AMD Ryzen 5 220 vs Intel Xeon D-1746TER Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database shows a decisive overall edge for the AMD Ryzen 5 220, which wins 16 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The only exception is the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the Intel Xeon D-1746TER scores 68 against 65, a 4.4% advantage. Every other recorded workload favors the AMD part, often by a wide margin.

The largest single win for the Ryzen 5 220 comes in PassMark single-thread performance. The AMD processor scores 3646 while the Xeon D-1746TER scores 1785, which is a 104.3% advantage, meaning the Ryzen more than doubles the Xeon's single-thread score. This is the most dramatic gap in the entire comparison and reflects a fundamental difference in per-core capability between the two designs.

Cinebench results are consistent across all three versions of the test. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Ryzen 5 220 scores 1562 against 1341 for the Xeon, a 16.5% lead. Single-core in the same test shows 220 versus 189, a 16.4% edge. Cinebench R20 multicore shows 6510 versus 5590, again 16.5%, while single-core is 918 versus 789, a 16.3% advantage. Cinebench R23 multicore repeats the pattern with 15502 versus 13311, a 16.5% lead, and single-core with 2188 versus 1879, a 16.4% difference. The consistency of these margins, all hovering near 16%, suggests the per-clock efficiency advantage of the AMD architecture carries through every rendering workload.

PassMark encryption shows the second-largest gap. The Ryzen 5 220 scores 12493 in data encryption compared to 9343 for the Xeon, a 33.7% advantage. Extended instructions also favor AMD heavily, with 15512 versus 12620, a 22.9% lead. These two results indicate that cryptography and vectorized instruction workloads benefit substantially from the Ryzen design.

Multithreaded performance follows the same trend. PassMark multithread scores 18582 for the Ryzen 5 220 against 15660 for the Xeon D-1746TER, an 18.7% lead. PassMark physics shows 983 versus 859, a 14.4% edge. Integer math gives the AMD part a 6.4% advantage (57987 versus 54482), floating point math an 8.3% edge (35500 versus 32772), and random string sorting a 7.2% lead (25433 versus 23732). Data compression rounds out the smaller wins with 212739 versus 191594, an 11% margin.

Notably, the Xeon D-1746TER has more cores (10 versus 6) and more threads (20 versus 12), yet it still loses every multithreaded test except prime numbers. This is a striking result in the database: the Ryzen 5 220 delivers superior multithreaded scores despite being outnumbered in core count. The prime number test, which often scales with raw core count, is the only place the Xeon's extra cores translate into a win, and even there the margin is slim at 4.4%.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 220 wins across the overwhelming majority of categories, but the nature of its wins varies. In rendering workloads, represented by the three Cinebench versions, the AMD part holds a consistent 16% to 17% advantage in both single-core and multicore tests. This makes it the clear choice for 3D rendering, video encoding, and other CPU-bound creative tasks where Cinebench-style performance matters.

For data security workloads, the Ryzen 5 220 excels. Its 33.7% lead in data encryption and 22.9% lead in extended instructions indicate strong AES and SIMD throughput. Systems handling encrypted storage, VPN traffic, or compression-heavy data pipelines would see measurable gains from the AMD processor.

The Xeon D-1746TER's sole victory in prime number calculation, while narrow, does point to one niche. Prime finding algorithms that benefit from additional physical cores may see a modest improvement with the Intel part. However, with a delta of only 4.4%, this advantage is small and highly workload-specific. The Xeon also carries ECC memory support, which the database records as a feature difference, though this does not show up in benchmark scores.

The Ryzen 5 220 also dominates in single-thread responsiveness. Its 104.3% lead in PassMark single-thread performance means application startup, UI responsiveness, and lightly threaded legacy software will run considerably faster on the AMD platform. The Xeon's single-thread score of 1785 is less than half of the Ryzen's 3646, a gap that will be noticeable in everyday use despite the Xeon's server-oriented positioning.

The Verdict

The database points to a clear winner for almost any workload: the AMD Ryzen 5 220. It wins 16 of 17 recorded benchmarks, including every multithreaded test despite having fewer cores and threads than the Intel Xeon D-1746TER. The Ryzen leads by 16.5% in Cinebench R23 multicore, 18.7% in PassMark multithread, and 33.7% in data encryption. Its single-thread advantage of 104.3% is the largest margin in the entire comparison.

