AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 vs Intel Core i5-9400T Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data presents an unambiguous split: the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 wins every recorded head-to-head test, while the Intel Core i5-9400T does not claim a single victory in the comparison set. The AMD part leads across all six Cinebench iterations, covering both multi-core and single-core workloads, and does so with a consistent margin of roughly 4 to 5 percent. The Intel chip, despite having two additional physical cores, trails in every measured category, which suggests that the Ryzen Embedded R2544's higher clock speeds and simultaneous multithreading offset Intel's core-count advantage.

For single-threaded tasks, the Ryzen Embedded R2544 takes the lead by margins ranging from 4.4 to 4.9 percent across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. Its base clock of 3.35 GHz and boost clock of 3.70 GHz, both well above the Intel part's 1.80 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost, explain this consistent advantage. The Intel Core i5-9400T's single-core scores of 97 in Cinebench R15, 408 in R20, and 973 in R23 all fall short of the AMD chip's 102, 427, and 1018 respectively. This pattern indicates that the Ryzen Embedded R2544 delivers better responsiveness in lightly threaded applications, where clock speed matters more than core count.

In multi-threaded workloads, the AMD processor again wins, though the margin narrows slightly. The Ryzen Embedded R2544 posts 726 versus 695 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, a 4.3 percent advantage, and 3029 versus 2896 in R20, a 4.4 percent edge. The R23 multi-core result shows 7213 versus 6896, another 4.4 percent margin. This is notable because the Intel chip has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the AMD chip has only 4 cores but 8 threads thanks to simultaneous multithreading. The AMD part's higher clocks per core apparently compensate for the two-core deficit, and its SMT implementation provides enough thread-level parallelism to keep pace in heavily threaded rendering tasks.

The overall average benchmark scores place the two chips close together: the Intel Core i5-9400T averages 2136 across its benchmark suite, while the Ryzen Embedded R2544 averages 2086. These figures land them at the 47th and 46th percentiles of all CPUs respectively, a near tie in the broader performance distribution. However, in the direct head-to-head comparison, the AMD part wins every test, making it the stronger performer in this specific matchup.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing processes. The Intel Core i5-9400T uses the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 uses the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, on a 12 nm node from GlobalFoundries. The AMD chip's smaller process node gives it a density and efficiency advantage in transistor layout, though its higher TDP of 45 watts versus 35 watts for the Intel part indicates that AMD uses more power budget overall.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. Intel provides 6 physical cores with 6 threads, meaning no hyperthreading, while AMD provides 4 physical cores with 8 threads through SMT. This means the Intel chip has more raw physical cores, but the AMD chip can process more threads concurrently. The Ryzen Embedded R2544 also carries 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Intel part's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database.

Cache hierarchies are notably different. The Intel Core i5-9400T has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 4 MB of shared L3. The AMD part offers more per-core cache in L1 and L2, while Intel's shared L3 is more than double the size. This trade-off affects how each chip handles repeated data access patterns, with Intel's larger L3 potentially benefiting workloads with large shared working sets.

Memory support shows both chips use DDR4 with dual-channel memory buses, but the AMD part has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for Intel. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the Intel part. This makes the Ryzen Embedded R2544 more suitable for error-sensitive embedded or server-like workloads, while the Intel chip targets conventional desktop use.

Integrated graphics differ as well. Intel includes UHD 630 graphics, while AMD pairs the CPU with Radeon Vega 8 graphics. Both are capable of display output without a discrete GPU, but the database does not record performance comparisons between the two iGPUs. The AMD part belongs to the Ryzen Embedded 2000 series and uses the AMD Socket FP5, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1151. The Intel part is marked as end-of-life, released in 2018, while the AMD chip remains active in production, released in 2022.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test opens the comparison with the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 scoring 726 against the Intel Core i5-9400T's 695, a 4.3 percent advantage. This result comes despite the Intel chip having 6 cores to AMD's 4, which highlights how the AMD part's higher clocks and SMT help it overcome the core deficit. The single-core portion of the same test shows AMD at 102 and Intel at 97, a 4.9 percent gap, the largest margin in the entire head-to-head set.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD chip scores 3029 in multi-core against 2896 for Intel, while the single-core result reads 427 versus 408. Both margins sit at 4.4 percent. The AMD part's boost clock of 3.70 GHz allows it to sustain higher sustained loads per core, and this shows up in the R20 scores as a consistent advantage. The Intel chip's boost clock of 3.40 GHz trails by 0.30 GHz, which directly translates into the single-core deficit.

