AMD Ryzen 5 150 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 356H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive matchup. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins all 11 recorded head-to-head tests, with the AMD Ryzen 5 150 trailing in every category. The margins, however, vary considerably by workload, and the pattern of those margins tells the analytical story.

The largest gap appears in prime number finding. The Intel part scores 327 while the AMD chip records 47, a delta of 85.6% in favor of Intel. This is the most lopsided result in the entire comparison. Floating point math also shows a commanding Intel advantage: 103128 versus 35118, a 65.9% difference. Physics simulation follows closely, with Intel at 2895 and AMD at 806, a 72.2% gap. These three workloads, which stress raw computational throughput, show the Intel processor operating in a different performance class.

The multithreaded PassMark score reinforces that narrative. Intel posts 33978 against AMD's 17492, a 48.5% delta. Data encryption shows a similar split: 26345 for Intel versus 13425 for AMD, a 49% difference. Extended instruction throughput gives Intel 27898 against 14675, a 47.4% margin. Random string sorting lands at 40990 for Intel versus 22382 for AMD, a 45.4% delta. Data compression completes the set of large-margin wins: 336177 for Intel against 211289 for AMD, a 37.1% gap.

The narrowest Intel win appears in integer math, where the score is 83111 versus 62151, a 25.2% difference. Single-thread performance is the second closest category: Intel records 4072 against AMD's 3155, a 22.5% delta. Both single-thread entries in the database, passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, show identical values for each processor, confirming consistency in the measurement.

The average benchmark score places the Intel part at 41215, which ranks in the 87th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The AMD processor averages 34881, ranking in the 84th percentile. The nearest rivals for Intel include the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 at 41208, essentially tied, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H at 41263. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 sits near the Intel Xeon 6349P at 34890, with a delta of 0%, and trails the Intel Core i9-12900HX at 35003 by 0.3%.

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear hierarchy between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H outperforms the AMD Ryzen 5 150 in every benchmark category recorded. For workloads that depend on heavy parallel computation, physics simulation, or floating point throughput, the Intel part holds an overwhelming advantage, often doubling or tripling the AMD score. The smallest gap, single-thread performance, still favors Intel by 22.5%.

The AMD Ryzen 5 150 does have a place in the database's performance landscape. Its average score of 34881 places it in the 84th percentile, which is a respectable position. It trades closely with the Intel Xeon 6349P and the Intel Core i7-13800H, both within a fraction of a percent. But against the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, the comparison is one-sided. The Intel processor's average score of 41215 puts it in the 87th percentile, and its nearest rivals are all newer or higher-tier parts.

The choice between these two, strictly from the recorded data, depends on whether the workload can tolerate the AMD part's lower throughput. For any task where the benchmark scores matter, Intel delivers more performance per unit of work in all tested categories. The AMD processor offers a lower-performance alternative that still ranks above most CPUs in the database, but it does not match the Intel part in any single measured dimension.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturing and design generations. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 uses the Zen 3+ architecture under the Rembrandt-R codename, built on a 6 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H uses the Panther Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The process node difference, 6 nm versus 3 nm, is significant and likely contributes to the Intel part's efficiency and performance characteristics.

Core counts differ substantially. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip has 16 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part does not use simultaneous multithreading, so its thread count equals its core count. The AMD part doubles its threads through SMT. Despite having 16 threads available, the AMD chip still trails the Intel part by 48.5% in the multithreaded PassMark score, indicating that the Intel cores deliver far more per-thread throughput.

Clock speeds show a different tradeoff. The AMD base clock is 3.30 GHz with a boost of 4.55 GHz. The Intel base clock is 1.90 GHz with a boost of 4.70 GHz. The Intel part compensates for its lower base clock with a higher boost ceiling and more cores. The thermal design power also differs: AMD rates the Ryzen 5 150 at 35 watts, while Intel rates the Core Ultra 7 356H at 25 watts. The Intel part delivers higher performance at a lower TDP rating.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The AMD processor has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel processor has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The Intel part provides more cache at every level, which helps explain its advantage in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption.

Memory support shows another distinction. The AMD part supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The Intel part supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. That bandwidth advantage of 38.4 GB/s gives Intel more headroom for memory-intensive tasks.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The AMD chip uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel chip uses Gen 5 with 12 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses the Radeon 660M, Intel uses the Intel Xe3 Graphics. Neither processor is multiplier-unlocked. The AMD part uses the AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 2540.

The release dates place the AMD chip in late September 2025 and the Intel chip in early January 2026, roughly three months apart. Both remain in active production. The AMD die size is recorded at 210 mm², while the Intel die size is not listed in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has 16 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite the AMD part using simultaneous multithreading to reach 12 threads, the Intel part still wins the multithreaded benchmark by 48.5%.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H scores 4072 in the PassMark single-thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 5 150 scores 3155. That is a 22.5% difference in Intel's favor. This is the closest benchmark category between the two processors.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has an average benchmark score of 41215, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 has an average score of 34881, placing it in the 84th percentile.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 has a boost clock of 4.55 GHz. The Intel part also has a lower base clock at 1.90 GHz versus 3.30 GHz for AMD.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth specifications compare?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 supports DDR5 only with a bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The Intel part has a 38.4 GB/s bandwidth advantage.

Q: Which processor has the higher thermal design power?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 150 is rated at 35 watts TDP. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is rated at 25 watts TDP. The Intel part delivers higher benchmark scores at a lower TDP rating.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. The strongest Intel advantages appear in prime number finding (85.6% ahead), physics simulation (72.2% ahead), and floating point math (65.9% ahead). These results point to workloads that involve heavy numerical computation, scientific simulation, or physics-based rendering. The Intel part also dominates data encryption by 49% and extended instruction throughput by 47.4%, suggesting advantages in security-related workloads and workloads that can leverage modern instruction sets.

Multithreaded productivity tasks favor Intel strongly. The 48.5% lead in the PassMark multithread test, combined with the 37.1% lead in data compression and the 45.4% lead in random string sorting, indicates that content creation, data processing, and compilation workloads would all see substantial performance gains on the Intel platform. The 25.2% lead in integer math covers general-purpose computing tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 150 has no benchmark wins against the Intel part. Its closest result is single-thread performance, where it trails by 22.5%. That means even in lightly threaded applications, the Intel chip holds a measurable edge. The AMD processor's only meaningful context comes from its position relative to other CPUs in the database: it sits in the 84th percentile and trades nearly evenly with the Intel Xeon 6349P, the Intel Core 7 253PTE, the Intel Core i7-13800H, and the Intel Core i9-12900HX. For users constrained to the AMD platform, the Ryzen 5 150 is a capable performer in absolute terms. But the head-to-head data does not show any workload category where it beats the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H.