AMD Ryzen 5 5560U vs Intel Xeon W-2133 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark record splits cleanly between these two six-core, twelve-thread processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U takes the older Cinebench R15 tests, while the Intel Xeon W-2133 dominates the newer Cinebench R23 workload. This is not a case of one chip being uniformly faster; it is a case of two different performance profiles that respond differently to the same software versions.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U scores 1280 against the Intel Xeon W-2133's 1075, a 19.1% advantage. The single-core R15 result is even more lopsided: 202 versus 151, a 33.8% margin for AMD. These are substantial wins in both throughput and single-threaded performance, and they suggest that the Zen 3 architecture in the 5560U extracts more work per clock in that particular rendering workload.

The tables turn in Cinebench R23. The Intel Xeon W-2133 scores 10676 in multi-core versus 7667 for the AMD part, which is a 28.2% lead for Intel. In single-core R23, the Xeon posts 1507 against 1260, a 16.4% advantage. The Xeon's margin in multi-core R23 is the largest gap recorded in either direction across the entire head-to-head comparison.

The average benchmark scores place the two chips nearly level. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U has an average benchmark score of 3162, while the Intel Xeon W-2133 sits at 3087. The AMD part lands at the 53rd percentile of all CPUs, the Intel part at the 52nd. These are adjacent performance tiers, and the head-to-head wins are split evenly at two apiece.

The practical takeaway is workload-dependent. For older Cinebench R15-based tasks, the AMD chip is clearly stronger, especially in single-threaded performance where the 33.8% delta is decisive. For newer Cinebench R23-based tasks, the Intel Xeon W-2133 is the better choice, with a particularly strong multi-core showing. Neither chip dominates the other across the full test suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U is a mobile part from the 5000 series, built on Zen 3 architecture with the Cezanne-U codename. It uses a 7 nm process node from TSMC, packs 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, and carries a 15 W TDP. The Intel Xeon W-2133 is a server and workstation processor from the Skylake-W family, built on 14 nm process technology from Intel, with a 484 mm² die and a 140 W TDP. The die size difference is stark: Intel's chip is nearly 2.7 times larger physically, even though both have six cores and twelve threads.

Cache configurations differ in meaningful ways. Both allocate 64 KB of L1 cache per core. The AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core, while the Intel part has 1 MB per core, double the L2 allocation. For shared L3 cache, the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U offers 8 MB, while the Intel Xeon W-2133 offers 8.25 MB. The Intel chip's larger per-core L2 cache is a notable architectural advantage, though the total L3 figures are nearly identical.

Memory subsystems diverge substantially. Both support DDR4, but the AMD part runs dual-channel with a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel part runs quad-channel with 85.3 GB/s. That is a 66% bandwidth advantage for the Xeon, which matters in memory-intensive workstation tasks. Both support ECC memory, a relevant feature for reliability-focused workloads.

PCIe connectivity also differs sharply. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U provides Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU only. The Intel Xeon W-2133 provides Gen 3 with 48 lanes from the CPU only, six times the lane count. For systems that need many expansion cards, storage devices, or accelerators, the Xeon's PCIe capacity is a major structural advantage.

Clock speeds tell a nuanced story. The Intel Xeon W-2133 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The AMD chip boosts slightly higher, but the Intel chip has a much higher base clock, which helps sustained all-core workloads. The Xeon's 140 W TDP versus the AMD's 15 W TDP reflects the power envelope difference between a workstation processor and a mobile processor, though the benchmark data shows the higher-power part does not win every test.

The AMD part includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, while the Intel Xeon W-2133 has no integrated graphics. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket FP6, the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 2066. The AMD part was released in January 2021 and remains active in production. The Intel part was released in August 2017 and is end-of-life. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $617.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear use-case split. For single-threaded performance in older Cinebench R15 workloads, the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U is the stronger part, with a 33.8% lead in single-core and a 19.1% lead in multi-core. For newer Cinebench R23 workloads, the Intel Xeon W-2133 is the stronger part, with a 28.2% lead in multi-core and a 16.4% lead in single-core. The average benchmark scores are nearly tied, 3162 versus 3087, so neither chip holds a broad aggregate advantage.

