AMD EPYC 9554P vs Intel Core Ultra 5 228V Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD EPYC 9554P and Intel Core Ultra 5 228V occupy entirely different segments of the processor market, and the benchmark data reflects that divide clearly. The EPYC 9554P is a server-class processor with 64 cores and 128 threads, built for massive parallel workloads. The Core Ultra 5 228V is a mobile processor with 8 cores and 8 threads, designed for thin-and-light laptops where power efficiency matters more than raw throughput.

The head-to-head benchmark results show a clean sweep: the AMD EPYC 9554P wins all 6 recorded comparisons. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the gap is enormous. The EPYC 9554P scores 89490 against 9932 for the Intel part, which works out to an 801% advantage for AMD. Single-core results tell the same story. The EPYC 9554P posts 12633 in Cinebench R23 single-core while the Core Ultra 5 228V manages 1758, a 618.6% delta.

The database places both chips at the 75th percentile among all CPUs, which might seem surprising given their radically different designs. The EPYC 9554P has an average benchmark score of 21899 while the Core Ultra 5 228V sits at 21440, a difference of only about 2.1%. The nearest rivals for the EPYC 9554P include the AMD EPYC 9534 at 21900, the Intel Core i7-11700 at 21891, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 228V at 21874, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V at 21952, all within 0.2% of each other in either direction. For the Core Ultra 5 228V, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 at 21484, the Intel Core i9-11900H at 21367, the Intel Xeon D-1746TER at 21635, and the AMD EPYC 9454 at 21223, with deltas ranging from -0.9% to 1%.

Which processor should you pick? The answer depends entirely on workload type. The EPYC 9554P is for anyone running server deployments, high core count workloads, or data center applications where 64 cores and 128 threads provide the necessary parallelism. The Core Ultra 5 228V suits mobile users who need a capable processor for everyday tasks, and its 17W design point suggests it fits within thermal envelopes appropriate for portable devices, but the data shows no workload category in the recorded benchmarks where Intel wins.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmarks include 6 head-to-head tests, and the AMD EPYC 9554P wins all of them. There is no benchmark category in the database where the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V takes the lead. The Cinebench R15 multicore test shows EPYC 9554P at 9020 versus 1502.5 for the Core Ultra 5 228V, a 500.3% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 1273 against 267, a 376.8% delta. In Cinebench R20, the EPYC 9554P scores 37585 multicore and 5305 single-core, while the Core Ultra 5 228V scores 6491 multicore and 916 single-core, resulting in 479% and 479.1% deltas respectively. The Cinebench R23 results are the most lopsided: 89490 versus 9932 in multicore, and 12633 versus 1758 in single-core.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V does have its own benchmark record in the database, including PassMark tests. It scores 173924 in data compression, 13032 in data encryption, 14801 in extended instructions, 168 in find prime numbers, 53310 in floating point math, 39679 in integer math, 18227 in multithread, 1538 in physics, 21254 in random string sorting, and 3836 in both single thread and singlethread tests. But since the EPYC 9554P has no corresponding PassMark entries in the database, these scores cannot be compared head-to-head. The only comparable benchmarks are the 6 Cinebench tests, and AMD dominates all of them.

For multi-threaded workloads such as compiling, rendering, or database processing, the EPYC 9554P is the clear choice based on the Cinebench R23 multicore result. For single-threaded workloads, the EPYC 9554P also leads, with its 12633 Cinebench R23 single-core score far ahead of the Core Ultra 5 228V's 1758. The Intel part may offer advantages in power consumption given its 17W TDP versus 360W for the AMD part, but the database records no power efficiency benchmarks.

Architecture Differences

The AMD EPYC 9554P uses the Zen 4 architecture under the codename Genoa, part of the EPYC 9004 series. It is manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 52,560 million transistors spread across 8 dies, each measuring 72 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V uses the Lunar Lake architecture, part of the Core Ultra Series 2, manufactured on a 3 nm process also at TSMC. The database does not record transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Core configurations differ substantially. The EPYC 9554P has 64 cores and 128 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 228V has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD part does not support simultaneous multithreading in the sense of extra threads beyond its 128 thread count, which already doubles its core count. The Intel part has no additional threads beyond its 8 cores.

Cache hierarchies show different design philosophies. The EPYC 9554P has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 256 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 228V has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The EPYC's 256 MB L3 is designed to feed 64 cores with local data, while the smaller 8 MB L3 in the Intel part reflects its mobile focus.

Memory support also differs. The EPYC 9554P supports DDR5 with a twelve-channel memory bus and 460.8 GB/s bandwidth, plus ECC memory. The Core Ultra 5 228V supports memory that depends on the motherboard, uses a dual-channel bus, and does not support ECC. The database does not record its memory bandwidth.

