AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 and Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF are both high-performance processors that land in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, but they achieve that status through fundamentally different designs and are aimed at different market segments. The data shows a clear split: Intel wins the majority of benchmark head-to-heads, taking 14 of 17 tests, while AMD secures 3 decisive victories in specific workloads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF is the overall performance leader, particularly in single-threaded and floating-point tasks, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 demonstrates exceptional strength in integer math and data compression, making it the better choice for those specific computational patterns. For a desktop user seeking maximum raw throughput and overclocking headroom, the Intel part is the data-backed recommendation. For a mobile user prioritizing power efficiency and integrated graphics, the AMD part offers a unique feature set that the Intel desktop chip simply cannot match, despite its lower benchmark win count.

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF is the clear performance winner in this comparison, based on benchmark results. It wins 14 out of 17 head-to-head tests, including all six Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core and single-core tests. The Intel chip’s advantage in Cinebench is consistent but narrow, with deltas of -1.5% to -1.6% across all six tests. In contrast, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins decisively in PassMark integer math and data compression, with deltas of +48.2% and +5.9% respectively. The data suggests that users running integer-heavy calculations or compression workloads should prefer the AMD chip, while those running general-purpose productivity, rendering, or floating-point workloads should choose Intel.

The market segment distinction is crucial. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is a mobile processor with a 55W TDP, a 4nm process node, and a quad-channel LPDDR5X memory bus delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF is a desktop processor with a 125W TDP, a 3nm process node, and dual-channel DDR5 memory providing 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel chip has a higher base clock of 4.20 GHz versus 3.20 GHz, and a higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. It also features an unlocked multiplier, whereas the AMD chip is locked. For a desktop builder who values overclocking and raw single-core performance, the Intel part is the obvious choice. For a laptop buyer who needs integrated graphics and lower power consumption, the AMD part is the only viable option here, since the Intel chip has no integrated graphics.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different architectures, nodes, and platforms. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 uses the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Strix Halo, and is fabricated on a 4nm process by TSMC. It has 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a large 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip supports LPDDR5X memory via a quad-channel bus, providing a substantial 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and it supports ECC memory. It is designed for the AMD Socket FP11 and includes a Radeon 8050S integrated GPU. The chip is not multiplier-unlocked.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF uses the Arrow Lake architecture, part of the Core Ultra Series 2, and is fabricated on a 3nm process by TSMC. It has 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning it lacks simultaneous multithreading, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a smaller 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel bus, providing 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and it does not support ECC memory. It uses the Intel Socket 1851 and has no integrated graphics. The chip is multiplier-unlocked, allowing overclocking. It also has a significantly higher transistor count at 17,800 million, compared to the AMD chip’s unspecified count, and a larger die size of 243 mm² versus the AMD chip’s 2x 70.6 mm². The Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes, while the AMD chip supports PCIe Gen 4 with 16 lanes.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 wins in three specific benchmark categories, and its victories are substantial. In PassMark integer math, the AMD chip scores 146,519, which is 48.2% higher than the Intel chip’s 98,854. This is a massive margin, indicating a strong advantage in arithmetic and logic operations. The AMD chip also wins in PassMark data compression, scoring 487,145 versus Intel’s 460,123, a 5.9% advantage. Additionally, it wins in PassMark extended instructions, scoring 38,716 versus Intel’s 37,912, a 2.1% edge. These wins suggest the AMD chip is particularly well-suited for workloads that rely on integer processing, compression algorithms, and extended instruction sets.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF wins in the remaining 14 tests, but the margins vary widely. Its biggest wins are in PassMark floating-point math, where it scores 131,546 versus AMD’s 90,594, a 31.1% advantage, and in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 33,381 versus AMD’s 25,097, a 24.8% advantage. It also wins in PassMark find prime numbers by 24%, scoring 416 versus 316. In single-threaded performance, the Intel chip leads by 14.6% in PassMark single-thread, scoring 4,715 versus 4,028. The Intel chip’s Cinebench leads are all narrow, around 1.6%, but consistent across multi-core and single-core tests. It also wins in PassMark multithread by 3.2%, PassMark physics by 7.9%, and PassMark random string sorting by 3.8%. These results indicate that the Intel chip excels in floating-point-heavy tasks, encryption, and general single-threaded responsiveness.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF has a higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390’s boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF has 14 cores and 14 threads, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has 12 cores and 24 threads. The AMD chip has more threads, but the Intel chip has more physical cores.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has a significantly larger shared L3 cache of 64 MB, compared to the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF support overclocking?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 is not multiplier-unlocked.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 includes a Radeon 8050S integrated GPU, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF has no integrated graphics (N/A).

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 has a much higher memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, due to its quad-channel LPDDR5X support, compared to the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF’s 102.4 GB/s from dual-channel DDR5.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a split personality between these two chips. In the Cinebench suite, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF wins every test, but the margins are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel scores 3,693 against AMD’s 3,635, a -1.6% delta. The R15 single-core test shows Intel at 521 versus AMD’s 513, a -1.5% delta. The R20 multi-core test has Intel at 15,391 versus AMD’s 15,146, again a -1.6% delta. The R20 single-core test is 2,172 versus 2,138, a -1.6% delta. The R23 multi-core test is 36,647 versus 36,064, a -1.6% delta, and the R23 single-core test is 5,173 versus 5,091, a -1.6% delta. These results show that the Intel chip holds a small but consistent lead in both multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering workloads.

The PassMark suite tells a more dramatic story. The AMD Ryzen AI Max 390’s biggest win is in integer math, where it scores 146,519 against Intel’s 98,854, a staggering 48.2% advantage. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison. AMD also wins in data compression, scoring 487,145 versus 460,123, a 5.9% advantage, and in extended instructions, scoring 38,716 versus 37,912, a 2.1% advantage. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF’s biggest wins are in floating-point math, scoring 131,546 versus AMD’s 90,594, a 31.1% advantage, and in data encryption, scoring 33,381 versus 25,097, a 24.8% advantage. Intel also wins decisively in find prime numbers, scoring 416 versus 316, a 24% advantage. In the remaining PassMark tests, Intel wins in multithread (43,110 vs 41,737, -3.2%), physics (2,998 vs 2,761, -7.9%), random string sorting (55,206 vs 53,113, -3.8%), and single-thread (4,715 vs 4,028, -14.6%). The data shows that for integer-heavy and compression workloads, the AMD chip is significantly faster, while for floating-point, encryption, and single-threaded tasks, the Intel chip is the clear winner.