AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 and Intel Core Ultra 5 338H target different strengths, and the recorded benchmark data draws a clear line between them. The Intel part wins 10 of the 15 head-to-head tests, while the AMD part wins 5. However, the magnitude of those wins matters more than the count. Intel's victories include massive margins in single-threaded workloads, floating-point math, and physics simulations, while AMD's wins are concentrated in integer math and multi-core rendering.

For users prioritizing multi-core content creation, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 is the stronger choice. It leads by 12.2% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 8.3% in Cinebench R15 multi-core, and 36.3% in PassMark integer math. For users prioritizing single-thread responsiveness, encryption, or floating-point workloads, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is clearly ahead, with a 29.5% advantage in Cinebench R15 single-core and a 70.7% lead in PassMark find prime numbers.

The overall averages reflect this split. The AMD chip posts an average benchmark score of 39485, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel chip averages 33989, in the 84th percentile. The AMD part sits within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and 0.3% of the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS, while the Intel part is within 0.3% of the Core Ultra 7 165H and 0.4% of the Xeon 6353P. Neither processor is a universal winner, but the data indicates the AMD chip delivers higher aggregate throughput, while the Intel chip delivers higher peak performance in specific tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, with the codename Gorgon Point and a die size of 195 mm². It belongs to the Ryzen AI 400 generation, which combines Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H uses the Panther Lake architecture on Intel's own 3 nm process, belonging to the Ultra 5 (Panther Lake-H) generation.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, using simultaneous multithreading to double the thread count. The Intel chip has 12 cores but only 12 threads, meaning no hyperthreading on its configuration. The cache hierarchy also differs. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of L3. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and a much larger 18 MB of shared L3.

Memory support shows another split. The AMD processor supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the Intel processor supports only LPDDR5X. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but Intel's memory bandwidth is higher at 136.5 GB/s versus AMD's 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the AMD side but not on the Intel side. PCIe capabilities also differ: AMD offers Gen 4 with 16 CPU lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes.

The integrated graphics differ as well. AMD pairs the Ryzen AI 7 450 with the Radeon 860M, while Intel pairs the Core Ultra 5 338H with the Arc B370. Both are mobile parts with active production status, released on the same date. The AMD socket is AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel socket is Intel BGA 2540. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has 12 cores but only 12 threads. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has 8 cores and 16 threads, meaning it can process more concurrent threads despite having fewer physical cores.

Q: Which chip is better for Cinebench multi-core rendering?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 wins both Cinebench multi-core tests. It scores 2713 versus 2504 in R15 multi-core (8.3% ahead) and 18316 versus 16331 in R23 multi-core (12.2% ahead).

Q: Which chip 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 338H has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The base clocks are closer: 2.00 GHz for AMD versus 1.90 GHz for Intel.

Q: Does the Intel chip support ECC memory?

A: No. ECC memory support is listed as false for the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 supports ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 has 8 MB of L3 cache.

Q: What are the overall performance percentiles for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 sits in the 87th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 39485. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H sits in the 84th percentile with an average score of 33989.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 uses 8 cores with 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H uses 12 cores with 12 threads. AMD's base clock is 2.00 GHz versus Intel's 1.90 GHz, and AMD's boost clock is 5.10 GHz versus Intel's 4.70 GHz.

The process nodes differ: AMD uses 4 nm TSMC fabrication, while Intel uses 3 nm from its own foundry. AMD's die size is 195 mm², while Intel does not report a die size. The cache configurations are completely different: AMD has 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 8 MB L3; Intel has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3.

Memory support splits by type. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while Intel supports only LPDDR5X with 136.5 GB/s bandwidth. Both are dual-channel. ECC memory is available on AMD but not on Intel. PCIe generations differ: AMD uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes, Intel uses Gen 5 with 4 lanes.

The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 860M, Intel uses Arc B370. Sockets differ: AMD Socket FP8 versus Intel BGA 2540. TDP ratings are close but not identical: 28 W for AMD, 25 W for Intel. The AMD part number is 100-000001868, and the Intel part number is SA4REQ9EW. Both were released on the same date, and both are active production mobile parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The multi-core Cinebench results favor AMD decisively. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 scores 2713 against Intel's 2504, an 8.3% advantage. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD scores 18316 against Intel's 16331, a 12.2% advantage. These are the largest AMD wins in the rendering tests.

The single-core Cinebench results tell a different story. In Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel scores 305 against AMD's 215, a massive 29.5% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel's advantage shrinks to just 0.3%, with scores of 2044 versus 2038. The R15 result is the largest single-core gap in the entire comparison.

PassMark tests show a clear division of labor. AMD wins integer math by a wide margin: 88531 versus 64934, a 36.3% lead. AMD also wins data compression with 315906 versus 276539 (14.2% ahead) and random string sorting with 35648 versus 34082 (4.6% ahead).

Intel dominates the remaining PassMark workloads. In data encryption, Intel scores 21367 against AMD's 16247, a 24% lead. In extended instructions, Intel leads 23906 to 22400, a 6.3% margin. The find prime numbers test shows Intel at 304 versus AMD's 89, a 70.7% advantage. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 84067 versus 54447, a 35.2% lead. Physics also favors Intel: 2697 versus 1578, a 41.5% advantage.

The multithreaded PassMark score goes to Intel at 28717 versus 26350, an 8.2% lead, despite AMD having more threads. Single-thread scores also favor Intel: 4180 versus 3901, a 6.7% margin in both the single_thread and singlethread tests.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 wins in workloads that depend on integer arithmetic and multi-core scaling. The 36.3% lead in PassMark integer math suggests strong performance in general-purpose computing, database operations, and compilation tasks. The 12.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 8.3% lead in R15 multi-core indicate that rendering, video encoding, and other parallel content-creation tasks will complete faster on the AMD chip. Data compression also favors AMD by 14.2%, which benefits file archiving and backup workloads. Random string sorting is a narrower AMD win at 4.6%.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins in single-thread-heavy and specialized math workloads. The 29.5% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core points to faster application launch times and better responsiveness in lightly threaded software. The 70.7% lead in find prime numbers and 35.2% lead in floating-point math suggest strong performance in scientific computing, simulations, and numerical analysis. The 41.5% physics advantage indicates better performance in physics simulation engines. Data encryption runs 24% faster on Intel, which benefits secure storage and network traffic. Extended instructions also favor Intel by 6.3%. The 8.2% multithread score advantage shows that Intel's higher core count wins in mixed parallel workloads that do not rely on integer math.

The overall pattern shows AMD as the throughput champion for integer-heavy parallel work, while Intel takes the crown for single-thread speed, floating-point precision, and specific math-intensive tasks. The 87th versus 84th percentile ranking supports the higher average score for AMD, but the head-to-head record confirms that workload selection determines the better processor.