AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS vs Intel Core Ultra 7 164U Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U and AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS are two mobile processors that occupy different design philosophies, yet benchmark data shows they deliver a surprisingly close overall performance profile. The Intel chip wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD part takes 5, but the margin of victory in several Intel wins is narrow, and AMD’s wins include some of the largest deltas in the entire comparison. This split suggests that the choice between these two depends heavily on the specific workload, rather than a single overall winner. The data shows a 71st percentile ranking for the Intel part and a 70th percentile for the AMD part, which underscores how evenly matched they are in the broader CPU landscape.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U dominates in single-threaded and lightly-threaded scenarios, as well as in specific integer and physics workloads. Its single-core results are consistently ahead across every Cinebench generation, with deltas ranging from 2.6% in R20 to a massive 52% in R15. The PassMark single-thread score of 2996 versus 2873 (4.3% ahead) reinforces this trend. The Intel processor also excels in prime number finding, with a score of 56 versus 31, an 80.6% advantage, which indicates a strong showing in workloads that rely on fast integer division and branch prediction. Furthermore, its floating-point math score of 33581 is 45.4% higher than the AMD’s 23091, making it the clear choice for compute-heavy scientific or engineering tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS, conversely, demonstrates its strength in multi-threaded sustained workloads and compression/encryption tasks. Its most significant victory comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 10418 versus Intel’s 8766, a 15.9% lead. This is the single biggest multi-core win in the comparison. AMD also leads in data compression (152168 vs 137133, a 9.9% edge) and extended instructions (10887 vs 7918, a 27.3% lead), suggesting better throughput on AVX-heavy and data-shuffling tasks. The Radeon 660M integrated graphics likely play a role in the overall platform, but the benchmark data specifically shows the CPU core advantages in these areas. The AMD part also edges out Intel in random string sorting by a slim 1.1% margin, indicating a small but consistent advantage in memory-bound sorting operations.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divergence between these two parts is stark. The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is built on Meteor Lake, a 7nm Intel process, and features a hybrid 12-core, 14-thread design with a base clock of 1100 MHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. Its cache layout includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 12 MB L3. This processor is designed for efficiency, with a 9W TDP, and it pairs with an Arc Xe-LPG 64EU integrated GPU. The AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS, on the other hand, is a monolithic Zen 3+ design on a 6nm TSMC process, featuring just 4 cores and 8 threads. It runs at a higher 3.20 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.20 GHz. Its cache is smaller per core (64 KB L1, 512 KB L2), but the shared L3 is 8 MB. The AMD part has a 45W TDP, reflecting a much higher power envelope, and it uses a Radeon 660M GPU.

These differences explain the benchmark outcomes. The Intel part’s higher boost clock and 14 threads give it an edge in single-threaded and lightly-threaded tasks, while its lower TDP suggests it can maintain those boosts in short bursts. The AMD part’s higher base clock and larger power budget allow it to sustain high all-core throughput, which is why it wins the R23 multi-core test. The process node difference (6nm TSMC vs 7nm Intel) does not directly translate into a performance win, as the data shows a trade-off between efficiency-focused design and power-hungry throughput. The AMD part also has a larger die size of 210 mm², whereas the Intel die size is not specified.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results reveal a pattern: Intel wins the older Cinebench tests decisively, while AMD dominates the newer multi-core test. In Cinebench R15, Intel leads multi-core by 24.2% (1304 vs 1050) and single-core by 52% (225 vs 148). The single-core delta is the largest in the entire comparison, indicating a significant architectural advantage for Intel in legacy single-threaded execution. The R20 results narrow considerably, with Intel only 2.6% ahead in both multi-core (4488 vs 4375) and single-core (633 vs 617). This suggests that as the workload scales, the AMD part becomes more competitive.

The R23 multi-core test flips the script. AMD wins by 15.9% (10418 vs 8766), which is a substantial reversal from the R15 result. This indicates that the AMD processor’s 45W TDP allows it to maintain high clocks across all four cores for extended periods, whereas the Intel part’s 9W TDP likely causes throttling or clock reduction under sustained load. In R23 single-core, Intel still wins, but by a smaller 8.2% margin (1590 vs 1470), showing that the single-thread advantage persists but is not as overwhelming as in R15.

Beyond Cinebench, the PassMark suite shows mixed results. Intel wins integer math by 25.4% (50387 vs 40174) and physics by 59.9% (918 vs 574), but AMD wins extended instructions by 27.3% (10887 vs 7918). The data compression test goes to AMD by 9.9% (152168 vs 137133), while encryption is a near-tie with AMD ahead by 2.4% (9051 vs 8838). The multithread PassMark score favors Intel by 8.6% (13296 vs 12243), which is interesting given AMD’s R23 win, suggesting that the specific mix of instructions in PassMark’s multithread test favors Intel’s core configuration. The single-thread PassMark score is close, with Intel ahead by 4.3% (2996 vs 2873).

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct user profiles. The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is the better choice for users who prioritize responsive single-threaded performance, such as in office productivity, web browsing, and light coding. Its 52% lead in R15 single-core and 8.2% lead in R23 single-core show that it will feel snappier in most everyday tasks. It also wins the floating-point and integer math tests by wide margins, making it suitable for spreadsheet calculations, data analysis, and some light scientific computing. Its lower 9W TDP suggests it belongs in thin-and-light laptops where battery life is paramount, and its 12 cores/14 threads provide enough parallelism for moderate multitasking.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS is the better choice for sustained multi-core workloads, specifically rendering or video encoding. Its 15.9% lead in R23 multi-core is decisive, and its 27.3% lead in extended instructions makes it superior for AVX-512 or similar vectorized workloads. The data compression win also favors users who work with large archives or database operations. However, the 45W TDP means it will generate more heat and require a thicker chassis with better cooling. The AMD part’s 4 cores and 8 threads are a limitation, but the benchmark results show that in the specific tests where it wins, it does so by a large enough margin to matter. A user who prioritizes multi-core rendering over everything else should choose the AMD, while a user who values general snappiness and efficiency should choose the Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U wins every single-core benchmark, including a 52% lead in Cinebench R15 (225 vs 148) and an 8.2% lead in R23 (1590 vs 1470).

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS have any significant multi-core advantage?

A: Yes, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD wins by 15.9% (10418 vs 8766), which is the largest multi-core delta in the comparison. It also wins the data compression test by 9.9%.

Q: Which processor is better for floating-point math?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is significantly better, scoring 33581 versus 23091, a 45.4% advantage in the PassMark floating-point math test.

Q: How do their thermal designs differ?

A: The Intel part has a 9W TDP, while the AMD part has a 45W TDP. This indicates the Intel is designed for lower power consumption, while the AMD is designed for higher sustained performance at the cost of more heat.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Is the AMD processor ahead in any instruction-heavy workload?

A: Yes, in the PassMark extended instructions test, the AMD scores 10887 versus 7918, a 27.3% lead, indicating stronger performance with advanced SIMD instructions.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core Ultra 7 164U | AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Cores | 12 | 4 |

| Threads | 14 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1100 MHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.80 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 9W | 45W |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 6 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| L1 Cache | 112 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 76.8 GB/s |

| ECC Memory Support | No | Yes |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 4, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU | Radeon 660M |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2551 | AMD Socket FP7 |

| Die Size | Not specified | 210 mm² |

| Launch MSRP | $448 | Not specified |