AMD Ryzen 5 8500G vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data delivers a decisive outcome: the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins 18 of the 19 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U takes a single victory. The magnitude of AMD's advantage is substantial in most tests, though the one Intel win is notable for its direction.

The largest gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Ryzen 5 8500G scores 18368 against the Intel chip's 9799, a 46.7% advantage. This is the single biggest delta in the entire dataset. The same test's single-core result shows a 39.8% gap, with AMD scoring 2593 versus Intel's 1561. Cinebench R20 reveals identical 22.5% deltas in both multi-core and single-core runs: AMD posts 7714 and 1089, respectively, while Intel manages 5982 and 844. In Cinebench R15, the deltas are narrower but still favor AMD: 11.4% in multi-core (1851 versus 1640) and 13% in single-core (261 versus 227).

Geekbench results continue the pattern. The Ryzen 5 8500G records 9444 in multi-core, 33.2% ahead of the Core Ultra 5 125U's 6308. Single-core Geekbench shows a 36.6% gap, with AMD at 2354 and Intel at 1493. These are among the larger deltas in the dataset, indicating a clear per-thread performance advantage for the AMD part.

PassMark tests offer a mixed but mostly AMD-favorable picture. The Ryzen 5 8500G leads in data compression by 20.5% (250197 versus 198858) and in data encryption by 14% (14220 versus 12231). Extended instructions show a 40.6% gap (19098 versus 11340), and find prime numbers favors AMD by 26.4% (87 versus 64). Integer math goes to AMD by 9.6% (63123 versus 57046), while multithread performance shows a 19.4% gap (21610 versus 17417). Physics results put AMD ahead by 17.9% (1318 versus 1082), and random string sorting favors AMD by 25.6% (29407 versus 21872). Single-thread PassMark results show AMD leading by 15.3% (3891 versus 3296).

The single Intel victory comes in PassMark floating-point math. The Core Ultra 5 125U scores 41331 against the Ryzen 5 8500G's 39074, a 5.8% margin. This is the only test where Intel's architecture outpaces AMD's, and the gap is modest compared to the deficits Intel faces elsewhere. It suggests Intel's floating-point execution units handle this workload more efficiently, but it stands alone against an otherwise dominant AMD sweep.

Both processors sit at the 74th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning their overall standing is similar despite the head-to-head differences. The average benchmark scores are close: Intel's average is 20826, while AMD's is 20425, a difference of roughly 2% in Intel's favor. This apparent contradiction resolves when considering that the average includes all recorded benchmarks, not just the shared head-to-head tests, and the rival sets differ. Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6325P (average 20821, 0% delta), AMD EPYC 7J13 (20845, -0.1%), Intel Core i5-12490F (20802, 0.1%), and Intel Core Ultra 7 268V (20897, -0.3%). AMD's nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 9454P (20422, 0%), Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (20454, -0.1%), AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (20468, -0.2%), and AMD EPYC 7713 (20363, 0.3%). The percentile parity and average score proximity suggest that outside the shared test suite, the two chips are roughly comparable in overall database standing.

The Verdict

The data points to one clear conclusion: the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is the stronger processor in nearly every measurable shared workload. With 18 wins out of 19 head-to-head tests, including dominant margins in Cinebench R23 multi-core (46.7% ahead), extended instructions (40.6% ahead), and Geekbench single-core (36.6% ahead), the AMD part establishes itself as the superior choice for users prioritizing raw compute throughput. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U cannot offset its losses with the single floating-point win, as a 5.8% edge in one test does little against deficits exceeding 40% in others.

The Ryzen 5 8500G achieves these results with 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip offers 12 cores and 14 threads. The AMD processor's higher clock speeds, with a base of 3.50 GHz and boost of 5.00 GHz against Intel's 1.30 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost, likely explain much of the performance gap. The Intel chip's higher core count does not translate into wins in heavily threaded workloads, as Cinebench R23 multi-core and PassMark multithread both favor AMD by large margins.

