AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 vs Intel Core 5 223PE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data delivers a decisive verdict: the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins 15 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, with the Intel Core 5 223PE claiming only two wins. The AMD part’s dominance is not marginal; it frequently leads by double-digit margins across both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.

Starting with the Cinebench suite, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 posts a multi-core score of 3635 in Cinebench R15, which is 36.3% ahead of the Intel Core 5 223PE’s 2666. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where AMD scores 15146 versus Intel’s 11111, again a 36.3% advantage. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD chip records 36064, while the Intel processor manages 26455, a 36.3% gap. The single-core Cinebench results follow the same trajectory: in R15, AMD leads 513 to 376 (36.4%), in R20 it leads 2138 to 1568 (36.4%), and in R23 it leads 5091 to 3734 (36.3%). Across every Cinebench iteration, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 delivers a consistent one-third performance advantage.

The PassMark suite reinforces this trend with even larger deltas in several tests. In integer math, the AMD part scores 146519 versus 99819 for Intel, a 46.8% lead. The extended instructions test shows a 56.9% gap, with AMD at 38716 and Intel at 24672. Prime number finding is the most lopsided result: AMD scores 316 versus Intel’s 159, a 98.7% advantage, meaning the AMD chip is nearly twice as fast in that specific workload. Random string sorting shows AMD at 53113 versus 35798 for Intel, a 48.4% lead. Data compression favors AMD at 487145 versus 346623, a 40.5% margin, and data encryption shows AMD at 25097 versus 18448, a 36% advantage. Floating-point math is closer but still favors AMD: 90594 versus 76468, an 18.5% lead. The multithread benchmark shows AMD at 41737 versus 31124 for Intel, a 34.1% difference, and physics simulation shows AMD at 2761 versus 2493, a 10.8% lead.

The Intel Core 5 223PE’s only victories come in the PassMark single-thread test, where it scores 4219 against AMD’s 4028, a 4.5% margin. This result appears twice in the data (as both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread), but it does not offset the overall picture. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390’s average benchmark score is 56273, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 223PE averages 40585 and sits in the 87th percentile. The AMD part’s nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470, scores 56306, a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel part’s closest competitor, the Intel Core 7 253PE, scores 40557, also a 0.1% margin. These rival comparisons confirm that both chips sit near the top of their respective performance tiers, but the AMD chip is in a higher tier overall.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins 15 of 17 comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 223PE wins 2.

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

A: The largest gap is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 leads by 98.7% (316 versus 159).

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 223PE win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 4219 versus 4028 for the AMD part, a 4.5% advantage.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has an average benchmark score of 56273, while the Intel Core 5 223PE averages 40585.

Q: What are their percentile rankings among all CPUs?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is in the 91st percentile, and the Intel Core 5 223PE is in the 87th percentile.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 5 223PE has a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and manufacturing processes. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 uses the Zen 5 microarchitecture under the Strix Halo codename, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 5 223PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel’s own foundry. The AMD chip is a mobile part with 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel chip is a desktop part with 8 cores and 16 threads. The AMD chip’s die consists of 2x 70.6 mm² chiplets, while the Intel chip has no recorded die size.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. Both chips have 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but the AMD part has 1 MB of L2 cache per core, while the Intel part has 2 MB per core. The shared L3 cache is much larger on the AMD side: 64 MB shared versus 24 MB shared on the Intel chip. This 40 MB difference in L3 capacity likely contributes to the AMD part’s strong performance in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption.

Memory and I/O architectures also diverge. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 supports LPDDR5X memory over a quad-channel bus with a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The Intel Core 5 223PE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The AMD part’s memory bandwidth is nearly three times higher, which explains its commanding leads in memory-sensitive tests. Both chips support ECC memory. For PCIe, the AMD part uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part uses Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD chip uses a Radeon 8050S, while the Intel chip uses UHD Graphics 730.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show clear distinctions between the two parts. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core 5 223PE has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 3.20 GHz for AMD and 2.90 GHz for Intel, but the boost clocks reverse the order: 5.00 GHz for AMD and 5.20 GHz for Intel. The TDP ratings differ, with the AMD part at 55 watts and the Intel part at 65 watts. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP11, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part is listed as a mobile segment product, while the Intel part is a desktop segment product.

Release dates differ by more than a year. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 was released on January 5, 2025, while the Intel Core 5 223PE has a release date of March 8, 2026. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $232, while the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP. Both chips have locked multipliers. The AMD part number is 100-000001423, and the Intel part number is SA4QF. Both are marked as active in production status.

The Verdict

The data points to a single conclusion: the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is the faster processor in nearly every measured workload. Its 36.3% lead across all Cinebench multi-core tests and its 40% plus margins in PassMark compression, encryption, integer math, and string sorting demonstrate a substantial performance advantage. The Intel Core 5 223PE’s single-thread win in PassMark, at 4.5%, is real but narrow, and it does not translate to wins in any of the Cinebench single-core tests, where AMD leads by 36.3% to 36.4%.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this verdict: the AMD part scores 56273 against the Intel part’s 40585, a difference of roughly 38.7% in favor of AMD. The percentile rankings place the AMD chip at 91 versus 87 for Intel, confirming that the AMD part sits higher in the overall CPU distribution. The Intel chip’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core 7 253PE and Intel Xeon 6357P, while the AMD chip’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 and Intel Core i9-14900HX. The AMD chip competes with higher-tier parts, while the Intel chip competes with mid-tier parts.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is the clear choice for multi-threaded and compute-heavy workloads. Its wins in all three Cinebench multi-core tests, plus PassMark multithread, integer math, floating-point math, encryption, compression, extended instructions, prime number finding, random string sorting, and physics simulation, make it the dominant part for rendering, scientific computing, data processing, and any workload that scales with core count and memory bandwidth. The 64 MB L3 cache and 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth provide a strong foundation for these tasks.

The Intel Core 5 223PE wins only in the PassMark single-thread test, where its 4.5% edge (4219 versus 4028) indicates slightly better raw single-core throughput in that specific benchmark. This could translate to advantages in lightly threaded applications that depend heavily on a single core’s peak performance, though the Cinebench single-core results contradict this trend, with AMD leading by over 36% in all three versions. The Intel chip also has a higher boost clock at 5.20 GHz versus 5.00 GHz for AMD, and it supports PCIe Gen 5, which may matter for future expansion cards that require the newer interface. For users prioritizing absolute single-thread PassMark scores or PCIe Gen 5 connectivity, the Intel part has a narrow niche; for everything else, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 delivers substantially higher measured performance across the board.