AMD Ryzen 5 7545U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H are two mobile processors vying for the same spot in the market. The database records a 10 to 7 split in benchmark wins in favor of the AMD chip, but the Intel part takes several decisive victories in specific workloads. Both CPUs land at the 79th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database, meaning they sit in the same performance tier. The overall average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 5 7545U is 26849, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H posts a slightly higher 27507. This indicates the Intel chip has a marginal edge in aggregate, but the individual test results reveal a more complex story where each processor excels in distinct areas.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic difference between the two processors appears in the Cinebench R23 tests. In the multicore test, the AMD Ryzen 5 7545U scores 17253 versus the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H’s 12804.5, giving AMD a 34.7% advantage. The single-core result is even more lopsided: AMD scores 2435, Intel scores 1647.5, and the delta reaches 47.8% in favor of the Ryzen. These are enormous gaps, particularly in the single-core test, where the AMD chip outperforms the Intel part by nearly half. This suggests that the Zen 4 cores inside the Ryzen 5 deliver significantly higher per-thread performance than the Meteor Lake cores in the Core Ultra 5.

The Cinebench R15 and R20 results tell a different story for multi-core performance. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H wins with a score of 2021.5 against AMD’s 1739, a 14% margin. However, in Cinebench R20 multicore, the AMD chip reverses the result, scoring 7246 versus Intel’s 7161, a 1.2% lead. The single-core versions of both tests favor AMD: R15 single-core shows AMD at 245 versus Intel’s 241, a 1.7% advantage, and R20 single-core shows AMD at 1022 versus Intel’s 1010, also a 1.2% lead. The inconsistency between R15 and R23 multicore results for the Intel chip, where it wins one and loses the other by a wide margin, suggests the workload scaling varies significantly between test versions.

In the PassMark suite, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H establishes clear dominance in several math-heavy and physics-based tests. The floating point math test shows Intel scoring 51670 against AMD’s 36754, a 28.9% victory. The integer math test also goes to Intel, with scores of 69986 versus 60206, a 14% margin. The physics test shows Intel at 1439 versus AMD’s 1057, a 26.5% lead. The find prime numbers test gives Intel an 88 to 68 win, a 22.7% advantage. These results point to the Intel chip having substantially higher raw computational throughput in these specific workloads, likely due to its higher core count.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U fights back in other PassMark tests. The extended instructions test shows AMD at 17865 versus Intel’s 13749, a 29.9% lead. Random string sorting goes to AMD with 30358 against Intel’s 27435, a 10.7% margin. Data compression shows AMD marginally ahead at 238345 versus 236209, only a 0.9% difference. Data encryption is essentially a tie, with Intel at 14251 and AMD at 14202, a 0.3% edge for Intel. The PassMark multithread test favors Intel narrowly, with scores of 21100 versus 20298, a 3.8% lead. The PassMark single-thread test, however, goes to AMD with 3673 versus Intel’s 3399, an 8.1% advantage.

Looking at the overall count, the AMD Ryzen 5 7545U wins 10 of the 17 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H wins 7. The AMD wins tend to be in single-thread and certain integer or encryption workloads, while the Intel wins are concentrated in multi-threaded math and physics simulations.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U is built on the Zen 4 architecture, with the codename Phoenix2, and belongs to the 7000 series. It uses a 4 nm process node fabricated by TSMC. The chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The transistor count is recorded at 20,900 million, and the die size is 137 mm².

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is based on the Meteor Lake architecture, which is the first generation of Intel’s Core Ultra series. It uses a 7 nm process node from Intel’s own foundry. This chip has 14 cores and 18 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The cache configuration is different: 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The database does not list a transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

The core count difference is significant: Intel offers 14 cores versus AMD’s 6, yet Intel has only 18 threads against AMD’s 12. This means Intel uses a mix of performance and efficiency cores, a design choice that allows for more cores but also introduces scheduling complexity. The AMD chip relies on fewer, more powerful cores with simultaneous multithreading. The boost clock for the AMD chip is higher at 4.90 GHz versus 4.50 GHz for Intel, which helps explain the single-thread advantage.

Memory support differs too. Both support DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and both have a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The AMD chip supports ECC memory, while the Intel chip does not. The PCIe support also differs: AMD lists Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while Intel lists Gen 5 without a lane count. The integrated graphics are the AMD Radeon 740M and the Intel Arc Xe-LPG 96EU, though the database does not record any graphics benchmarks for either.

