Intel's Arrow Lake H demonstrates superiority over Apple's M4, Ryzen AI 9, and Snapdragon X Elite in lab evaluations
In a recent wave of laptop releases, three systems - the Asus Zenbook Duo, the MSI Prestige 16, and the Samsung GalaxyBook 4 Edge - have caught the attention of tech enthusiasts. All three models boast 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, setting a high standard for performance. But it's their processors that truly set them apart.
Arrow Lake H vs Apple M4 and M4 Pro
Intel's Arrow Lake H, with its 16 cores (6 performant P-cores + 10 efficiency E-cores) and clock speeds up to 5.1 GHz, delivers strong multi-core performance. While the Apple M4 and M4 Pro chips, based on Apple Silicon architecture, excel in single-core efficiency and power efficiency, Intel's Arrow Lake H typically outperforms in multi-core scenarios due to its higher core counts and aggressive turbo clocks.
Arrow Lake H vs AMD Ryzen 9
In comparison to AMD Ryzen 9 mobile chips, Arrow Lake H aims to compete in multi-threaded scenarios, with similar or slightly higher turbo frequencies. Single-core performance is likely comparable, but Apple's M4 chips may have an edge in some workloads due to their architecture.
Arrow Lake H vs Snapdragon X Elite
Against Snapdragon X Elite, a mobile ARM chip oriented towards thin-and-light laptops, Arrow Lake H outperforms significantly in both single-core and multi-core performance, thanks to its 16-core hybrid design and high turbo clocks.
Performance Comparison
| CPU | Single-Core Performance | Multi-Core Performance | Notes | |------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| | Intel Arrow Lake H | High (5.1 GHz P-cores) | High (16 cores total) | 5 nm process, hybrid cores | | Apple M4 / M4 Pro | Very High (efficient ARM cores) | Medium to High (8+ cores typical)| Excels in efficiency & efficiency | | AMD Ryzen 9 mobile | High | High (8-16 cores) | Strong all-rounder, PCIe 5 support | | Snapdragon X Elite | Medium-Low (ARM cores optimized for efficiency) | Medium-Low | Focus on efficiency & mobile features |
The performance of these CPUs can vary depending on power/thermal limits and laptop OEM implementations.
Real-World Performance
In terms of real-world performance, the Intel Arrow Lake H systems were launched yesterday, offering up to 20% increases in multithread performance over the previous Meteor Lake generation. The M4 MacBook Pro 14, however, remains faster in Handbrake conversion.
The Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 (UX8406) and MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo (B2HM) were tested for Intel's Arrow Lake H systems, and it seems Intel's initial performance claims have held up in testing. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo scores higher in 3DMark Fire Strike than the ZenBook Duo 2025, but in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the ZenBook Duo achieves a higher frame rate.
In cross-platform gaming benchmarks, the Arrow Lake-H gaming benchmarks on the Prestige 16 are in close competition with the Apple M4 and AMD Ryzen AI 9. However, the ZenBook Duo's gaming performance is slower than the MSI Prestige 16.
In the Handbrake test, the ZenBook Duo's Intel Core Ultra 9 285H chipset took 5 minutes and 4 seconds to complete the compression, while the Prestige 16's Core Ultra 9 285H was faster at 4:12. The Samsung GalaxyBook 4 Edge is slower than all the other laptops tested in Handbrake conversion.
Power Consumption and Thermal Headroom
Power consumption and thermal headroom also influence real-world performance. Intel's 28W base and 115W turbo power class mean Arrow Lake H laptops can be beefier machines, while Apple M4 and Snapdragon emphasize battery life and efficiency.
In conclusion, Intel's Arrow Lake H offers strong multi-core performance, competes closely with AMD Ryzen 9 in multi-core scenarios, and leads in multi-core while trailing or matching Apple M4/M4 Pro in single-core efficiency and some workloads. The exact performance depends on power/thermal limits and laptop OEM implementations.
- The Asus Zenbook Duo, MSI Prestige 16, and Samsung GalaxyBook 4 Edge, three recent laptop releases, are equipped with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, positioning them at the forefront of performance.
- The processors in these systems distinguish them from their competitors, with Intel's Arrow Lake H being a notable example due to its hybrid 16-core design.
- In contrast to the Arrow Lake H, the Apple M4 and M4 Pro chips excel in single-core efficiency and power efficiency, though they typically underperform in multi-core scenarios.
- AMD Ryzen 9 mobile chips, another competitor, have strong all-round performance and PCIe 5 support, but they struggle to match Arrow Lake H's multi-core performance.
- Snapdragon X Elite, an ARM-based chip, falls behind Arrow Lake H in both single-core and multi-core performance, as it is optimized for efficiency and mobile features.
- In real-world tests, Intel's Arrow Lake H systems show up to 20% increases in multithread performance over the previous Meteor Lake generation, but fall short of the M4 MacBook Pro 14 in Handbrake conversion.
- Cross-platform gaming benchmarks display the Arrow Lake-H and Apple M4 performance to be close competitors, with the MSI Prestige 16 edging out the Asus Zenbook Duo in certain games.
- Power consumption and thermal headroom play crucial roles in determining the real-world performance of laptops, with Intel's Arrow Lake H allowing for beefier machines, while Apple M4 and Snapdragon prioritize battery life and efficiency.
