AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data splits these two mobile processors into distinct roles. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 wins 6 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins 11. The AMD part is the clear leader in sustained multi-core rendering workloads, particularly in Cinebench R23, where it scores 28,424 against Intel's 18,395, a 54.5% advantage. The AMD chip also dominates single-core performance in Cinebench R15, posting 404 versus 303, a 33.3% lead, and in Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 4,012 against 2,040, a massive 96.7% difference.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H counters with wins in several Passmark sub-tests that emphasize different instruction paths. Its most significant victories come in floating-point math, where it scores 103,128 against AMD's 69,580, a 32.5% lead, and in find prime numbers, where it scores 327 versus 157, a 52% advantage. The Intel chip also takes the physics test, scoring 2,895 versus 1,711, a 40.9% lead, and the data encryption test, scoring 26,345 against 18,978, a 28% margin.

The data suggests the AMD processor is optimized for workloads that scale with high clock speeds and large shared cache, while the Intel processor appears tuned for specific instruction-level operations and multi-threaded tasks that do not rely on single-core frequency. The Intel part also wins the passmark multithread test, 33,978 versus 32,075, a 5.6% lead, and the passmark single-thread test, 4,072 versus 3,995, a 1.9% edge.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 uses the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Strix Halo, built on a 4 nm process from TSMC. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Memory support is LPDDR5X over a quad-channel bus, giving a theoretical bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, and it supports ECC memory.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H uses the Panther Lake architecture, part of the Core Ultra Series 3, built on a 3 nm process from Intel. It has 16 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The cache includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus, giving a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, and it does not support ECC memory. The Intel part uses a Gen 5 PCIe interface with 12 lanes, while the AMD part uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes.

The core count discrepancy is notable: Intel has twice the cores but the same thread count, indicating a design without simultaneous multithreading. The AMD chip has a much higher boost clock, which explains its single-core wins. The memory bandwidth difference is stark: the AMD quad-channel setup provides over twice the theoretical bandwidth of Intel's dual-channel, which likely contributes to its data compression win.

The Verdict

Benchmark results indicate that the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is the stronger choice for applications that depend on single-threaded performance and large memory bandwidth. Its 96.7% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 54.5% lead in multi-core over the Intel part in that same test are decisive. The AMD chip also wins integer math by 26.4%, extended instructions by 12.7%, and data compression by 12.9%.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is better suited for workloads that use floating-point calculations, encryption, and physics simulations. Its 32.5% lead in floating-point math, 52% lead in prime number finding, and 40.9% lead in physics are substantial. The Intel part also edges ahead in the overall passmark multithread score and the passmark single-thread score, though those margins are smaller.

The database shows the AMD processor holds the 88th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel part holds the 87th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are close: the AMD chip averages 43,326, while the Intel chip averages 41,215. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 with a delta of -0.2%, the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H with a delta of 0.3%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 170 with a delta of -0.8%. For the Intel part, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 with a delta of 0%, the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H with a delta of -0.1%, and the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with a delta of -0.4%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

Q: How do they compare in memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD part uses quad-channel LPDDR5X with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part uses dual-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 115.2 GB/s. The AMD chip offers more than double the theoretical bandwidth.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration for each?

A: The AMD processor has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel processor has 16 cores and 16 threads, meaning it does not use simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Which chip wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 wins with a score of 28,424, which is 54.5% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H's 18,395.

Q: Which processor is better for floating-point math?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H scores 103,128 in the Passmark floating-point math test, which is 32.5% higher than the AMD part's 69,580.

Q: What are the process nodes for these chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is built on a 4 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is built on a 3 nm process from Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single benchmark gap belongs to the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 4,012 versus the Intel chip's 2,040, a 96.7% delta. This is a remarkable margin for a single-core test and indicates a major architectural advantage in clock speed and instruction efficiency. The AMD part's boost clock of 5.00 GHz versus 4.70 GHz likely explains part of this gap, but the 96.7% difference suggests more than just a 6% clock advantage.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD chip again wins decisively, scoring 28,424 versus 18,395, a 54.5% lead. This is surprising given that the Intel part has twice the cores, but the AMD chip's higher clocks and larger shared L3 cache (32 MB versus 18 MB) appear to compensate. The AMD chip also wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 33.3%, scoring 404 versus 303.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H's biggest win is in Passmark find prime numbers, where it scores 327 versus 157, a 52% advantage. This test is highly sensitive to integer division and loop overhead, and the Intel architecture clearly handles it better. The Intel chip also wins floating-point math by 32.5%, scoring 103,128 versus 69,580, and physics by 40.9%, scoring 2,895 versus 1,711.

The data encryption test shows a 28% lead for Intel, with scores of 26,345 versus 18,978, indicating the Intel part has stronger cryptographic instruction support. The Intel chip also wins passmark multithread by 5.6%, scoring 33,978 versus 32,075, and passmark single-thread by 1.9%, scoring 4,072 versus 3,995. The random string sorting test is nearly tied, with Intel winning by just 0.5%, 40,990 versus 40,784.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification field except market segment (both mobile) and production status (both active). The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 16 cores and 16 threads. The AMD chip has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Intel chip has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The TDP is 55 watts for AMD and 25 watts for Intel.

The socket types differ: AMD uses Socket FP11, Intel uses BGA 2540. The architectures are Zen 5 for AMD and Panther Lake for Intel. The process nodes are 4 nm (TSMC) for AMD and 3 nm (Intel) for Intel. The cache structures differ: AMD has 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 32 MB shared L3, while Intel has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3.

Memory support is LPDDR5X only for AMD, with a quad-channel bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, while Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 115.2 GB/s. The AMD chip supports ECC memory, the Intel chip does not. PCIe is Gen 4 with 16 lanes for AMD, Gen 5 with 12 lanes for Intel. The integrated graphics are Radeon 8050S for AMD and Intel Xe3 Graphics for Intel. The release dates are 2025-01-05 for AMD and 2026-01-04 for Intel.