AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 vs Intel Core 7 250H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database records 15 direct head-to-head comparisons between the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the Intel Core 7 250H. The results are overwhelmingly one-sided: the AMD part wins 13 of those comparisons, while the Intel part takes only 2. The margin of victory, however, varies widely depending on the workload.

The largest single win for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 comes in the PassMark extended instructions test, where it scores 31,653 against Intel's 17,318. That is a delta of 82.8%, the most decisive gap in the entire comparison. This test typically exercises SIMD and specialized instruction paths, and the data shows the Zen 5 architecture holds a commanding advantage there.

In multi-threaded rendering, the AMD part delivers a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21,761 versus 16,561 for the Intel Core 7 250H, a 31.4% advantage. The PassMark multithread test tells a similar story: 35,148 for AMD against 27,030 for Intel, a 30% lead. These are substantial margins for mobile processors, indicating that the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 sustains high throughput across all cores more effectively.

Data compression favors AMD heavily. The PassMark data compression score for the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is 445,719, while the Intel part manages 303,269. That is a 47% delta. Random string sorting also leans strongly toward AMD, with scores of 48,723 versus 34,136, a 42.7% gap. Integer math shows a 24% advantage (122,933 vs 99,100), and floating-point math shows an 18.1% lead (76,892 vs 65,094).

Encryption workloads also go to AMD. The PassMark data encryption score is 22,252 for the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 versus 18,206 for the Intel Core 7 250H, a 22.2% difference. Prime number finding shows an 18.9% edge for AMD (126 vs 106). Even the physics test, which often favors higher boost clocks, goes to AMD by a narrow 3.1% margin (1,881 vs 1,824).

The single-core results are closer. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD leads with 2,018 against 1,931, a 4.5% gap. Cinebench R15 single-core also goes to AMD, 306.5 versus 298, a 2.9% margin. These are modest but consistent wins for the Zen 5 core design.

The Intel Core 7 250H claims its only wins in the PassMark single-thread test. It scores 4,148 against AMD's 3,973, a 4.2% advantage. This result appears twice in the database, once under the test name "passmark_single_thread" and once as "passmark_singlethread," both with identical values. So while Intel takes the single-thread PassMark metric, it loses the equivalent Cinebench single-core tests.

Overall average benchmark scores place the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at 37,904, which ranks in the 86th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 7 250H records an average of 35,728, placing it in the 85th percentile. The delta between their average scores is approximately 6.1%, a meaningful but not overwhelming gap.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is the stronger processor in nearly every measured category. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head comparisons, and its victories include the most demanding multi-threaded workloads, compression, encryption, and extended instruction tests. The only area where Intel shows a clear edge is the PassMark single-thread test, where it leads by 4.2%.

The Cinebench R23 multicore result is particularly telling. AMD's 21,761 versus Intel's 16,561 represents a 31.4% gap, which is far larger than the difference in their average benchmark scores would suggest. This indicates that the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scales better under sustained full-core load, likely due to its 12 cores and 24 threads versus Intel's 14 cores and 20 threads.

The Intel Core 7 250H does hold a higher boost clock at 5.40 GHz versus 5.10 GHz for AMD, and that likely contributes to its PassMark single-thread victory. However, the Cinebench single-core tests tell a different story, with AMD leading by 2.9% and 4.5% in R15 and R23 respectively. The data suggests that AMD's Zen 5 core architecture delivers more instructions per clock, while Intel's advantage in PassMark single-thread may be workload-specific.

For users who prioritize multi-threaded throughput, the choice is clear from the data. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 leads by 30% or more in Cinebench R23 multicore and PassMark multithread. For workloads that depend heavily on single-thread PassMark performance, the Intel part offers a small advantage, but it loses the corresponding Cinebench tests.