The Intel Xeon W-2133 also brings platform-level advantages that are not captured in CPU-only benchmark scores. Its quad-channel memory interface delivers 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth, and its 48 PCIe Gen 3 lanes allow far more expansion capability. These features point to workstation and server deployments where memory bandwidth and I/O capacity matter as much as raw compute. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U, with its 15 W TDP and integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, is clearly a mobile-oriented part, suited to laptops and compact systems where power efficiency and integrated display output are priorities.

Who should pick which: a system builder prioritizing Cinebench R23 throughput, memory bandwidth, and PCIe expansion should choose the Intel Xeon W-2133. A user whose workload tracks Cinebench R15 results, or who needs a low-power mobile processor with integrated graphics, should choose the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U. The 53rd and 52nd percentiles reinforce that these are adjacent performers in the overall CPU landscape.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Xeon W-2133 scores 10676 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, compared to 7667 for the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U, giving Intel a 28.2% advantage.

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R15 single-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U scores 202 versus 151 for the Intel Xeon W-2133, a 33.8% lead for AMD.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U and the Intel Xeon W-2133 support ECC memory.

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

A: The Intel Xeon W-2133 provides 85.3 GB/s over a quad-channel DDR4 interface, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U provides 51.2 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR4 interface.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The Intel Xeon W-2133 has 48 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U has 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U includes Radeon Vega 6 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon W-2133 has no integrated graphics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test opens the comparison with a decisive AMD win. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U scores 1280, and the Intel Xeon W-2133 scores 1075. The 19.1% delta places the mobile AMD part clearly ahead of the workstation Intel part in this older rendering workload. This is notable because the Xeon has a much higher base clock, 3.60 GHz versus 2.30 GHz, and a much larger power envelope, 140 W versus 15 W. The Zen 3 architecture in the AMD chip compensates for those disadvantages in this test.

The Cinebench R15 single-core result widens the gap further. AMD scores 202, Intel scores 151, and the 33.8% delta is the largest single margin in the entire head-to-head set. This is a strong indicator of per-core efficiency in the AMD design for this workload, and it aligns with the AMD chip's higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz versus 3.90 GHz for the Intel part.

The Cinebench R23 multi-core test reverses the outcome completely. The Intel Xeon W-2133 scores 10676, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U scores 7667. The 28.2% delta is the largest margin in the entire comparison, and it favors Intel by a wide margin. This is the most important result for anyone running modern multi-threaded rendering workloads, as R23 is the newer and more demanding version of the Cinebench suite.

The Cinebench R23 single-core test also favors Intel, though by a smaller margin. The Xeon scores 1507 against 1260 for the AMD chip, a 16.4% advantage. This is an interesting reversal from the R15 single-core result, where AMD led by 33.8%. The two chips trade single-core leadership depending on which version of the Cinebench rendering engine is used, which suggests that software version differences materially affect the performance ranking.

The aggregate picture from these four tests is a 2-2 split, with AMD winning both R15 tests and Intel winning both R23 tests. The average benchmark scores tell the same story of near-parity: AMD at 3162, Intel at 3087. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U sits at the 53rd percentile of all CPUs, and the Intel Xeon W-2133 sits at the 52nd. The head-to-head deltas range from a 33.8% AMD advantage in R15 single-core to a 28.2% Intel advantage in R23 multi-core, with the remaining two tests falling in between.

For users deciding between these two, the benchmark data does not offer a universal winner. It offers a workload-specific answer. Older Cinebench R15-based tasks favor the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U, and newer Cinebench R23-based tasks favor the Intel Xeon W-2133. Platform considerations such as memory bandwidth, PCIe lane count, power envelope, and integrated graphics further differentiate the two, and these factors should weigh heavily in any final decision.