AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 vs Intel Core 7 240H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall win for the Intel Core 7 240H, taking 13 of the 15 shared benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 wins only two single-core tests. The most lopsided results appear in heavily threaded workloads, where the Intel part's larger core count produces a massive gap.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel Core 7 240H scores 15,764 against the AMD's 8,130, a 48.4% lead. The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows a similar story: 2,360 versus 1,195, a 49.4% margin. The Intel chip also dominates PassMark's multithread test, scoring 23,975 compared to 13,320, a 44.4% advantage. The floating-point math test shows the widest separation in percentage terms among the PassMark suite: 58,905 versus 27,193, a 53.8% deficit for the AMD part. Integer math follows at 80,396 versus 39,637, a 50.7% gap.

The Intel part wins every throughput-oriented workload in the database. Data compression scores 271,774 versus 158,912, a 41.5% lead. Data encryption shows 15,155 versus 7,591, a 49.9% margin. Extended instructions favor Intel at 16,897 versus 11,455, a 32.2% lead. Prime number finding, which scales with raw integer throughput, gives Intel a 56.9% edge (102 versus 44). Physics simulation shows Intel at 1,723 versus 726, a 57.9% lead, the largest delta of any test. Random string sorting lands at 28,866 versus 16,623, a 42.4% margin.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 posts its wins in single-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD scores 269 versus Intel's 249, an 8% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD scores 1,797 versus 1,719, a 4.5% lead. The PassMark single-thread test, however, goes to Intel: 3,782 versus 3,683, a 2.6% edge. This mixed picture suggests the AMD's Zen 5 architecture has a real single-core strength, but the Intel part's higher boost clock compensates in the PassMark measurement.

Looking at the aggregate benchmark score, the Intel Core 7 240H averages 31,483 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs in the database. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 averages 19,617, placing it in the 73rd percentile. The Intel chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 and AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX, both within 0.1% of its average score. The AMD chip's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Intel Core i5-12500, both within 0.3% of its average.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: the Intel Core 7 240H is the choice for multi-threaded workloads, content creation, and any task that can use 10 cores and 16 threads. Its 48.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 44.4% lead in PassMark multithread leave no ambiguity. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, with 4 cores and 8 threads, cannot compete in parallel workloads. Its deficits range from 32.2% to 57.9% across the throughput tests.

The AMD part's only meaningful advantages are in two single-core Cinebench runs, where it leads by 8% and 4.5%. For users whose primary workload is lightly threaded and heavily dependent on single-core performance, the AMD chip holds a measurable, if modest, edge. However, the PassMark single-thread test contradicts that trend, giving Intel a 2.6% win. The overall single-core picture is therefore close, with no consistent winner.

The Intel Core 7 240H also carries a higher base clock (2.50 GHz versus 2.00 GHz) and boost clock (5.20 GHz versus 4.50 GHz), which explains its PassMark single-thread advantage despite the AMD's architectural edge. The Intel chip's 24 MB of shared L3 cache, versus 4 MB on the AMD, likely contributes to its strong data compression and encryption results.

For anyone choosing between these two mobile processors, the database suggests that the Intel part is the default for general-purpose and multi-threaded use. The AMD part is a niche pick for specific single-core-sensitive workloads, but its 2 wins out of 15 benchmarks makes it difficult to recommend outside that narrow scope.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core 7 240H wins 13 of the 15 shared tests. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 wins 2.

Q: What is the AMD's biggest winning margin?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 leads by 8% in Cinebench R15 single-core, scoring 269 versus 249.

Q: What is the Intel's biggest winning margin?

A: The Intel Core 7 240H leads by 57.9% in PassMark physics, scoring 1,723 versus 726.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core 7 240H averages 31,483 across all recorded tests. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 averages 19,617.

Q: What percentile does each processor rank in?

A: The Intel Core 7 240H ranks in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 ranks in the 73rd percentile.