The Cinebench R23 results follow the same pattern. AMD takes multi-core with 7213 against 6896, and single-core with 1018 against 973, both at 4.4 percent. The R23 suite is the most demanding of the three, and the AMD part's lead does not shrink with increased workload duration, suggesting its thermal and power characteristics allow it to sustain the advantage over longer rendering runs.

Across all six head-to-head benchmarks, the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 wins every test. The margins are consistent, ranging from 4.3 to 4.9 percent, with no test where the Intel part closes the gap. The average benchmark score for the Intel chip is 2136, which is actually higher than the AMD chip's 2086, but this reflects the different benchmark suites each chip was tested with rather than head-to-head performance. The direct comparisons tell a uniform story: AMD wins every measured workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400T has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel chip has more physical cores, but the AMD chip supports more simultaneous threads through SMT.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-9400T does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the manufacturing process for each chip?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400T uses a 14 nm process node from Intel, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 uses a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 wins all single-core Cinebench tests. It scores 102 in R15 single-core versus 97 for Intel, 427 in R20 versus 408, and 1018 in R23 versus 973.

Q: How do the cache sizes compare?

A: The Intel chip has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3. The AMD chip has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. Intel has more L3, while AMD has more L1 and L2 per core.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400T is end-of-life, released in August 2018. The AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 is active in production, released in September 2022.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 outperforms the Intel Core i5-9400T in every recorded benchmark. For users choosing between these two, the AMD chip offers better single-threaded responsiveness and better multi-threaded rendering performance despite having fewer physical cores. The consistent 4 to 4.5 percent margins across all Cinebench versions make this a reliable lead, not a single benchmark anomaly.

The AMD part also brings ECC memory support and higher memory bandwidth, which matter for embedded applications that require data integrity checks or high-throughput memory access. Its active production status and 2022 release date means it remains available for new designs, whereas the Intel part has reached end-of-life status. For embedded or industrial applications, the Ryzen Embedded R2544 fits the typical requirements better, with its ECC support and 45 watt TDP suited to systems that can dissipate the additional power draw.

The Intel Core i5-9400T, meanwhile, still holds a 47th percentile ranking position, placing it just ahead of the AMD chip's 46th percentile. The two chips sit near the median of all CPUs, meaning both are mid-range performers in the broader market. However, in this direct comparison, the Intel part cannot claim any winning category. Users who need Intel platform compatibility or Intel Socket 1151 compatibility may choose the Core i5-9400T for that reason, but the benchmark results show the Ryzen Embedded R2544 delivers higher scores in every test measured. The verdict from the data is simple: the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 is the stronger processor.

The Intel part's 6 cores and 6 threads, lower TDP of 35 watts, and 9 MB L3 cache suit power-sensitive desktop use cases better than the AMD chip's higher power draw. Users with existing Socket 1151 motherboards or Intel-specific requirements may still prefer the Core i5-9400T, but the performance data consistently favors the AMD chip across all six Cinebench benchmarks. The choice depends on platform needs versus raw performance, but for pure benchmark scores, the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 leads outright.

Specification Differences

The Intel Core i5-9400T and AMD Ryzen Embedded R2544 differ in several key specifications. The Intel chip has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the AMD chip has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel base clock is 1.80 GHz with a boost of 3.40 GHz, while the AMD base clock is 3.35 GHz with a boost of 3.70 GHz. The Intel TDP is 35 watts, while the AMD TDP is 45 watts.

The Intel part uses Intel Socket 1151 with the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process from Intel. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP5 with the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. The AMD chip has 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Intel chip's transistor count and die size are not recorded.

Cache configurations differ: Intel has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3, while AMD has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth also differs, with Intel at 42.7 GB/s and AMD at 51.2 GB/s. ECC memory support is available only on the AMD chip. Both use DDR4 dual-channel memory and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

The integrated graphics differ: Intel uses UHD 630, while AMD uses Radeon Vega 8. The Intel part is end-of-life, released in August 2018, while the AMD part is active, released in September 2022. The AMD chip carries the series designation "2000 series" and has two part numbers listed, while the Intel part is listed as SR3X8. Both chips have locked multipliers.