AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 and Intel Core Ultra 5 336H represent two distinct approaches to mobile processing. The AMD part, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Strix Halo codename, uses 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part, using the Panther Lake architecture, employs 16 cores and 16 threads. Benchmark data from the database shows the AMD processor wins 11 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel processor takes 6. The overall average benchmark scores reflect this split: the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 records an average of 43326, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 336H averages 34485, placing it in the 84th percentile. These are not close scores, and the data indicates different workload preferences for each chip.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 dominates the Cinebench suite. Across all six Cinebench tests, from R15 to R23, both multicore and singlecore, it holds a consistent 18.5% advantage over the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H. This is a uniform margin that suggests a fundamental architectural edge in rendering and general CPU-bound tasks. The R23 multicore score of 28424 for the AMD chip versus 23991 for the Intel chip is the most telling figure for heavily threaded content creation workloads.

The AMD chip also excels in integer-heavy and data-processing tasks. In the PassMark integer math test, the Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 scores 105056 against the Intel chip's 62070, a massive 69.3% lead. Data compression shows a 35.4% advantage, with scores of 379448 versus 280340. Extended instructions also favor AMD, at 31442 versus 24542, a 28.1% gap. Random string sorting, a memory-latency-sensitive workload, goes to AMD by 18.6%, with scores of 40784 and 34402. The PassMark multithread score also favors the AMD chip, 32075 versus 28545, a 12.4% difference.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H claims its wins in a different set of tests. Its most significant victory is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where it scores 299 against the AMD chip's 157, a 47.5% margin. This is a single-threaded, branch-prediction-heavy workload. The Intel chip also wins the PassMark physics test, scoring 2682 against 1711, a 36.2% lead. Floating point math goes to Intel as well, 82415 versus 69580, a 15.6% advantage. Data encryption is another Intel win, 21291 versus 18978, a 10.9% margin. The single-thread PassMark tests are essentially a tie, with Intel ahead by a negligible 0.4%, scoring 4013 versus 3995.

The pattern is clear. The AMD processor wins rendering, integer math, compression, and overall multithreaded performance. The Intel processor wins specific mathematical workloads, physics simulation, and encryption. The data suggests the AMD chip is the stronger all-around performer, while the Intel chip has specialized strengths.

The Verdict

The database places the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, versus the 84th percentile for the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H. The average benchmark score difference is substantial: 43326 for AMD versus 34485 for Intel. This is a difference of roughly 25.6%, calculated from the recorded averages.

For users whose workloads align with Cinebench rendering, data compression, integer math, and extended instruction sets, the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is the clear choice. Its 18.5% lead across all Cinebench tests and its 69.3% lead in integer math make it the stronger processor for content creation and general productivity. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration with 32 MB of shared L3 cache and quad-channel LPDDR5X memory support, offering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, supports these results.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H is the choice for workloads that match its specific wins. Its 47.5% lead in prime number finding, 36.2% lead in physics, and 15.6% lead in floating point math indicate strengths in scientific computing and physics simulation. Its 10.9% lead in data encryption is also notable. The 16-core, 16-thread configuration with 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support, offering 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth, delivers these results despite a lower base clock of 1.90 GHz.

The data does not support a verdict for the Intel chip as a general-purpose winner. It wins fewer tests, and its wins are in narrower categories. The AMD chip's wins span more common workloads. The 88th percentile placement for AMD versus 84th for Intel confirms this hierarchy. The verdict is straightforward: the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is the better overall processor in the database's measurements, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H serves specific, identifiable niches.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the head-to-head results is in PassMark integer math. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 scores 105056, the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H scores 62070, and the delta is 69.3% in favor of AMD. This is a decisive result for any workload that relies on integer arithmetic, which includes many database, financial, and general application tasks.

The second-largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Intel chip wins by 47.5%. The scores are 299 for Intel and 157 for AMD. This is an unusual result, as the AMD chip has a much higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz versus 4.60 GHz for Intel, yet the Intel chip wins this test by a wide margin. The result points to a difference in instruction handling or branch prediction efficiency rather than raw clock speed.

Data compression is another significant AMD win, at 35.4%. The AMD score is 379448, the Intel score is 280340. This workload benefits from the AMD chip's larger 32 MB shared L3 cache and quad-channel memory bandwidth. Extended instructions also go to AMD by 28.1%, with scores of 31442 and 24542.