The Intel Xeon D-1746TER is only preferable in one narrow scenario: workloads specifically built around prime number finding, where it holds a 4.4% edge. Additionally, the Xeon supports ECC memory, which is a reliability feature absent from the Ryzen 5 220. For server deployments where data integrity and error correction are mandatory, that feature may justify the Xeon despite its lower benchmark scores. The Xeon also has a higher core and thread count (10 cores and 20 threads versus 6 cores and 12 threads), which future software may exploit even if current benchmarks do not.

For general purpose computing, rendering, encryption, compression, and single-threaded responsiveness, the Ryzen 5 220 is the superior choice according to the recorded data. Its average benchmark score of 22289 places it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, identical to the Xeon's percentile ranking, but its head-to-head results are consistently stronger. The Ryzen 5 220 also draws less power, with a TDP of 28 watts versus 67 watts for the Xeon, though the database does not record the performance per watt directly.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 220 scores 3646 in PassMark single-thread tests, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER scores 1785. This gives the AMD part a 104.3% advantage, meaning it more than doubles the Xeon's single-thread score.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon D-1746TER win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Xeon wins the PassMark find prime numbers test with a score of 68 against 65 for the Ryzen 5 220, a 4.4% advantage. This is the only benchmark among the 17 recorded where the Intel processor comes out ahead.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 220 scores 15502 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER scores 13311. The AMD part leads by 16.5%.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1746TER has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 220 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite this core count disadvantage, the Ryzen wins most multithreaded benchmarks.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 220 has an average benchmark score of 22289, and the Intel Xeon D-1746TER has an average benchmark score of 21635. Both are in the 75th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Does the Xeon support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Xeon D-1746TER supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 does not support ECC memory according to the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design lineages. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die. The Intel Xeon D-1746TER uses the Ice Lake architecture under the Ice Lake-D codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel. The database does not record transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Cache organization differs notably. The AMD processor has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel processor has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 15 MB of shared L3 cache. While the Intel part has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, the AMD part has a slightly larger shared L3 pool.

Memory architecture is another major split. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Xeon D-1746TER supports DDR4 memory over a triple-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 64.0 GB/s. The AMD part offers higher theoretical bandwidth, while the Intel part offers the broader channel count. ECC memory support is exclusive to the Intel Xeon.

The integrated graphics situation also differs. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 includes a Radeon 740M integrated GPU, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER has no integrated graphics recorded. This makes the AMD part suitable for systems without a discrete graphics card, while the Xeon requires one.

PCIe connectivity is similar but not identical. The AMD part provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), and the Intel part provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part has two additional PCIe lanes. The market segments also differ: the AMD processor is classified as mobile, while the Intel Xeon is classified as server/workstation. The AMD part was released on 2025-01-05, while the Intel part was released on 2022-02-23. The Xeon D-1746TER has a launch MSRP of $1069.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 220 and Intel Xeon D-1746TER differ across nearly every recorded specification field. The AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel part has 10 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are recorded as 3.20 GHz for the AMD part and 2000.00 MHz for the Intel part. Boost clocks are 4.90 GHz for AMD and 3.10 GHz for Intel. The AMD part has a TDP of 28 watts, the Intel part 67 watts.

Sockets are incompatible: the Ryzen 5 220 uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Xeon D-1746TER uses Intel BGA 2227. Process nodes differ with 4 nm for AMD and 10 nm for Intel. Foundries are TSMC for AMD and Intel for the Xeon. The Intel part has no recorded transistor count or die size, while the AMD part lists 20,900 million transistors and a 137 mm² die.

Memory support differs completely: DDR5 for AMD, DDR4 for Intel. Memory bus is dual-channel for AMD and triple-channel for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD and 64.0 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory is supported only on the Intel part. PCIe is Gen 4 for both, but the AMD part has 14 lanes while the Intel part has 16 lanes. Integrated graphics exist only on the AMD part, with the Radeon 740M. The AMD part is a mobile segment chip, the Intel part is server/workstation. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.