AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Comparison

AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and Intel Core Ultra 7 256V are both mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but the benchmark data shows they occupy very different performance tiers. The AMD chip holds a commanding lead in nearly every recorded test, while the Intel part wins in a few narrow single-thread and specialized workloads. This analysis breaks down the recorded measurements, the architectural choices behind them, and where each processor makes sense.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive gap appears in multi-threaded workloads, where the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370's 12 cores and 24 threads overwhelm the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V's 8 cores and 8 threads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD scores 21761 against 10399 for Intel, a delta of 109.3%. The Cinebench R15 multi-core test tells the same story: 3409.5 versus 1583.5, a 115.3% advantage. Geekbench multi-core shows a 76.4% lead for AMD (15242 vs 8643), and PassMark multi-thread puts AMD 80% ahead (35148 vs 19530).

The integer math workload is the single largest delta in the dataset. AMD scores 122933 in PassMark integer math against Intel's 43358, a 183.5% difference. Data compression follows closely: AMD's 445719 versus Intel's 184985, a 140.9% gap. Extended instructions also favor AMD heavily at 102.3% (31653 vs 15643), and random string sorting shows a 116.7% delta (48723 vs 22481). These results indicate that AMD's core count advantage translates directly into throughput for parallel integer and data-processing tasks.

Single-thread performance is much closer but still favors AMD in most tests. Cinebench R23 single-core shows AMD at 2018 versus Intel's 1877.5, a 7.5% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core is 306.5 vs 285.5, a 7.4% delta. Geekbench single-core gives AMD a 21% advantage (2407 vs 1990). The exceptions are PassMark single-thread and PassMark singlethread (the same test recorded twice), where Intel scores 4029 against AMD's 3973, a 1.4% edge. PassMark find prime numbers also goes to Intel: 192 vs 126, a 34.4% advantage for Intel.

Floating-point math is another AMD win, though less lopsided than integer math: 76892 vs 58576, a 31.3% delta. Data encryption shows AMD ahead by 59% (22252 vs 13998), and physics simulation gives AMD a 17.9% edge (1881 vs 1595). Across the 17 head-to-head benchmark entries, AMD wins 14 and Intel wins 3. The three Intel wins are all single-thread or specialized workloads: PassMark single-thread, PassMark singlethread, and PassMark find prime numbers.

The average benchmark score tells a similar story. AMD's average is 37904, placing it at the 86th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Intel's average is 21112, at the 75th percentile. AMD's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-14901E (37911, 0% delta) and AMD Ryzen 7 9700X (37943, -0.1% delta), meaning the HX 370 trades blows with desktop-class parts. Intel's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (21133, -0.1% delta) and Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (21174, -0.3% delta), positioning it closer to mid-range mobile silicon.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-threaded benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 wins every multi-threaded test in the dataset. The largest margin is PassMark integer math at 183.5% ahead, followed by data compression at 140.9% and Cinebench R15 multi-core at 115.3%.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins three tests: PassMark single-thread (4029 vs 3973, a 1.4% edge) and PassMark find prime numbers (192 vs 126, a 34.4% advantage). The single-thread test appears twice in the dataset under slightly different names.

Q: How close is single-thread performance?

A: AMD leads in Cinebench R23 single-core by 7.5% (2018 vs 1877.5) and Geekbench single-core by 21% (2407 vs 1990). Intel's PassMark single-thread lead is only 1.4%, so the overall picture is close but favors AMD.

Q: What do the average benchmark scores show?

A: AMD's average benchmark score is 37904, putting it at the 86th percentile of all CPUs. Intel's average is 21112, at the 75th percentile. AMD's score is roughly 79.6% higher than Intel's average.

Q: How do the two processors compare to their nearest rivals?

