AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 475 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus

Specifications

AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 475 uses Gorgon Point, launched 5 January 2026, with 12 cores and 24 threads, 4 Zen 5 and 8 Zen 5c, up to 5.2GHz boost, Radeon 890M 16CU up to 3.1GHz, NPU 60 TOPS, and 28W default TDP 15 to 54W, per the Lap 5 research. Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses Arrow Lake-HX Refresh, released 17 March 2026, with 24 cores and 24 threads, 8 performance and 16 efficiency cores, 2.7GHz base, 36MB L3 cache, and 3nm lithography, per the 2026-10-31 search research.

For everyday work, both CPUs are fast. For multitasking, Intel offers 24 cores, against AMD's 12 cores, so Intel fits more tasks without an upgrade. For cache, AMD offers 64MB, against Intel's 36MB, so AMD fits gaming better.

Performance

No controlled side-by-side test between AMD HX 475 and Intel 290HX Plus was reviewed for every workload, so this article uses published benchmark summaries with their sources named. AMD HX 475 offers no Geekbench score cited here, so no exact percentage gap is claimed. Intel 290HX offers Geekbench 6 scores of 3,198 single and 21,581 multi, per Tech4Gamers, per the 2026-10-31 search research. For CPU work, Intel offers more cores, so it should handle multitasking better, while AMD's NPU should help in AI.

For students, both CPUs should handle notes, browsing, documents and light coding easily. For creators, Intel should help more in multitasking, while AMD should help more in AI. For developers, both CPUs should handle compilation, with Intel helping more in multitasking, and AMD helping more in AI.

Gaming

For gaming, AMD wins clearly, with Radeon 890M 16CU, against Intel's Arc integrated GPU. Intel offers 24 cores, so it should play games well, but not AAA gaming at the same level. No controlled side-by-side gaming test between these exact two CPUs was reviewed, so no FPS winner is claimed beyond the GPU difference, but AMD's 890M should be faster in games.

For gamers at 1440p, AMD is strong, with 890M. For gamers at 1080p, AMD is strong, with 890M. For gamers who use ray tracing, AMD benefits, with 16CU helping in heavy scenes.

AI performance

AMD offers NPU 60 TOPS, per the Lap 5 research, and 12 cores, so it should handle local AI models well. Intel offers NPU 5 50 TOPS, per the Lap 5 research, and 24 cores, so it should handle local AI models well. No controlled side-by-side AI test between these exact two CPUs was reviewed, so no AI winner is claimed beyond the TOPS ratings.

For local LLM research, both CPUs are strong, because both offer high core counts, so both fit a similar model size. For photo and video AI features, both CPUs should handle them, with AMD helping more in NPU tasks, and Intel helping more in multitasking.

Display

Display is not a CPU feature, but the machines differ. AMD laptops offer various displays, with Vivobook S 15 offering a 15-inch display, per the Lap 5 research. Intel laptops offer various displays, with Legion Pro 7i offering a 16-inch OLED display, per the Lap 11 research. For colour work, both machines are excellent, with AMD offering varied displays, and Intel offering varied displays. For gaming, both machines are excellent, with 240Hz refresh rate in many gaming laptops. For outdoor work, both machines are similar, with varied brightness.

Battery

Battery is not a CPU feature, but the machines differ. AMD laptops claim varied battery life, with no exact AMD battery claim cited here. Intel laptops claim varied battery life, with no exact Intel battery claim cited here. No controlled side-by-side battery test between these exact two CPUs was reviewed, so no battery winner is claimed beyond the machine designs. For travel, AMD is better, with 28W default TDP, against Intel's 55W, so AMD should last longer in similar laptops.

Thermals

AMD uses 4nm, with 12 cores, so it should be quieter for light work. Intel uses 3nm, with 24 cores, so it should be louder under load, while AMD's fans should be quieter. No controlled thermal or fan-noise test between these exact two CPUs was reviewed, so no temperature or noise winner is claimed beyond the cooling designs. For sustained rendering, Intel's larger core count should help more. For silent work, AMD should be quieter.

Price

AMD laptops with HX 475 were not priced in the search research, so no AMD price is claimed. Intel laptops with 290HX Plus were not priced in the search research, so no Intel price is claimed. India prices for these exact configs were not confirmed, so no India price is claimed. US prices exclude sales tax, while India prices include GST, so headline numbers are not directly comparable.

For a like-for-like setup, AMD's price is not confirmed, but it includes 890M GPU, against Intel's Arc GPU. For AI buyers, AMD's NPU is justified; for multitaskers, Intel's core count is justified.

Verdict

Buy AMD HX 475 if you need AI and efficiency, with no price confirmed. Buy Intel 290HX Plus if you need multitasking and core count, with no price confirmed. For most AI buyers, AMD wins; for most multitaskers, Intel wins.