AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two processors cleanly by workload type. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins 9 of the 11 recorded head-to-head tests, including every major throughput measurement except integer math and physics. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins only 2 tests, but those wins are notable: integer math by 9% and physics by 3%. The average benchmark score tells the broader story: the AMD part scores 44573, while the Intel part scores 33989. That 31% gap in average score places the AMD chip at the 89th percentile of all CPUs, versus the 84th percentile for Intel.

The verdict from the data: the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is the stronger all-around performer for mixed workloads, encryption, floating-point math, and single-threaded tasks. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is the pick for integer-heavy code and physics simulations, where its 96 MB of shared L3 cache and higher base clock deliver wins. For desktop builders with an AM5 platform, the AMD part fits a 65 W desktop socket. For mobile systems requiring a 25 W processor with integrated Arc graphics, the Intel part is the only option between the two, as it uses a BGA 2540 socket. The data does not support a single universal winner; it supports two distinct deployment targets.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-threaded score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H records a PassMark single-thread score of 4180, which is 16.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D's 3494.

Q: Which processor wins in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins the PassMark multithread test with a score of 28717, beating the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D's 25047 by 12.8%.

Q: Where does the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D outperform the Intel part?

A: The AMD chip wins PassMark integer math (70774 vs 64934, a 9% advantage) and PassMark physics (2779 vs 2697, a 3% advantage).

Q: How do their cache configurations differ?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D has 96 MB of shared L3 cache, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 KB of L1 per core. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has 18 MB of shared L3, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 192 KB of L1 per core.

Q: What are the process nodes and foundries for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D uses a 5 nm process from TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H uses a 3 nm process from Intel's own foundry.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D supports DDR5 with dual-channel memory and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H supports LPDDR5X with dual-channel memory and 136.5 GB/s bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design lineages. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D belongs to the Ryzen 5 generation built on Zen 4 (Raphael), using a 5 nm process fabricated by TSMC. It contains 11,270 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is a Panther Lake-H part, using a 3 nm process from Intel's own foundry, and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 3 generation. The database records no transistor count or die size for the Intel chip.

Core counts and thread counts differ sharply. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel chip has 12 cores and 12 threads, indicating a hybrid architecture where not all cores add thread count. The AMD chip's base clock is 4.00 GHz with a boost of 4.50 GHz. The Intel chip runs a 1.90 GHz base with a 4.70 GHz boost, so the Intel part relies on boost behavior while the AMD part starts from a much higher base.

Cache organization is a major architectural split. The AMD part uses a large shared L3 pool of 96 MB, which is typical of the X3D line, with 1 MB L2 per core and 64 KB L1 per core. The Intel part uses 18 MB of shared L3, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 192 KB L1 per core. The Intel L1 is larger per core, but the AMD L3 is over five times larger in total. This explains the AMD wins in integer math and physics, where large working sets fit into the 96 MB L3.

Memory controllers also diverge. AMD supports DDR5 with dual-channel access and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, plus ECC memory support. Intel supports LPDDR5X with dual-channel access and 136.5 GB/s bandwidth, without ECC. The Intel chip has higher raw memory bandwidth, which contributes to its wins in data compression and encryption.

PCIe connectivity differs. The AMD part provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU. The Intel part provides Gen 5 with only 4 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD lists Radeon Graphics, while Intel lists Arc B370. The AMD chip is a desktop part on Socket AM5; the Intel chip is a mobile part on BGA 2540.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show these direct differences:

