AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 vs Intel Core i9-11900K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison between the Intel Core i9-11900K and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 is heavily lopsided in favor of the Intel part. Across the seventeen recorded head-to-head tests, Intel wins thirteen, while AMD manages four victories. The margin of those wins, however, tells a story of two very different design philosophies.

The largest single gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Core i9-11900K scores 21168 against the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340's 12532. That is a 68.9% advantage, the biggest delta in the entire comparison. A similar pattern emerges in Geekbench multi-core: Intel posts 13550 versus AMD's 9165, a 47.8% lead. These are not close calls; the Intel processor is in a different performance tier when all cores are loaded.

The single-core picture is more nuanced but still favors Intel in most tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 2988 against AMD's 1915.5, a 56% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core shows Intel at 300 versus 242.6, a 23.7% lead. Geekbench single-core is the closest of the Intel wins, with 2273 against 2140, a modest 6.2% gap. The data suggests Intel's older 14 nm design still carries a substantial per-thread performance advantage in rendering workloads.

PassMark tests reinforce the Intel dominance in compute-heavy tasks. Integer math shows Intel at 89279 versus 63078, a 41.5% lead. Floating point math follows the same trend: 52841 versus 39967, a 32.2% margin. Extended instructions land at 23406 for Intel and 16440 for AMD, a 42.4% difference. Data compression favors Intel heavily, 330836 versus 229796, a 44% gap. Random string sorting shows Intel at 37942 against 24970, a 52% advantage. Data encryption rounds out the pattern with Intel at 16000 versus 11470, a 39.5% lead.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 claims its wins in a few specific areas. PassMark single-thread (recorded twice as both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread) shows AMD at 3683 versus Intel's 3511, a 4.7% advantage. Prime number finding is a narrow AMD win: 72 versus 68, a 5.6% margin. Physics simulation also goes to AMD, 1095 versus 1052, a 3.9% edge. These are all much smaller margins than Intel's victories, suggesting AMD's wins come from efficiency and specific instruction paths rather than raw throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-11900K is the clear choice for multi-threaded productivity. Cinebench R23 multi-core, Geekbench multi-core, PassMark multithread (25038 versus 19506, a 28.4% lead), and every heavy math workload point to Intel. Content creators running rendering tasks, engineers doing simulation work, or anyone processing large datasets will see measurable gains from the Intel part. The 68.9% Cinebench R23 multi-core advantage is particularly significant, as that benchmark correlates strongly with video rendering and 3D scene compilation.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 finds its strengths in lighter, efficiency-sensitive scenarios. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3683 beats Intel's 3511, making it the better choice for applications that rely on single-thread responsiveness without heavy multi-core scaling. The physics test win (1095 versus 1052) suggests better performance in game physics calculations, which are often latency-sensitive. Prime number finding, a classic integer workload, also goes to AMD.

The overall average benchmark scores place Intel at 26639 against AMD's 25981, a difference of about 2.5%. Intel sits at the 79th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while AMD sits at the 78th. These are nearly identical positions, but the distribution of wins matters: Intel wins big where it wins, AMD wins small where it wins.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different eras and design schools. The Intel Core i9-11900K uses Rocket Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 276 mm². It is a desktop part with a 125 W TDP, designed to run at high power with active cooling. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 uses Zen 5 architecture (codenamed Krackan Point, part of the Ryzen AI 300 series), manufactured by TSMC on a 4 nm process with a 195 mm² die. Its 28 W TDP marks it as a mobile-focused part, fitting AMD Socket FP8.

Core counts differ significantly: Intel offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while AMD provides 6 cores and 12 threads. That two-core advantage explains much of Intel's multi-threaded dominance. Cache layouts also diverge. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core, but Intel pairs that with 512 KB of L2 per core and 16 MB of shared L3. AMD uses a larger 1 MB of L2 per core but only 8 MB of L3. The larger L3 on Intel likely contributes to its data-heavy workload wins.

Memory support reflects their target markets. Intel uses DDR4 with dual-channel support and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD part has a 75% higher memory bandwidth figure, yet still loses most compute tests, indicating that memory bandwidth is not the limiting factor in these benchmarks. PCIe lanes also differ: Intel provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes, AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes.

Clock speeds tell a complementary story. Intel's base clock is 3.50 GHz with a boost of 5.30 GHz. AMD's base is just 2.00 GHz with a 4.80 GHz boost. Despite the lower clocks, AMD's single-thread PassMark score is higher, suggesting Zen 5's instruction efficiency compensates for the clock deficit. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier; AMD does not.

Integrated graphics differ as well: Intel uses UHD Graphics 750, AMD uses Radeon 840M. Neither part supports ECC memory. Intel launched in March 2021 and is now end-of-life; AMD launched in January 2025 and remains active. Intel's launch MSRP was $539.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K scores 21168, which is 68.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340's 12532.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins four: PassMark single-thread (3683 versus 3511), PassMark singlethread (same scores), prime number finding (72 versus 68), and physics (1095 versus 1052).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K has 8 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 lists 89.6 GB/s, while the Intel Core i9-11900K lists 51.2 GB/s. AMD uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory; Intel uses DDR4.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900K boosts to 5.30 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 boosts to 4.80 GHz. Intel's base clock is 3.50 GHz versus AMD's 2.00 GHz.

Q: How do the overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: Intel averages 26639, AMD averages 25981. Intel sits at the 79th percentile of all CPUs; AMD sits at the 78th.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for multi-threaded workloads: the Intel Core i9-11900K is the stronger processor. Its 68.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 47.8% lead in Geekbench multi-core, and 28.4% lead in PassMark multithread make it the obvious pick for rendering, encoding, and parallel compute tasks. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration paired with 16 MB of L3 cache delivers consistent wins across nearly every throughput-oriented benchmark.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 is the better choice for single-thread efficiency and low-power operation. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3683 tops Intel's 3511, and its 28 W TDP against Intel's 125 W TDP makes it suitable for thin-and-light mobile systems. The 4 nm TSMC process and 195 mm² die size indicate a modern, power-conscious design, even if it cannot match Intel's raw multi-core output.

Those prioritizing battery life, portability, and modest single-thread workloads should select the AMD part. Those running heavy multi-threaded applications on a desktop, where power draw is less of a concern, should select the Intel part. The average benchmark scores are close, but the distribution of wins favors Intel for performance and AMD for efficiency.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-11900K | AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 |

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

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 16 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 2.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.30 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 125 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | AMD Socket FP8 |

| Architecture | Rocket Lake | Zen 5 |

| Codename | Rocket Lake | Krackan Point |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 276 mm² | 195 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 8 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 750 | Radeon 840M |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2021-03-15 | 2025-01-05 |

| Launch MSRP | $539 | Not available |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |