PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-13950HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (41,012 vs 41,834).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $590 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 390 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen AI Max 390

2025

Why buy it

✅+2% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13950HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i9-13950HX

2023

Ryzen AI Max 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅+2% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (41,012 vs 41,834).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (36 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $590 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 390 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13950HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max 390 better than Core i9-13950HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-13950HX is ahead with a 9.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI Max 390 pulls ahead with 2% better PassMark. Ryzen AI Max 390 also has the bigger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better fit. You are getting 2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen AI Max 390 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Ryzen AI Max 390 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $590 MSRP, and it gives you 2% better PassMark. Core i9-13950HX only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen AI Max 390 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023), 77.8% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 36 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 24/32. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i9-13950HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI Max 390 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	321 FPS	265 FPS
medium	311 FPS	241 FPS
high	247 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	252 FPS
medium	240 FPS	206 FPS
high	178 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	158 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	192 FPS	175 FPS
medium	164 FPS	143 FPS
high	123 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i9-13950HX Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	497 FPS	671 FPS
medium	434 FPS	578 FPS
high	354 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	313 FPS	376 FPS
1440p
low	422 FPS	564 FPS
medium	380 FPS	503 FPS
high	316 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	257 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	236 FPS	318 FPS
medium	216 FPS	288 FPS
high	205 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i9-13950HX Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	762 FPS	769 FPS
medium	626 FPS	602 FPS
high	543 FPS	526 FPS
ultra	467 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	668 FPS
medium	567 FPS	527 FPS
high	485 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	423 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	497 FPS	478 FPS
medium	430 FPS	395 FPS
high	383 FPS	351 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core i9-13950HX Open Ryzen AI Max 390

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	1012 FPS	1046 FPS
medium	905 FPS	953 FPS
high	792 FPS	833 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	751 FPS
1440p
low	840 FPS	838 FPS
medium	739 FPS	746 FPS
high	646 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	568 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	620 FPS	616 FPS
medium	555 FPS	552 FPS
high	491 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	422 FPS

Open Core i9-13950HX Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13950HX and Ryzen AI Max 390

Core i9-13950HX

The Core i9-13950HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 41,012 points. Launch price was $590.

Ryzen AI Max 390

The Ryzen AI Max 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 41,834 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-13950HX packs 24 cores / 32 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max 390 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-13950HX has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.5 GHz on the Core i9-13950HX versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 390 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-13950HX (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i9-13950HX uses the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max 390 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13950HX scores 41,012 against the Ryzen AI Max 390's 41,834 — a 2% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 390. L3 cache: 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13950HX vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max 390.

Feature	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
Cores / Threads	24 / 32+100%	12 / 24
Boost Clock	5.5 GHz+10%	5 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3.2 GHz+45%
L3 Cache	36 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+78%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	41,012	41,834+2%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13950HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen AI Max 390 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5600 on the Core i9-13950HX versus 8000 on the Ryzen AI Max 390 — the Ryzen AI Max 390 supports 35.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-13950HX supports up to 192 of RAM compared to 128 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i9-13950HX) vs 4 (Ryzen AI Max 390). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-13950HX) vs 28 (Ryzen AI Max 390) — the Ryzen AI Max 390 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Raptor Lake-HX (Core i9-13950HX) and Strix Halo (Ryzen AI Max 390).

Feature	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
Socket	FCBGA1964	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	5600	8000+43%
Max RAM Capacity	192+50%	128
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-13950HX) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max 390). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics (Core i9-13950HX) and AMD Radeon 8050S (Ryzen AI Max 390) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i9-13950HX rivals M3 Max 16-Core; Ryzen AI Max 390 rivals Apple M4 Max.

Feature	Core i9-13950HX	Ryzen AI Max 390
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics	AMD Radeon 8050S
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13950HX launched at $590 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI Max 390 debuted at $0. On MSRP ($590 vs $0), the Ryzen AI Max 390 is $590 cheaper.