xe with 96 execution units, AMD uses Radeon 840M. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier. Both target the mobile market segment and are listed as active production parts.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel uses BGA 1744, AMD uses Socket FP8. Die size is similar, with Intel at 217 mm² and AMD at 195 mm². L3 cache differs significantly: Intel has 24 MB shared, while AMD has 8 MB. L2 cache also differs: Intel has 1.25 MB per core, AMD has 1 MB per core. L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural split is Intel Alder Lake versus AMD Zen 5. Intel's Alder Lake-P uses a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry, while AMD's Krackan Point uses a 4 nm process from TSMC. This process advantage is likely a major factor in AMD's single-core and efficiency wins.

Intel uses a hybrid architecture with 14 cores total, which is why it can offer 20 threads from fewer physical resources than a traditional design. AMD's Zen 5 architecture uses 6 cores with 12 threads, and its generation label indicates a combination of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores.

The cache hierarchy reveals different design philosophies. Intel provides a large 24 MB shared L3 cache, while AMD provides only 8 MB. However, AMD's per-core L2 cache is 1 MB versus Intel's 1.25 MB. The smaller total cache for AMD is offset by the newer process node and improved instruction efficiency.

Memory bandwidth is a differentiator: AMD records 89.6 GB/s, while Intel has no recorded figure. AMD also supports LPDDR5X, which Intel does not list. These memory differences matter for integrated graphics and memory-bound workloads.

The integrated graphics solutions come from different vendors and designs. Intel's Iris Xe with 96 EU is a known quantity, while AMD's Radeon 840M represents newer RDNA-based integrated graphics. The database does not provide direct iGPU benchmark comparisons, so any iGPU assessment must rely on architectural context only.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-1280P is the choice for multi-threaded compute tasks that stress traditional math pipelines. The data shows decisive wins in floating-point math (28.5%), physics (28.9%), integer math (19.7%), and encryption (14.9%). These are workloads that scale with core count and raw throughput. If your daily driver involves rendering, scientific calculation, or heavy number crunching across many threads, the Intel chip's 14 cores and 20 threads deliver measurable advantages.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 is the choice for single-thread responsiveness and modern instruction efficiency. The 10% PassMark single-thread lead and 13.8% Cinebench R23 single-core lead matter for applications that are lightly threaded or latency-sensitive. The 21.6% extended instructions win indicates better handling of AVX-class workloads, which is increasingly relevant for modern productivity software and creative tools.

For Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD wins by 6.9% despite having fewer than half the cores of Intel. This suggests that Zen 5's per-core efficiency can overcome core-count disadvantages in well-optimized rendering workloads. If you spend most of your time in applications that are optimized for newer instruction sets and benefit from high single-core clocks, the Ryzen AI 5 340 is the stronger pick.

For mixed workloads, the PassMark multithread score slightly favors Intel (3.4% lead), but the overall benchmark win count favors AMD (8 wins versus 7). The near-identical average scores (26469 versus 25981) and identical 78th percentile placement mean neither chip is a clear overall winner. The decision should hinge on whether your applications favor Intel's brute-force multi-core approach or AMD's efficient single-core and instruction-level advantages.