• Cores: 6 (AMD) vs 12 (Intel)
• Threads: 12 (both)
• Base clock: 4.00 GHz (AMD) vs 1.90 GHz (Intel)
• Boost clock: 4.50 GHz (AMD) vs 4.70 GHz (Intel)
• TDP: 65 W (AMD) vs 25 W (Intel)
• Socket: AMD Socket AM5 (AMD) vs Intel BGA 2540 (Intel)
• Process node: 5 nm (AMD) vs 3 nm (Intel)
• Foundry: TSMC (AMD) vs Intel (Intel)
• L1 cache: 64 KB per core (AMD) vs 192 KB per core (Intel)
• L2 cache: 1 MB per core (AMD) vs 2.5 MB per core (Intel)
• L3 cache: 96 MB shared (AMD) vs 18 MB shared (Intel)
• Memory support: DDR5 (AMD) vs LPDDR5X (Intel)
• Memory bandwidth: 83.2 GB/s (AMD) vs 136.5 GB/s (Intel)
• ECC memory: true (AMD) vs false (Intel)
• PCIe lanes: 24 (AMD) vs 4 (Intel)
• Integrated graphics: Radeon Graphics (AMD) vs Arc B370 (Intel)
• Market segment: Desktop (AMD) vs Mobile (Intel)
• Release date: 2025-11-11 (AMD) vs 2026-01-04 (Intel)
• Launch MSRP: $269 (AMD only; Intel has no recorded MSRP)
• Multiplier unlocked: false (both)
• Transistors: 11,270 million (AMD) vs null (Intel)
• Die size: 71 mm² (AMD) vs null (Intel)

The AMD part has a much higher base clock, larger L3, ECC support, more PCIe lanes, and a lower process node number in terms of feature size. The Intel part has more cores, a higher boost clock, lower TDP, larger L1 and L2 per core, and higher memory bandwidth.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H comes in floating-point math. Intel scores 84067 against AMD's 43594, a 48.1% advantage. This is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison. The Intel chip also wins data encryption by 26.1% (21367 vs 15797), find prime numbers by 27.3% (304 vs 221), and single-thread by 16.4% (4180 vs 3494). Extended instructions go to Intel by 14.4% (23906 vs 20455). Multithread goes to Intel by 12.8% (28717 vs 25047). Data compression is close: Intel wins by 1.8% (276539 vs 271649). Random string sorting also goes to Intel by 3.2% (34082 vs 32999).

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins two tests. Integer math shows AMD ahead by 9% (70774 vs 64934). Physics shows AMD ahead by 3% (2779 vs 2697). These are modest margins compared to Intel's floating-point blowout, but they are consistent with the large L3 cache advantage. In integer workloads and physics simulations, the 96 MB L3 likely keeps more working data on-chip, reducing trips to memory.

The average benchmark scores confirm the spread. AMD's average of 44573 places it near the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H (44466, 0.2% delta), the Intel Core i9-13950HX (44342, 0.5% delta), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (44309, 0.6% delta). It trails the Intel Core i5-14600 (44889, -0.7% delta). Intel's average of 33989 sits near the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (34083, -0.3% delta), the Intel Core i7-12800HX (33875, 0.3% delta), the Intel Xeon 6353P (33844, 0.4% delta), and the AMD EPYC 4244P (34220, -0.7% delta). The AMD part's nearest rivals are all higher-scoring desktop or high-end mobile chips, while the Intel part's rivals are mid-range mobile and server parts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins in all measured floating-point, encryption, and compression workloads. The data shows a 48.1% lead in floating-point math, a 26.1% lead in data encryption, a 27.3% lead in prime number finding, and a 14.4% lead in extended instructions. For any task that involves heavy mathematical computation, cryptography, or data transformation, the Intel part is the clear choice from these benchmarks. Its higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz and higher memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s support these wins. The Intel chip also wins single-threaded performance by 16.4%, which matters for lightly threaded applications such as web browsing, office work, and legacy software.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins in integer math and physics. The 9% integer math advantage and 3% physics advantage point to workloads that are latency-sensitive and benefit from the 96 MB L3 cache. Physics simulations, certain database operations, and integer-heavy compute tasks are the recorded strengths. The AMD chip's higher base clock of 4.00 GHz and its desktop socket placement make it a better fit for systems where sustained all-core integer work is the priority. The AMD part also has ECC memory support, which the Intel part lacks, so error-correcting memory environments favor AMD.

For system builders, the platform choice is decisive. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a desktop processor with a launch MSRP of $269, fitting AM5 motherboards with Gen 5 PCIe and 24 CPU lanes. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is a mobile processor with a 25 W TDP, fitting BGA 2540 laptops with LPDDR5X memory and only 4 CPU PCIe lanes. The recorded data does not indicate that one processor is universally superior; it indicates that the Intel part dominates general throughput and single-thread performance, while the AMD part holds specific integer and physics wins. Choosing between them depends on whether the workload favors Intel's floating-point and encryption strengths or AMD's cache-heavy integer and physics strengths.