AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 vs Intel Core i5-14500T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive matchup. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins all 15 recorded head-to-head tests against the Intel Core i5-14500T. There are no recorded victories for Intel in any of the shared workloads, but the margin of victory varies significantly by task type.

The largest gap appears in extended instruction throughput. The AMD part scores 32719 in PassMark extended instructions versus 16043 for Intel, a 103.9% advantage. That is more than double the raw score, indicating a substantial difference in SIMD and specialized instruction handling. Prime number generation shows a 79% delta (145 versus 81), and Cinebench R23 multi-core delivers a 59.1% lead (18759 versus 11790). These are not marginal wins; the AMD processor is categorically faster in heavily threaded and instruction-dense workloads.

Data compression follows a similar pattern. AMD posts 400887 in PassMark data compression against Intel's 262417, a 52.8% edge. Random string sorting also favors AMD by 51.8% (43196 versus 28462). Multithread throughput in PassMark shows a 46.2% lead (33486 versus 22910), and Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 42% gap (2872 versus 2022). PassMark physics performance is 43.1% higher for AMD (1843 versus 1288).

The single-core results are closer but still favor AMD. Cinebench R23 single-core shows only a 6.6% delta (1960 versus 1838). PassMark single-thread is 12% higher for AMD (4185 versus 3736). Cinebench R15 single-core shows an 18.3% gap (298 versus 252). These narrower margins suggest the per-core architecture of the AMD chip is competitive, though not overwhelmingly superior, to Intel's Raptor Lake design.

Mid-range deltas appear in integer and floating-point math. PassMark integer math shows AMD at 109588 versus 80922, a 35.4% lead. Floating-point math shows a 23.5% edge (72722 versus 58869). Data encryption is 30.4% higher for AMD (20092 versus 15410).

The average benchmark score reinforces the overall picture. AMD averages 49796 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Intel averages 28065, which lands in the 80th percentile. The AMD part's nearest rivals include the Intel Core 9 273PE (average 49845, 0.1% higher) and the Intel Core i5-14600KF (average 49394, 0.8% lower). The Intel i5-14500T sits near the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE (average 28054) and the Intel Core i9-12900H (average 28003), which are essentially equivalent in average score.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 scores 18759, which is 59.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-14500T's 11790.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD leads 1960 versus 1838 (a 6.6% delta). In PassMark single-thread, AMD leads 4185 versus 3736 (12% delta).

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

A: PassMark extended instructions shows the biggest difference: AMD scores 32719 versus Intel's 16043, a 103.9% advantage.

Q: Is there any workload where the Intel processor wins?

A: No. Across all 15 shared benchmark tests, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 records the higher score with zero wins for the Intel Core i5-14500T.

Q: How do their overall averages rank against other CPUs?

A: AMD averages 49796 (90th percentile), while Intel averages 28065 (80th percentile).

Q: What are the closest competitors to each processor in the database?

A: For AMD, the Intel Core 9 273PE (49845 average, 0.1% higher) and Intel Core i5-14600KF (49394, 0.8% lower) are nearest. For Intel, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE (28054, 0% delta) and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G (28032, 0.1% higher) are nearest.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins in every measured category, but the strongest cases are clear. For heavily threaded rendering and multi-core productivity, the Cinebench R23 multi-core result (59.1% lead) and PassMark multithread result (46.2% lead) make AMD the preferred option. Data manipulation tasks such as compression (52.8% lead), random string sorting (51.8% lead), and encryption (30.4% lead) also show consistent AMD superiority.

For workloads that stress instruction-level parallelism, the extended instructions benchmark (103.9% lead) is the standout. Prime number finding (79% lead) and integer math (35.4% lead) follow the same trend. Physics simulation in PassMark shows a 43.1% delta, again favoring AMD.

The Intel Core i5-14500T has no recorded win. Its closest relative performance is in single-core Cinebench R23, where the delta shrinks to 6.6%. That still favors AMD, but it indicates the per-thread performance gap is modest. In floating-point math, the gap is 23.5%, which is smaller than the integer math gap but still decisive.

The overall averages tell the same story: AMD's 49796 average benchmark score is roughly 77% higher than Intel's 28065. The AMD part operates in a different performance class, as shown by its nearest rivals being desktop chips like the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Ryzen 9 7900, while Intel's nearest rivals are lower-tier parts like the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ substantially. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core i5-14500T has 14 cores and 20 threads. Despite fewer cores, AMD wins all multi-threaded benchmarks, indicating higher per-core throughput.

Clock speeds also differ. AMD's base clock is 3.60 GHz with a boost of 5.00 GHz. Intel's base is 1.70 GHz with a boost of 4.80 GHz. The AMD base clock is more than double Intel's, which helps sustained performance in all-core workloads.

Thermal design power differs: AMD is rated at 55 W, Intel at 35 W. AMD uses more power but delivers significantly higher performance.

Memory support diverges. AMD uses LPDDR5X with a quad-channel bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. Intel uses DDR4 or DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and no bandwidth figure recorded. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe generation differs. AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Intel's PCIe standard is newer, but AMD's memory bandwidth is much higher.

Integrated graphics differ. AMD uses Radeon 8060S. Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. No benchmark scores are recorded for either iGPU, so direct comparison is unavailable.

Socket and market segment differ. AMD uses Socket FP11 and is classified as Mobile. Intel uses Socket 1700 and is classified as Desktop. Release dates also differ: AMD launched on 2026-01-05, Intel on 2024-01-07.

The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $232. No launch MSRP is recorded for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different architectures. AMD is built on Zen 5 with the codename Strix Halo. Intel uses Raptor Lake (specifically Raptor Lake-R, part of the Core 14th Gen series).

Process node differs significantly. AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC. Intel uses a 10 nm process from its own foundry. The smaller node helps explain AMD's higher clock speeds and better performance per watt in many tests.

Die size also differs. AMD has a die size of 2x 70.6 mm², meaning two separate dies. Intel has a single die of 215 mm². Total transistor counts are not recorded for either part.

Cache layout differs. Both have 80 KB L1 per core. L2 cache is 1 MB per core for AMD and 1.25 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache is 32 MB shared for AMD and 24 MB shared for Intel. AMD has more L3, which likely contributes to its lead in data compression and sorting tasks.

The architecture differences explain the benchmark deltas. Zen 5's smaller process node and higher base clock allow AMD to achieve higher single-thread performance (6.6% to 18.3% leads depending on the test). The larger L3 cache and quad-channel memory bandwidth give AMD a substantial edge in memory-intensive workloads like data compression and encryption, where the deltas range from 30.4% to 52.8%.

Intel's advantage in core count (14 versus 8) does not translate to benchmark wins because each Intel core operates at a lower clock and likely lower IPC. The recorded data shows Intel's multi-thread scores lag behind despite having 6 more cores and 4 more threads. The 10 nm process limits Intel's ability to match AMD's per-core performance, and the 24 MB L3 cache is smaller than AMD's 32 MB.

The extended instructions benchmark (103.9% delta) points to a significant architectural advantage for AMD in SIMD and specialized instruction execution. The prime number test (79% delta) reinforces that AMD's integer execution units are substantially more efficient.

Both processors are locked (multiplier unlocked: false). Both are marked active in production status. Neither has a v-cache variant recorded.