AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 vs Intel Core 7 253PQE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark record shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which takes 11 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core 7 253PQE secures 4 wins, all in single-threaded tests, but the margin of victory in the AMD wins is typically far larger than the Intel wins.

The most lopsided result is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the AMD part scores 5463 against Intel's 3163, a 72.7% advantage. The Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows a smaller but still clear 12.5% lead for AMD, 35314 versus 31390. PassMark extended instructions delivers the second-largest gap at 74%, with AMD at 56346 and Intel at 32390. Data compression shows a 41.7% edge for AMD, 690650 to 487335, while data encryption is 39% ahead at 35455 versus 25515.

The AMD part also leads in integer math by 45.6% (200665 to 137795), in prime number finding by 47.1% (303 to 206), and in random string sorting by 40.5% (76177 to 54222). Floating-point math is 22.2% ahead at 128682 versus 105279. The PassMark multithread score favors AMD by 31.9%, 54934 to 41656, and the physics test favors AMD by 17.2%, 3481 to 2970.

The Intel wins are concentrated in Cinebench R15 single-core (446 versus 316, a 29.1% lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (4431 versus 2044, a 53.9% lead). The PassMark single-thread result is closer: 4389 versus 4147, a 5.5% Intel advantage. The overall average benchmark score reflects the same pattern, with AMD at 77740 and Intel at 55919, putting AMD in the 95th percentile of all CPUs and Intel in the 91st.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design directions. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Strix Halo codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 7 253PQE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The AMD chip is a 16-core, 32-thread part, while the Intel chip provides 10 cores and 20 threads.

Cache layouts differ substantially. Both parts share 80 KB of L1 per core, but AMD provides 1 MB of L2 per core against Intel's 2 MB per core. The shared L3 totals are 64 MB for AMD and 33 MB for Intel, a 2x difference in favor of AMD. The AMD processor also has a dual-die design measured at 2x 70.6 mm², while no die size is recorded for the Intel part.

Memory support diverges sharply. AMD uses LPDDR5X over a quad-channel bus with 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. The PCIe interface differs by generation: AMD uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), Intel uses Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics also differ. AMD carries the Radeon 8060S, while Intel carries UHD Graphics 770. The AMD part is a mobile segment product on AMD Socket FP11, whereas the Intel part is a desktop segment product on Intel Socket 1700. The AMD release date is 2025-01-05, and the Intel release date is 2026-03-08. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $409; no launch MSRP is recorded for AMD.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 wins 11 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core 7 253PQE wins 4.

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

A: The largest gap is in PassMark extended instructions, where AMD leads by 74%, 56346 to 32390. The next largest is Cinebench R15 multi-core at 72.7%, 5463 to 3163.

Q: Does the Intel chip have any clear advantages?

A: Yes, in single-threaded workloads. The Intel part leads Cinebench R23 single-core by 53.9% (4431 versus 2044), Cinebench R15 single-core by 29.1% (446 versus 316), and PassMark single-thread by 5.5% (4389 versus 4147).

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: AMD provides 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel provides 10 cores and 20 threads.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications?

A: AMD uses quad-channel LPDDR5X with 256.0 GB/s. Intel uses dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has the higher L3 cache?

A: AMD has 64 MB of shared L3. Intel has 33 MB of shared L3.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has 16 cores and 32 threads; the Intel Core 7 253PQE has 10 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz for AMD and 3.50 GHz for Intel, while boost clocks are 5.10 GHz for AMD and 5.70 GHz for Intel. The TDP is 55 watts for AMD and 125 watts for Intel.

The socket and platform are entirely different: AMD uses AMD Socket FP11 with the Zen 5 (Strix Halo) generation, while Intel uses Intel Socket 1700 with the Bartlett Lake generation. The process node is 4 nm for AMD at TSMC and 10 nm for Intel at its own foundry. The die size is 2x 70.6 mm² for AMD, with none recorded for Intel.

Cache differs in L2 and L3. Both have 80 KB of L1 per core, but AMD has 1 MB of L2 per core and Intel has 2 MB per core. L3 is 64 MB shared for AMD and 33 MB shared for Intel. Memory support is LPDDR5X for AMD and DDR4 or DDR5 for Intel. The memory bus is quad-channel for AMD and dual-channel for Intel, with bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe is Gen 4 with 16 lanes for AMD and Gen 5 with 16 lanes for Intel. The integrated GPU is Radeon 8060S for AMD and UHD Graphics 770 for Intel. The market segment is Mobile for AMD and Desktop for Intel. The release dates are 2025-01-05 for AMD and 2026-03-08 for Intel. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $409. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 wins in multi-threaded and compute-heavy workloads. The Cinebench R15 multi-core result of 5463 against 3163 and the Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 35314 against 31390 indicate a clear advantage in rendering tasks that scale with core count. PassMark tests for integer math, floating-point math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, random string sorting, physics, and multithread all go to AMD with margins between 17.2% and 74%.

The Intel Core 7 253PQE wins in single-threaded scenarios. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4431 versus 2044 is the largest Intel advantage, and the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 446 versus 316 also favors Intel. The PassMark single-thread result is closer at 4389 versus 4147, a 5.5% edge. These results suggest Intel holds the lead in lightly threaded applications where a single core determines performance.

The overall average benchmark score puts AMD at 77740 against Intel's 55919. The AMD part sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part sits in the 91st. The nearest rival comparison for AMD shows it 1.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX and 1.6% ahead of the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P, while sitting 1.7% behind the Intel Core i9-14900K. The Intel part's nearest rivals are within a narrow band: it is 0.2% behind the Intel Core i9-14900HX, 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390, 0.7% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470, and 1.1% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX.

The Verdict

The recorded data separates these two processors by workload type. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is the stronger choice for multi-threaded, parallel, and throughput-oriented tasks. Its 16 cores and 32 threads, 64 MB of shared L3, and 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth support this profile, and the benchmark results confirm it with double-digit wins across most PassMark tests and both Cinebench multi-core tests.

The Intel Core 7 253PQE is the stronger choice for single-threaded performance. Its 5.70 GHz boost clock and 5.5% to 53.9% leads in single-core tests make it the better fit for workloads that depend on one core. Its 10 cores and 20 threads, 33 MB of L3, and dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth position it as a lower-throughput part overall.

The average benchmark score of 77740 for AMD against 55919 for Intel, combined with the 12 of 15 wins in head-to-head tests, indicates that the AMD part delivers substantially higher aggregate performance. The Intel part's single-thread wins are real but narrower in the overall picture, with its best result (53.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core) being offset by AMD's 72.7% win in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 74% win in PassMark extended instructions. Users whose workloads are dominated by parallel execution should favor the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, while users with strictly single-threaded requirements should consider the Intel Core 7 253PQE.