AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits this comparison into two distinct profiles. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G wins six of the eleven recorded tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H takes five. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the win count alone.

The AMD processor's largest victory comes in data compression, scoring 402,831 against Intel's 336,177, a 19.8% advantage. Integer math also favors AMD by exactly 20%, with scores of 99,732 and 83,111 respectively. Single-thread performance goes to AMD at 4,309 versus 4,072, a 5.8% lead, and random string sorting shows a narrower 4.1% edge with 42,663 against 40,990. Extended instructions are nearly tied, with AMD ahead by just 1.2% (28,223 vs 27,898).

The Intel chip answers with overwhelming wins in specific workloads. Prime number finding shows the largest delta in the entire comparison: Intel scores 327 against AMD's 87, a 73.4% blowout. Physics performance favors Intel by 50.3%, with 2,895 versus 1,440. Floating point math goes Intel's way by 38.2%, scoring 103,128 against 63,683. Data encryption is Intel's by 28.1% (26,345 vs 18,937), and multithreaded throughput gives Intel a 10.5% lead at 33,978 versus 30,422.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G records 4,309 in PassMark single-thread testing, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H scores 4,072, giving AMD a 5.8% advantage.

Q: How large is Intel's lead in floating point math?

A: Intel scores 103,128 in floating point math compared to AMD's 63,683, a 38.2% margin in favor of the Core Ultra 7 356H.

Q: Which chip wins the multithread benchmark?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H takes the multithread test with 33,978 points, beating the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G's 30,422 by 10.5%.

Q: What is the difference in data compression performance?

A: AMD leads by 19.8%, scoring 402,831 against Intel's 336,177 in the data compression benchmark.

Q: How do the two compare in prime number calculation?

A: Intel dominates with 327 points versus AMD's 87, a 73.4% difference, the largest gap in either direction across all recorded tests.

Q: Which processor sits higher in the overall percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G ranks in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H sits in the 87th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design approaches. AMD's Ryzen AI 7 450G uses the Gorgon Point codename, part of the Ryzen AI 400 generation built on Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It is manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process with a die size of 195 mm². Intel's Core Ultra 7 356H uses the Panther Lake architecture, belonging to the Ultra 7 (Panther Lake-H) generation, fabricated on Intel's own 3 nm process.

Core counts differ sharply. AMD provides 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel provides 16 cores and 16 threads. Both have the same thread count, but Intel doubles the physical core count. Cache layouts also diverge. AMD allocates 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 8 MB of L3. Intel allocates 192 KB of L1 per core and 2.5 MB of L2 per core, with a shared 18 MB L3 pool. That gives Intel substantially more total cache capacity, particularly in L3 where it holds 18 MB against AMD's 8 MB.

Clock speeds favor AMD on boost. The Ryzen AI 7 450G boosts to 5.10 GHz from a 2.00 GHz base, while the Core Ultra 7 356H boosts to 4.70 GHz from a 1.90 GHz base. Power envelopes are not identical: AMD's TDP is 65 watts, Intel's is 25 watts. Memory bandwidth also differs, with Intel reaching 115.2 GB/s against AMD's 89.6 GB/s, though both support DDR5 and LPDDR5X on dual-channel buses.

Platform and connectivity details separate them further. AMD uses Socket AM5, supports ECC memory, and runs PCIe Gen 4 with 12 CPU lanes. Intel uses BGA 2540, does not support ECC, and runs PCIe Gen 5 with 12 CPU lanes. AMD's integrated graphics is the Radeon 860M, while Intel uses Xe3 Graphics. AMD marks its multiplier as unlocked; Intel's is locked. The AMD part is classified as desktop, the Intel part as mobile. AMD's release date is later, and its part number is 100-000001917 versus Intel's SA4RGQ9EU.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear split based on workload type. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G is the stronger single-thread performer and dominates integer-heavy, compression, and sorting tasks. Its 93rd percentile ranking versus Intel's 87th percentile reflects this overall positioning. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, despite a lower percentile, delivers dramatically better results in floating point, physics, encryption, and prime number workloads. Its 16 physical cores and larger cache appear to drive these wins.

For tasks that depend on data compression, integer math, or single-core responsiveness, the AMD chip is the measured choice. For floating point calculations, physics simulation, encryption, or prime number generation, the Intel chip is decisively ahead. The multithread benchmark goes to Intel by 10.5%, but AMD's higher single-thread score and 20% integer lead suggest that heavily threaded workloads with integer operations may favor AMD in practice.

The 65-watt TDP of the AMD part versus the 25-watt TDP of the Intel part indicates a different target platform, but the benchmark data does not directly quantify power efficiency. The verdict from the numbers alone: AMD wins six tests, Intel wins five, and the magnitudes of Intel's wins are generally larger, particularly in prime numbers, physics, and floating point. The average benchmark score, however, does not align with the head-to-head totals. AMD's average is 63,331, while Intel's is 41,215, a gap that reflects the different benchmark suites recorded for each processor rather than a direct comparison.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs diverge on nearly every core specification. Core count: AMD 8, Intel 16. Threads: both 16. Base clock: AMD 2.00 GHz, Intel 1.90 GHz. Boost clock: AMD 5.10 GHz, Intel 4.70 GHz. TDP: AMD 65 watts, Intel 25 watts. Socket: AMD Socket AM5, Intel BGA 2540. Process node: AMD 4 nm at TSMC, Intel 3 nm at Intel. Die size: AMD 195 mm², Intel not recorded. L1 cache: AMD 80 KB per core, Intel 192 KB per core. L2 cache: AMD 1 MB per core, Intel 2.5 MB per core. L3 cache: AMD 8 MB, Intel 18 MB shared. ECC memory: AMD supports it, Intel does not. PCIe generation: AMD Gen 4, Intel Gen 5, both with 12 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics: AMD Radeon 860M, Intel Xe3 Graphics. Market segment: AMD desktop, Intel mobile. Memory bandwidth: AMD 89.6 GB/s, Intel 115.2 GB/s. Multiplier: AMD unlocked, Intel locked. Release date: AMD later, Intel earlier. Part numbers differ. The series field: Intel is Core Ultra Series 3, AMD has no recorded series.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G wins in data compression (19.8% ahead), integer math (20% ahead), extended instructions (1.2% ahead), random string sorting (4.1% ahead), and both single-thread tests (5.8% ahead). Its 93rd percentile ranking places it above Intel's 87th percentile in the overall CPU distribution. The 5.10 GHz boost clock and unlocked multiplier position it for single-core and integer-heavy tasks.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins in data encryption (28.1% ahead), prime number finding (73.4% ahead), floating point math (38.2% ahead), multithread throughput (10.5% ahead), and physics (50.3% ahead). Its 16 physical cores, 18 MB shared L3 cache, larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations, and 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth support these victories. The 25-watt TDP and mobile segment classification indicate a different usage context, though the data does not directly measure efficiency. The Intel chip also leads in PCIe generation, supporting Gen 5 against AMD's Gen 4.