AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 vs Intel Core 9 273PE Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE records an average benchmark score of 49845, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 records 43326. Intel sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while AMD sits in the 88th.

Q: How does the single-thread performance compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 wins the PassMark single-thread test with 3995 points versus 3650 for the Intel Core 9 273PE, a 9.5% advantage. However, Intel wins all three Cinebench single-core tests, including R23 with 4417 versus 4012, a 9.2% edge.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration difference?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads, compared to 8 cores and 16 threads for the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385. Intel also has a larger shared L3 cache at 36 MB versus 32 MB.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE boosts to 5.70 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 boosts to 5.00 GHz. The AMD processor has a higher base clock at 3.60 GHz versus 2.30 GHz.

Q: In the head-to-head benchmark comparison, how many wins does each processor record?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 wins 3, specifically in extended instructions, single-thread PassMark, and the duplicate single-thread PassMark entry.

Q: What are the process nodes and foundries?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 9 273PE uses a 10 nm process at Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is decisively lopsided, but not absolute. The Intel Core 9 273PE dominates the compute-heavy and parallel workloads. In Cinebench, Intel leads across every variant. The R15 multicore test shows Intel at 3153 versus AMD at 2865, a 9.1% margin. R20 multicore shows 13140 versus 11938, also 9.1%. R23 multicore shows 31288 versus 28424, a 9.2% gap. The single-core Cinebench tests all show Intel ahead by 9.2%, with R23 scores of 4417 versus 4012.

The PassMark suite reinforces Intel's lead in most integer and floating-point tasks. Floating-point math shows Intel at 107884 versus AMD at 69580, a substantial 35.5% advantage. Integer math shows Intel at 139410 versus 105056, a 24.6% lead. Physics simulation is the largest gap: Intel scores 3120 versus AMD's 1711, a 45.2% difference. Data encryption favors Intel by 16.5% (22719 versus 18978), and data compression favors Intel by 6.5% (405885 versus 379448). Prime number finding shows Intel ahead by 22.7% (203 versus 157), and random string sorting shows Intel ahead by 9.6% (45098 versus 40784). Multithread performance in PassMark goes to Intel, 36810 versus 32075, a 12.9% margin.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 claims three wins, all in the PassMark suite. Extended instructions show AMD at 31442 versus Intel at 24630, a 27.7% advantage. PassMark single-thread scores AMD at 3995 versus 3650, a 9.5% edge. The database also lists the same single-thread result as a separate entry, confirming the AMD advantage. These wins indicate AMD's architecture handles certain instruction types and single-threaded integer workloads more efficiently, even as Intel's higher core count and clock speed carry the broader benchmark suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Strix Halo codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It is a mobile segment processor with 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 9 273PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel, and targets the desktop segment with 12 cores and 24 threads.

Memory architecture diverges sharply. AMD supports LPDDR5X memory over a quad-channel bus with 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD platform offers nearly three times the memory bandwidth, which matters for integrated graphics and memory-intensive workloads. Both processors support ECC memory, but the memory types and channel counts create different system design constraints.

Cache hierarchies differ in L2 and L3 capacity. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core. AMD uses 1 MB of L2 per core and 32 MB of shared L3. Intel uses 2 MB of L2 per core and 36 MB of shared L3. Intel's larger per-core L2 and shared L3 provide more on-die storage for its 12 cores.

PCIe support also differs. AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Intel's PCIe generation is newer, offering higher potential bandwidth for expansion devices. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD uses the Radeon 8050S, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 730.

The sockets are incompatible. AMD uses AMD Socket FP11, while Intel uses Intel Socket 1700. Release dates also differ, with AMD released on 2025-01-05 and Intel on 2026-03-08. Both processors are active in production and both have locked multipliers.

Specification Differences

The base clock differs significantly. AMD runs at 3.60 GHz, while Intel runs at 2.30 GHz. The boost clock reverses the order: AMD boosts to 5.00 GHz, while Intel boosts to 5.70 GHz. Intel's higher boost clock and core count do not fully compensate for its lower base clock in single-threaded PassMark, but they dominate multicore Cinebench.

Thermal design power differs by 10 watts. AMD has a TDP of 55, while Intel has a TDP of 65. The power envelope is modest in both cases, but Intel's higher TDP aligns with its higher core count and boost clock.

Memory bandwidth is the largest numeric gap in the specification sheet. AMD's 256.0 GB/s versus Intel's 89.6 GB/s represents a 2.86x difference. This stems from the quad-channel LPDDR5X support on AMD versus dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 on Intel. The practical impact appears in workloads that stream large datasets, though the benchmark suite did not isolate memory bandwidth directly.

L2 cache per core doubles from AMD's 1 MB to Intel's 2 MB. Shared L3 increases from 32 MB to 36 MB. Total on-die cache capacity favors Intel, which is consistent with its higher thread count.

The launch MSRP for the Intel Core 9 273PE is $549. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 has no launch MSRP recorded in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 appears in PassMark extended instructions. AMD scores 31442 versus Intel's 24630, a 27.7% advantage. This measures CPU extensions such as AES and AVX, where AMD's Zen 5 implementation proves more efficient. The single-thread PassMark result gives AMD a 9.5% win, scoring 3995 versus 3650. This indicates AMD's per-core integer throughput is stronger despite Intel's higher boost clock.

The Intel Core 9 273PE takes the physics benchmark with the most decisive margin. Intel scores 3120 versus AMD's 1711, a 45.2% lead. This suggests Intel's core count and clock speed translate directly into physics simulation performance. Floating-point math shows a 35.5% Intel advantage, with scores of 107884 versus 69580. Integer math follows at 24.6% ahead, scoring 139410 versus 105056. Prime number finding gives Intel a 22.7% edge (203 versus 157).

The Cinebench results are consistent across all six tests. Every variant shows Intel ahead by approximately 9.1% to 9.2%. R15 multicore: 3153 versus 2865. R15 singlecore: 445 versus 404. R20 multicore: 13140 versus 11938. R20 singlecore: 1855 versus 1685. R23 multicore: 31288 versus 28424. R23 singlecore: 4417 versus 4012. The uniformity of the delta suggests a fixed architectural advantage rather than workload-specific behavior.

PassMark multithread shows Intel ahead by 12.9%, scoring 36810 versus 32075. Data encryption favors Intel by 16.5% (22719 versus 18978). Random string sorting favors Intel by 9.6% (45098 versus 40784). Data compression is the closest Intel win at 6.5% (405885 versus 379448).

The overall picture shows Intel winning 14 of 17 benchmarks, with the average benchmark score gap at 49845 versus 43326, a 15.0% difference. Intel's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 (0.1% higher), Intel Core i5-14600KF (0.9% higher), Intel Core i9-13980HX (1.1% lower), and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 (1.2% lower). AMD's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 (0.2% higher), Intel Core Ultra 9 386H (0.3% lower), AMD Ryzen 7 170 (0.8% higher), and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 (0.9% higher). These rival comparisons place both processors in the upper tier of the database, with Intel sitting one percentile higher at 90 versus 88 for AMD.