A: AMD's nearest rival is the Intel Core i9-14901E with a 0% delta, showing parity. Intel's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U with a -0.1% delta, meaning the Ultra 7 256V sits in the same performance class as that mid-range part.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: AMD's boost clock is 5.10 GHz versus Intel's 4.80 GHz. AMD also has a lower base clock at 2.00 GHz versus Intel's 2.20 GHz.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. For any workload that uses multiple cores, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is the stronger processor by a wide margin. The 115.3% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and the 109.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core mean rendering, compiling, and other parallel tasks will finish in roughly half the time on the AMD part. The 183.5% advantage in integer math and the 140.9% lead in data compression reinforce this for productivity software and data processing.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V appeals only to a narrow set of workloads. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4029 edges AMD's 3973, but the 1.4% difference is negligible in practice. The 34.4% win in find prime numbers suggests an advantage in specific math routines that rely on that instruction pattern, but it is an isolated result. Intel's 17W TDP versus AMD's 28W TDP indicates lower power draw, which may matter for battery life, but the benchmark data does not include battery tests.

The percentile rankings confirm the class difference. AMD sits at the 86th percentile, rubbing shoulders with desktop CPUs like the Intel Core i9-14901E and AMD Ryzen 7 9700X. Intel sits at the 75th percentile, alongside the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U and Intel Core Ultra 7 155U. The verdict is straightforward: choose AMD for performance, choose Intel only if the specific single-thread or prime-number workloads are the primary use case.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ substantially. AMD offers 12 cores and 24 threads; Intel offers 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD part has no hyper-threading equivalent for the Intel chip, meaning Intel's thread count equals its core count. Base clocks are 2.00 GHz for AMD and 2.20 GHz for Intel, but boost clocks favor AMD at 5.10 GHz versus 4.80 GHz. Thermal design power also differs: AMD is rated at 28W, Intel at 17W.

Memory support differs in documentation. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Intel's memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, also with a dual-channel bus, but no bandwidth figure is recorded. ECC memory is not supported by either processor. PCIe lanes differ: AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only). Sockets are different: AMD uses Socket FP8, Intel uses BGA 2833. Both are locked multipliers. Release dates are close, with AMD on 2024-06-30 and Intel on 2024-09-23.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use different manufacturing nodes and designs. AMD is built on TSMC's 4 nm process, while Intel uses TSMC's 3 nm process. AMD's architecture is Zen 5, with a codename of Strix Point and a generation label of "Ryzen AI 300 (Zen 5 / Zen 5c)". Intel's architecture is Lunar Lake, with the same codename and a generation label of "Ultra 7 (Lunar Lake)". The process node difference suggests Intel's 3 nm process is denser, but the benchmark results show AMD's larger core count overcomes any per-core efficiency advantage.

Cache layouts also differ. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of L3. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L1 and L2 on Intel may contribute to its single-thread win in PassMark, but AMD's larger L3 pool helps in multi-threaded scenarios. The AMD die size is recorded at 233 mm², while Intel's die size is not listed. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD uses the Radeon 890M, Intel uses the Arc 140V. Both are active production parts for the mobile segment.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 wins in every category that scales with core count. Multi-threaded rendering in Cinebench, general multi-core performance in Geekbench, integer math, floating-point math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, random string sorting, and physics simulation all go to AMD. For users running video encoding, 3D rendering, code compilation, or data analysis, the AMD part is the clear choice. The 109.3% to 183.5% deltas in these workloads mean tasks complete at roughly double the speed or better.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V wins in PassMark single-thread and PassMark find prime numbers. The single-thread win is marginal at 1.4%, so it does not represent a meaningful advantage for general single-threaded apps. The find prime numbers win is more substantial at 34.4%, indicating that specific mathematical or cryptographic workloads using that instruction pattern will run faster on Intel. The lower 17W TDP also suggests Intel is better suited for fanless or ultra-low-power designs, though the database does not include power consumption measurements beyond the TDP figures.

For mixed workloads, the data favors AMD. The 14 wins versus 3 wins, combined with the 86th versus 75th percentile ranking, indicate that the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is the higher-performing processor in nearly all scenarios. The Intel part's wins are narrow enough to be niche, while AMD's wins are often by large margins. The choice reduces to whether the user's primary application is the specific prime-number routine or a general workload, where AMD dominates.