For buyers deciding between these two, the benchmark record is unambiguous. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G should be the default pick for anyone whose work involves rendering, compilation, data processing, encryption, or any task that shows up in these benchmarks. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U only makes sense for workloads specifically dominated by floating-point math, where its 5.8% edge could matter, or for users constrained by platform factors not captured in the performance data.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins across the broadest possible range of categories. Rendering workloads favor AMD by 46.7% in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Compression tasks show a 20.5% AMD advantage, while encryption favors AMD by 14% in data encryption tests. Integer-heavy computations go to AMD by 9.6%, and extended instruction sets show a 40.6% AMD lead in PassMark's extended instructions test. Prime number calculation favors AMD by 26.4%, and physics simulations in PassMark show AMD ahead by 17.9% in physics scores. Random string sorting, a proxy for memory-heavy sorting workloads, favors AMD by 25.6% in PassMark's random string sorting test. Multithreaded performance shows AMD ahead by 19.4% in PassMark's multithread test, and single-thread performance shows a 15.3% AMD advantage in PassMark's single-thread test. The overall pattern is one of near-total dominance.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U wins only in floating-point math, with a 5.8% advantage over the Ryzen 5 8500G in PassMark's floating-point math score. This is a narrow victory, and it is the sole instance where Intel's architecture demonstrates a measurable edge. The result indicates that for scientific computing, simulation, or other floating-point-heavy workloads, the Intel chip holds a small but real advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests. It leads by 11.4% in Cinebench R15, 22.5% in Cinebench R20, and 46.7% in Cinebench R23, scoring 1851, 7714, and 18368 respectively against Intel's 1640, 5982, and 9799.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: AMD leads in every single-core test. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 13% gap (261 versus 227), Cinebench R20 shows 22.5% (1089 versus 844), Cinebench R23 shows 39.8% (2593 versus 1561), Geekbench single-core shows 36.6% (2354 versus 1493), and PassMark single-thread shows 15.3% (3891 versus 3296).

Q: Does the Intel chip win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U wins PassMark floating-point math, scoring 41331 against the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G's 39074, a 5.8% margin.

Q: How do their overall database standings compare?

A: Both processors are at the 74th percentile among all CPUs. The Intel chip has an average benchmark score of 20826, while the AMD chip has an average of 20425.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U has 12 cores and 14 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U boosts to 4.30 GHz. The AMD chip also has a higher base clock at 3.50 GHz versus 1.30 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U is built on the Meteor Lake architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It uses a hybrid core layout with 12 cores and 14 threads, combining performance and efficiency cores to balance power and throughput. The cache hierarchy includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG with 64 execution units. The chip uses Intel's BGA 2049 socket and supports PCIe Gen 4 with 12 lanes from the CPU.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses the Zen 4 architecture, specifically the Phoenix2 codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a transistor count of 20,900 million on a 137 mm² die size. Cache includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, slightly lower than Intel's 89.8%. The integrated graphics are Radeon 740M. The chip supports ECC memory, unlike the Intel part, and uses AMD Socket AM5 socket with PCIe Gen 4 with 14 lanes from the CPU. The AMD chip's smaller 4 nm process node and higher clock speeds suggest a design focused on maximizing per-core performance rather than core count.

Specification Differences

The most significant differences in the recorded specifications are clear. The core counts differ: Intel has 12 cores and 14 threads, while AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 1.30 GHz for Intel versus 3.50 GHz for AMD, and boost clocks are 4.30 GHz versus 5.00 GHz. TDP ratings are 15 W for Intel and 65 W for AMD, a substantial difference in power envelope. The process nodes differ, with Intel at 7 nm and AMD at 4 nm. Foundries are Intel for the former and TSMC for the latter. Cache structures differ in both size and organization: Intel uses 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3, while AMD uses 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 89.6 GB/s against AMD's 83.2 GB/s. ECC memory support is not available on the Intel chip but is on the AMD chip. PCIe lanes from the CPU differ: 12 for Intel, 14 for AMD. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG 64EU on Intel and Radeon 740M on AMD. Sockets are Intel BGA 2049 and AMD Socket AM5. Release dates are December 2023 for Intel and January 2024 for AMD. The launch MSRP for the Intel chip is $363, and for the AMD chip it is $179. Both processors have locked multipliers and are classified as mobile market segments.