AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 vs Intel Core i5-14490F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 wins 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-14490F takes only 2. The margin of victory for AMD is substantial in nearly every multithreaded workload, with several tests showing triple-digit percentage leads.

The most lopsided result appears in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the AMD part scores 5463 against Intel's 2318, a 135.7% advantage. That is more than double the Intel processor's output in the same render test. Cinebench R23 multicore shows a similar pattern, though the gap narrows to 53.5%: AMD scores 35314 versus 23000 for Intel. Both results indicate that the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 delivers roughly 1.5 to 2.3 times the multithreaded rendering throughput of the Core i5-14490F, depending on the workload version.

PassMark integer math also favors AMD heavily, with a 128.4% delta. The AMD chip posts 200665 points versus 87844 for Intel. Floating-point math shows a 93.3% lead, with AMD at 128682 and Intel at 66558. Extended instructions, a test that exercises SIMD and specialized instruction paths, gives AMD a 159.3% advantage: 56346 versus 21731. Data compression shows a 103.1% lead for AMD (690650 versus 340026), while encryption work gives AMD a 94.5% edge (35455 versus 18225). Prime number finding, a heavily integer-dependent single-threaded workload, favors AMD by 148.4%, with scores of 303 versus 122.

The two wins for Intel come in single-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel scores 327 against AMD's 316, a 3.4% edge. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap widens to 37%: Intel posts 3247 while AMD manages 2044. These are the only two tests where Intel leads, and both are pure single-threaded render workloads. Notably, in PassMark's single-thread test, AMD actually wins by 7.1%, scoring 4147 versus 3873. The discrepancy between Cinebench single-core results and PassMark single-thread results suggests that the Intel chip's advantage is workload-specific rather than universal.

Other PassMark tests continue AMD's dominance. Multithreaded performance shows a 91.7% lead (54934 versus 28662). Physics simulation gives AMD a 66.3% edge (3481 versus 2093). Random string sorting favors AMD by 113.9% (76177 versus 35608). Across the entire PassMark suite, AMD's scores are consistently 1.7 to 2.6 times higher than Intel's.

The average benchmark score in the database reinforces this split. AMD's average sits at 77740, while Intel's average is 38149. That puts AMD's average nearly exactly double Intel's. AMD also ranks at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while Intel ranks at the 86th percentile. The nearest rivals for AMD include the Intel Core i9-14900K, which scores 79097 on average and sits 1.7% ahead of the Ryzen AI Max+ 395. Intel's nearest rivals include the Core i5-13600KF at 38103 (0.1% behind) and the Core Ultra 5 245T at 38194 (0.1% ahead), placing the 14490F right in the middle of its immediate competition.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is in a different performance class than the Intel Core i5-14490F. With 16 cores and 32 threads versus 10 cores and 16 threads, AMD offers double the thread count, and the benchmark results reflect that scaling in nearly every multithreaded test. The 53.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore is significant for anyone running render workloads, video encoding, or scientific computing. The 91.7% lead in PassMark multithread reinforces that conclusion.

The Intel Core i5-14490F's only clear advantages are in Cinebench single-core tests, where it leads by 3.4% in R15 and 37% in R23. Those wins matter for lightly threaded applications, but the PassMark single-thread result goes the other way, with AMD ahead by 7.1%. That inconsistency suggests Intel's Cinebench single-core wins may not translate to all single-threaded software.

For a desktop user building a mainstream system, the Intel part is a conventional choice with a 65W TDP, DDR4 and DDR5 support, and a standard LGA 1700 socket. The AMD part is a mobile-class processor on Socket FP11 with a 55W TDP, LPDDR5X memory, and integrated Radeon 8060S graphics. The AMD chip also includes ECC memory support, which Intel lacks. The AMD processor is designed for a different platform entirely, despite its desktop-class performance in these benchmarks.

The decision comes down to platform and workload. If the application set is heavily multithreaded and the system can accommodate the AMD platform, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 delivers roughly double the throughput in many tests. If the workload is dominated by single-threaded Cinebench-style rendering and the platform must be Intel, the 14490F holds a clear edge in that specific test, though the rest of the data favors AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD uses the Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with the codename Strix Halo. This is a mobile-focused design that still delivers high multithreaded throughput. Intel uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-R, on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry. The process node difference alone explains part of the performance and efficiency gap: AMD's 4 nm process allows for denser transistors and lower power draw at the same performance level.

