AMD Ryzen 5 2600 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 268V Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data separates these two processors into clearly distinct roles. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a desktop part from the 2000 series, built on the Zen architecture and aimed at socket AM4 systems. The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V is a mobile processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, using the Lunar Lake architecture and designed for thin-and-light laptops with the BGA 2833 socket. Their average benchmark scores are close, with the Ryzen 5 2600 at 21484 and the Core Ultra 7 268V at 20897, but the distribution of wins is lopsided. The database records 13 wins for the Intel part and only 2 for the AMD part in head-to-head tests.

The verdict is straightforward for single-threaded and lightly threaded workloads: the Core Ultra 7 268V is the clear choice. It leads by 49.2% in Geekbench single-core, 46.3% in Cinebench R15 single-core, and 44.7% in Passmark single-thread. It also dominates in floating-point math, extended instructions, and prime number finding. The Ryzen 5 2600 only wins in Passmark data compression (by 3.1%) and Passmark integer math (by 4.3%). For anyone whose primary tasks are data compression or integer-heavy integer math, the older AMD part holds a narrow edge. For everything else in the benchmark suite, the Intel mobile chip is faster, often by very large margins.

However, the Ryzen 5 2600 is not without merit in its own context. It is an active, unlocked desktop processor with 6 cores and 12 threads, and it sits at the 75th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Core Ultra 7 268V sits at the 74th percentile. The AMD part also has a much higher TDP (65 versus 17), which indicates it is designed for a different power envelope. The choice comes down to platform and workload: pick the Ryzen 5 2600 for a desktop build that favors integer and compression tasks, or pick the Core Ultra 7 268V for a mobile system that demands single-thread performance and instruction throughput.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing generations. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with the Zen+ microarchitecture (codenamed Pinnacle Ridge). It packs 4,800 million transistors into a 213 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V uses a 3 nm process at TSMC, with the Lunar Lake architecture. The database does not list transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The Ryzen 5 2600 has 6 cores and 12 threads, meaning it uses simultaneous multithreading. The Core Ultra 7 268V has 8 cores and 8 threads, with no extra threads per core. The AMD part has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The Intel part starts at 2.20 GHz but boosts to 5.00 GHz, a much higher maximum frequency.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The Ryzen 5 2600 provides 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 16 MB L3 cache. The Core Ultra 7 268V doubles L1 to 192 KB per core, offers 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and has a smaller shared 12 MB L3. The Intel part has no integrated graphics listed in its specs, but the Core Ultra 7 268V does include Arc 140V integrated graphics, while the Ryzen 5 2600 has none.

Memory support is another distinguishing factor. The AMD part uses DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a recorded bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The Intel part also uses dual-channel memory, but the database lists its memory support as unknown and dependent on the motherboard, and no bandwidth figure is recorded. PCIe connectivity differs: the Ryzen 5 2600 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Core Ultra 7 268V uses PCIe Gen 5 with only 4 lanes from the CPU. The Ryzen part has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel part does not. The AMD part is a desktop segment product, while the Intel part is a mobile segment product.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD part uses multithreading to reach 12 threads, while the Intel part does not.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V leads by 49.2% in Geekbench single-core (2270 versus 1154) and by 46.3% in Cinebench R15 single-core (293 versus 157.3). In Passmark single-thread, the Intel part scores 4051 versus 2239, a 44.7% advantage.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 2600 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes. The Ryzen 5 2600 wins Passmark data compression with 187062 versus 181443, a 3.1% lead. It also wins Passmark integer math with 44518 versus 42669, a 4.3% lead.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V boosts to 5.00 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 boosts to 3.90 GHz. The base clocks are 2.20 GHz for the Intel part and 3.40 GHz for the AMD part.

Q: What is the difference in cache layout?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 7 268V has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V does not.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show clear divergence across every major category. The Ryzen 5 2600 is a desktop part with 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 268V is a mobile part with 8 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 3.40 GHz versus 2.20 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.90 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. TDP is 65 for the AMD part and 17 for the Intel part.

Process technology and foundry differ completely: 12 nm at GlobalFoundries for AMD, 3 nm at TSMC for Intel. The AMD die is 213 mm² with 4,800 million transistors; no such numbers exist for the Intel part. Cache sizes differ in every level. The AMD L1 is 96 KB per core, the Intel L1 is 192 KB per core. The AMD L2 is 512 KB per core, the Intel L2 is 2.5 MB per core. The AMD L3 is 16 MB shared, the Intel L3 is 12 MB shared.

Memory support: the AMD part uses DDR4 with a recorded dual-channel bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The Intel part uses dual-channel memory as well but its support is listed as unknown and dependent on the motherboard, with no bandwidth number. PCIe connectivity is Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the AMD side, and Gen 5 with 4 lanes on the Intel side. The Ryzen 5 2600 has no integrated graphics; the Core Ultra 7 268V includes Arc 140V graphics. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel part is locked. The sockets are AMD Socket AM4 and Intel BGA 2833 respectively. Release dates are 2018-04-18 for the AMD part and 2024-09-23 for the Intel part. The Ryzen 5 2600 has a launch MSRP of $199; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Intel part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a dominant performance profile for the Intel Core Ultra 7 268V, with the Ryzen 5 2600 winning only two of fifteen tests. The largest Intel victories come in the most demanding computational tasks. In Passmark find prime numbers, the Intel part scores 192 versus 37, an 80.7% lead. Floating-point math shows a 60.2% advantage for Intel, with scores of 57628 versus 22942. Extended instructions favor Intel by 53.2%, scoring 15323 versus 7168. Physics tests show Intel ahead by 58.4%, with 1617 versus 673.

Multi-core rendering and synthetic scores also favor Intel. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Intel part scores 1616 versus 1248, a 22.8% lead. Geekbench multicore shows the Intel part at 9963 versus 5648, a 43.3% advantage. Passmark multithread gives Intel 19297 versus 13160, a 31.8% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core goes to Intel by 46.3%, with 293 versus 157.3. Geekbench single-core gives Intel 2270 versus 1154, a 49.2% lead. Passmark single-thread and single-threaded tests both show Intel at 4051 versus 2239, a 44.7% advantage. Data encryption favors Intel by 9.8%, with 13779 versus 12429. Random string sorting goes to Intel by 3.7%, with 22416 versus 21591.

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 wins only two tests, both in Passmark. Data compression gives AMD 187062 versus 181443, a 3.1% lead. Integer math gives AMD 44518 versus 42669, a 4.3% lead. These wins are narrow compared to the margins Intel achieves elsewhere. The overall win count is 13 for Intel and 2 for AMD. The average benchmark scores are close, at 21484 for AMD and 20897 for Intel, but the distribution of performance is heavily skewed toward the Intel part in most workloads. The Ryzen 5 2600 does hold a percentile rank of 75 versus 74 for the Intel part, which reflects its competitive standing against all CPUs in the database, but the head-to-head data shows that the Core Ultra 7 268V is the faster processor in nearly every recorded test.