AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a dominant performance profile for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, which wins all 11 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The largest single gap appears in the prime number search test, where the Intel part scores 358 against the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U's 21, a delta of 94.1 percent in favor of Intel. This test is highly sensitive to single-core efficiency and clock speed, and the margin here is the widest in the entire comparison set.

Extended instruction workloads also show a massive separation. The Core Ultra 5 225 records 27,162 in PassMark extended instructions, while the Ryzen 5 3501U manages 3,274, a 87.9 percent deficit for AMD. Floating-point math follows a similar pattern: Intel scores 92,038, AMD scores 12,707, which puts the Ryzen part 86.2 percent behind. These results indicate that the Intel processor carries a substantial advantage in both SIMD throughput and general math-heavy execution.

Multithreaded performance is heavily skewed as well. The Intel chip scores 30,459 in PassMark multithread, versus 7,071 for the AMD chip, a 76.8 percent gap. The physics subtest reinforces this trend, with Intel at 2,342 and AMD at 483, a 79.4 percent difference. Data compression and encryption workloads also favor Intel: compression scores are 302,811 versus 87,380 (71.1 percent gap), and encryption scores are 22,285 versus 5,580 (75 percent gap). Random string sorting shows a 71.5 percent advantage for Intel, with scores of 36,590 and 10,414.

The closest margin in the entire set is in single-thread performance, where Intel leads by 51.6 percent. The Core Ultra 5 225 scores 4,412 in PassMark single-thread, while the Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2,136. Integer math shows a 59.7 percent gap, with Intel at 65,345 and AMD at 26,321. Even in the least favorable comparison for Intel, the margin remains substantial, confirming that the Core Ultra 5 225 outperforms the Ryzen 5 3501U across every measured workload category.

The average benchmark scores reflect this overall trend. The Intel part holds an average score of 36,938, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The AMD part averages 14,320, sitting in the 69th percentile. The nearest rival to the Intel chip is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average score of 36,945, a delta of 0 percent, while the nearest rival to the AMD chip is the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 at 14,336, a delta of 0.1 percent. These proximity values indicate that the Ryzen 5 3501U competes with older embedded and low-power mobile parts, whereas the Core Ultra 5 225 sits in a much higher performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras and market segments. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is based on the Picasso architecture, part of the Ryzen 5 generation built on the Zen+ microarchitecture. It uses a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries and integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 uses the Arrow Lake architecture, belonging to the Core Ultra Series 2 generation, and is fabricated on a 3 nm node by TSMC. It packs 17,800 million transistors into a 243 mm² die.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The AMD chip provides 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning it has no simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel chip provides 10 cores and 10 threads, also without multithreading. Clock speeds favor Intel substantially: the Ryzen part has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, whereas the Core Ultra 5 225 runs at 3.30 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost. The higher boost clock directly explains much of the single-thread benchmark margin.

Cache hierarchies differ in both size and allocation. The Ryzen 5 3501U has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L2 and the fivefold increase in shared L3 give the Intel processor a significant advantage in workloads that repeatedly access moderate-sized datasets.

Memory support also separates the two. The AMD part supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. That is nearly three times the theoretical memory bandwidth, which helps explain the Intel advantage in data compression and random string sorting, both of which are memory-latency and bandwidth sensitive.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses PCIe Gen 3, while the Core Ultra 5 225 supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes available from the CPU. Integrated graphics are also distinct: AMD uses Radeon Vega 8, while Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

The market segments are not the same. The Ryzen 5 3501U is a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP5, while the Core Ultra 5 225 is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1851. The thermal design power reflects this: the AMD part is rated at 15 watts, the Intel part at 65 watts. The release dates also differ, with the Intel chip launching in January 2025 and the AMD chip following in May 2026, though both remain in active production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 4,412 in PassMark single-thread, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2,136. Intel leads by 51.6 percent.

Q: How much faster is the Intel part in multithreaded workloads?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 scores 30,459 in PassMark multithread, versus 7,071 for the Ryzen 5 3501U, a 76.8 percent advantage for Intel.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 supports DDR5 with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 have ECC memory support listed as false.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U uses a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 uses a 3 nm process from TSMC.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show differences in nearly every category. The core count differs: AMD has 4 cores, Intel has 10. Thread counts follow the same pattern: 4 threads for AMD, 10 for Intel. Base clocks are 2.10 GHz for AMD and 3.30 GHz for Intel, while boost clocks are 3.70 GHz and 4.90 GHz respectively.

Thermal design power is 15 watts for the AMD mobile part and 65 watts for the Intel desktop part. Socket types differ completely: AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel Socket 1851. The process node is 12 nm for AMD (GlobalFoundries) and 3 nm for Intel (TSMC). Transistor counts are 4,940 million for AMD and 17,800 million for Intel. Die sizes are 210 mm² and 243 mm².

Cache configurations diverge at every level. L1 cache is 96 KB per core for AMD and 192 KB per core for Intel. L2 cache is 512 KB per core for AMD and 3 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache is 4 MB shared for AMD and 20 MB shared for Intel. Memory support is DDR4 for AMD and DDR5 for Intel, with memory bandwidths of 38.4 GB/s and 102.4 GB/s. PCIe support is Gen 3 for AMD and Gen 5 with 20 lanes for Intel.

Integrated graphics differ: Radeon Vega 8 for AMD versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU for Intel. Market segments are Mobile and Desktop respectively. Release dates are May 2026 for AMD and January 2025 for Intel. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $246; the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP. Both processors have locked multipliers and do not support ECC memory.

The Verdict

The recorded data makes the performance hierarchy unambiguous. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is the faster processor in every single benchmark comparison, with margins ranging from 51.6 percent in single-thread to 94.1 percent in prime number search. Its average benchmark score of 36,938 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U averages 14,320 and sits in the 69th percentile.

The architectural differences explain the performance gap fully. The Intel chip has more than double the cores, a higher boost clock by 1.20 GHz, a smaller process node, a larger and faster cache hierarchy, and more than double the memory bandwidth. The Ryzen 5 3501U operates at a much lower thermal envelope of 15 watts, which makes it suitable for thin-and-light mobile designs, but that power constraint directly limits its performance ceiling.

For workloads that depend on raw compute throughput, the Core Ultra 5 225 is the clear choice. For workloads that prioritize low power consumption in a mobile chassis, the Ryzen 5 3501U has a purpose, but it cannot match the Intel part on any measured performance metric. The data does not show a single scenario where the AMD chip wins a head-to-head comparison.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 wins in all 11 recorded benchmark categories. Its largest advantages come in prime number search (94.1 percent ahead), extended instructions (87.9 percent ahead), and floating-point math (86.2 percent ahead). These results point to strengths in scientific computing, financial modeling, and any workload that heavily uses SIMD or transcendental math functions.

The Intel chip also dominates memory-intensive tasks. Data compression shows a 71.1 percent advantage, and random string sorting shows a 71.5 percent advantage. These workloads benefit directly from the Intel chip's larger L3 cache and higher DDR5 memory bandwidth. Encryption, integer math, multithread, physics, and single-thread tests all favor Intel by margins between 51.6 percent and 79.4 percent.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not record a single winning benchmark. Its only distinct advantages are structural rather than performance-based: a 15 watt TDP compared to 65 watts, a mobile socket for integration into laptops, and a smaller die size. Within the recorded benchmark data, the AMD part's role is limited to power-constrained mobile applications where the Intel desktop part cannot be physically installed. The Core Ultra 5 225 is the performance winner across every measured metric, and the database shows no workload category where the Ryzen 5 3501U closes the gap to a competitive level.