AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 vs Intel Core 7 250H Comparison

AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 vs Intel Core 7 250H: two mobile processors with contrasting design philosophies. The AMD chip uses 8 cores and 16 threads on a 4 nm Zen 5 process, while the Intel part fields 14 cores and 20 threads on a 10 nm Raptor Lake refresh. Benchmark data shows a split decision: Intel wins 10 of the 15 head-to-head tests, but AMD takes the newer Cinebench R23 workloads and several specialized Passmark tasks. The average benchmark scores place AMD at 39485 versus Intel at 35728, a 9.5% gap in favor of the Ryzen. Yet the Intel chip holds advantages in raw multi-threaded throughput and single-core Passmark scores. This analysis examines the recorded measurements to determine which processor suits which workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 records an average benchmark score of 39485, while the Intel Core 7 250H scores 35728. The AMD chip sits in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the Intel chip's 85th percentile.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multicore performance?

A: AMD wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test with a score of 18316 against Intel's 16561, a 10.6% advantage. The older Cinebench R15 multicore test favors Intel, with scores of 3147 versus 2713, a 13.8% deficit for AMD.

Q: Which processor wins the Passmark single-thread test?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H scores 4148 in the Passmark single-thread test, compared to AMD's 3901, a 6% difference. AMD counters in Cinebench R23 single-core with 2038 versus Intel's 1931, a 5.5% advantage.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 7 250H has 14 cores and 20 threads. Intel uses a hybrid core arrangement as part of the Raptor Lake architecture, while AMD uses Zen 5 cores.

Q: What is the process node and foundry for each chip?

A: AMD uses a 4 nm process node at TSMC. Intel uses a 10 nm process node at its own foundry. This difference contributes to the AMD chip's lower 28 W TDP compared to Intel's 45 W TDP.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 7 250H does not. Both support dual-channel memory, but AMD lists DDR5 and LPDDR5X while Intel lists DDR4 and DDR5.

The Verdict

The data points to a workload-dependent choice. The Intel Core 7 250H wins 10 of 15 head-to-head tests, including Cinebench R15 multicore and single-core, Passmark data encryption, prime numbers, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, and single-thread. For users prioritizing raw throughput in legacy rendering tests, physics simulations, or encryption tasks, the Intel chip delivers measurable leads. Its 14 cores and 20 threads drive a 13.8% win in Cinebench R15 multicore and a 16.4% win in Passmark floating point math.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 wins 5 tests, but they are significant. Cinebench R23 multicore and single-core both favor AMD, with 10.6% and 5.5% leads respectively. Passmark data compression, extended instructions, and random string sorting also go to AMD. The R23 scores are newer and often considered more representative of modern rendering workloads. The 29.3% advantage in extended instructions suggests the Zen 5 architecture handles advanced instruction sets more efficiently.

For mobile systems, the TDP difference matters. AMD runs at 28 W, Intel at 45 W. The AMD chip achieves its R23 multicore win while drawing less power on paper. The Intel chip's higher single-thread Passmark score of 4148 and boost clock of 5.40 GHz versus 5.10 GHz indicate strong peak performance, but the AMD chip counters with a 5.5% R23 single-core lead. The verdict: Intel for legacy multi-threaded and math-heavy tasks, AMD for modern rendering, data compression, and efficiency-sensitive designs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest Intel win comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Core 7 250H scores 298 against AMD's 215, a 27.9% margin. This is the biggest delta in the entire dataset. Passmark floating point math shows Intel ahead 65094 to 54447, a 16.4% lead. Integer math follows with 99100 versus 88531, a 10.7% gap. Prime number finding goes to Intel at 106 versus 89, a 16% difference. Physics scores favor Intel 1824 to 1578, a 13.5% margin. Data encryption shows Intel at 18206 against AMD's 16247, a 10.8% lead. Cinebench R15 multicore gives Intel 3147 versus 2713, a 13.8% win. Passmark multithread is closer, with Intel at 27030 and AMD at 26350, only a 2.5% difference.