Both processors have a TDP of 28 watts and are marked as mobile parts. Both are active in production, and both have their multipliers locked. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 2049. The AMD chip was released in November 2023, and the Intel chip was released in December 2023, making them contemporaries.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U is the clear choice for single-threaded performance and workloads that depend on it. The 47.8% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is the largest margin in the entire comparison. The PassMark single-thread test also goes to AMD by 8.1%, confirming that the Zen 4 core design delivers superior per-core speed. This makes the AMD chip well-suited for applications that rely on a few fast threads, such as older games, certain productivity tools, or any task where the main thread dominates the workload. The extended instructions test also favors AMD by 29.9%, suggesting the chip handles complex instruction sets efficiently.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H wins where core count and parallel throughput matter most. The floating point math test shows Intel ahead by 28.9%, and the physics test shows a 26.5% advantage. These are classic multi-threaded workloads that can utilize all available cores. The integer math test also goes to Intel by 14%, and the find prime numbers test gives Intel a 22.7% margin. The Cinebench R15 multicore test, which favors Intel by 14%, further supports the idea that Intel’s 14 cores provide a benefit in certain rendering workloads. However, the Cinebench R23 multicore result contradicts this, with AMD winning by 34.7%, so the advantage is not universal across all rendering loads.

For general multithreaded performance, the PassMark multithread test gives a slight edge to Intel, 21100 versus 20298, a 3.8% margin. The data compression test is nearly tied, with AMD just 0.9% ahead, and data encryption is also tied within 0.3%. These near ties suggest that for many everyday parallel tasks, the two processors are functionally equivalent.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U wins every recorded single-core test. It leads by 1.7% in Cinebench R15, 1.2% in Cinebench R20, 47.8% in Cinebench R23, and 8.1% in PassMark single-thread tests.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H beat the AMD chip in any multi-core test?

A: Yes. The Intel chip wins Cinebench R15 multicore by 14% and PassMark multithread by 3.8%. It also wins PassMark floating point math, integer math, physics, and find prime numbers tests by margins ranging from 14% to 28.9%.

Q: What explains the Intel chip’s higher core count?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H has 14 cores and 18 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7545U has 6 cores and 12 threads. Intel’s design uses a mix of performance and efficiency cores, whereas AMD uses fewer cores with simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 5 7545U supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H does not list ECC support in the database.

Q: Are the two processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both land at the 79th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores are close, with Intel at 27507 and AMD at 26849.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H’s 4.50 GHz.

The Verdict

The recorded data shows two processors with similar overall standings but very different strengths. The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U should be the pick for users who value single-thread speed above all else. The 47.8% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is a decisive metric for applications that cannot leverage many cores. The AMD chip also wins the majority of the head-to-head benchmarks, taking 10 of 17 tests, and it provides ECC memory support, which is a feature that matters in reliability-focused environments. The higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz supports its single-thread dominance.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H should be the pick for users who run heavily parallel workloads, particularly those involving floating point math, physics simulation, or integer-heavy calculations. The 28.9% lead in floating point math and the 26.5% lead in physics are substantial margins that indicate real-world advantages in scientific computing or rendering tasks that scale well across cores. The Intel chip also has a higher average benchmark score overall at 27507 versus 26849, suggesting a slight aggregate advantage despite losing more individual tests.

The near ties in data compression and encryption mean that neither chip has a meaningful edge in those common tasks. For general use, the choice comes down to whether the software in question prefers fewer fast cores or many moderate cores. The AMD chip offers 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip offers 14 cores and 18 threads. The database does not record any power consumption differences beyond the shared 28 watt TDP, so thermal and battery life comparisons cannot be made from this data.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications:

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 7545U | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 14 |

| Threads | 12 | 18 |

| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Meteor Lake |

| Codename | Phoenix2 | Meteor Lake |

| Generation | Ryzen 5 (Zen 4 (Phoenix)) | Ultra 5 (Meteor Lake) |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 20,900 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 137 mm² | Not recorded |

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

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 14 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 740M | Arc Xe-LPG 96EU |

| Release Date | November 2023 | December 2023 |

| Part Number | 100-000000930 (FP7r2), 100-000000929 (FP7) | SRMZ4 |

Both processors share a 28 watt TDP, dual-channel DDR5 memory support, a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and the same production status of Active. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both are classified as mobile parts. The Intel chip has a recorded launch MSRP of $375, while the AMD chip does not have a recorded launch MSRP.