The Cinebench results are uniform. All six tests, R15, R20, and R23, in both singlecore and multicore variants, show an 18.5% advantage for AMD. The R23 multicore scores are 28424 for AMD and 23991 for Intel. The R23 singlecore scores are 4012 for AMD and 3387 for Intel. This uniformity suggests a consistent per-clock performance advantage for the Zen 5 architecture in these workloads.

The PassMark physics test is a notable Intel win. The Intel score is 2682, the AMD score is 1711, a 36.2% margin. This is one of the larger deltas in the entire comparison, and it runs counter to the overall trend. The floating point math test also goes to Intel, 82415 versus 69580, a 15.6% margin. Data encryption is an Intel win at 10.9%, with scores of 21291 and 18978.

The single-thread PassMark tests are effectively a draw. The Intel chip scores 4013, the AMD chip scores 3995, a 0.4% difference. This is the closest result in the entire head-to-head set. It indicates that single-threaded performance is nearly identical, despite the AMD chip's higher boost clock and the Intel chip's lower base clock.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 has an average benchmark score of 43326, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has an average of 34485.

Q: How many head-to-head benchmark wins does each processor have?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 wins 11 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H wins 6.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in the head-to-head results?

A: The biggest gap is in the PassMark integer math test, where the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 leads by 69.3%, scoring 105056 versus 62070 for the Intel chip.

Q: In which test does the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H have its largest win?

A: The Intel chip's largest win is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where it leads by 47.5%, scoring 299 versus 157 for the AMD chip.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded performance?

A: In the PassMark single-thread tests, the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H scores 4013 and the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 scores 3995, a difference of only 0.4% in favor of Intel.

Q: What are the Cinebench R23 multicore scores for both processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 scores 28424, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H scores 23991, giving AMD an 18.5% lead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses the Zen 5 architecture with the Strix Halo codename. It is built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H uses the Panther Lake architecture with the same codename, built on a 3 nm process by Intel. The process node difference is one nanometer, with Intel using the smaller node.

The core counts differ significantly. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel chip has 16 cores and 16 threads. The thread counts are equal, but the Intel chip has twice as many physical cores. Despite this, the AMD chip wins the majority of benchmarks, indicating its Zen 5 cores are more efficient on a per-core basis.

Cache hierarchies are different in both size and organization. The AMD chip has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has more L1 and L2 cache per core, but the AMD chip has nearly double the shared L3 cache.

Memory support is a major differentiator. The AMD chip supports LPDDR5X memory only, uses a quad-channel memory bus, and has a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The Intel chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, uses a dual-channel memory bus, and has a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The AMD chip has more than double the memory bandwidth, which contributes to its wins in memory-intensive workloads like data compression.

PCIe support also differs. The AMD chip uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes for the CPU only. The Intel chip uses Gen 5 with 12 lanes for the CPU only. The Intel chip has the newer PCIe standard, but fewer lanes.

ECC memory support is present on the AMD chip, with ECC memory listed as true. The Intel chip does not support ECC memory, listed as false.

The integrated graphics differ. The AMD chip uses Radeon 8050S graphics. The Intel chip uses Intel Xe3 Graphics.

The release dates differ by approximately one year. The AMD chip was released on 2025-01-05, and the Intel chip was released on 2026-01-04.

Specification Differences

The clock speeds are notably different. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The AMD chip has a higher base clock by 1.70 GHz and a higher boost clock by 0.40 GHz.

The thermal design power differs. The AMD chip has a TDP of 55 watts. The Intel chip has a TDP of 25 watts. The AMD chip uses more power, which aligns with its higher clock speeds and larger memory bandwidth.

The sockets are different. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP11. The Intel chip uses Intel BGA 2540.

The process node differs, with AMD on 4 nm and Intel on 3 nm. The foundries also differ, with AMD using TSMC and Intel using its own foundry.

The memory bus width differs, with the AMD chip using quad-channel and the Intel chip using dual-channel. Memory bandwidth is 256.0 GB/s for AMD and 115.2 GB/s for Intel. Memory support is LPDDR5X for AMD, and DDR5 plus LPDDR5X for Intel. ECC memory support is true for AMD and false for Intel.

PCIe lanes differ, with AMD at Gen 4 with 16 lanes and Intel at Gen 5 with 12 lanes. Integrated graphics differ, with AMD using Radeon 8050S and Intel using Intel Xe3 Graphics.

The cache organization differs. AMD has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Intel has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3.

The market segment is mobile for both. Production status is active for both. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. Neither processor has a launch MSRP recorded in the database. The part numbers are 100-000001422 for AMD and SA4RD for Intel.