AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 vs Intel Core i9-11950H Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core i9-11950H and AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 occupy the same overall performance percentile (80th), yet they achieve this status through very different strengths. The database records 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with Intel winning 10 and AMD winning 5. The Intel part is the clear choice for heavily threaded compute workloads, especially those that scale with core count and cache size. Its 49.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the largest margin in the entire comparison. The AMD part, however, is the better option for single-thread responsiveness and physics simulation, as shown by its 16.4% advantage in PassMark single-thread and 6.5% lead in PassMark physics. For users who prioritize raw multi-core throughput, the Intel i9-11950H is the data-backed pick. For users who value snappy single-core performance and higher memory bandwidth, the Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 is the superior choice. The AMD chip also offers ECC memory support, which the Intel chip lacks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The Intel Core i9-11950H is based on the Tiger Lake-H architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It is an 8-core, 16-thread part with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 uses the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Krackan Point, manufactured by TSMC on a 4 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz.

Cache configurations differ substantially. Both chips have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The Intel part has 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and a large 24 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD part has 1 MB of L2 per core and only 8 MB of L3 cache. This 16 MB difference in L3 cache is a major factor in the Intel chip's multi-core dominance.

Memory support is another key separator. The Intel i9-11950H supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, delivering 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, also dual-channel, but with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. That is a 75% higher theoretical memory bandwidth for the AMD part. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, while the Intel chip does not.

PCIe lanes also differ. The Intel chip provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD chip provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are the UHD Graphics 750 on Intel and Radeon 840M on AMD. The Intel chip uses socket Intel BGA 1787, while AMD uses Socket FP8. The Intel part is end-of-life, released in May 2021, while the AMD part is active, released in January 2025. The Intel launch MSRP was $556; the AMD launch MSRP is not recorded. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 is the clear winner. It scores 3758 in PassMark single-thread, which is 16.4% higher than the Intel i9-11950H's 3141. The AMD chip also leads in Cinebench R15 single-core with 276 versus 245, an 11.2% margin.

Q: Which processor is better for multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i9-11950H dominates. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 17279 versus 11534 for AMD, a 49.8% advantage. The Intel chip also wins PassMark multi-thread by 8.8% (20900 vs 19215).

Q: Does one chip support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-11950H does not support ECC memory.

Q: How do the memory bandwidths compare?

A: The AMD chip has a significant advantage. It supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel chip supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. That is a 38.4 GB/s difference in favor of AMD.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i9-11950H has a 24 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 has an 8 MB L3 cache. The Intel chip has three times the L3 capacity.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are recorded at the 80th percentile versus all CPUs. The Intel chip has an average benchmark score of 28332, while the AMD chip has 27932, a difference of 400 points.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The Intel Core i9-11950H has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Intel's base clock is 2.10 GHz versus AMD's 2.00 GHz. Intel's boost clock is 5.00 GHz versus AMD's 4.80 GHz. The Intel TDP is 35 watts, while the AMD TDP is 28 watts.

The socket is different: Intel BGA 1787 for Intel, AMD Socket FP8 for AMD. The architecture is Tiger Lake for Intel and Zen 5 for AMD. The process node is 10 nm for Intel and 4 nm for AMD. The foundry is Intel for the i9-11950H and TSMC for the Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340. Die size is 190 mm² for Intel and 195 mm² for AMD.

Cache differences are pronounced. L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core on Intel versus 1 MB per core on AMD. L3 cache is 24 MB shared on Intel versus 8 MB on AMD. Memory support is DDR4 for Intel versus DDR5 and LPDDR5X for AMD. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for Intel versus 89.6 GB/s for AMD. ECC memory is false for Intel and true for AMD. PCIe is Gen 4 with 20 lanes for Intel versus Gen 4 with 16 lanes for AMD. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 750 for Intel and Radeon 840M for AMD.

The production status is end-of-life for Intel and active for AMD. Release dates are May 2021 for Intel and January 2025 for AMD. The Intel launch MSRP is $556; AMD's is not recorded. Both have locked multipliers. Part numbers are SRKT6 for Intel and 100-000001600 for AMD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core i9-11950H is in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Intel scores 17279, AMD scores 11534, giving Intel a 49.8% advantage. This is the biggest delta in the entire head-to-head set. The Intel chip also leads in Cinebench R23 single-core with 2439 versus 1802, a 35.3% margin. These two Cinebench results suggest the Intel chip has a substantial architectural edge in sustained rendering workloads, likely driven by its larger L3 cache and higher core count.

In PassMark integer math, Intel wins 74649 to 63233, an 18.1% margin. In PassMark find prime numbers, Intel wins 93 to 74, a 25.7% margin. In PassMark random string sorting, Intel wins 29375 to 24334, a 20.7% margin. These three results indicate that the Intel chip handles integer-heavy and sorting tasks significantly better. In PassMark data encryption, Intel wins 12658 to 11212, a 12.9% margin. In PassMark floating point math, Intel wins 44137 to 39662, an 11.3% margin. In PassMark data compression, Intel wins 246195 to 221581, an 11.1% margin. In PassMark extended instructions, Intel wins 16361 to 15721, a 4.1% margin. In PassMark multi-thread, Intel wins 20900 to 19215, an 8.8% margin.

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 wins five tests. The largest is PassMark single-thread, where AMD scores 3758 versus Intel's 3141, a 16.4% margin. The identical result appears in PassMark singlethread, also 3758 versus 3141. In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD wins 276 to 245, an 11.2% margin. In PassMark physics, AMD wins 1084 to 1013, a 6.5% margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD wins by a razor-thin 1743 to 1741, a 0.1% margin.

The single-thread wins for AMD are consistent with its higher PassMark single-thread score and its more modern 4 nm process. The physics win suggests that the AMD chip handles simulation workloads with better efficiency per watt, given its lower 28-watt TDP. However, the Intel chip's 10 wins outnumber AMD's 5 wins, and the average benchmark score favors Intel: 28332 versus 27932. The Intel chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6337P at 28333 (0% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 7735U at 28350 (-0.1%), and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U at 28379 (-0.2%). The AMD chip's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D at 27896 (0.1% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 6800U at 27887 (0.2%), and Intel Core i9-10900K at 27872 (0.2%). Both chips sit in a crowded performance band, but the Intel part edges out the AMD part in overall average score while the AMD part delivers superior single-thread and memory bandwidth characteristics.