Q: Does the AMD win any multi-core test?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 loses every multi-core test in the database, with deficits ranging from 32.2% to 57.9%.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core 7 240H has 10 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks differ: 2.00 GHz for AMD, 2.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks differ as well: 4.50 GHz for AMD, 5.20 GHz for Intel. Thermal design power ratings also diverge, with the AMD at 28 watts and the Intel at 45 watts.

The cache hierarchy is substantially different. The AMD chip has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with only 4 MB of L3. The Intel chip also has 80 KB of L1 per core but 2 MB of L2 per core and 24 MB of shared L3. The Intel part's six extra cores and six times larger L3 cache explain its dominant multi-threaded performance.

Memory support differs: the AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD has a rated memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; the Intel's memory bandwidth is not recorded. ECC memory support exists on the AMD but not on the Intel. PCIe lanes differ: the AMD uses Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel uses Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ: the AMD uses Radeon 840M, the Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics 64EU.

The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket FP8, Intel uses BGA 1744. The AMD part has a release date of 2026-01-04, while the Intel part has a release date of 2024-12-17. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $502; the AMD has no recorded launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 is built on the Gorgon Point architecture, belonging to the Ryzen AI 400 generation with Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core 7 240H uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-H, belonging to the Core 7 generation with a Raptor Lake Refresh. It is manufactured on a 10 nm process by Intel.

The node difference matters: the AMD chip's 4 nm process versus the Intel's 10 nm process gives the AMD a density and efficiency advantage on paper, but the Intel part compensates with more cores and higher clock speeds. The AMD's architecture uses a hybrid Zen 5 and Zen 5c design, while the Intel uses a monolithic Raptor Lake layout.

The AMD's cache structure is smaller: 4 MB total L3 versus 24 MB shared L3 on the Intel. The Intel's larger L3 cache likely aids in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption, where it leads by 41.5% and 49.9% respectively. The AMD's ECC memory support and broader memory type support (LPDDR5X) indicate a different target segment, possibly more workstation-oriented.

The Intel's PCIe Gen 5 support, despite fewer lanes (8 versus 14), offers higher per-lane bandwidth. The AMD's Gen 4 with 14 lanes provides more total lanes for peripherals. The integrated graphics differ as well, though no graphics benchmarks are recorded in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 240H wins in every multi-threaded scenario recorded. Content creation workloads such as video rendering, 3D modeling, and batch photo processing would benefit from its 10 cores and 16 threads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15,764 versus 8,130 indicates a 48.4% advantage in CPU-bound rendering tasks. Data compression and encryption, which use multiple cores effectively, show 41.5% and 49.9% leads respectively.

The Intel part also wins in floating-point and integer math workloads, with 53.8% and 50.7% advantages. Physics simulation, which often scales with core count, shows a 57.9% lead. Prime number finding, a highly parallel integer workload, shows a 56.9% edge. The PassMark multithread score of 23,975 versus 13,320 confirms the Intel's dominance in any workload that can spread across cores.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 wins only in single-core Cinebench tests. The 8% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 4.5% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core suggest that lightly threaded applications with a strong dependency on single-core performance, such as certain legacy software or simple scripting tasks, may run slightly faster on the AMD. However, the PassMark single-thread test gives the Intel a 2.6% win, so the AMD's single-core advantage is not universal.

The Intel part also wins the PassMark single-thread test outright, meaning its higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz versus 4.50 GHz gives it the edge in that specific measurement. For users who prioritize single-thread performance across a broad set of tests, the data does not show a consistent AMD advantage.

The AMD's lower TDP of 28 watts versus 45 watts suggests it may run cooler and draw less power, but no thermal or power measurements are recorded. The AMD's ECC memory support could be a deciding factor for users who require error-correcting memory, a feature the Intel lacks. The AMD's LPDDR5X memory support also opens up low-power memory configurations that the Intel does not offer.

In summary, the Intel Core 7 240H is the stronger processor for nearly all recorded workloads. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 holds two narrow single-core wins, but its overall average score is 37.7% lower, and its percentile rank is 9 points lower. The choice between them depends on whether the user's primary applications are multi-threaded (Intel) or specifically sensitive to single-core Cinebench-style performance (AMD), with the Intel being the safer default based on the benchmark data.