AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 vs Intel Core Ultra X7 358H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 dominates the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H in the recorded benchmark suite, winning 13 of 15 head-to-head comparisons. The most dramatic gap appears in PassMark integer math, where AMD scores 200665 versus Intel's 83147, a 141.3% advantage. This result reflects the fundamental throughput difference between the two processors, a theme repeated across most workloads.

Multi-threaded rendering shows similar separation. In Cinebench R23 multicore, AMD scores 35314 against Intel's 18747, a 88.4% lead. The R15 multicore test tells the same story: 5463 versus 3027, an 80.5% margin. These are not marginal wins; the AMD part roughly doubles the Intel part's rendering output in these tests.

Data compression and extended instruction workloads amplify the gap further. PassMark data compression shows AMD at 690650 versus Intel's 332508, a 107.7% delta. PassMark extended instructions records AMD at 56346 versus Intel's 27274, a 106.6% delta. Both results point to the AMD processor sustaining much higher throughput when the workload scales across many threads.

The Intel part does claim two victories, though both are narrow. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 2080 against AMD's 2044, a 1.7% edge. PassMark find prime numbers shows Intel at 337 versus AMD's 303, a 10.1% win. These single-threaded results suggest Intel's architecture holds a slight per-core efficiency advantage in certain workloads, but the margin is small relative to the multi-threaded gaps.

Other head-to-head results reinforce AMD's overall superiority. PassMark multithread shows 54934 versus 33802, a 62.5% delta. Random string sorting records 76177 versus 40357, an 88.8% delta. Floating point math delivers 128682 versus 103842, a 23.9% lead. Data encryption shows 35455 versus 26046, a 36.1% margin. Physics testing records 3481 versus 3021, a 15.2% advantage. Even the closest single-thread PassMark result favors AMD: 4147 versus 4124, a 0.6% delta.

The average benchmark score places AMD at 77740, while Intel sits at 40967. AMD's percentile ranking is 95 versus Intel's 87, confirming that the AMD part sits near the top of the database's CPU distribution. The nearest rival data for AMD includes the Intel Core i9-14900K at 79097, a 1.7% higher average score, and the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX at 76212, a 2% lower score. Intel's nearest rivals cluster much closer: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 at 41208, the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H at 41215, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H at 41263, with deltas under 1%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors take fundamentally different approaches to core topology. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 uses 16 cores with 32 threads, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Strix Halo codename. The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H also has 16 cores but only 16 threads, indicating no simultaneous multithreading. This thread count difference directly explains much of the multi-threaded benchmark gap.

Process technology diverges as well. AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while Intel uses a 3 nm process from its own foundry. The Intel node is physically smaller, but the benchmark data shows that process size alone does not determine performance. AMD's 4 nm implementation, combined with a 64 MB shared L3 cache, delivers substantially higher throughput in most tests.

Cache layouts differ significantly. AMD allocates 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. Intel uses 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. Intel's larger per-core L1 and L2 caches may contribute to its single-thread wins, while AMD's much larger L3 cache helps sustain multi-threaded workloads that share data.

Memory support shows another split. Both use LPDDR5X, but AMD runs quad-channel with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, while Intel runs dual-channel with 153.6 GB/s. AMD also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not. The bandwidth advantage is substantial and likely feeds the AMD part's throughput in memory-intensive tests.

PCIe capabilities favor Intel on specification sheet. Intel supports Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while AMD uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes. However, the benchmark data does not include PCIe-specific tests, so the practical impact remains unmeasured in this database.

Integrated graphics differ by vendor design. AMD pairs the CPU with Radeon 8060S, while Intel uses Arc B390. Neither GPU benchmark appears in the recorded data, so direct comparison of graphics performance is not possible from the available measurements.

The Intel part carries the Panther Lake codename and belongs to the Ultra X7 generation, while AMD's part belongs to the Ryzen AI Max generation with a Strix Halo codename. Both target mobile segments, both are in active production, and both have locked multipliers. AMD uses Socket FP11; Intel uses BGA 2540. Release dates differ by roughly a year, with AMD recorded at 2025-01-05 and Intel at 2026-01-04.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 wins 13 of 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark gap between the two?

A: PassMark integer math shows the biggest delta at 141.3%, with AMD scoring 200665 versus Intel's 83147.

Q: Does the Intel part win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 2080 versus 2044, a 1.7% margin, and PassMark find prime numbers with 337 versus 303, a 10.1% margin.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: AMD's average benchmark score is 77740, while Intel's is 40967. AMD sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, Intel in the 87th.

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: AMD supports quad-channel LPDDR5X with 256.0 GB/s, while Intel supports dual-channel LPDDR5X with 153.6 GB/s.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: Both have 16 cores, but AMD supports 32 threads while Intel supports 16 threads.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H |

|---|---|---|

| Threads | 32 | 16 |

| Base clock | 3.00 GHz | 1.90 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 25 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP11 | Intel BGA 2540 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Not specified |

| Codename | Strix Halo | Panther Lake |

| Generation | Ryzen AI Max (Zen 5 (Strix Halo)) | Ultra X7 (Panther Lake-H) |

| Process node | 4 nm (TSMC) | 3 nm (Intel) |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 64 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 153.6 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 4 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 8060S | Arc B390 |

| Release date | 2025-01-05 | 2026-01-04 |

| Part number | 100-000001099 | SA4RAQ9ET |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 wins decisively in every heavily multi-threaded workload in the database. Cinebench R15 and R23 multicore, PassMark multithread, integer math, data compression, extended instructions, random string sorting, data encryption, and floating point math all favor AMD by margins ranging from 15.2% to 141.3%. The 32-thread configuration, 64 MB L3 cache, and 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth combine to give AMD a massive throughput advantage in rendering, data processing, and compute-heavy tasks.

The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H wins in two narrow single-threaded scenarios. Cinebench R23 single-core shows Intel ahead by 1.7%, and PassMark find prime numbers shows Intel ahead by 10.1%. These results indicate that Intel's per-core efficiency, aided by larger L1 and L2 caches, delivers competitive single-thread performance in selected workloads. However, the overall single-thread PassMark result (4147 versus 4124) still favors AMD by 0.6%, so Intel's single-thread advantage is not consistent across all tests.

For users running multi-threaded workloads, the database clearly favors the AMD part. The 13-2 win count and the magnitude of the wins in heavily parallel tests make the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 the stronger choice for content creation, scientific computing, and data analysis. The Intel part's wins are confined to specific single-threaded tasks, and even there the margins are small. The Intel part also carries a much lower TDP (25 W versus 55 W), which may matter for thermal-constrained designs, but the recorded benchmarks do not measure power efficiency directly.

The nearest rival data reinforces the separation between these two processors. AMD's closest competitor is the Intel Core i9-14900K, which scores only 1.7% higher on average, while the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H sits near a cluster of mid-range mobile parts, all within 1% of each other. The database places AMD at the 95th percentile and Intel at the 87th, a meaningful gap in overall CPU performance distribution.