PCIe connectivity shows another major split. The EPYC 9554P provides Gen 5 with 128 lanes from the CPU only. The Core Ultra 5 228V provides Gen 5 with only 4 lanes from the CPU. The EPYC 9554P has no integrated graphics, while the Core Ultra 5 228V includes Arc 130V integrated graphics.

The EPYC 9554P uses AMD Socket SP5, fits the server/workstation market segment, and was released on 2022-11-09 with a launch MSRP of $7104. The Core Ultra 5 228V uses Intel BGA 2833, fits the mobile market segment, and was released on 2024-09-23 with no recorded launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD EPYC 9554P has 64 cores and 128 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD EPYC 9554P scores 89490 compared to 9932 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, an 801% advantage for AMD.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Arc 130V integrated graphics. The AMD EPYC 9554P has no integrated graphics recorded in the database.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The AMD EPYC 9554P has a 360W TDP while the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V has a 17W TDP.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 9554P supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V does not.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD EPYC 9554P provides Gen 5 with 128 lanes from the CPU. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V provides Gen 5 with 4 lanes from the CPU.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records 6 head-to-head benchmarks between these two processors, all from the Cinebench suite, and the AMD EPYC 9554P wins every one of them.

Starting with Cinebench R15, the EPYC 9554P scores 9020 in multicore against 1502.5 for the Core Ultra 5 228V. The delta is 500.3%, meaning the AMD part is roughly 6 times faster in this test. In single-core, the EPYC 9554P scores 1273 against 267, a 376.8% delta. The single-core margin is lower in percentage terms than multicore, but still a decisive win for AMD.

Cinebench R20 shows a similar pattern. The EPYC 9554P posts 37585 in multicore, while the Core Ultra 5 228V posts 6491, a 479% delta. In single-core, the scores are 5305 and 916 respectively, a 479.1% delta. The consistency between multicore and single-core percentages in R20 suggests the per-core performance gap is uniform across the two processors in this test.

Cinebench R23 delivers the largest margins. In multicore, the EPYC 9554P scores 89490 against 9932, an 801% delta. This is the single biggest win for AMD in the recorded data. In single-core, the EPYC 9554P scores 12633 against 1758, a 618.6% delta. The R23 multicore result is particularly striking because it combines the EPYC's core count advantage with its per-core performance lead.

The wins break down as 6 for the AMD EPYC 9554P and 0 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V. The benchmark scores for the EPYC 9554P also include Geekbench results, with 17978 in multicore and 1911 in single-core, but no corresponding Geekbench scores exist for the Core Ultra 5 228V in the database. Similarly, the Core Ultra 5 228V has PassMark results, but the EPYC 9554P has none recorded. Only the Cinebench tests allow direct comparison.

Specification Differences

The AMD EPYC 9554P and Intel Core Ultra 5 228V differ in nearly every recorded specification field.

The EPYC 9554P belongs to the EPYC 9004 series and uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Genoa codename. The Core Ultra 5 228V belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 and uses the Lunar Lake architecture with the Lunar Lake codename. The EPYC 9554P is manufactured on a 5 nm process, while the Core Ultra 5 228V uses a 3 nm process. Both are fabricated by TSMC.

Core and thread counts differ by a factor of 8. The EPYC 9554P has 64 cores and 128 threads. The Core Ultra 5 228V has 8 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 3.10 GHz for the EPYC 9554P and 2.10 GHz for the Core Ultra 5 228V. Boost clocks are 3.75 GHz and 4.50 GHz respectively. The Intel part boosts higher, but the AMD part has a higher base clock.

TDP ranges from 360W for the EPYC 9554P to 17W for the Core Ultra 5 228V. The socket types are AMD Socket SP5 for the EPYC 9554P and Intel BGA 2833 for the Core Ultra 5 228V.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The EPYC 9554P uses 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 256 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 228V uses 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The EPYC's total L3 is 256 MB, while the Intel part has 8 MB.

Memory support shows the EPYC 9554P with DDR5 and a twelve-channel memory bus, reaching 460.8 GB/s bandwidth with ECC support. The Core Ultra 5 228V has memory support that depends on the motherboard, a dual-channel bus, no recorded bandwidth, and no ECC support.

PCIe capabilities differ by 32 times in lane count. The EPYC 9554P has Gen 5 with 128 lanes from the CPU. The Core Ultra 5 228V has Gen 5 with 4 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics are absent on the EPYC 9554P and present as Arc 130V on the Core Ultra 5 228V. The market segments are server/workstation for AMD and mobile for Intel.

Release dates differ by almost two years. The EPYC 9554P launched on 2022-11-09 with a launch MSRP of $7104. The Core Ultra 5 228V launched on 2024-09-23 with no recorded launch MSRP. Both are currently marked as active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.