AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 and Intel Core 5 221E deliver strikingly different performance profiles across the recorded benchmark suite. The AMD processor wins 10 of the 15 head-to-head tests, while Intel claims victory in 5. The magnitude of those wins, however, tells a more nuanced story.

The most decisive AMD advantage appears in PassMark extended instructions, where the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 scores 40,888 against Intel's 18,216, a 124.5% lead. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison. The AMD chip also dominates in PassMark find prime numbers with a score of 323 versus 173, an 86.7% advantage. Data compression shows a 56.1% gap (506,170 vs. 324,285), while random string sorting favors AMD by 46.6% (55,248 vs. 37,686). PassMark multithread results put AMD ahead by 40.6% (42,912 vs. 30,510), and data encryption shows a 35.5% edge (26,027 vs. 19,205).

Integer math and floating-point math also go AMD's way, with leads of 26.1% (148,508 vs. 117,813) and 19.8% (94,666 vs. 79,028) respectively. The physics workload gives AMD a 24.3% advantage (2,773 vs. 2,230). In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 posts 3,918 against Intel's 2,613, a 49.9% margin that represents the largest Cinebench gap between these two processors.

Intel's wins are concentrated in single-threaded workloads and one multicore test. The Core 5 221E takes Cinebench R23 single-core by 46% (3,661 vs. 1,976) and Cinebench R15 single-core by 17.7% (368 vs. 303). PassMark single-thread shows Intel ahead by 4.3% (4,147 vs. 3,967). Interestingly, Intel also wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 4.3% (25,933 vs. 24,828), despite losing Cinebench R15 multicore by a wide margin. This crossover between two Cinebench versions suggests workload scaling differences rather than a consistent multicore advantage.

The average benchmark scores reflect the overall picture. AMD's average sits at 63,765, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs in the database. Intel's average is 40,144, good for the 87th percentile. The nearest rivals for AMD include the Intel Core i9-13900KS (delta of -0.4%), AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G (0.7%), AMD EPYC 7343 (-0.7%), and Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX (0.9%). Intel's closest competitors are the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (0.2%), AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.2%), AMD Ryzen 9 270 (-0.3%), and Intel Core i9-13905H (-0.4%).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is clearly oriented toward heavily threaded and vectorized workloads. The 124.5% lead in extended instructions indicates a substantial advantage in SIMD-heavy code. The 86.7% margin in prime number finding suggests strong integer throughput under parallel execution. Data compression at 56.1% ahead and random string sorting at 46.6% ahead point to superior memory bandwidth utilization and multi-thread coordination. The 40.6% PassMark multithread lead reinforces this pattern, as does the 35.5% encryption advantage.

The AMD chip also excels in physics simulation, with a 24.3% edge, and in both integer and floating-point math, where it leads by 26.1% and 19.8% respectively. The Cinebench R15 multicore result of 49.9% ahead confirms that older rendering workloads that scale across threads benefit significantly from the AMD architecture.

The Intel Core 5 221E wins where single-thread performance dominates. The 46% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is substantial, and the 17.7% edge in Cinebench R15 single-core is notable. PassMark single-thread shows a smaller but consistent 4.3% advantage. The Cinebench R23 multicore win of 4.3% is the outlier, suggesting that this particular workload responds better to Intel's core configuration despite AMD's broader multicore dominance elsewhere.

For use-case segmentation, the data indicates that the AMD processor suits content creation, scientific computing, and any workload that parallelizes well across many threads. The Intel processor appears better suited for lightly threaded applications, legacy single-thread performance, and scenarios where per-core clock speed matters more than aggregate throughput.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 uses the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Strix Halo, built on a 4 nm TSMC process. It packs 12 cores and 24 threads with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The TDP is rated at 55 watts, and it uses the AMD Socket FP11. The integrated graphics solution is the Radeon 8050S.

The Intel Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm Intel process. It contains 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The TDP is 65 watts, which is higher than AMD's 55-watt rating. It uses Intel Socket 1700 and carries the UHD Graphics 730 as its integrated GPU. The die size is 257 mm².

Caches differ significantly. Both processors use 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 allocation diverges: AMD provides 1 MB per core while Intel provides 2 MB per core. The L3 cache shows a major gap, with AMD offering 64 MB shared versus Intel's 24 MB shared. This 40 MB difference in L3 likely contributes to AMD's strong performance in data-heavy workloads like compression and sorting.

Memory support also separates the two. AMD uses LPDDR5X with a quad-channel memory bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but uses a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s. The bandwidth difference is substantial and explains many of the multicore and data-intensive wins for AMD.

PCIe connectivity differs by generation. AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Both support ECC memory. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. AMD's part number is 100-000001421, Intel's is SRQDVQ659.

The release dates are close: AMD launched on January 5, 2025, and Intel on January 12, 2025. Both are marked as Active in production status. The AMD processor targets the Mobile segment, while the Intel processor targets Desktop.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher multi-threaded performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 wins most multicore tests, including PassMark multithread by 40.6% (42,912 vs. 30,510) and Cinebench R15 multicore by 49.9% (3,918 vs. 2,613). However, Intel wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 4.3% (25,933 vs. 24,828).

Q: How do single-thread scores compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E leads in all single-thread tests. It beats AMD by 46% in Cinebench R23 single-core (3,661 vs. 1,976), by 17.7% in Cinebench R15 single-core (368 vs. 303), and by 4.3% in PassMark single-thread (4,147 vs. 3,967).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD processor uses quad-channel LPDDR5X with 256.0 GB/s, while the Intel processor uses dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s. AMD's bandwidth is roughly 2.9 times higher.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: AMD provides 64 MB shared L3 cache, while Intel provides 24 MB shared L3 cache. This 40 MB difference is a significant architectural distinction.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: AMD has 12 cores and 24 threads. Intel has 14 cores and 20 threads. Despite fewer cores, AMD wins most multithreaded tests due to higher thread count and memory bandwidth.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores rank?

A: AMD averages 63,765, placing in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Intel averages 40,144, placing in the 87th percentile. AMD's nearest rival is the Intel Core i9-13900KS at a -0.4% delta, while Intel's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 at 0.2%.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 | Intel Core 5 221E |

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

| Cores | 12 | 14 |

| Threads | 24 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 2.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.20 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP11 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Not specified |

| Codename | Strix Halo | Bartlett Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| Die Size | Not specified | 257 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB per core | 2 MB per core |

| L3 Cache | 64 MB shared | 24 MB shared |

| Memory Support | LPDDR5X | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

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

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 8050S | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $232 |

| Part Number | 100-000001421 | SRQDVQ659 |