AMD Ryzen 5 230 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 366H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 and Intel Core Ultra 7 366H occupy different tiers in the mobile processor market. The data shows a decisive performance gap, with the Intel part winning all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H delivers an average benchmark score of 41,263 points, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 5 230, by contrast, achieves an average score of 25,782 points, sitting in the 78th percentile. These aggregate figures set the stage for a detailed breakdown of where each processor excels and where the gaps are largest.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H dominates every measured workload, but the margin varies widely by test type. In the Cinebench series, the Intel processor leads by a consistent 37.3% across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core and single-core tests. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel part scores 28,477 points against the AMD chip's 17,857 points. Single-core performance tells the same story, with Intel posting 4,020 points in R23 single-core versus 2,521 for AMD. The Cinebench R15 tests show 2,870 versus 1,799 in multi-core and 405 versus 253 in single-core.

The Passmark suite reveals a more varied picture. The largest single gap appears in the find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 326 against AMD's 66, a 79.8% advantage. Floating point math also shows a massive difference, with Intel at 103,615 versus AMD at 38,993, a 62.4% lead. Physics testing follows closely, with Intel at 2,880 and AMD at 958, a 66.7% gap. Data encryption shows Intel ahead by 48.6%, scoring 25,845 versus 13,280. Extended instructions and multi-thread tests both show a 41.9% lead for Intel, with scores of 26,901 versus 15,618 and 33,429 versus 19,411 respectively.

The narrower margins appear in integer math and single-thread performance. In integer math, Intel leads by 19.6%, scoring 83,695 against AMD's 67,257. The Passmark single-thread test shows the smallest gap at 12%, with Intel at 4,043 and AMD at 3,558. Data compression shows Intel ahead by 33.2%, scoring 327,455 versus 218,588. Random string sorting completes the picture with a 34.6% lead for Intel, 39,814 versus 26,019.

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 does not win a single head-to-head comparison. Its best relative performance comes in the Passmark single-thread test, where the 12% deficit is the smallest of any workload. The data indicates that the Intel processor maintains a robust advantage across all categories, from lightly threaded tasks to heavily parallel workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H wins every workload category in the database, but the nature of its victories varies. In multi-threaded and compute-heavy tasks, the Intel part shows overwhelming superiority. The floating point math score of 103,615 versus 38,993 indicates a processor that handles scientific and numerical workloads with roughly two and a half times the throughput. The prime number finding test, which stresses integer iteration and branching, shows Intel at 326 versus 66, a workload where the AMD chip falls far behind. Physics simulation shows a similar pattern, with Intel at 2,880 versus 958, suggesting a large advantage in simulation and game physics calculations.

The Intel processor also leads in memory-sensitive and data-heavy tasks. Data compression shows 327,455 versus 218,588, and data encryption shows 25,845 versus 13,280. These results point to a processor that maintains high throughput when moving and transforming large datasets. The extended instructions test, which measures SIMD and vectorized code paths, shows Intel at 26,901 versus 15,618, indicating better execution of optimized code.

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 does not win any category, but its closest results offer some context. In integer math, the AMD chip scores 67,257 against Intel's 83,695, a 19.6% gap that is smaller than most other tests. The single-thread Passmark result shows 3,558 versus 4,043, a 12% gap. These relatively smaller deficits suggest that the AMD processor maintains competitive per-core integer performance, even if it cannot match the Intel part's overall throughput. For workloads that rely heavily on single-threaded integer operations, the AMD chip comes closer to parity than in any other area.

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear hierarchy between these two processors. The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H is the superior performer in every measured category, with an average benchmark score of 41,263 against AMD's 25,782. The Intel part sits in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD chip sits in the 78th percentile. Anyone selecting a processor for maximum performance across all workloads should choose the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H.

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 remains viable for scenarios where its smaller performance footprint is acceptable. Its closest relative performance comes in single-threaded integer tasks, where the 12% gap in Passmark single-thread testing is the narrowest margin recorded. However, with zero wins across 17 benchmark comparisons, the AMD chip cannot be recommended for workloads that demand high multi-core throughput, heavy floating point math, or fast data encryption. The Intel processor's 16 cores and 16 threads versus AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads provide a structural advantage that shows up consistently across the entire benchmark suite.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H has an average benchmark score of 41,263, while the AMD Ryzen 5 230 has an average score of 25,782.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H scores 28,477 points, which is 37.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 230's score of 17,857 points.

Q: Which processor performs better in single-threaded tasks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H leads in all single-thread tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 4,020 versus 2,521 for AMD. In Passmark single-thread, it scores 4,043 versus 3,558, a 12% lead.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in the Passmark find prime numbers test, where the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H scores 326 against the AMD Ryzen 5 230's 66, a 79.8% advantage.

Q: How do the two processors compare in data encryption?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H scores 25,845 in Passmark data encryption, which is 48.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 230's score of 13,280.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 230 win any benchmark comparison?

A: No, the AMD Ryzen 5 230 wins zero of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 is built on the Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It uses a 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H uses the Panther Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process at Intel, with a 16-core, 16-thread configuration running at a 2.00 GHz base clock and 4.80 GHz boost clock.

Cache structures differ substantially. The AMD processor provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel processor provides 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part also lists support for DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, while the AMD chip lists DDR5 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Intel processor has a higher memory bandwidth at 115.2 GB/s compared to AMD's 89.6 GB/s.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 uses the Radeon 760M, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H uses Intel Xe3 Graphics. The AMD chip uses an AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 2540. The AMD processor offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Intel processor offers PCIe Gen 5 with 12 lanes. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts show the most prominent difference. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H has 16 cores and 16 threads. The base clocks differ significantly, with AMD at 3.50 GHz and Intel at 2.00 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with AMD at 4.90 GHz and Intel at 4.80 GHz. The thermal design power is 28 watts for AMD and 25 watts for Intel.

The process nodes and foundries differ. AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while Intel uses a 3 nm process from its own foundry. The AMD chip has a die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors, while the Intel chip has no recorded die size or transistor count. Cache specifications show Intel with larger per-core allocations, including 192 KB L1 per core versus 64 KB, 2.5 MB L2 per core versus 1 MB, and 18 MB shared L3 versus 16 MB.

Memory support shows Intel with a broader range, accepting DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while AMD supports DDR5 only. Memory bandwidth is higher on the Intel part at 115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. PCIe connectivity differs in both generation and lane count, with AMD using Gen 4 with 20 lanes and Intel using Gen 5 with 12 lanes. The release dates differ, with AMD released on January 5, 2025, and Intel on January 4, 2026. The AMD part number is 100-000001726, while the Intel part number is SA4R9Q9EL.