AMD's strongest result is Passmark extended instructions, where it scores 22400 against Intel's 17318, a 29.3% advantage. This is the largest AMD margin and the second-largest overall. Cinebench R23 multicore shows AMD ahead 18316 to 16561, a 10.6% lead. Random string sorting favors AMD 35648 to 34136, a 4.4% edge. Data compression goes to AMD 315906 against 303269, a 4.2% win. Cinebench R23 single-core completes the AMD set, 2038 versus 1931, a 5.5% margin.

The pattern is clear: Intel dominates the Passmark suite, winning 6 of 8 tests in that group, while AMD wins both Cinebench R23 tests and two of the more specialized Passmark tasks. The single-thread Passmark tests both list the same score for each chip, 3901 for AMD and 4148 for Intel, confirming a consistent 6% Intel lead in that metric.

Specification Differences

The core configuration differs substantially. AMD offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel provides 14 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are 2.00 GHz for AMD and 2.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks reach 5.10 GHz on AMD and 5.40 GHz on Intel. The TDP ratings show AMD at 28 W and Intel at 45 W, a 17 W gap that affects thermal design requirements.

Memory support diverges. AMD lists DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while Intel lists DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. AMD reports a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; Intel's bandwidth is not recorded in the database. ECC memory is supported on AMD but not on Intel.

PCIe generations differ. AMD uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while Intel uses Gen 5 with 8 lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon 860M on AMD and Iris Xe Graphics 96EU on Intel. AMD uses the AMD Socket FP8, Intel uses Intel BGA 1744. The release dates show Intel launched on 2024-12-17 and AMD on 2026-01-04. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $502; AMD has no recorded launch MSRP.

Architecture Differences

AMD builds the Ryzen AI 7 450 on the Zen 5 architecture with the Gorgon Point codename, part of the Ryzen AI 400 generation. The process node is 4 nm at TSMC. The die size is 195 mm². The L1 cache is 80 KB per core, L2 is 1 MB per core, and L3 is 8 MB total.

Intel builds the Core 7 250H on the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-H codename, part of the Core 7 Raptor Lake Refresh generation. The process node is 10 nm at Intel's own foundry. The cache layout differs: L1 is 80 KB per core, L2 is 2 MB per core, and L3 is 24 MB shared. Intel does not list a die size in the database.

The cache totals tell a story. Intel's 24 MB shared L3 is three times AMD's 8 MB L3. Intel's per-core L2 is double AMD's. Yet AMD still wins the newer rendering tests, suggesting the Zen 5 core design compensates for the smaller cache pool. The 4 nm versus 10 nm process gap explains part of the efficiency difference, with AMD achieving a 28 W TDP against Intel's 45 W. The foundry split, TSMC for AMD and Intel for Intel, also factors into the manufacturing approach. Both chips use non-unlocked multipliers and target the mobile market segment, with active production status.

Where Each One Wins

Intel's wins cluster around mathematically intensive and legacy workloads. Passmark floating point math, integer math, and prime number finding all favor Intel, with leads of 16.4%, 10.7%, and 16% respectively. These tasks often scale with core count and raw clock speed, and Intel's 14 cores, 20 threads, and 5.40 GHz boost clock provide the necessary resources. The physics test also goes to Intel by 13.5%, and data encryption by 10.8%. Cinebench R15, both multicore and single-core, shows Intel ahead, which indicates strength in older rendering pipelines. The Passmark multithread test narrowly favors Intel, 27030 to 26350.

AMD's wins target newer and more specialized workloads. Cinebench R23 multicore, the more recent rendering benchmark, goes to AMD by 10.6%. Cinebench R23 single-core follows with a 5.5% lead. The extended instructions test shows a 29.3% AMD advantage, the single largest margin in either direction, indicating better execution of advanced instruction sets. Data compression favors AMD by 4.2%, and random string sorting by 4.4%. These results suggest the Zen 5 architecture handles modern code paths and data manipulation tasks with greater efficiency. The 28 W TDP also positions AMD for thinner, lighter systems with less demanding thermal solutions, while Intel's 45 W TDP requires more substantial cooling. The benchmark data supports AMD for modern rendering and data-centric tasks, and Intel for legacy performance and heavy math workloads.