AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 vs Intel Core 5 223PE Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 records an average benchmark score of 63765, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 223PE averages 40585, which places it in the 87th percentile.

Q: How large is the multi-threaded performance gap in PassMark?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 scores 42912 in PassMark multithread, which is 37.9% higher than the Intel Core 5 223PE's 31124.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel Core 5 223PE wins Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core, Cinebench R15 single-core, and PassMark single-thread tests. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3734 is 47.1% higher than the AMD part's 1976.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 supports LPDDR5X memory over a quad-channel bus with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 223PE supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the process nodes for these two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is built on TSMC's 4 nm process. The Intel Core 5 223PE is built on Intel's 10 nm process.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 5 223PE boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Strix Halo codename, while the Intel Core 5 223PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename. The AMD part integrates 12 cores with 24 threads, whereas the Intel part provides 8 cores with 16 threads. Both chips use 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 allocation differs: AMD assigns 1 MB per core, and Intel assigns 2 MB per core. The L3 cache is heavily skewed toward AMD, with 64 MB shared versus 24 MB shared on Intel.

The manufacturing processes also separate the two. AMD uses TSMC's 4 nm node, while Intel uses its own 10 nm node. The AMD chip is a mobile-market part on AMD Socket FP11, and the Intel chip is a desktop-market part on Intel Socket 1700. The AMD processor carries the Radeon 8050S integrated graphics, while the Intel processor uses UHD Graphics 730. PCIe support differs as well: AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Both parts support ECC memory, but the memory architecture is not the same. AMD uses LPDDR5X in quad-channel mode reaching 256.0 GB/s, and Intel uses DDR4 or DDR5 in dual-channel mode reaching 89.6 GB/s. The AMD chip was released on 2025-01-05, while the Intel chip has a release date of 2026-03-08. The AMD part has a TDP of 55, and the Intel part has a TDP of 65.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a clear split: the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 wins 10 of the 15 recorded comparisons, and the Intel Core 5 223PE wins 5. The AMD advantage is largest in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 323 versus 159, a 103.1% difference. PassMark extended instructions also favors AMD heavily, with 40888 versus 24672, a 65.7% gap. PassMark random string sorting goes to AMD by 54.3%, with scores of 55248 and 35798. PassMark integer math shows AMD ahead by 48.8%, at 148508 versus 99819. Cinebench R15 multi-core gives AMD a 47% lead, with 3918 versus 2666. PassMark data compression favors AMD by 46%, at 506170 versus 346623. PassMark data encryption goes to AMD by 41.1%, at 26027 versus 18448. PassMark multithread shows AMD ahead by 37.9%, at 42912 versus 31124. PassMark floating point math gives AMD a 23.8% lead, at 94666 versus 76468. PassMark physics is the narrowest AMD win, 2773 versus 2493, an 11.2% difference.

The Intel Core 5 223PE wins the remaining tests, and its biggest margin is in Cinebench R23 single-core. Intel scores 3734 versus AMD's 1976, a 47.1% difference. Cinebench R15 single-core also goes to Intel by 19.4%, with 376 versus 303. Cinebench R23 multi-core is an Intel win by 6.2%, with 26455 versus 24828. PassMark single-thread goes to Intel by 6%, at 4219 versus 3967, and the duplicate PassMark singlethread result matches that exactly.

The Cinebench R23 multi-core result is notable because it contradicts the overall multi-threaded trend. Despite AMD's large PassMark multithread lead, Intel takes the Cinebench R23 multi-core test. The average benchmark score still favors AMD, with 63765 versus 40585, and the nearest rival data supports AMD's positioning. The AMD part sits within 0.4% of the Intel Core i9-13900KS average score of 64051 and within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G average of 63331. The Intel Core 5 223PE is effectively tied with its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core 7 253PE at 40557 (0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 435G at 40718 (0.3% delta).

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification. Core count: AMD has 12 cores, Intel has 8. Thread count: AMD has 24, Intel has 16. Base clock: AMD runs at 3.20 GHz, Intel at 2.90 GHz. Boost clock: Intel reaches 5.20 GHz, AMD reaches 5.00 GHz. TDP: AMD is rated at 55, Intel at 65. Socket: AMD uses AMD Socket FP11, Intel uses Intel Socket 1700. Process node: AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC, Intel uses 10 nm from its own foundry. L2 cache: Intel uses 2 MB per core, AMD uses 1 MB per core. L3 cache: AMD has 64 MB shared, Intel has 24 MB shared. Memory support: AMD uses LPDDR5X, Intel uses DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bus: AMD is quad-channel, Intel is dual-channel. Memory bandwidth: AMD reaches 256.0 GB/s, Intel reaches 89.6 GB/s. PCIe generation: AMD is Gen 4, Intel is Gen 5. Integrated graphics: AMD uses Radeon 8050S, Intel uses UHD Graphics 730. Market segment: AMD is mobile, Intel is desktop. Release date: AMD launched on 2025-01-05, Intel on 2026-03-08. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $232. The AMD part does not have a recorded launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 wins in compute-heavy parallel workloads. PassMark multithread shows a 37.9% lead, and PassMark integer math shows a 48.8% lead. Data compression and encryption workloads favor AMD strongly, with 46% and 41.1% advantages respectively. Prime number finding is the largest AMD win at 103.1%, which indicates a substantial advantage in workloads that rely on large numbers of independent calculations. Extended instruction workloads also favor AMD by 65.7%, which points to a strong SIMD or vector processing capability. The AMD part also wins in memory-bandwidth-sensitive scenarios, given its quad-channel LPDDR5X configuration delivering 256.0 GB/s.

The Intel Core 5 223PE wins in single-threaded responsiveness. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 47.1% advantage, and Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 19.4% advantage. PassMark single-thread also favors Intel by 6%. The Intel part also wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 6.2%, which is the only multi-threaded test in the comparison that Intel takes. The higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz and the larger per-core L2 cache of 2 MB likely contribute to these single-thread wins, although the recorded data does not directly measure those effects. The Intel part is a desktop processor, while the AMD part is a mobile processor, so the Intel chip may be better suited to fixed-location systems with higher TDP allowances.

The Verdict

The benchmark data indicates that the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is the stronger overall processor. Its average benchmark score of 63765 versus 40585 places it far ahead, and it wins 10 of 15 head-to-head tests. The AMD part also holds a 93rd percentile ranking versus Intel's 87th, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-13900KS, a much higher-tier desktop part. Buyers who need parallel compute, data compression, encryption, or floating-point throughput should choose the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390.

The Intel Core 5 223PE is the better choice for single-thread-bound applications. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3734 is nearly double the AMD part's 1976, and it also wins Cinebench R15 single-core and PassMark single-thread. The Intel part also claims Cinebench R23 multi-core, which makes it competitive in certain rendering workloads despite the lower average score. Desktop builders who prioritize the highest possible single-core speed and do not need the AMD part's memory bandwidth or integrated graphics performance should select the Intel Core 5 223PE. The recorded data does not support a single universal winner; the choice depends on whether the workload leans toward parallel throughput or single-thread speed.