AMD Ryzen 5 40 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 40 and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 occupy opposite ends of the performance spectrum. The recorded data shows the Intel part wins every single head-to-head benchmark, with a 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs compared to the AMD part’s 70th percentile. The Ryzen 5 40 is a low-power mobile processor designed for efficiency and basic tasks, while the Core Ultra 9 285 is a high-end desktop processor built for maximum throughput. Any analysis of these two parts is a study in extremes, not a competitive comparison.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is the clear choice for any workload where processing power is the primary concern. Its average benchmark score of 75,488 is roughly 4.75 times higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 40’s average of 15,882. The Intel processor dominates in multi-threaded and single-threaded tests alike, making it suitable for demanding applications such as 3D rendering, video encoding, and heavy data processing. The Intel part also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the AMD chip.

The AMD Ryzen 5 40, by contrast, is positioned for a completely different use case. Its 15-watt TDP and mobile market segment point to thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal output are more critical than raw performance. Its benchmark results are sufficient for everyday productivity and light multitasking, but the data shows it trails the Intel processor by 80% or more in most compute-heavy tests. Users who prioritize portability and low power consumption would select the Ryzen 5 40. Those who need maximum performance from the database measurements would select the Core Ultra 9 285. The Intel part carries a launch MSRP of $579.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has an average benchmark score of 75,488, while the AMD Ryzen 5 40 has an average benchmark score of 15,882.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 48,945 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 90.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 40’s score of 4,841 in the same test.

Q: Which processor has a better single-thread score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 4,881 in the Passmark single-thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 5 40 scores 2,477, a difference of 49.3%.

Q: What is the difference in their market segments?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 40 is classified as a mobile processor, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is classified as a desktop processor.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No, the AMD Ryzen 5 40 supports LPDDR5 memory, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 supports DDR5 memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher CPU percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 ranks in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, whereas the AMD Ryzen 5 40 ranks in the 70th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 uses the Zen 2 architecture, specifically the Mendocino codename, and is fabricated on a 6 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 uses the Arrow Lake architecture, codenamed Arrow Lake-S, and is fabricated on a 3 nm process, also by TSMC. The Intel chip integrates 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the AMD chip has a 100 mm² die size.

Core configurations differ sharply. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 has 4 cores and 8 threads, utilizing simultaneous multithreading. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads, with no hyperthreading. Cache hierarchies reflect the scale difference. The AMD processor has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel processor has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

Integrated graphics also differ. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 includes a Radeon 610M GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The AMD chip supports LPDDR5 memory, while the Intel chip supports DDR5. The Intel processor also supports ECC memory, which the AMD processor does not. PCIe capabilities are not equivalent: the AMD part offers Gen 3 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only).

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is core count. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks are close, with the AMD chip at 2.80 GHz and the Intel chip at 2.50 GHz, but boost clocks diverge significantly: 4.30 GHz for AMD versus 5.60 GHz for Intel. TDP ratings are also far apart, with the AMD part rated at 15 watts and the Intel part at 65 watts.

Socket and platform requirements are entirely different. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 uses AMD Socket FT6, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 uses Intel Socket 1851. Memory bandwidth favors Intel: 102.4 GB/s versus 88.0 GB/s for AMD. The AMD processor supports LPDDR5 memory and no ECC, while the Intel processor supports DDR5 memory and ECC. The AMD chip’s integrated graphics are Radeon 610M, while the Intel chip uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. PCIe support differs: the AMD processor provides Gen 3 with 4 lanes, and the Intel processor provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes. The Intel part has a known part number, SRQD4, while the AMD part’s part number is listed as unknown. The Intel part is not multiplier unlocked, and neither is the AMD part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows an overwhelming advantage for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 across all 15 recorded comparisons. The largest single margin comes in the Passmark find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 459 against AMD’s 20, a delta of 95.6%. This is followed by the floating point math test, where Intel scores 194,988 against AMD’s 15,194, a 92.2% difference. In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, Intel scores 48,945 versus AMD’s 4,841, a 90.1% gap. The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows Intel at 4,933 versus AMD at 790, an 84% difference.

The smallest margin is in the Passmark single-thread test, where Intel scores 4,881 and AMD scores 2,477, a 49.3% difference. Even in this closest result, Intel still leads by nearly half. In the Cinebench R23 single-core test, Intel scores 6,909 versus AMD’s 1,150, an 83.4% difference. The Passmark data compression test shows Intel at 602,121 versus AMD’s 141,533, a 76.5% margin. Data encryption results show Intel at 46,949 versus AMD’s 6,646, an 85.8% difference. Extended instructions follow the same pattern, with Intel at 45,357 and AMD at 6,437, also an 85.8% margin.

Integer math results show Intel at 164,869 versus AMD’s 31,598, an 80.8% difference. The Passmark multithread test shows Intel at 56,602 against AMD’s 9,341, an 83.5% gap. Physics scores are 3,598 for Intel and 432 for AMD, an 88% difference. Random string sorting shows Intel at 73,651 and AMD at 15,124, a 79.5% margin. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows Intel at 696 versus AMD’s 165.5, a 76.2% difference.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 wins all 15 head-to-head tests, with no wins recorded for the AMD Ryzen 5 40. The data confirms the Intel part’s nearest rivals are server-class AMD EPYC processors and high-end Ryzen PRO parts, all with average scores within 0.3% of its own. The AMD Ryzen 5 40’s nearest rivals are also EPYC processors, but with average scores near 15,900, confirming its position in a much lower performance tier.