The cache hierarchies differ substantially. Both processors have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. AMD provides 1 MB of L2 per core, while Intel provides 1.25 MB per core. The L3 cache is where the gap widens: AMD has 64 MB shared, while Intel has 24 MB shared. That 40 MB difference in L3 capacity gives AMD a significant advantage in workloads that repeatedly access large datasets.

The AMD chip uses a dual-die design with a die size of 2x 70.6 mm², totaling roughly 141 mm² across two chiplets. Intel uses a monolithic die of 215 mm². The AMD design integrates the memory controller for LPDDR5X with a quad-channel memory bus and 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, and the database does not record a memory bandwidth figure for it. AMD also supports ECC memory, while Intel does not.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Intel platform offers more PCIe bandwidth for expansion cards and storage, but AMD's memory bandwidth advantage may matter more for CPU-bound workloads. AMD includes integrated Radeon 8060S graphics, while Intel has no integrated graphics, meaning the Intel chip requires a discrete GPU for any display output.

The production status for both is Active. AMD released on 2025-01-05, while Intel released on 2023-12-31. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. AMD's part number is 100-000001099, and Intel's is SRN35.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious difference. AMD has 16 cores and 32 threads. Intel has 10 cores and 16 threads. That doubles the thread count on the AMD side.

Clock speeds are close but favor AMD slightly. AMD has a 3.00 GHz base clock and a 5.10 GHz boost clock. Intel has a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 5.00 GHz boost clock. The boost clock difference is only 0.10 GHz, but the base clock difference is 0.50 GHz, which matters for sustained all-core workloads.

Thermal design power favors AMD on paper: 55W versus 65W for Intel. The AMD chip draws less power while delivering far higher multithreaded scores, which indicates a major efficiency advantage from the 4 nm process.

Memory support is another split. AMD uses LPDDR5X with a quad-channel bus and a recorded bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. Intel uses DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and no recorded bandwidth figure. AMD also supports ECC memory; Intel does not.

Socket and market segment differ completely. AMD uses Socket FP11 and targets the mobile segment. Intel uses Socket 1700 and targets the desktop segment. These are not interchangeable platforms. The AMD chip includes integrated Radeon 8060S graphics; the Intel chip has none.

The architecture and process node are already covered above, but the codename and generation fields highlight the generational gap: AMD is on Zen 5 (Strix Halo), while Intel is on Raptor Lake Refresh (Raptor Lake-R).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap between them?

A: Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 3.4% and Cinebench R23 single-core by 37%. However, AMD wins PassMark single-thread by 7.1%, so the result depends on the benchmark.

Q: Which processor offers better multithreaded performance?

A: AMD leads in every recorded multithreaded test. The largest gap is Cinebench R15 multicore at 135.7%, and the smallest multithreaded gap is PassMark physics at 66.3%.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: AMD supports LPDDR5X with a quad-channel bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and no recorded bandwidth figure.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-14490F does not.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 includes Radeon 8060S graphics. The Intel Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 wins in every multithreaded workload recorded in the database. That includes Cinebench R15 and R23 multicore, PassMark multithread, integer math, floating-point math, extended instructions, data compression, data encryption, prime number finding, physics simulation, and random string sorting. The margins range from 53.5% to 159.3%, with most tests exceeding 90%. For rendering, scientific computing, data processing, compression, and any workload that scales across many threads, the AMD chip is the clear choice based on the data.

The AMD chip also wins in PassMark single-thread, by a modest 7.1%. That makes it the better performer in that particular single-threaded test, even though it loses the two Cinebench single-core tests.

The Intel Core i5-14490F wins only in Cinebench single-core tests. It leads by 3.4% in Cinebench R15 single-core and by 37% in Cinebench R23 single-core. Those are meaningful margins in a specific benchmark, and they suggest that Intel's architecture has an edge in certain lightly threaded render workloads. The 37% lead in R23 single-core is the largest win for either side in the single-threaded category.

For a user whose primary application is single-threaded Cinebench-style rendering and who requires an Intel Socket 1700 platform with DDR4 or DDR5 support, the Core i5-14490F holds the advantage. For nearly everything else in the recorded data, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 delivers substantially higher performance. The AMD chip's higher average benchmark score (77740 versus 38149) and higher percentile ranking (95th versus 86th) reflect its overall dominance across the full test suite.