AMD Ryzen 5 8500G vs Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database shows a clear split between these two processors, with the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G taking 13 wins out of 19 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V secures 6 wins. The margin of victory matters more than the raw count, and the data reveals two very different performance profiles.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G dominates in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 18368 against the Intel chip's 10399, a 43.4% advantage. That is the single largest gap in the entire comparison. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a smaller but still decisive lead: 1851 versus 1583.5, a 14.5% edge. The R20 multi-core test repeats the pattern with 7714 against 6958, a 9.8% margin. Geekbench multi-core also favors AMD, 9444 to 8643, an 8.5% difference. PassMark multithread shows 21610 versus 19530, a 9.6% win for the Ryzen.

The AMD chip also wins most integer and data-heavy tasks. PassMark integer math goes to AMD by a wide 31.3% margin, 63123 versus 43358. Data compression favors AMD at 250197 versus 184985, a 26.1% gap. Random string sorting goes AMD's way too, 29407 against 22481, a 23.6% lead. Extended instructions, which often reflects AVX and similar workloads, sees AMD ahead by 18.1%, scoring 19098 versus 15643. Data encryption is nearly even, with AMD at 14220 and Intel at 13998, a 1.6% difference that still counts as an AMD win.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V fights back in specific areas. The most striking win is PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 192 versus AMD's 87, a 120.7% advantage. This is a mathematical workload that clearly favors the Lunar Lake architecture. Floating point math also goes Intel's way, 58576 versus 39074, a 49.9% margin. Physics simulation favors Intel, 1595 to 1318, a 21% edge. Single-threaded PassMark shows Intel ahead 4029 to 3891, a 3.5% win. Cinebench R15 single-core also goes Intel's direction, 285.5 versus 261, a 9.4% lead.

However, the single-core picture is not consistent. Cinebench R20 single-core goes to AMD, 1089 versus 982, a 9.8% margin. Cinebench R23 single-core is a decisive AMD win, 2593 versus 1877.5, a 27.6% gap. Geekbench single-core also favors AMD, 2354 to 1990, a 15.5% difference. So while Intel wins some legacy single-thread tests, the modern Cinebench and Geekbench suites clearly favor the Ryzen.

Looking at the broader database context, the Intel chip sits at the 75th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 21112. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U at 21133 (0.1% behind) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U at 21174 (0.3% behind). The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G holds the 74th percentile with an average score of 20425, placing it near the AMD EPYC 9454P at 20422 (0.0% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V at 20454 (0.1% behind). Despite the Ryzen winning most head-to-head tests, the average scores across all benchmarks are close, which shows that Intel's wins in math and physics tasks carry significant weight.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion: choose the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G for multi-threaded productivity and general computing, but pick the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V if your workload leans heavily on prime number calculations, floating point math, or physics simulations.

The Ryzen 5 8500G is the stronger all-rounder. It wins the two most commonly cited CPU benchmarks, Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core, by 43.4% and 27.6% respectively. It also leads in Geekbench, both multi-core and single-core, by 8.5% and 15.5%. For users running modern rendering, compilation, or data processing tasks, the AMD chip delivers a measurable performance advantage in every major cross-platform suite.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V is the specialist. Its 120.7% lead in prime number finding and 49.9% lead in floating point math are not anomalies; they point to a different instruction handling approach. Anyone running heavy mathematical simulation, scientific computing, or physics engines should take note. The 21% physics win and 3.5% single-thread PassMark lead reinforce this profile.

The overall percentile rankings are nearly identical: 75 for Intel versus 74 for AMD. The average benchmark scores differ by only 687 points out of roughly 21000, which is about 3.3%. That means for mixed workloads, neither chip will embarrass the other. The decision should come down to what you run most often.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins in: multi-core rendering (Cinebench R15, R20, R23), Geekbench multi-core, integer math, data compression, random string sorting, extended instructions, data encryption, and PassMark multithread. These are the workloads that benefit from 12 threads and the higher 5.00 GHz boost clock. The Ryzen's 6 cores with simultaneous multithreading give it a structural advantage in parallel tasks, and the benchmark results confirm that advantage across every major multi-thread test.

Intel Core Ultra 7 256V wins in: prime number finding, floating point math, physics simulation, legacy Cinebench R15 single-core, and PassMark single-thread. The Intel chip has 8 cores but only 8 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. Yet it still beats the Ryzen in these math-heavy tasks. The 120.7% prime number margin and 49.9% floating point margin are the largest wins either chip records in this comparison, showing that raw thread count is not the only factor in performance.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G scores 18368 versus the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V's 10399, a 43.4% advantage for AMD.

Q: Does the Intel chip win any single-core benchmark?

A: Yes. Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core (285.5 versus 261, a 9.4% lead) and PassMark single-thread (4029 versus 3891, a 3.5% lead). However, AMD wins Cinebench R20 single-core, Cinebench R23 single-core, and Geekbench single-core.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in the entire comparison?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 192 versus AMD's 87, a 120.7% difference in Intel's favor.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: Intel has an average benchmark score of 21112, placing it at the 75th percentile. AMD has an average of 20425, placing it at the 74th percentile. The difference is about 3.3%.

Q: Which CPU has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has 12 threads from 6 cores. The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V has 8 threads from 8 cores. AMD's thread advantage is 50% more.

Q: Which CPU is better for physics simulation?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V wins PassMark physics with a score of 1595 versus AMD's 1318, a 21% advantage for Intel.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V uses the Lunar Lake architecture on a 3 nm process node, fabricated by TSMC. It has 8 cores and 8 threads, with no simultaneous multithreading. The base clock is 2.20 GHz and boost clock is 4.80 GHz. The thermal design power is 17 watts, which indicates a low-power design aimed at efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Phoenix2 codename, built on a 4 nm process node, also by TSMC. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with simultaneous multithreading enabled. The base clock is 3.50 GHz and boost clock is 5.00 GHz. The thermal design power is 65 watts, substantially higher than Intel's. AMD's die size is listed at 137 mm² with 20,900 million transistors.

Cache configurations differ significantly. Intel allocates 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on AMD helps in multi-threaded workloads, while Intel's larger per-core L2 may benefit single-threaded and math-heavy tasks.

Memory support also diverges. AMD explicitly supports DDR5 memory with a measured bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s and dual-channel configuration. Intel's memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, though it also uses dual-channel memory. AMD supports ECC memory, while Intel does not.

Specification Differences

The socket types are incompatible: Intel uses BGA 2833, while AMD uses Socket AM5. Intel's PCIe implementation is Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while AMD offers Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ: Intel has Arc 140V, AMD has Radeon 740M.

The release dates show AMD launched on January 7, 2024, while Intel launched on September 23, 2024. The AMD chip has a launch MSRP of $179. Intel has no recorded launch MSRP in the database. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier.

The process node favors Intel at 3 nm versus AMD's 4 nm. The thermal design power favors Intel at 17 watts versus AMD's 65 watts, a nearly 4x difference. The boost clock favors AMD at 5.00 GHz versus Intel's 4.80 GHz. The thread count favors AMD at 12 versus Intel's 8.

The market segment for both is listed as mobile, and both are active in production. Part numbers differ: Intel is SRPMPSRPMZ, AMD is 100-000001491. The AMD chip has a measured memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, while Intel's memory bandwidth is not recorded in the database.