AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 vs Intel Core 7 250H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and Intel Core 7 250H are both mobile processors aimed at high-performance laptops, but the benchmark data reveals two very different design philosophies and performance profiles. The AMD chip, built on the Zen 5 architecture, wins a decisive 10 out of 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel part, a Raptor Lake Refresh product, takes the remaining five. The overall average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is 40048, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, whereas the Intel Core 7 250H has an average score of 35728 and sits in the 85th percentile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking victory for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 comes in the PassMark extended instructions test, where it scores 25113 against Intel's 17318, a massive 45% advantage. This indicates a substantial lead in workloads that leverage advanced instruction sets. The AMD chip also demonstrates strong performance in data compression, scoring 354510 versus 303269, a 16.9% difference. Random string sorting shows a 15.6% lead for AMD with scores of 39447 and 34136, respectively.

In the multi-core Cinebench R23 test, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 delivers a score of 18698, outperforming the Intel Core 7 250H's 16561 by 12.9%. This is a significant margin for a mobile processor and suggests AMD holds the edge in heavily threaded rendering workloads. The AMD chip also wins the PassMark multi-thread test with 29467 versus 27030, a 9% advantage. In prime number finding, AMD scores 117 against Intel's 106, a 10.4% lead. The integer math results are closer, with AMD scoring 101831 and Intel 99100, a 2.8% win for AMD. Data encryption is nearly a tie, with AMD at 18297 and Intel at 18206, a 0.5% margin.

In single-core performance, the results are split. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 wins the Cinebench R23 single-core test with 1992 against 1931, a 3.2% lead, and also takes the Cinebench R15 single-core test with 303 versus 298, a 1.7% margin. However, the Intel Core 7 250H wins the PassMark single-thread test with 4148 against 3841, a 7.4% advantage. This suggests Intel has a higher peak frequency advantage in certain single-threaded scenarios.

The Intel Core 7 250H secures its other wins in the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, scoring 3147 versus 2842, a 9.7% lead for Intel. It also wins the PassMark floating point math test with 65094 against 62802, a 3.5% margin, and the PassMark physics test with 1824 versus 1704, a 6.6% lead. These results show Intel retains an edge in specific legacy multi-core benchmarks and certain math-heavy tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 uses the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Strix Point, and is fabricated on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It has 10 cores and 20 threads. The Intel Core 7 250H uses the Raptor Lake architecture, codenamed Raptor Lake-H, and is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It has 14 cores and also 20 threads. The thread counts are identical, but the core distributions differ, with Intel relying on a higher core count to achieve its multi-threaded performance.

Cache configurations also diverge. The AMD chip has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a 16 MB L3 cache. The Intel chip has the same 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but doubles the L2 cache to 2 MB per core, and offers a larger 24 MB L3 cache. The larger cache pool on the Intel part does not translate into a performance win in most database tests, as the AMD chip's architecture appears more efficient in many workloads.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, while the Intel Core 7 250H supports DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD chip has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while no bandwidth figure is listed for the Intel part. PCIe support also differs: AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 8 lanes. The integrated graphics are the Radeon 880M on the AMD side and Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units on the Intel side.

The process node difference is significant. AMD's 4 nm process from TSMC is more advanced than Intel's 10 nm process. This likely contributes to the AMD chip's efficiency and its performance per core, despite having fewer physical cores. The AMD chip also has a lower TDP of 28 watts, compared to Intel's 45 watts, which could impact thermal management in thin laptops.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is the stronger overall performer in the majority of benchmark scenarios. Its 45% lead in extended instructions and 16.9% lead in data compression make it the clear choice for workloads that rely on advanced instruction sets and data throughput. The 12.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core also suggests it is better suited for modern multi-threaded rendering tasks, despite having fewer cores than the Intel part.

The Intel Core 7 250H is not without merit. Its 9.7% win in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 7.4% lead in PassMark single-thread show it can win in specific tests. The 6.6% margin in physics and 3.5% in floating point math also point to strengths in certain computational areas. The Intel chip has a higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz compared to AMD's 5.00 GHz, which likely explains its single-thread PassMark victory.

Users who prioritize the highest multi-threaded rendering scores in modern Cinebench R23 will prefer the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365. Those who need the fastest single-thread PassMark score or require DDR4 memory compatibility might favor the Intel Core 7 250H. The AMD chip also has a lower 28-watt TDP, which may be preferable for battery life and thermal design, while the Intel chip's 45-watt TDP suggests a higher power envelope.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core 7 250H has 14 cores and 20 threads. The base clock for AMD is 2.00 GHz, while Intel starts higher at 2.50 GHz. The boost clock for AMD is 5.00 GHz, while Intel reaches 5.40 GHz. The TDP is 28 watts for AMD and 45 watts for Intel. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket FP8, while Intel uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket.

The L2 cache is 1 MB per core on AMD and 2 MB per core on Intel. The L3 cache is 16 MB on AMD and 24 MB on Intel. Memory support includes DDR5 and LPDDR5X on AMD, versus DDR4 and DDR5 on Intel. The AMD chip has a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, with no figure recorded for Intel. PCIe support is Gen 4 with 16 lanes on AMD and Gen 5 with 8 lanes on Intel. The integrated graphics are Radeon 880M on AMD and Iris Xe Graphics 96EU on Intel. The process node is 4 nm at TSMC for AMD and 10 nm at Intel for the Intel chip. The die size for AMD is 233 mm², while no die size is recorded for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has an average benchmark score of 40048, while the Intel Core 7 250H has an average score of 35728.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each processor have in head-to-head comparisons?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 wins 10 of the recorded head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core 7 250H wins 5.

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two processors?

A: The biggest difference is in the PassMark extended instructions test, where the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 25113, which is 45% higher than the Intel Core 7 250H's 17318.

Q: Which processor has a higher core count?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H has 14 cores, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has 10 cores. Both processors have 20 threads.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for the Intel Core 7 250H?

A: The launch MSRP for the Intel Core 7 250H is $502. No launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 win the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 18698 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 12.9% higher than the Intel Core 7 250H's score of 16561.