AMD Ryzen 5 7400 vs Intel Core 5 221TE Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents an unambiguous hierarchy: the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 wins all 11 recorded head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core 5 221TE. The database shows a 0-11 sweep in favor of the AMD part, with the average benchmark score for the Ryzen 5 7400 at 42055 versus 17860 for the Intel Core 5 221TE. The Ryzen 5 7400 sits at the 88th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 221TE lands at the 71st percentile. For workloads that depend on raw compute throughput, the Ryzen 5 7400 is the clear choice. The Intel Core 5 221TE still has a role, but the data positions it as a lower-power, lower-performance alternative rather than a competitor on equal footing.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 5 7400 wins every recorded benchmark category, but the margin varies significantly by workload type. The largest advantage appears in extended instructions, where the AMD part scores 19924 against 9655, a 106.4% lead. This indicates a substantial advantage in workloads using advanced SIMD or specialized instruction sets. Random string sorting shows an 83.8% gap (31110 vs 16929), suggesting memory-heavy sorting tasks heavily favor the AMD architecture. Single-thread performance is also decisively in favor of the Ryzen 5 7400, with a score of 3248 versus 1734, an 87.3% advantage. This matters for lightly threaded applications such as older games or productivity tools that rely on one or two cores.

The Intel Core 5 221TE, despite losing every comparison, shows its smallest deficit in the physics test, trailing by only 17.7% (977 vs 1150). The floating-point math gap is also comparatively narrow at 28.8% (31661 vs 40784). These closer margins suggest the Intel part is relatively less disadvantaged in physics simulation and floating-point workloads than in integer math, encryption, or sorting. The Intel Core 5 221TE also has a much lower TDP of 45 watts versus 65 watts for the AMD part, which, combined with its 10 cores and 16 threads, makes it a candidate for power-constrained environments where maximum performance is not the primary goal. However, the recorded benchmark data offers no category where the Intel part comes out ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturing and design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 is built on TSMC's 5 nm process with 6,570 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. It uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, and belongs to the 7000 series. The Intel Core 5 221TE uses Intel's 10 nm process, has a 215 mm² die, and is based on the Bartlett Lake design. The transistor count for the Intel part is not recorded in the database.

Core configuration differs substantially. The AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel part has 10 cores and 16 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD part delivers higher multithread performance in the recorded data, scoring 21712 versus 13301 in the PassMark multithread test, a 63.2% advantage. This indicates the Zen 4 cores are significantly more efficient per thread than the Bartlett Lake cores.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core 5 221TE has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has a larger total cache footprint, yet the AMD part still wins all cache-sensitive benchmarks in the recorded data, suggesting cache size alone does not determine performance in these tests.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD part supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a recorded bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with a recorded bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. The AMD part offers PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part offers PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics differ: the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 uses Radeon Graphics, while the Intel Core 5 221TE uses UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier and a part number of 100-000001900, while the Intel part is locked, with part number SRVQS. The Intel Core 5 221TE has a recorded launch MSRP of $232. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has no recorded launch MSRP. The AMD part was released on 2025-09-15, while the Intel part was released on 2025-01-12, making the Intel part earlier to market by eight months.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 scores 3248 in the PassMark single-thread test, while the Intel Core 5 221TE scores 1734. The AMD part leads by 87.3%.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 221TE have more cores than the AMD Ryzen 5 7400?

A: Yes. The Intel part has 10 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD part wins the multithread benchmark with a 63.2% margin.

Q: What is the power draw difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE has a TDP of 45 watts, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has a TDP of 65 watts. The Intel part has a lower rated power draw.

Q: Which processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 supports DDR5 only.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the recorded benchmarks?

A: The largest gap is in extended instructions, where the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 leads by 106.4%, scoring 19924 versus 9655 for the Intel Core 5 221TE.

Q: Which processor is unlocked for overclocking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core 5 221TE does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent pattern of AMD dominance, but the magnitude of the wins varies widely. In data compression, the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 scores 261749 against 156682 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 67.1% advantage. This is one of the largest absolute score gaps in the dataset, reflecting strong memory bandwidth utilization and efficient integer throughput. Data encryption shows a similar story: 14865 versus 8963, a 65.8% lead for AMD. Encryption workloads often depend on instruction-level parallelism and cryptographic instruction support, and the Zen 4 architecture appears to handle these tasks significantly better.

The extended instructions benchmark produces the most lopsided result. AMD scores 19924, Intel scores 9655, and the delta is 106.4%. This means the AMD part more than doubles the Intel part in this category. For developers compiling code with AVX-512 or other advanced extensions, this gap would translate directly into faster execution times.

Prime number finding shows a 33.9% advantage (79 vs 59). This is a smaller margin than most other tests, but still a clear win for AMD. Floating-point math shows a 28.8% lead (40784 vs 31661), indicating the AMD part handles FP-heavy workloads with less of an edge than integer tasks but still comfortably ahead.

Integer math is another strong AMD category: 64733 versus 42303, a 53% lead. This aligns with the multithread result, where AMD scores 21712 versus 13301, a 63.2% margin. The physics test is the closest overall, with AMD leading 1150 to 977, a 17.7% gap. Random string sorting shows an 83.8% lead (31110 vs 16929), which indicates the AMD memory subsystem and sorting algorithms handle this workload far more efficiently.

Single-thread performance, recorded twice in the database as passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, gives identical results: 3248 for AMD and 1734 for Intel, an 87.3% advantage. This near-doubling of single-thread score is the second-largest percentage gap in the dataset. For applications that cannot use multiple cores, this difference is decisive.

The nearest rivals for the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 provide context for its positioning. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS scores 41963, a 0.2% delta from the Ryzen 5 7400's 42055. The Intel Core i7-14700T scores 41914, a 0.3% delta. The Intel Core i7-12850HX scores 41779, a 0.7% delta. The Intel Core i9-12900K scores 42335, a -0.7% delta, meaning it is slightly ahead. This places the Ryzen 5 7400 in the company of high-end mobile and desktop parts from the previous generation.

The Intel Core 5 221TE's nearest rivals tell a different story. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT scores 17891, a -0.2% delta. The Intel Core 5 120U scores 17898, a -0.2% delta. The Intel Core 7 350 scores 17779, a 0.5% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 1600 scores 17994, a -0.7% delta. This places the Intel Core 5 221TE in the performance class of older desktop processors from several generations ago, rather than competing with modern high-end parts.

The overall average benchmark score confirms the separation: the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 averages 42055, while the Intel Core 5 221TE averages 17860. That is a factor of roughly 2.35 in favor of the AMD part. The percentile ranking also reflects this: 88th versus 71st. The AMD part is positioned near the top of the database's CPU rankings, while the Intel part sits in the upper-middle range.

The production status for both processors is Active, meaning both are currently available in the market. The AMD part uses the AM5 socket, while the Intel part uses Socket 1700. Both are desktop parts. The AMD part has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz and a base clock of 3.30 GHz, while the Intel part has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz and a base clock of 1.80 GHz. The Intel part has a higher boost clock, yet loses every benchmark, indicating that clock speed alone does not compensate for the architectural efficiency differences between Zen 4 and Bartlett Lake.