AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX VS Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX

Both the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX and the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX share several foundational traits: both carry a 55W TDP, support PCIe 5.0, include integrated graphics, and are fully 64-bit compatible. These shared characteristics mean neither processor holds an inherent advantage in power envelope or connectivity bandwidth at the platform level.

The most meaningful differentiator in this group is manufacturing process. The Ryzen 7 8745HX is built on a 5 nm node, while the Core Ultra 7 255HX steps down to 3 nm. A smaller node generally translates to improved transistor density, which can yield better power efficiency and thermal headroom at the same TDP — giving Intel a potential edge in sustained performance within the same watt budget. Complementing this, the Core Ultra 7 255HX also has a slightly higher rated max CPU temperature of 105 °C versus 100 °C, meaning it can sustain boost states marginally longer before thermal throttling kicks in.

One distinction worth noting is platform flexibility: the Ryzen 7 8745HX is listed for both laptop and desktop use, whereas the Core Ultra 7 255HX is laptop-only. For users evaluating these chips in a desktop or workstation context, the AMD chip is simply the available option. In a direct laptop-to-laptop comparison, however, Intel holds a modest general-spec edge here thanks to its more advanced process node and slightly higher thermal ceiling.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX and Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX processors have notable differences in their performance specs. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX has a base CPU speed of 3.6 GHz across 8 cores, and can turbo boost up to 5.1 GHz. In contrast, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX has a mixed-speed configuration, with 8 cores running at 2.4 GHz and 12 additional threads at 1.8 GHz, while turbo boosting slightly higher to 5.2 GHz. This configuration suggests a more dynamic handling of workloads by the Intel chip, leveraging its multiple core configurations.

When it comes to CPU threads, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX supports 20 threads, which is 4 more than the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX’s 16 threads. This could imply the Intel chip may handle more simultaneous tasks, though actual performance would depend on the workload. Both processors support an unlocked multiplier, allowing for potential overclocking.

As for cache, the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX is equipped with 8 MB of L2 cache, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX significantly outpaces this with 36 MB of L2 cache. This larger cache on the Intel chip could improve data access speeds, which may contribute to better performance in certain tasks. Additionally, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX employs big.LITTLE technology, a feature not supported by the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX. This technology allows the Intel chip to optimize power usage by switching between high-performance and energy-efficient cores based on demand.

The integrated graphics of the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX and Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX show some differences in performance and capabilities. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX has a GPU clock speed of 400 MHz, which can turbo boost up to 2200 MHz. In comparison, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX has a slightly lower GPU clock speed of 300 MHz, with a turbo boost reaching 1850 MHz. This means that the AMD processor could potentially offer higher peak GPU performance compared to the Intel processor.

Both processors support DirectX 12, ensuring compatibility with modern graphics applications. However, when it comes to OpenGL and OpenCL, there are differences: the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX supports OpenGL 4.6 and OpenCL 2.1, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX supports OpenGL 4.5 and OpenCL 3. This suggests that the Intel chip may be more up-to-date with OpenCL standards, but the AMD chip has a slightly more advanced OpenGL version.

Both processors are capable of supporting up to 4 displays, so there is no distinction between the two in terms of multi-display support. Overall, while both integrated graphics systems are well-equipped for modern workloads, the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX may have an edge in GPU clock speed and OpenGL support, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX stands out with its OpenCL version.

The memory specifications of the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX and Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX highlight some key differences. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX supports a maximum RAM speed of 5200 MHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX supports a faster 6400 MHz. Both processors use DDR5 memory, and they are configured with 2 memory channels, allowing for dual-channel memory configurations.

In terms of maximum memory capacity, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX has a significant advantage, supporting up to 192GB of memory, compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX’s maximum of 64GB. This gives the Intel processor a much higher potential for handling large memory workloads, such as intensive multitasking or memory-heavy applications.

Neither processor supports ECC (Error-Correcting Code) memory, which is typically used for high-availability systems that require error detection and correction. Overall, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX stands out with its higher RAM speed and larger maximum memory capacity, while both processors share similar memory channel configurations and lack ECC support.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX and Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX share identical features when it comes to instruction sets and the NX bit. Both processors support the same set of instruction sets, including MMX, F16C, FMA3, AES, AVX, AVX2, SSE 4.1, and SSE 4.2. These instruction sets enhance the processors' capabilities for various computational tasks, such as multimedia processing, encryption, and high-performance calculations.

Both processors also feature the NX (No Execute) bit, which is a security feature that helps protect against certain types of malicious attacks by marking memory regions as non-executable. This feature is available on both the AMD and Intel processors, ensuring a similar level of security for both.

Since both processors have identical instruction sets and support for the NX bit, there are no notable differences in their feature sets in this group.