AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 vs Intel Core i9-14900HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a closely contested matchup between the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and the Intel Core i9-14900HX, with the Intel part securing 6 wins in the head-to-head benchmarks and the AMD part taking 5. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 delivers its most decisive victories in compute-heavy integer workloads. In passmark extended instructions, the AMD part scores 45,666 against Intel's 31,247, a 46.1 percent advantage. This is the largest gap in any benchmark between the two processors. The find prime numbers test shows an even more dramatic relative difference, with AMD scoring 320 versus 193 for Intel, a 65.8 percent lead. These results indicate that the Zen 5 architecture in the Strix Halo chip has a substantial edge in workloads that rely on branch-heavy, algorithmically complex instruction streams.

The AMD part also wins the multithreaded throughput test, scoring 45,231 against Intel's 43,778, a 3.3 percent margin. The physics benchmark shows AMD ahead by 9.4 percent (2,887 versus 2,638). Data compression is a narrow AMD win, 554,760 versus 539,965, a 2.7 percent advantage. These results suggest that the 12-core, 24-thread AMD processor can hold its own against the 24-core, 32-thread Intel part in heavily parallel workloads, despite the Intel chip having twice the core count.

The Intel Core i9-14900HX counters with wins in several single-threaded and memory-sensitive tests. The single-thread benchmark shows Intel at 4,175 versus AMD's 3,927, a 5.9 percent lead. Passmark data encryption goes to Intel by a wider margin: 32,619 versus 27,784, a 14.8 percent advantage. Floating point math also favors Intel, with a score of 112,273 against AMD's 99,548, an 11.3 percent edge. Integer math is a close Intel win, 157,375 versus 152,414, a 3.2 percent margin. Random string sorting goes to Intel by 2.3 percent, 60,861 versus 59,487.

The overall average benchmark scores place the two processors at different points in the database. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 has an average benchmark score of 90,541 and sits at the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core i9-14900HX has an average score of 56,004 and is at the 91st percentile. The discrepancy between the head-to-head results and the overall average scores reflects the different benchmark suites used for the aggregate measure, which includes additional tests such as Cinebench and Geekbench for the Intel part. The Intel's Cinebench R23 scores are 30,055 multicore and 2,181.5 singlecore, while its Geekbench scores are 17,511 multicore and 2,330 singlecore. The AMD part's nearest rival by average score is the Intel Xeon 654 at 90,717 (a 0.2 percent gap), while the Intel part's nearest rival is the Intel Core 7 253PQE at 55,919 (a 0.2 percent gap).

The Verdict

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and the Intel Core i9-14900HX serve different performance priorities. The AMD part is the stronger choice for extended instruction workloads and prime number computation, where its 46.1 percent and 65.8 percent leads are decisive. It also wins the multithread benchmark and physics test, making it suitable for general parallel processing and simulation workloads.

The Intel Core i9-14900HX is the better option for single-thread performance, floating point math, and data encryption. Its 5.9 percent single-thread lead and 14.8 percent encryption advantage matter for applications that are latency-sensitive or rely on cryptographic operations. The Intel part also wins integer math and random string sorting, indicating strength in general purpose integer code.

For users prioritizing raw multi-core throughput in mixed workloads, the AMD part's multithread win (3.3 percent) and physics win (9.4 percent) suggest it handles sustained parallel loads well. For users prioritizing single-core response and floating point throughput, the Intel part's 5.9 percent single-thread lead and 11.3 percent floating point advantage are the deciding factors.

The 96th percentile ranking of the AMD part versus the 91st percentile of the Intel part reflects the aggregate benchmark data, but the head-to-head tests show that the Intel part wins more individual comparisons. The choice depends on the specific workload mix.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900HX scores 4,175 in the passmark single-thread test, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 scores 3,927, giving Intel a 5.9 percent lead.

Q: How do the two processors compare in data encryption?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900HX scores 32,619 in passmark data encryption, which is 14.8 percent higher than the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392's score of 27,784.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two processors?

A: The largest margin is in the passmark find prime numbers test, where the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 scores 320 versus 193 for the Intel Core i9-14900HX, a 65.8 percent difference.

Q: Which processor wins the multithread benchmark?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 scores 45,231 in passmark multithread, compared to 43,778 for the Intel Core i9-14900HX, a 3.3 percent advantage.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 has an average benchmark score of 90,541 and is at the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core i9-14900HX has an average score of 56,004 and is at the 91st percentile.

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900HX wins 6 of the 11 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 wins 5.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in core configuration, clock speeds, memory support, and platform features.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 has 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core i9-14900HX has 24 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz.

The AMD part uses an AMD Socket FP11, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 1964. The AMD part has a locked multiplier, while the Intel part has an unlocked multiplier.

Memory support differs significantly. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 supports LPDDR5X memory over a quad-channel bus with a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The Intel Core i9-14900HX supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The AMD part provides PCIe Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics differ: the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 uses the Radeon 8060S, while the Intel Core i9-14900HX uses the UHD Graphics 770.

The release dates differ, with the Intel part releasing on 2024-01-07 and the AMD part on 2026-01-05.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 is built on the Zen 5 architecture with the codename Strix Halo, part of the Ryzen AI Max generation. It uses a 4 nm process node fabricated by TSMC, with a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache.

The Intel Core i9-14900HX is built on the Raptor Lake architecture with the codename Raptor Lake-HX, part of the Core 14th Gen generation (specifically the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh). It uses a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel, with a die size of 257 mm². The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

The L2 cache per core is double on the Intel part (2 MB versus 1 MB), while the AMD part has nearly double the total L3 cache (64 MB versus 36 MB). The AMD part's smaller process node (4 nm versus 10 nm) and dual-die design (2x 70.6 mm²) contrast with the Intel part's larger monolithic die (257 mm²).

The generation identifiers in the database reflect different naming conventions: the AMD part is listed under "Ryzen AI Max (Zen 5 (Strix Halo))" while the Intel part is under "Core i9 (Raptor Lake-HX Refresh)". The part numbers also differ: the AMD part is 100-000001979 and the Intel part is SRMXF.