AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 7 255H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, which wins 10 of the 11 shared benchmark comparisons. The single AMD win is substantial, but the Intel part dominates across nearly every computational category measured.

The largest margin in the entire comparison belongs to Intel in floating-point math. The Core Ultra 7 255H scores 98,796 against the Ryzen 5 7500X3D's 43,594, a 55.9% advantage. This is the clearest performance gap between the two processors and indicates a major architectural edge in this workload. The Intel processor also wins data encryption by a wide margin, scoring 23,395 versus 15,797, a 32.5% difference. Find prime numbers shows a 27.1% lead for Intel (303 vs 221), while extended instructions favors Intel by 13.9% (23,755 vs 20,455).

Single-thread performance strongly favors the Intel part. The Core Ultra 7 255H records 4,317 in the single-thread test, 19.1% ahead of the AMD's 3,494. This is consistent with the boost clock data, where the Intel chip reaches 5.10 GHz versus the AMD's 4.50 GHz. Multi-thread performance also goes to Intel, with a score of 30,703 against 25,047, an 18.4% advantage. The Intel part leads integer math by 9.2% (77,975 vs 70,774), data compression by 9.1% (298,850 vs 271,649), and random string sorting by 8.5% (36,058 vs 32,999).

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins only the physics benchmark. Its score of 2,779 beats the Intel's 2,254 by 23.3%. This is the single counterpoint to Intel's otherwise sweeping lead and suggests the AMD part has a specific strength in physics-oriented calculations.

Looking at broader database rankings, the AMD processor holds an 89th percentile position among all CPUs, while the Intel part sits at the 83rd percentile. The average benchmark score for the AMD is 44,573, notably higher than the Intel's 33,537, because the AMD's recorded benchmark set includes more high-scoring PassMark tests. The nearest rivals for the AMD include the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H at 44,466 (a 0.2% difference) and the Intel Core i9-13950HX at 44,342 (0.5% difference), placing the Ryzen in strong company. The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 240 at 33,542 (0.0% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS at 33,667 (a 0.4% deficit).

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D uses the Raphael codename with Zen 4 architecture, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H uses the Arrow Lake-H codename with Arrow Lake architecture. The AMD is a desktop part on the AMD Socket AM5, whereas the Intel is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 2049.

The process nodes differ substantially. The AMD uses a 5 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel uses a 3 nm process, also from TSMC. The AMD processor packs 11,270 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. The Intel processor's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database.

Core configurations are starkly different. The AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel has 16 cores and 16 threads. This means the Intel part relies on more physical cores with no hyperthreading, while the AMD uses fewer cores with simultaneous multithreading. The cache hierarchy also differs significantly. The AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core, with a large 96 MB shared L3 cache. The Intel allocates 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 per core, but only 24 MB of shared L3. The AMD's 96 MB L3 is four times larger than the Intel's 24 MB, which likely explains its physics benchmark win.

Clock speeds show the Intel part with both a lower base and a higher boost. The AMD runs at 4.00 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost, while the Intel runs at 2.00 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost. The power envelopes are very different, with the AMD rated at 65 W TDP and the Intel at 28 W TDP, reflecting the mobile versus desktop positioning.

Memory support overlaps on DDR5 but diverges on LPDDR5X. The Intel supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the AMD lists only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The Intel has a higher recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s versus the AMD's 83.2 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. PCIe lanes differ, with the AMD offering Gen 5 with 24 lanes and the Intel offering Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: the AMD uses Radeon Graphics, while the Intel uses Arc Graphics 140T.

The AMD was released on 2025-11-11, while the Intel arrived earlier on 2025-01-12. The AMD has a launch MSRP of $269; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Intel. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H is the clear winner in most computational categories. Floating-point math is its standout result, with a 55.9% lead. This makes it the preferable choice for workloads that rely heavily on floating-point operations. Data encryption shows a 32.5% advantage, indicating strong cryptographic throughput. Prime number finding and extended instruction workloads also favor Intel by 27.1% and 13.9% respectively.

