AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T, which claims 9 of the 11 shared PassMark tests. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D takes only 2 wins, but those wins are meaningful in specific workloads.

The largest single delta in the entire comparison is in floating-point math. Intel's Core Ultra 5 225T scores 82,751 against AMD's 34,511, a 58.3% advantage. This is the widest gap recorded in any head-to-head test between the two processors, and it reflects a fundamental architectural difference in raw compute throughput for this instruction class.

Single-thread performance follows the same pattern. Intel scores 4,348 in the single-thread PassMark test, while AMD manages 2,941. The delta is 32.4% in Intel's favor. The same margin appears in the duplicate passmark_singlethread result, confirming the consistency of the measurement. This gap is critical for lightly threaded applications where one core carries the workload.

Data encryption shows another substantial Intel win. Intel posts 18,289 versus AMD's 13,967, a 23.6% difference. Extended instruction throughput goes to Intel as well, with 20,083 against 15,925, a 20.7% margin. These two tests together indicate that the Intel processor handles specialized instruction paths with considerably more headroom.

The multithread score favors Intel at 25,358 versus 20,363, a 19.7% advantage. This is somewhat counterintuitive given that AMD offers 12 threads while Intel offers only 10, but the Intel core design compensates with higher per-core throughput and a higher boost clock. Random string sorting follows the same trend: Intel scores 28,774 against AMD's 23,675, a 17.7% lead. Prime number finding shows Intel at 284 versus AMD's 170, a 40.1% margin, which is the second-largest delta of the entire set.

Data compression is the closest contest. Intel wins with 233,998 versus AMD's 230,392, but the margin is only 1.5%. This is the tightest result recorded, indicating that both processors are nearly equivalent in compression throughput despite their very different designs.

AMD's two wins are narrow in one case and substantial in the other. Integer math goes to AMD with 60,033 against Intel's 59,543, a 0.8% edge. This is the smallest delta in the dataset, essentially a statistical tie. The physics test is a different story: AMD scores 2,282 against Intel's 2,053, an 11.2% advantage. The physics workload is the clearest victory for the AMD part and suggests that its cache configuration provides a measurable benefit in this specific compute pattern.

The overall average benchmark score tells a more complicated story than the head-to-head results. AMD's average is 37,018, while Intel's is 30,468. The reason for this discrepancy is that AMD has additional benchmark scores in its profile that are not part of the shared head-to-head set, and those scores lift its average. The nearest rival data confirms this: AMD's closest competitor is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with an average score of 36,938, a delta of only 0.2%. Intel's closest rival is the Intel Core i9-11980HK at 30,422, also a 0.2% delta. In percentile terms, AMD ranks in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while Intel ranks in the 82nd.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T scores 4,348, which is 32.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D's 2,941.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes. AMD wins the integer math test with 60,033 versus 59,543, a 0.8% margin, and the physics test with 2,282 versus 2,053, an 11.2% margin.

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

A: Floating-point math shows the biggest delta. Intel scores 82,751 while AMD scores 34,511, a 58.3% advantage for Intel.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T edges out the AMD part with 233,998 versus 230,392, a margin of just 1.5%.

Q: Which processor has the higher overall percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T sits in the 82nd percentile.

Q: How large is the multithread performance gap?

A: Intel leads with 25,358 against AMD's 20,363, a 19.7% advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD uses the Zen 3 architecture under the codename Vermeer, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. Intel uses the Arrow Lake architecture under the codename Arrow Lake-S, built on a 3 nm process, also at TSMC. The process node difference is substantial: 7 nm versus 3 nm, which directly influences power efficiency and transistor density.

The transistor counts reflect this. Intel's die contains 17,800 million transistors across a 243 mm² die. AMD's transistor count is not recorded in the database, but its die size is 74 mm². The die size difference is stark, with Intel's silicon being more than three times larger by area.

