AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 386H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395, which claims 11 wins across the shared benchmark suite compared to 4 for the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H. The magnitude of those wins, however, varies sharply by workload type, and the Intel part secures its victories in single-threaded and specialized integer tests.

The largest single gap appears in PassMark integer math, where the AMD processor scores 190720 against 87284 for Intel, a delta of 118.5%. This more than doubles the Intel result and indicates a substantial advantage in heavily integer-bound parallel workloads. Data compression follows closely: AMD scores 639356 versus 352365, a 81.4% lead. Extended instructions show a similar pattern, with AMD at 52067 and Intel at 29138, a 78.7% advantage. Random string sorting favors AMD by 66.5% (70150 vs 42135), and Cinebench R23 multi-core shows AMD ahead by 70.6% (35061 vs 20547). Cinebench R15 multi-core also favors AMD, 5247 versus 3223, a 62.8% lead. PassMark multi-thread delivers a 45.5% win for AMD (51502 vs 35399).

Smaller but still meaningful AMD wins appear in PassMark data encryption (32840 vs 27150, 21% ahead) and floating point math (120533 vs 108527, 11.1% ahead). PassMark physics is close, with AMD ahead by only 5.3% (3189 vs 3028). Cinebench R15 single-core is nearly identical: AMD at 306 versus Intel at 303.5, a 0.8% margin.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H wins the remaining tests. PassMark single-thread shows Intel at 4218 versus AMD at 4078, a 3.3% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core also goes to Intel, 2071.5 versus 2012.5, a 2.8% lead. The most unusual result is PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 341 against AMD's 284, a 16.7% advantage despite AMD's dominance in most other compute tests. This suggests the Intel architecture handles certain latency-sensitive integer loops more efficiently, even while losing heavily on bulk integer throughput.

Overall average benchmark scores place the AMD part at 80762, which sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel part averages 43210, at the 88th percentile. The AMD processor's nearest rivals by average score include the Intel Xeon 638 at 80723 (0% delta) and the Intel Xeon w5-2565X at 80671 (0.1% delta), while the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX trails by 0.4%. The Intel part's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 at 43326 (-0.3% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 at 43431 (-0.5% delta), with the Intel Core i9-12900 slightly behind at 42906 (0.7% delta).

Architecture Differences

The two processors diverge fundamentally in core topology and threading. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 uses 16 cores and 32 threads, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Strix Halo codename. The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H also has 16 cores but only 16 threads, meaning it lacks simultaneous multithreading entirely. This difference alone explains much of the multi-core benchmark gap: AMD can process two threads per core, while Intel processes one.

Process technology also differs. AMD uses a 4 nm node from TSMC, while Intel uses a 3 nm node from its own foundry. The AMD part is described as Zen 5 generation "Ryzen AI Max+ PRO (Zen 5)", while Intel is Panther Lake, generation "Ultra 9 (Panther Lake-H)". Cache hierarchies are structured differently as well. AMD provides 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB shared L3. Intel provides 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and only 18 MB shared L3. The AMD L3 is more than three times larger, which helps keep frequently accessed data closer to the cores.

Memory support is another major differentiator. AMD uses LPDDR5X over a quad-channel bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X but over a dual-channel bus, capping at 115.2 GB/s. The AMD platform offers more than double the memory bandwidth, which matters for workloads that stream large datasets. AMD also supports ECC memory, while Intel does not.

PCIe connectivity differs in generation and lane count. AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 12 lanes (CPU only). Intel's newer PCIe generation offers higher per-lane bandwidth, but AMD has more lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses Radeon 8060S, Intel uses Intel Xe3 Graphics. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP11, while Intel uses Intel BGA 2540. Base clocks differ as well, with AMD at 3.00 GHz and Intel at 2.10 GHz, while boost clocks are 5.10 GHz for AMD and 4.90 GHz for Intel. Thermal design power is 55 W for AMD and 25 W for Intel, a notable difference given the performance gap. Both are locked multipliers, so neither supports user overclocking.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 is the clear choice for parallel compute. Its 32 threads versus 16 give it a structural edge in any workload that scales with thread count. The Cinebench multi-core results (70.6% and 62.8% leads) and PassMark multi-thread (45.5% lead) confirm this. Data compression and encryption, both highly parallel and memory-bandwidth-sensitive, favor AMD by 81.4% and 21% respectively. Integer math, extended instructions, and random string sorting also favor AMD by large margins, indicating strength in general productivity, database work, and scientific computing. The quad-channel memory and 64 MB L3 likely support these results by feeding the cores more quickly.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H wins in single-threaded performance. PassMark single-thread favors Intel by 3.3%, and Cinebench R23 single-core favors Intel by 2.8%. For lightly threaded applications, such as legacy software, certain scripting workloads, or interactive response, the Intel part holds a modest but consistent edge. The find prime numbers result (16.7% ahead) suggests Intel's core design handles certain dependency chains or branch-heavy loops better. The lower 25 W TDP also indicates the Intel part can deliver this performance within a much smaller power envelope, which matters for thin-and-light mobile designs where sustained cooling is limited.

The AMD part's 55 W TDP is higher, but the benchmark data shows it converts that power into substantially higher multi-threaded throughput. For users running rendering, compilation, or data processing for extended periods, the AMD part delivers more work per unit of time. For users running short, single-threaded tasks, the Intel part is marginally faster and far more power-efficient.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification field. AMD has 16 cores and 32 threads; Intel has 16 cores and 16 threads. AMD base clock is 3.00 GHz versus 2.10 GHz for Intel. AMD boost clock is 5.10 GHz versus 4.90 GHz for Intel. TDP is 55 W for AMD and 25 W for Intel. Sockets differ: AMD Socket FP11 versus Intel BGA 2540. Architecture names differ: Zen 5 versus Panther Lake. Process nodes differ: 4 nm TSMC versus 3 nm Intel. L1 cache is 80 KB per core for AMD versus 192 KB per core for Intel. L2 cache is 1 MB per core for AMD versus 2.5 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache is 64 MB shared for AMD versus 18 MB shared for Intel. Memory support differs: LPDDR5X only for AMD versus DDR5 and LPDDR5X for Intel. Memory bus is quad-channel for AMD versus dual-channel for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 256.0 GB/s for AMD versus 115.2 GB/s for Intel. ECC support is present on AMD, absent on Intel. PCIe is Gen 4 with 16 lanes for AMD versus Gen 5 with 12 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon 8060S for AMD versus Intel Xe3 Graphics for Intel. Release dates differ: 2025-01-05 for AMD versus 2026-01-04 for Intel. Both parts are active in production, both are mobile segments, both have locked multipliers, and neither has a launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 has 32 threads from 16 cores, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H has 16 threads from 16 cores.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: AMD scores 35061 versus Intel's 20547, a 70.6% advantage for AMD.

Q: Does the Intel part win any benchmark?

A: Yes. Intel wins PassMark single-thread (4218 vs 4078, 3.3% ahead), Cinebench R23 single-core (2071.5 vs 2012.5, 2.8% ahead), and PassMark find prime numbers (341 vs 284, 16.7% ahead).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: AMD provides 256.0 GB/s over a quad-channel LPDDR5X bus. Intel provides 115.2 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X bus.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H does not.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: AMD averages 80762 across all recorded benchmarks, placing it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs. Intel averages 43210, placing it at the 88th percentile.