For data compression and random string sorting, the Intel leads by 9.1% and 8.5%. These are common in database and text-processing workloads. Integer math favors Intel by 9.2%. The single-thread score of 4,317 versus 3,494 means the Intel part delivers better responsiveness in lightly threaded applications. Multi-thread performance at 30,703 versus 25,047 gives Intel an 18.4% edge in broadly parallel workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins physics by 23.3%. This is the only benchmark where it leads, but the margin is substantial. The large 96 MB L3 cache likely contributes to this result. The AMD also holds a higher percentile ranking (89th vs 83rd) and a higher average benchmark score (44,573 vs 33,537), though these figures reflect different benchmark sets rather than direct head-to-head wins.

The difference in average scores is notable: 44,573 for the AMD versus 33,537 for the Intel. This reflects the AMD's inclusion in a PassMark-heavy benchmark suite, while the Intel's suite includes Cinebench R15, R20, R23, and Geekbench results alongside PassMark. The Intel's Cinebench R23 multicore score is 9,240 with a single-core score of 1,843. Geekbench multicore is 14,024 and single-core is 2,335. These additional data points show the Intel part's strengths in rendering and general productivity, though no direct AMD equivalents are recorded for those tests.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Cores: AMD 6 vs Intel 16
• Threads: AMD 12 vs Intel 16
• Base clock: AMD 4.00 GHz vs Intel 2.00 GHz
• Boost clock: AMD 4.50 GHz vs Intel 5.10 GHz
• TDP: AMD 65 W vs Intel 28 W
• Socket: AMD Socket AM5 vs Intel BGA 2049
• Codename: Raphael vs Arrow Lake-H
• Architecture: not recorded for AMD vs Arrow Lake for Intel
• Process node: 5 nm vs 3 nm
• Transistors: 11,270 million vs not recorded
• Die size: 71 mm² vs not recorded
• L1 cache: 64 KB per core vs 192 KB per core
• L2 cache: 1 MB per core vs 3 MB per core
• L3 cache: 96 MB shared vs 24 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR5 vs DDR5, LPDDR5X
• Memory bandwidth: 83.2 GB/s vs 102.4 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 5, 24 lanes vs Gen 5, 20 lanes
• Integrated graphics: Radeon Graphics vs Arc Graphics 140T
• Market segment: Desktop vs Mobile
• Release date: 2025-11-11 vs 2025-01-12
• Launch MSRP: $269 vs none recorded
• Part number: 100-000001904 vs SRQAN

The processors share these specifications: dual-channel memory bus, ECC memory support, and locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H wins 10 of the 11 shared benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D wins only the physics benchmark.

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

A: The largest gap is in floating-point math, where the Intel scores 98,796 against the AMD's 43,594, a 55.9% advantage.

Q: How do their cache configurations compare?

A: The AMD has 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with 96 MB shared L3. The Intel has 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core, with 24 MB shared L3.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H scores 4,317 in single-thread tests, which is 19.1% higher than the AMD's 3,494.

Q: What are their process nodes?

A: The AMD uses a 5 nm TSMC process, while the Intel uses a 3 nm TSMC process.

Q: How do their memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The Intel records 102.4 GB/s, while the AMD records 83.2 GB/s. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split by use case. The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H is the stronger processor in the majority of measured workloads. Its wins in floating-point math, encryption, single-thread, and multi-thread tests make it the better choice for general computing, productivity, and numerically intensive tasks. The 55.9% lead in floating-point math is particularly decisive.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is the better choice for physics-based workloads, where its 23.3% lead indicates a specific advantage. Its 96 MB L3 cache and 89th percentile ranking show it remains a competitive desktop processor. The AMD also carries a launch MSRP of $269, while no price is recorded for the Intel.

The Intel part's higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz and 16 physical cores give it advantages in both lightly threaded and heavily threaded scenarios. The AMD's 6 cores with 12 threads and lower 4.50 GHz boost cannot match the Intel's throughput in most categories. The physics result, however, confirms that the AMD's large cache has real value in specific calculations.

For users prioritizing physics simulation performance, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D delivers the better result. For everything else measured in this comparison, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H is the consistent winner. The Intel's 28 W TDP also indicates a more power-efficient design, though the AMD's 65 W TDP reflects its desktop positioning. The choice between these two processors depends on whether the workload matches the AMD's physics advantage or falls into the Intel's broad lead across the other ten benchmarks.