Core topology differs as well. AMD provides 6 cores and 12 threads, relying on simultaneous multithreading to reach the higher thread count. Intel provides 10 cores and 10 threads, with no multithreading support. This means Intel's thread count equals its core count, while AMD doubles its thread count through SMT. The physical core advantage belongs to Intel, but AMD retains the thread count advantage.

Cache hierarchies are entirely different in scale and organization. AMD uses a 64 KB L1 per core, a 512 KB L2 per core, and a massive 96 MB shared L3 cache. Intel uses a 192 KB L1 per core, a 3 MB L2 per core, and only 20 MB of shared L3. The L3 difference is enormous: 96 MB versus 20 MB, a 4.8x advantage for AMD. The L2 difference favors Intel, with 3 MB per core versus 512 KB per core, a 6x advantage. These cache tradeoffs explain the divergent benchmark behavior: AMD's large L3 helps in cache-sensitive workloads like physics, while Intel's larger per-core L2 and higher clocks help in throughput-heavy tasks.

Memory support also diverges completely. AMD uses DDR4 with dual-channel access and a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Intel uses DDR5 with dual-channel access and a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, exactly double the AMD figure. ECC memory is supported by AMD but not by Intel. PCIe connectivity differs by generation: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes.

Integrated graphics separate the two as well. AMD has no integrated graphics, listed as N/A. Intel includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units. The socket platforms are incompatible: AMD uses Socket AM4, while Intel uses Socket 1851.

Clock behavior differs in an interesting way. AMD's base clock is 3.00 GHz with a boost of 4.00 GHz. Intel's base clock is lower at 2.50 GHz, but its boost clock reaches 4.90 GHz. The boost delta is 0.90 GHz in Intel's favor. Thermal design power also differs, with AMD rated at 105 watts and Intel at 65 watts.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show distinct values across nearly every category. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D uses 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses 10 cores and 10 threads. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz for AMD and 2.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 4.00 GHz for AMD and 4.90 GHz for Intel. TDP is 105 watts for AMD and 65 watts for Intel.

Sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket AM4 versus Intel Socket 1851. Process nodes differ at 7 nm versus 3 nm. Die size is 74 mm² for AMD and 243 mm² for Intel. L1 cache is 64 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 96 MB shared for AMD and 20 MB shared for Intel.

Memory support is DDR4 for AMD and DDR5 for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for AMD and 102.4 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory is supported on AMD but not on Intel. PCIe generation is Gen 4 for AMD and Gen 5 for Intel, both with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are absent on AMD and present on Intel as Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 EU. Both processors have locked multipliers, and both are marked as Active in production status.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T dominates the majority of workloads. Any task that stresses floating-point math benefits enormously from Intel's architecture, given the 58.3% lead in that specific test. Single-threaded applications also clearly favor Intel, with a 32.4% advantage, making it the better choice for software that relies on one or two cores with high clock speeds. The 4.90 GHz boost clock and 3 nm process support this profile. Encryption workloads, extended instruction sets, prime number calculations, random string sorting, and general multithreaded throughput all side with Intel. The multithread win at 19.7% is notable because Intel achieves it with fewer threads, suggesting stronger per-core efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D wins in two specific areas. The physics test result, an 11.2% advantage, points to workloads that benefit from the 96 MB shared L3 cache. The integer math win, while narrow at 0.8%, indicates that pure integer throughput is essentially at parity with the Intel part despite the clock and process disadvantages. For scenarios where cache capacity matters more than raw clock speed, the AMD processor holds its ground. Its 12 threads also provide more parallel scheduling opportunities in heavily threaded software, even if the benchmark results show Intel pulling ahead in multithreaded throughput overall.

The average score and percentile data add context. AMD's 85th percentile ranking exceeds Intel's 82nd, and AMD's average benchmark score of 37,018 is higher than Intel's 30,468. However, the shared head-to-head tests tell the opposite story, with Intel winning 9 of 11. The practical interpretation is that the AMD processor's strengths are concentrated in a narrower set of workloads, while Intel delivers broader performance across the measured test suite.