AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 vs Intel Core i7-14700HX Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits this comparison into two distinct personalities. The Intel Core i7-14700HX dominates the heavy multi-threaded workloads, taking 11 of 15 recorded head-to-head tests. Its 20 cores and 28 threads give it a structural advantage in parallel tasks, and the scores reflect that consistently. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins only 4 tests, but those wins cluster around single-threaded responsiveness and extended instruction throughput, which points to a different kind of efficiency.

The Intel part wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test with a score of 24595 against 18759 for the AMD chip, a 23.7% margin. The Cinebench R15 multi-core result shows a similar pattern, 3812 versus 2872, a 24.7% gap. These are render-style workloads that scale with core count, and the Intel processor has 12 more cores and 12 more threads to throw at them.

The AMD processor answers with the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 4185 versus 3947, a 6% advantage. It also wins the extended instructions test by a wide margin, 32719 versus 25718, a 27.2% lead. That is the largest single delta in the entire comparison, and it signals that AMD's Zen 5 architecture handles advanced instruction sets more efficiently.

The Intel part also takes the PassMark data compression test, 438539 versus 400887, an 8.6% edge. The encryption test goes Intel's way too, 26092 versus 20092, a 23% gap. Integer math, floating point math, prime number generation, physics, random string sorting, and the overall multi-thread score all favor Intel as well.

The average benchmark score in the database places the AMD processor at 49796, while the Intel processor sits at 45953. That average includes the AMD part's wins and reflects its higher percentile ranking at 90 versus Intel's 89. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the Intel Core 9 273PE at 49845, a 0.1% gap, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 at 49228, a 1.2% gap. The Intel part's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7303 at 45960, essentially tied at 0%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 at 46030, a 0.2% gap.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split. The Intel Core i7-14700HX is the choice for workloads that use many cores simultaneously. Rendering, compilation, data compression, encryption, and physics simulation all show double-digit advantages for Intel in this dataset. The 20-core, 28-thread configuration delivers 23.7% more Cinebench R23 multi-core performance and 22.5% more floating point throughput.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is the choice for single-threaded responsiveness and workloads that benefit from advanced instruction sets. Its 6% single-thread advantage in PassMark and its 27.2% lead in extended instructions make it the stronger part for lightly threaded applications and code that leverages modern SIMD extensions.

The database places both processors in the same performance tier, with the AMD part at the 90th percentile of all CPUs and the Intel part at the 89th. The average benchmark scores sit close together, 49796 for AMD versus 45953 for Intel, and each part's nearest rivals cluster within a couple of percent. Neither processor is a categorical winner. The selection depends entirely on whether the target workload is multi-threaded or single-threaded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R23 multi-core test delivers the most consequential result. Intel scores 24595 against AMD's 18759, a 23.7% margin. This is the largest multi-threaded gap in the comparison, and it aligns with the core count difference. The Intel part has 20 cores and 28 threads, while the AMD part has 8 cores and 16 threads.

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test repeats the pattern with Intel at 3812 and AMD at 2872, a 24.7% gap. The consistency across two Cinebench versions reinforces that the Intel part scales better with parallel rendering workloads.

The single-core results tell a different story. The Cinebench R15 single-core test goes to AMD by a hair, 298 versus 296, a 0.7% margin. The Cinebench R23 single-core test goes to Intel, 2103 versus 1960, a 6.8% margin. The PassMark single-thread test goes to AMD, 4185 versus 3947, a 6% margin. The two single-thread tests that favor AMD use the PassMark methodology, while the Cinebench R23 single-core test favors Intel. The data does not point to a clean single-thread winner, but the AMD part holds an edge in the PassMark measurement.

The PassMark extended instructions test is the AMD part's standout result. It scores 32719 against Intel's 25718, a 27.2% advantage. No other test in the comparison shows a larger differential in either direction. This suggests the Zen 5 architecture's instruction handling is substantially ahead of Raptor Lake for workloads that exercise advanced CPU instructions.

The PassMark data compression test favors Intel, 438539 versus 400887, an 8.6% gap. The data encryption test favors Intel by a much larger margin, 26092 versus 20092, a 23% gap. The floating point math test goes to Intel, 93836 versus 72722, a 22.5% gap. The integer math test goes to Intel, 131296 versus 109588, a 16.5% gap. The physics test goes to Intel, 2252 versus 1843, an 18.2% gap. The random string sorting test goes to Intel, 48544 versus 43196, an 11% gap. The find prime numbers test goes to Intel, 165 versus 145, a 12.1% gap. The multi-thread test goes to Intel, 36566 versus 33486, an 8.4% gap.

The Intel part wins the data encryption test by 23%, matching the Cinebench R23 margin almost exactly. The AMD part wins the extended instructions test by 27.2%, which is the single biggest swing in either direction. These two results frame the entire comparison: Intel wins where core count matters, AMD wins where instruction efficiency matters.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700HX has 20 cores and 28 threads. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700HX wins with a score of 24595, compared to 18759 for the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388, a 23.7% margin.

Q: Which processor wins the PassMark single-thread test?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins with a score of 4185, compared to 3947 for the Intel Core i7-14700HX, a 6% margin.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in either direction?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 leads the Intel Core i7-14700HX by 27.2% in the PassMark extended instructions test, 32719 versus 25718.

Q: How do the two processors compare in overall database ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 sits at the 90th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 49796. The Intel Core i7-14700HX sits at the 89th percentile with an average benchmark score of 45953.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700HX boosts to 5.50 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Strix Halo codename, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i7-14700HX uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-HX codename, fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is significant, with AMD using a smaller transistor geometry.

The core configurations diverge sharply. The AMD part uses 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel part uses 20 cores and 28 threads. The Intel part also has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD part does not. The base clocks differ as well, with AMD at 3.60 GHz and Intel at 2.10 GHz. The boost clocks put Intel ahead at 5.50 GHz versus 5.00 GHz for AMD.

Cache layouts show both similarities and differences. Both processors use 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache differs, with AMD using 1 MB per core and Intel using 2 MB per core. The L3 cache is close, with AMD at 32 MB shared and Intel at 33 MB shared. The Intel part's larger L2 cache per core and slightly larger L3 cache give it a cache capacity advantage.

Memory support differs substantially. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 supports LPDDR5X memory over a quad-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The Intel Core i7-14700HX supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. Both processors support ECC memory. The AMD part's quad-channel memory bus and higher recorded bandwidth give it a memory throughput advantage.

PCIe capabilities differ by generation. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part supports the newer PCIe standard, which can matter for storage and expansion bandwidth.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 uses the Radeon 8060S, while the Intel Core i7-14700HX uses UHD Graphics 770. The database does not include graphics benchmarks in this comparison, so the performance difference is not quantified here.

Die size and socket also separate the two parts. The AMD processor has a die size of 2x 70.6 mm² and uses AMD Socket FP11. The Intel processor has a die size of 257 mm² and uses Intel BGA 1964. The release dates place the AMD part at 2026-01-05 and the Intel part at 2024-01-07, a two-year gap in launch timing. Both processors are listed as active in production.