AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235T Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 and Intel Core Ultra 5 235T occupy different corners of the processor market, one designed for mobile efficiency and the other for desktop throughput. The benchmark data shows a clear split in their intended workloads, and the recorded scores consistently favor the Intel part across every measured test. However, the context of each chip matters: the Ryzen AI 7 345 is a 28 W mobile processor, while the Core Ultra 5 235T is a 65 W desktop part aimed at sustained performance.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. Out of 15 comparisons, the Intel part takes all 15, with no wins recorded for the AMD Ryzen AI 7 345. This is a decisive sweep across Cinebench render tests and PassMark workloads covering encryption, physics, integer math, floating-point math, and prime number finding.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 does not win any test in this direct comparison. Its closest margin comes in PassMark single-thread performance, where the Intel part leads by only 10.7%. That small gap suggests the AMD chip is competitive in lightly threaded tasks, but it still trails the Core Ultra 5 235T. The Intel part also dominates heavily in multi-threaded workloads, with a 56.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and a 35.5% advantage in PassMark multithread.

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 235T is the clear performance choice for any workload in this comparison. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345, by contrast, appears optimized for a different role: its 28 W TDP and mobile socket suggest it targets thin-and-light laptops where power draw matters more than raw benchmark scores.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing nodes. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 uses the Krackan Point codename and belongs to the Ryzen AI 300 generation, built on a hybrid Zen 5 / Zen 5c architecture. It uses a 4 nm process from TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T uses the Arrow Lake-S codename and Arrow Lake architecture, part of the Core Ultra Series 2 generation, built on a 3 nm process also from TSMC.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel part has 14 cores and 14 threads. Intel does not use simultaneous multithreading here, so each core corresponds to one thread. The AMD part uses simultaneous multithreading, doubling its thread count from 6 to 12. Despite fewer cores, the AMD chip can still process 12 threads, but the Intel chip has more physical cores, which helps in heavily parallel workloads.

Cache hierarchies are also distinct. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part carries significantly more cache, which contributes to its higher scores in compression and encryption tests.

Clock speeds favor Intel as well. The AMD part has a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The Intel part starts at 2.20 GHz base and boosts to 5.00 GHz. That higher boost clock explains the Intel advantage in single-threaded tests.

Memory support differs. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T supports only DDR5, also dual-channel, but with higher bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory. The Intel part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, while the AMD part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 14 CPU lanes.

The Intel part has a larger physical footprint: 243 mm² die size and 17,800 million transistors. The AMD part has no recorded die size or transistor count in the database. The Intel part is a desktop processor on Socket 1851, while the AMD part is mobile on Socket FP8.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest margin comes from PassMark find prime numbers, where the Intel Core Ultra 5 235T scores 318 versus the AMD Ryzen AI 7 345's 62, a delta of 80.5% in Intel's favor. This test exposes the raw integer throughput difference, likely driven by the Intel part's higher clock speed and larger cache.

Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 56.3% lead for Intel: 26,232 versus 11,461. This is the biggest multi-threaded gap in the comparison and indicates the 14 physical cores of the Intel part far outpace the 6-core AMD chip in sustained rendering loads. Cinebench R23 single-core also favors Intel by 50.9%, with 3,703 versus 1,818. That result confirms the boost clock advantage matters even in single-threaded tasks.

PassMark floating-point math shows a 60% Intel lead: 106,546 versus 42,621. The Intel part nearly triples the AMD score. PassMark data encryption shows a 49.6% gap, with 23,457 versus 11,814. PassMark physics follows with a 49.5% lead: 2,157 versus 1,089.

Smaller but still consistent gaps appear in PassMark integer math (24.7% lead for Intel), extended instructions (26.7%), random string sorting (28.1%), and multithread (35.5%). The closest test is PassMark single-thread, where Intel leads by only 10.7%: 4,339 versus 3,875.

Cinebench R15 shows a 35.2% lead for Intel in multi-core (2,644 versus 1,712) and a 27.3% lead in single-core (373 versus 271). These older tests follow the same pattern as R23, confirming the Intel part wins across generations of the Cinebench suite.

PassMark data compression shows a 19.5% Intel lead: 295,100 versus 237,484. This is one of the smaller gaps, suggesting the AMD part handles compression relatively well despite its lower core count.

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T is the faster processor in every recorded benchmark. Its 86th percentile ranking among all CPUs, compared to the AMD part's 81st, places it higher in the overall performance distribution. The Intel part also carries a higher average benchmark score: 38,561 versus 29,461, a difference of roughly 31%.

The Intel part sits near the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X and Intel Core i5-14500 in the database's nearest rivals, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.1% respectively. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 sits near the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE and Intel Core i5-13500HX, with delta percentages of 0.7% and -0.7%. These reference points place the Intel part in a higher performance class.

For users choosing between these two, the data points clearly to the Intel Core Ultra 5 235T for any performance-oriented task. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 remains a mobile part with a 28 W TDP, so it suits systems where power efficiency is the priority. Its lower power envelope cannot match the desktop Intel part's throughput, but the mobile form factor is the trade-off.

The Intel part's 65 W TDP and desktop socket indicate a system with more cooling headroom. The AMD part's 28 W TDP suggests a fanless or low-power mobile design. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not an option for either.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T has 14 cores, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 has 6 cores.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T boosts to 5.00 GHz, compared to 4.60 GHz for the AMD Ryzen AI 7 345.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T wins with a score of 26,232, a 56.3% lead over the AMD Ryzen AI 7 345's 11,461.

Q: What is the closest benchmark margin between the two?

A: PassMark single-thread, where the Intel part leads by 10.7% with 4,339 versus 3,875.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 has only 4 MB.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235T?

A: The launch MSRP is $247.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every hardware specification. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 uses 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235T uses 14 cores and 14 threads. Base clocks are 2.00 GHz for AMD and 2.20 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 4.60 GHz for AMD and 5.00 GHz for Intel.

TDP is 28 W for AMD and 65 W for Intel. The AMD part uses Socket FP8, the Intel part uses Socket 1851. The AMD part uses a 4 nm process, Intel uses 3 nm. Both use TSMC as the foundry.

Cache differs per core: AMD has 80 KB L1 per core and 1 MB L2 per core, Intel has 192 KB L1 per core and 3 MB L2 per core. L3 is 4 MB for AMD and 24 MB for Intel.

Memory support: AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, Intel supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory, but bandwidth differs: 89.6 GB/s for AMD, 102.4 GB/s for Intel. Neither supports ECC.

PCIe is Gen 4 with 14 lanes for AMD, Gen 5 with 20 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 840M, Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU. The Intel part has a recorded die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors; the AMD part has no such data. Market segment is mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel.