AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data gives a clear overall victory to the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, which wins 14 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 takes a single win, but the scale and consistency of Intel's advantage are substantial across most workloads.

The largest gap appears in the PassMark find prime numbers test. Intel scores 414 against AMD's 145, a 65% advantage. This is the most lopsided result in the entire dataset and points to a major difference in integer-heavy, single-threaded algorithm execution. Similarly, the PassMark floating point math test shows Intel at 130,678 versus AMD's 72,722, a 44.4% lead. These two tests alone indicate a significant throughput advantage for the Intel part in raw computational tasks.

The Cinebench results reinforce the same pattern. In Cinebench R23 multicore, Intel delivers 25,066 points while AMD manages 18,759, a 25.2% deficit. The R15 multicore test shows a nearly identical gap at 25.4%, with scores of 3,850 and 2,872 respectively. Single-core performance is closer but still favors Intel: Cinebench R23 single-core gives Intel 2,132 versus AMD's 1,960, an 8.1% edge, and R15 single-core shows 322 versus 298, a 7.5% difference. These margins suggest Intel's cores are faster individually, but the multicore gap is amplified by the difference in core counts.

Memory-sensitive and encryption workloads show even wider deltas. The PassMark data encryption test records Intel at 33,286 and AMD at 20,092, a 39.6% lead for Intel. Data compression goes to Intel with 458,817 against 400,887, a 12.6% margin. Extended instructions also favor Intel, 37,617 versus 32,719, a 13% gap. The multithread benchmark gives Intel 43,047 versus AMD's 33,486, a 22.2% advantage, and the physics test shows Intel at 3,081 versus 1,843, a 40.2% lead. Random string sorting is another Intel win, 55,098 versus 43,196, a 21.6% margin.

The single thread PassMark test, recorded twice with identical scores, shows Intel at 4,714 and AMD at 4,185, an 11.2% gap. This consistent single-thread advantage across both Cinebench and PassMark confirms that Intel's architecture has a per-core performance edge that is not workload-specific.

The sole AMD victory comes in PassMark integer math. AMD scores 109,588 versus Intel's 98,524, an 11.2% advantage. This is a meaningful result because it shows AMD's Zen 5 cores can outperform in certain integer operations, even though the overall multithread and single-thread aggregates favor Intel. The data indicates that AMD's integer execution units are competitive, but the broader benchmark suite shows Intel's superiority in most other categories.

Average benchmark scores put Intel ahead as well. Intel's average is 54,053, while AMD's is 49,796. Intel sits at the 91st percentile of all CPUs, AMD at the 90th. Intel's nearest rival in the database is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, which scores 54,762, putting Intel 1.3% behind that part. AMD's closest competitor is the Intel Core 9 273PE at 49,845, which is essentially tied with AMD at a 0.1% difference. This context shows that AMD's performance level is comparable to other mobile and desktop parts in its range, but Intel's absolute scores place it in a higher tier.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is the clear winner for compute-heavy workloads. The data shows it dominates in floating point math, physics simulation, encryption, compression, and multi-threaded rendering. The 44.4% lead in floating point math and the 40.2% lead in physics suggest that Intel is the better choice for scientific computing, financial modeling, and any task that relies heavily on vectorized arithmetic. The 39.6% encryption advantage also points to stronger performance in security-related tasks such as VPN termination or disk encryption.

The Cinebench multicore results confirm Intel's suitability for content creation and 3D rendering. A 25.2% lead in R23 multicore means that rendering a complex scene in Blender or running a video encode would take noticeably less time on the Intel processor. The 22.2% multithread advantage and the 21.6% random string sorting win further support Intel for database and data-processing workloads where parallel throughput matters.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins only in integer math, with an 11.2% edge. This is a narrow but real advantage. Integer math is relevant to compression algorithms, some cryptography, and certain types of data processing. However, the fact that AMD loses the data compression benchmark by 12.6% despite winning integer math suggests that the Intel part's higher clock speed and core count compensate for any architectural advantage AMD has in integer execution. The AMD processor also has a much lower TDP at 55 watts versus Intel's 125 watts, and it is a mobile part, which changes the use-case context. The AMD chip is designed for laptops and compact systems, while the Intel part is a desktop processor.

The single-core results are close enough that the Intel advantage is consistent but not overwhelming. The 8.1% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and the 11.2% lead in PassMark single-thread mean that Intel is faster for lightly threaded applications like web browsing, office productivity, and older games that rely on one or two cores. The AMD part is not far behind, but the data does not show any workload where AMD's single-core performance beats Intel.

For power-sensitive environments, the AMD part's 55 watt TDP is a significant specification difference, but the benchmark data does not include power consumption measurements. The performance per watt cannot be calculated from the provided numbers. What is clear is that Intel achieves higher absolute performance across nearly the entire test suite.

The Verdict

From the recorded data, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is the higher-performing processor in almost every measurable way. It wins 14 of 15 head-to-head comparisons, and the magnitude of its wins is often large. The 65% lead in find prime numbers and the 44.4% lead in floating point math are not marginal differences; they represent a fundamentally faster execution engine for those operations. Intel's average benchmark score is 8.5% higher than AMD's, and its percentile ranking is one point higher.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is not without merit. Its 11.2% win in integer math shows that its Zen 5 cores are capable, and its 55 watt TDP makes it a more power-efficient design on paper. However, the benchmark data does not show any overall performance category where AMD takes the lead. The closest Intel win is the 7.5% margin in Cinebench R15 single-core, which still favors Intel. There is no test in the dataset where AMD's score is within 5% of Intel's, and most gaps are much larger.

For a user who prioritizes raw performance, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is the clear pick. The data shows it is faster for rendering, physics, encryption, compression, and general multithreaded work. For a user who needs a mobile processor with a lower power envelope, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is the only one of the two that fits that form factor, given its mobile market segment and 55 watt TDP. But in a direct performance comparison, the Intel part wins decisively.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K has an average benchmark score of 54,053, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 scores 49,796.

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

A: The largest gap is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 414 and AMD scores 145, a 65% difference in favor of Intel.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 wins the PassMark integer math test with 109,588 points versus Intel's 98,524, an 11.2% advantage.

Q: How do the single-core performances compare?

A: Intel is ahead in all single-core tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 2,132 versus AMD's 1,960, an 8.1% lead. In PassMark single-thread, Intel scores 4,714 versus 4,185, an 11.2% lead.

Q: What are the core counts and TDPs?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 has 8 cores and 16 threads with a 55 watt TDP. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K has 14 cores and 14 threads with a 125 watt TDP.

Q: Which processor is in the higher performance percentile?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is at the 91st percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is at the 90th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². Its codename is Strix Halo, and it belongs to the Ryzen AI Max generation. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K uses the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. Its codename is Arrow Lake-S, and it is part of the Core Ultra Series 2.

The core configuration differs significantly. AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads, meaning it uses simultaneous multithreading. Intel has 14 cores and 14 threads, which means it does not use hyper-threading on this part. The cache hierarchies are also different. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel's larger per-core L1 and L2 caches likely contribute to its single-core performance advantage, while AMD's larger shared L3 cache helps with inter-core data sharing.

Memory support is another major distinction. AMD uses LPDDR5X memory with a quad-channel bus and 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel uses DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. AMD's memory bandwidth is more than double Intel's, which is notable given that Intel still wins the memory-sensitive encryption and compression tests. Both processors support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes, giving Intel both a newer generation and more lanes.

The integrated graphics are different as well. AMD uses a Radeon 8060S, while Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The market segments reflect their intended use: AMD is a mobile processor on the AMD Socket FP11, while Intel is a desktop processor on the Intel Socket 1851. The AMD part was released on 2026-01-05, while the Intel part was released on 2024-10-23. Intel's multiplier is unlocked, while AMD's is not. Intel has a part number of SRQCT, and AMD has a part number of 100-000001980. Intel's launch MSRP is $319, stated once here as a reference point.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences between the two processors are as follows. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 has 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 3.60 GHz, a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and a TDP of 55 watts. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K has 14 cores and 14 threads, a base clock of 4.20 GHz, a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, and a TDP of 125 watts.

The process nodes differ: AMD uses 4 nm, Intel uses 3 nm. The foundry is the same, TSMC, but the die sizes are very different. AMD's die is 2x 70.6 mm², while Intel's is 243 mm². Intel has 17,800 million transistors, while AMD does not have a listed transistor count.

Memory support differs in type and bandwidth. AMD supports LPDDR5X with a quad-channel bus and 256.0 GB/s, while Intel supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 102.4 GB/s. The PCIe interface also differs: AMD has Gen 4 with 16 lanes, Intel has Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Both support ECC memory.

The sockets are not compatible: AMD uses Socket FP11, Intel uses Socket 1851. The integrated graphics are different, with AMD using Radeon 8060S and Intel using Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The market segments are mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel. The multiplier is unlocked on Intel but locked on AMD. Release dates are 2026-01-05 for AMD and 2024-10-23 for Intel. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $319.