AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 vs Intel Core 5 320 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data separates these two mobile processors into clearly different performance classes. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core 5 320 wins only 2, both in the same single-thread PassMark measurement. The AMD part sits at the 91st percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the Intel part lands at the 72nd percentile. The average benchmark score for the AMD processor is 56273, compared to 18023 for the Intel processor, a gap that indicates fundamentally different design targets.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is the choice for workloads that demand heavy multi-threaded throughput, large data movement, and sustained compute. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 (average score 56306, 0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-14900HX (56004, 0.5% higher), and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX (56555, 0.5% lower). This places the Ryzen AI Max 390 in the company of high-end desktop-class and premium mobile chips. The Intel Core 5 320, by contrast, sits alongside the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (17994, 0.2% higher), the Intel Core 5 120U (17898, 0.7% higher), and the Intel Core i5-1334U (18154, 0.7% lower), which are older or lower-tier parts.

The data indicates the Intel Core 5 320 should be selected for light, efficient, single-threaded tasks where its 15 W TDP and 3 nm process provide a different trade-off. The Radeon 8050S integrated graphics in the AMD part and the Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) in the Intel part are not directly benchmarked here, so the comparison rests on CPU performance alone. For anyone prioritizing raw compute, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is the clear winner. For ultra-portable, low-power designs, the Intel Core 5 320 has a role, but the performance gap is substantial.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from opposite design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 uses the Zen 5 architecture on the Strix Halo codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 5 320 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process at Intel. The AMD part has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel part has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning the Intel chip has no simultaneous multithreading. The AMD processor also has a much larger cache hierarchy: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. The Intel processor has 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3.

The memory subsystems diverge sharply. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 supports LPDDR5X over a quad-channel bus with 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 320 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. That is a 4.3x difference in memory bandwidth, which explains the massive gaps in memory-sensitive workloads. The AMD part also supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the AMD chip provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel chip provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics are also distinct. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 carries a Radeon 8050S, while the Intel Core 5 320 carries Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The database does not record graphics benchmarks, so the comparison remains CPU-focused. The AMD part has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Intel part has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The TDP difference is notable: 55 W for AMD versus 15 W for Intel. Both are mobile parts, both are active in production, and both have locked multipliers. The AMD part was released on 2025-01-05, while the Intel part was released on 2026-04-15. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $340. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 dominates every multi-core test in the database. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 36064 versus 6197 for the Intel Core 5 320, a 482% advantage. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD part scores 15146 versus 5462, a 177.3% lead.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 320 win any benchmark?

A: Yes. The Intel Core 5 320 wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 4045 versus 4028 for the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390, a delta of only -0.4% (recorded from the AMD perspective). The same result appears in the PassMark singlethread test. These are the only two wins for Intel in the entire head-to-head set.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has an average benchmark score of 56273, placing it at the 91st percentile. The Intel Core 5 320 has an average benchmark score of 18023, placing it at the 72nd percentile. The AMD part is closely matched with the Intel Core i9-14900HX (56004, 0.5% difference) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 (56306, 0.1% difference).

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 supports LPDDR5X over a quad-channel bus with 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 320 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a major architectural difference that affects memory-intensive workloads.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Intel part lacks hyperthreading, so its thread count equals its core count.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 320 has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. However, the Intel part has a higher single-thread PassMark score (4045 versus 4028), indicating that clock speed alone does not determine single-thread performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every recorded specification field. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The base clock is 3.20 GHz for AMD versus 1.50 GHz for Intel. The boost clock is 5.00 GHz versus 4.60 GHz. The TDP is 55 W versus 15 W. The socket is AMD Socket FP11 versus Intel BGA 1516. The architecture is Zen 5 for AMD, while Intel lists no architecture field but uses the Wildcat Lake codename. The process node is 4 nm at TSMC for AMD versus 3 nm at Intel for the Intel part.

The cache configurations differ completely. The AMD part has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support is LPDDR5X for AMD versus DDR5 and LPDDR5X for Intel. The memory bus is quad-channel for AMD versus single-channel for Intel. The memory bandwidth is 256.0 GB/s for AMD versus 59.7 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory is supported on the AMD part but not on the Intel part. PCIe is Gen 4 with 16 lanes for AMD versus Gen 4 with 6 lanes for Intel. The integrated graphics are Radeon 8050S for AMD versus Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) for Intel. The release dates are 2025-01-05 for AMD versus 2026-04-15 for Intel. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP, while the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $340. The part numbers are 100-000001423 for AMD and SAE3H for Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins every Cinebench test by a wide margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 3635 versus 1054 for Intel, a 244.9% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD part scores 513 versus 276, an 85.9% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD part scores 15146 versus 5462, a 177.3% lead. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the same 177.3% delta applies, with scores of 2138 versus 771. The largest Cinebench gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD part scores 36064 versus 6197, a 482% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part scores 5091 versus 1926, a 164.3% lead.

The PassMark suite shows a similar pattern, with the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 winning all but the single-thread test. In data compression, the AMD part scores 487145 versus 148779, a 227.4% lead. In data encryption, the AMD part scores 25097 versus 10984, a 128.5% lead. In extended instructions, the AMD part scores 38716 versus 13262, a 191.9% lead. In finding prime numbers, the AMD part scores 316 versus 110, an 187.3% lead. In floating point math, the AMD part scores 90594 versus 42440, a 113.5% lead. In integer math, the AMD part scores 146519 versus 32323, a 353.3% lead. In the multithread test, the AMD part scores 41737 versus 15450, a 170.1% lead. In physics, the AMD part scores 2761 versus 1221, a 126.1% lead. In random string sorting, the AMD part scores 53113 versus 18038, a 194.5% lead.

The only Intel wins appear in the PassMark single-thread test, where the Intel Core 5 320 scores 4045 versus 4028 for AMD, a delta of -0.4% from the AMD perspective. The same result appears in the PassMark singlethread test. These are narrow wins, less than half a percent, and they do not offset the massive multi-core and throughput advantages of the AMD part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins across every category of heavy compute. Multi-threaded rendering, data compression, encryption, integer math, floating point math, physics simulation, and random string sorting all favor the AMD part by triple-digit percentages. The 482% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core indicates that the 12-core, 24-thread configuration with 64 MB of L3 cache and 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth delivers far more sustained throughput than the Intel part's 6-core, 6-thread design with 6 MB of L3 and 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD part also wins single-core Cinebench tests by 85.9% to 177.3%, showing that its Zen 5 cores are faster per-thread in those workloads.

The Intel Core 5 320 wins only the PassMark single-thread test, by a margin of 0.4%. This suggests that in a narrow set of lightly threaded, latency-sensitive tasks, the Intel part can match or slightly exceed the AMD part. The Intel part also has a much lower TDP (15 W versus 55 W) and a smaller process node (3 nm versus 4 nm), which implies lower power consumption, though the database does not record power measurements. The Intel part supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, while the AMD part supports only LPDDR5X, which may matter for system design flexibility.

For workloads that depend on raw compute, memory bandwidth, and parallel execution, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is the only choice based on the recorded data. For workloads that are strictly single-threaded and power-sensitive, the Intel Core 5 320 shows a marginal advantage in one test, but the overall benchmark record heavily favors AMD. The 91st percentile placement of the AMD part versus the 72nd percentile of the Intel part summarizes the class difference: the Ryzen AI Max 390 competes with top-tier mobile and desktop processors, while the Core 5 320 sits in the mid-range.