AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison between the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 and the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H shows a clear split in workload types. Intel wins 12 of the 15 recorded benchmark comparisons, while AMD takes 3. The overall average benchmark score favors AMD at 39485 against Intel's 37522, a difference of roughly 5.2% in the aggregate, yet the individual tests tell a more nuanced story.

Intel's largest victory comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Core Ultra 5 235H scores 3613 against AMD's 2038, a 43.6% advantage. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 single-core, with Intel leading 364 to 215, a 40.9% gap. These are substantial margins that indicate a significant single-threaded performance difference between the two mobile processors.

The multi-core results are more complex. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel leads with 25598 versus AMD's 18316, a 28.4% advantage. However, in Cinebench R15 multi-core, the older test shows AMD ahead at 2713 against Intel's 2580, a 5.2% win for the Ryzen part. This reversal between the two Cinebench versions suggests the workload scaling characteristics differ considerably between the architectures.

In PassMark integer math, AMD delivers a decisive 19.2% win, scoring 88531 against Intel's 74247. AMD also leads in data compression at 315906 versus 301979, a 4.6% margin. These two wins indicate the Zen 5 architecture handles certain integer-heavy operations more efficiently than Arrow Lake.

Intel dominates the floating-point and encryption workloads. In floating-point math, Intel scores 93509 against AMD's 54447, a 41.8% lead. Data encryption shows Intel at 23121 versus AMD's 16247, a 29.7% advantage. Prime number finding is Intel's most lopsided win at 239 versus 89, a 62.8% gap. Extended instructions favor Intel by 4.1%, with scores of 23354 and 22400 respectively.

The multithreaded PassMark test shows Intel ahead at 30091 against AMD's 26350, a 12.4% margin. Physics simulation follows a similar pattern, with Intel at 1985 versus AMD's 1578, a 20.5% lead. Random string sorting is nearly even, Intel at 36208 and AMD at 35648, a 1.5% difference. Single-thread performance in PassMark gives Intel 4359 against AMD's 3901, a 10.5% advantage.

The percentile rankings place AMD at 87 versus Intel at 85 among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for AMD include the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS at 39603 average score, 0.3% below the Ryzen AI 7 450, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D at 39768, 0.7% above. Intel's nearest rivals include the Core i9-13900HK at 37425, 0.3% below the Core Ultra 5 235H, and the Core Ultra 5 225F at 37313, 0.6% below.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H wins in single-threaded workloads across both Cinebench and PassMark. The 43.6% margin in Cinebench R23 single-core is the largest single-threaded gap in the comparison. Intel also wins in floating-point math by 41.8%, encryption by 29.7%, and prime number finding by 62.8%. These are workloads that benefit from higher per-core throughput and wider vector execution.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 wins in integer math by 19.2%, data compression by 4.6%, and the Cinebench R15 multi-core test by 5.2%. The integer math result is particularly notable because it is the second-largest margin in either direction. The data compression win suggests the Zen 5 cores handle certain compression algorithms more efficiently.

For multithreaded workloads, the pattern is mixed. Intel wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 28.4% and PassMark multithread by 12.4%, but AMD wins the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test. The PassMark physics test favors Intel by 20.5%, indicating better performance in simulation workloads that combine floating-point and physics calculations.

The random string sorting test is essentially a tie at 1.5% in Intel's favor, making it the least decisive outcome in the dataset. Extended instructions at 4.1% in Intel's favor is also a narrow margin. These near-even results suggest the two processors are comparable in memory-bound sorting and mixed instruction workloads.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 195 mm². The codename is Gorgon Point, part of the Ryzen AI 400 generation that mixes Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The L1 cache is 80 KB per core, L2 is 1 MB per core, and L3 is 8 MB total. The memory bus is dual-channel with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and it supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory. ECC memory is supported. PCIe is Gen 4 with 16 CPU lanes.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H uses the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm TSMC process, with the Arrow Lake-H codename. It belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 generation. It has 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning it does not use Hyper-Threading. The base clock is 2.40 GHz and the boost clock is 5.00 GHz. The L1 cache is 192 KB per core, L2 is 3 MB per core, and L3 is 18 MB shared. The memory bus is dual-channel with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth, higher than AMD's. ECC memory is not supported. PCIe is Gen 5 with 8 CPU lanes.

Both processors have a 28 W TDP and are mobile parts with active production status. Both are locked, with no unlocked multiplier. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP8, while Intel uses BGA 2049. The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 860M, Intel uses Arc Graphics 140T.

The core and thread counts are a major architectural distinction. Intel has 14 cores but only 14 threads, while AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part relies on its higher physical core count for multi-threaded performance, while AMD uses simultaneous multithreading to reach 16 threads from 8 cores. The larger L3 cache on Intel, 18 MB versus 8 MB, likely contributes to its strong performance in cache-sensitive workloads like floating-point math and prime number finding.

The process node difference, 3 nm for Intel versus 4 nm for AMD, is a manufacturing distinction, but both are produced by TSMC. The memory bandwidth difference, 102.4 GB/s for Intel versus 89.6 GB/s for AMD, gives Intel a 14.3% theoretical bandwidth advantage.

The Verdict

The data indicates the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H is the stronger processor for most measured workloads. It wins 12 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks, including all single-threaded tests and the majority of multithreaded tests. The largest margins are in prime number finding at 62.8%, single-core Cinebench R23 at 43.6%, and floating-point math at 41.8%. These are substantial differences that would be noticeable in real-world applications relying on those operations.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 holds advantages in integer math by 19.2%, data compression by 4.6%, and Cinebench R15 multi-core by 5.2%. It also has a higher average benchmark score of 39485 versus 37522 and a higher percentile ranking at 87 versus 85. The AMD part sits among rivals like the Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, while Intel sits near the Core i9-13900HK and the Core Ultra 5 225F.

For users prioritizing single-threaded performance, floating-point computation, encryption, or physics simulation, the Intel part is the clear choice based on the recorded data. For integer-heavy workloads, data compression, or the specific Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the AMD part delivers better results. The average benchmark score favors AMD, but the head-to-head win count strongly favors Intel.

The choice between these two processors depends on which workload categories matter most. The data shows Intel leading in the majority of tests, but AMD's wins in integer math and compression are not trivial. The 19.2% integer math margin is the second-largest in the entire comparison, and data compression is a common real-world workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H wins all single-threaded comparisons. It leads by 40.9% in Cinebench R15 single-core, 43.6% in Cinebench R23 single-core, and 10.5% in PassMark single-thread.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-threaded workloads?

A: Intel wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 28.4% and PassMark multithread by 12.4%, while AMD wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 5.2%.

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 Ultra 5 235H has 14 cores and 14 threads.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has 8 MB of L3 cache.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H has 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 | Intel Core Ultra 5 235H |

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

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base Clock | 2.00 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Gorgon Point | Arrow Lake-H |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Die Size | 195 mm² | Not specified |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 860M | Arc Graphics 140T |

| Part Number | 100-000001868 | SRQAP |

| Release Date | 2026-01-04 | 2025-01-12 |