AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 vs Intel Core 7 251TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data splits almost evenly, with AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 taking 8 wins and Intel Core 7 251TE taking 7. However, the margin distribution is heavily skewed. The AMD part wins by large double-digit margins in several specialized workloads, while the Intel part wins by smaller, though still significant, margins in general compute.

The largest single victory for the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 32719 against Intel's 16974, a 92.8% advantage. This indicates a decisive lead in workloads using advanced instruction set extensions. The AMD chip also dominates data compression, scoring 400887 versus 334399, a 19.9% lead. In the PassMark multithread test, AMD scores 33486 against Intel's 30022, an 11.5% advantage. Random string sorting also favors AMD, with a score of 43196 versus 39643, a 9% lead. The AMD part wins single-thread PassMark by 17.3%, scoring 4185 against Intel's 3568. It also edges out Intel in finding prime numbers, 145 to 140, a 3.6% win.

The Intel Core 7 251TE claims its biggest win in Cinebench R23 single-core, scoring 3602 against AMD's 1960, a 45.6% margin. This is the largest delta in either direction across all tests. Intel also wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 25518 versus 18759, a 26.5% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel wins 362 to 298, a 17.7% margin. Floating point math favors Intel, 85607 versus 72722, a 15.1% lead. Integer math also goes to Intel, 125739 versus 109588, a 12.8% margin. Data encryption yields a 9.4% win for Intel, 22176 versus 20092. The physics test is close, with Intel winning 1938 to 1843, a 4.9% margin. The only multi-core Cinebench test AMD wins is R15, scoring 2872 versus 2572, an 11.7% advantage.

The data shows a clear pattern: AMD wins in memory-bandwidth-sensitive and vectorized workloads, while Intel wins in single-core latency-sensitive tasks and in the newer Cinebench multi-core renderer. The 45.6% single-core deficit in Cinebench R23 is particularly notable, as it suggests a fundamental difference in how each architecture handles that specific workload.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses the Bartlett Lake architecture on a 10 nm Intel process, with a die size of 215 mm². It has 24 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 1.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz.

Cache configurations differ. Both have 80 KB of L1 per core. The AMD part has 1 MB of L2 per core and 32 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 1.25 MB of L2 per core and 36 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has more total cache per core in L2 and more shared L3, but the AMD chip compensates with a much higher memory bandwidth.

Memory support diverges sharply. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 supports LPDDR5X over a quad-channel bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 7 251TE supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, delivering 89.6 GB/s. This 166.4 GB/s difference explains the AMD wins in data compression and extended instructions, which are bandwidth-hungry. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs by generation and lane count. The AMD part provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses Radeon 8060S, Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP11, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part is classified as Mobile segment, the Intel part as Desktop segment. The AMD part has a production status of Active and was released on 2026-01-05, while the Intel part was released on 2025-01-12 and carries a launch MSRP of $384. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE boosts to 5.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 delivers 256.0 GB/s over a quad-channel LPDDR5X bus. The Intel Core 7 251TE delivers 89.6 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 bus.

Q: Which processor wins in PassMark multithread?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins with a score of 33486, an 11.5% advantage over the Intel Core 7 251TE's 30022.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 single-core?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE wins with a score of 3602, a 45.6% margin over the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388's 1960.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 has an average benchmark score of 49796, while the Intel Core 7 251TE has an average of 41650. The AMD part sits at the 90th percentile of all CPUs, the Intel part at the 88th.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications:

| Specification | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 | Intel Core 7 251TE |

|----------------|------------------------|---------------------|

| Cores | 8 | 24 |

| Threads | 16 | 32 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 1.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.40 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP11 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Bartlett Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 2x 70.6 mm² | 215 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 32 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | LPDDR5X | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 16 Lanes | Gen 5, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 8060S | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2026-01-05 | 2025-01-12 |

| Part Number | 100-000001980 | SRQAXQ5ZG |

Both have 80 KB of L1 per core, support ECC memory, are Active in production, and have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The benchmark data indicates two distinct performance profiles. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is the stronger all-round performer, with a higher average benchmark score (49796 versus 41650) and a higher percentile ranking (90th versus 88th). Its wins are concentrated in memory-bandwidth-bound and vectorized workloads, where its 256.0 GB/s quad-channel memory gives it a decisive edge. The Intel Core 7 251TE counters with superior single-core performance in Cinebench R23 and wins in integer and floating point math, but its dual-channel memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s limits its performance in data-intensive tasks.

The Intel part's 24 cores and 32 threads do not translate into multi-core wins in Cinebench R23, where it loses by 26.5% despite having three times the core count. This suggests the AMD Zen 5 architecture extracts more usable throughput per core in that specific renderer. The Intel part does win Cinebench R15 multi-core by a smaller margin, 2872 versus 2572, but this is an older test. In the PassMark multithread test, the AMD part wins by 11.5%.

For workloads that stress the extended instruction set, the AMD part is dominant. The 92.8% lead in PassMark extended instructions is the largest performance gap in the entire comparison. For tasks that rely on single-core latency, particularly the Cinebench R23 renderer, the Intel part is much faster. The 45.6% single-core margin in that test is substantial.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins in PassMark data compression, extended instructions, prime number finding, multithread, random string sorting, single thread, and Cinebench R15 multi-core. These are workloads that benefit from high memory bandwidth and efficient vector processing. The 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is the differentiator here. The data compression score of 400887 is the highest recorded score in any test for either processor.

The Intel Core 7 251TE wins in Cinebench R15 single-core, Cinebench R23 multi-core, Cinebench R23 single-core, data encryption, floating point math, integer math, and physics. These are workloads that respond to higher boost clocks (5.40 GHz) and the larger 36 MB L3 cache. The Cinebench R23 wins are particularly strong, with a 26.5% multi-core and 45.6% single-core margin. The Intel part also wins in integer math and floating point math, which are compute-bound rather than memory-bound.

The split is clean: AMD wins where memory bandwidth matters, Intel wins where raw clock speed and cache size matter. The AMD part's 8 cores are more efficient in multithreaded PassMark, but the Intel part's 24 cores do not help in Cinebench R23 multi-core, likely due to memory bandwidth constraints. In the physics test, the Intel part wins by only 4.9%, indicating a close contest. The Intel part's data encryption win by 9.4% shows a strength in cryptographic workloads. The AMD part's single-thread PassMark win by 17.3% contrasts with its Cinebench R23 single-core loss by 45.6%, showing that the two benchmarks measure different aspects of single-core performance.