The Intel Core 7 250H has a launch MSRP of $502. The database records no launch MSRP for the AMD part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 wins in every workload category that emphasizes parallel execution or specialized instruction throughput. Its most decisive victories come in extended instructions (82.8% ahead), data compression (47% ahead), and random string sorting (42.7% ahead). These results point to strong performance in content creation, data processing, and any task that can use multiple cores simultaneously.

The Cinebench R23 multicore result confirms that the AMD part excels in rendering workloads. A 31.4% advantage over the Intel Core 7 250H means that 3D rendering, video encoding, and similar CPU-bound creative tasks should complete noticeably faster on systems built around the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.

Encryption and prime number workloads also favor AMD, with leads of 22.2% and 18.9% respectively. These results suggest that security-focused tasks, cryptographic operations, and scientific computing workloads run better on the AMD platform.

The Intel Core 7 250H wins only the PassMark single-thread test, and by a modest 4.2%. This indicates that for legacy software or lightly threaded applications that rely on a single core, the Intel part may feel slightly snappier in specific scenarios. However, the Cinebench single-core results contradict this, showing AMD ahead by 2.9% to 4.5%. The PassMark single-thread test appears to measure a particular instruction mix where Intel's higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz provides an edge.

For mixed workloads, the AMD part's 13 wins out of 15 comparisons provide a broader performance envelope. The Intel part's two wins are confined to a single test metric (PassMark single-thread), which limits its practical advantage to a narrow set of applications.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core 7 250H has 14 cores and 20 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD part wins the majority of multi-threaded benchmarks.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in the PassMark extended instructions test, where the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scores 31,653 versus 17,318 for the Intel Core 7 250H, a delta of 82.8%.

Q: Does the Intel Core 7 250H win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel Core 7 250H wins the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 4,148 against AMD's 3,973, a 4.2% advantage. This result appears twice in the database under slightly different test names.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scores 21,761, while the Intel Core 7 250H scores 16,561, giving AMD a 31.4% lead in this rendering workload.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Intel's higher boost clock does not translate into a win in the Cinebench single-core tests.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has an average benchmark score of 37,904, placing it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 7 250H has an average score of 35,728, placing it in the 85th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Strix Point codename, part of the Ryzen AI 300 generation. It is built on a 4 nm process by TSMC, with a die size of 233 mm². The Intel Core 7 250H uses the Raptor Lake architecture under the Raptor Lake-H codename, part of the Core 7 (Raptor Lake Refresh) generation. It is built on a 10 nm process by Intel.

The AMD part integrates 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its TDP is 28 watts. The Intel part has 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its TDP is 45 watts. Despite the higher TDP, the Intel part loses most performance comparisons.

Cache configurations differ notably. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core 7 250H also has 80 KB of L1 per core but doubles the L2 to 2 MB per core, and provides 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger L3 on the Intel part does not translate into benchmark wins.

Memory support also differs. The AMD part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a measured memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but the database records no memory bandwidth figure for it. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity distinguishes the platforms. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 provides PCIe Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel Core 7 250H provides PCIe Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only). The AMD part offers more lanes, while the Intel part offers a newer PCIe generation.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD part uses the Radeon 890M, while the Intel part uses Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units. The database does not include graphics benchmark scores for either processor.

Socket requirements are different. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel Core 7 250H uses Intel BGA 1744. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Release dates place the AMD part first, with a release date of 2024-06-30, while the Intel part arrived later on 2024-12-17. Both are currently in active production and target the mobile market segment. The Intel part carries the part number SRQ6UQ5MK, while the AMD part is listed as 100-000000994.

The nearest rivals in the database for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 include the Intel Core i9-14901E (average score 37,911, delta 0%), AMD Ryzen 7 9700X (37,943, -0.1%), Intel Core 5 211E (37,829, 0.2%), and AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 (37,804, 0.3%). For the Intel Core 7 250H, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (35,719, 0%), Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (35,670, 0.2%), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35,802, -0.2%), and AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (35,909, -0.5%). These placements confirm that both processors sit in a competitive mid-range tier, with the AMD part holding a slightly higher average score.