AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125U Comparison

The benchmark data presents a clear split between two very different processors: the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE, a 6-core Zen 2 desktop chip, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, a 12-core Meteor Lake mobile part. Despite the Intel chip winning 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, the AMD processor secures a decisive victory in the most demanding multi-threaded workload. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the AMD at 20900 and the Intel at 20826, placing both in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. This makes the choice entirely dependent on workload, not overall capability.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE scores 12045 against the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U's 9799, a 22.9% advantage. This is a substantial margin, indicating that for sustained, heavily threaded rendering tasks, the AMD part is the clear leader. The AMD chip also wins the R23 single-core test, scoring 1700 versus 1561, an 8.9% lead. This suggests that in the newest Cinebench version, the Zen 2 architecture's efficiency provides a real edge over the Meteor Lake design.

However, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U dominates the older Cinebench versions. In R20 multi-core, Intel scores 5982 against AMD's 5058, a 15.4% win. The single-core R20 test shows the same 15.4% delta, with Intel at 844 and AMD at 714. The pattern repeats in R15, where Intel wins multi-core with 1640 versus 1213 (a 26% gap) and single-core with 227 versus 171 (a 24.7% gap). This inversion between benchmark generations is a key finding; the Intel chip's advantage shrinks and then reverses as the workload becomes more modern and demanding.

In the Passmark suite, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U is consistently ahead, though the margins vary. The largest Intel win is in floating point math, where it scores 41331 against AMD's 27947, a 32.4% advantage. Physics is another major win for Intel, with a score of 1082 versus 592, a 45.3% delta. The Intel chip also leads in integer math (57046 vs 48513, a 15% win), multi-thread (17417 vs 14171, an 18.6% win), and single-thread (3296 vs 2660, a 19.3% win). The AMD part only manages a 4% win in extended instructions (11792 vs 11340) and narrow losses in data compression (2.9%), data encryption (5.3%), and random string sorting (2.2%). The prime number test is a landslide for Intel, with a score of 64 versus 28, a 56.2% delta.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE is the winner for sustained, multi-threaded rendering workloads as measured by Cinebench R23. Its 22.9% lead in R23 multi-core is the single largest performance gap in the entire comparison. This indicates a capacity for handling long, complex render jobs where the processor is fully utilized for extended periods. The 8.9% win in R23 single-core also suggests that for the latest generation of single-threaded applications, the AMD chip provides better performance per thread.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U wins nearly everywhere else. It is the superior choice for general productivity, as shown by its wins in Passmark multi-thread (18.6% ahead) and integer math (15% ahead). For scientific computing or any workload heavily reliant on floating-point operations, the Intel chip's 32.4% lead in floating point math is decisive. The 45.3% advantage in the physics test points to a clear edge in simulation and physics-based tasks. The Intel chip also excels in single-threaded legacy applications, as evidenced by its 19.3% lead in Passmark single-thread and its wins in both Cinebench R15 and R20 single-core tests.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion: choose the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE if the primary workload is Cinebench R23 multi-core rendering. Its 22.9% lead over the Intel part in that specific test is a strong indicator of its capability in modern, heavily threaded render tasks. It is also the better option for the latest single-threaded Cinebench R23 workloads.

Choose the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U for almost everything else. It holds the advantage in 14 of the 17 benchmarks, including all older Cinebench versions, all Passmark math tests, and all Passmark system-level tests. Its wins in floating point math (32.4%), physics (45.3%), and multi-thread (18.6%) make it the more versatile processor for a broad range of computing tasks. The Intel chip's higher base clock of 1300.00 MHz and boost clock of 4.30 GHz, combined with its 12 cores and 14 threads, contribute to its widespread benchmark dominance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE has an average benchmark score of 20900, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U has a score of 20826. The AMD part is effectively 0.4% ahead, a negligible difference.

Q: In which benchmark does the AMD processor have its largest lead?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE's largest lead is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 12045 versus the Intel's 9799, a 22.9% advantage.

Q: What is the Intel processor's biggest margin of victory?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U's biggest win is in the Passmark find prime numbers test, scoring 64 against AMD's 28, a 56.2% delta.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R20?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U wins both tests. In R20 multi-core, it scores 5982 against AMD's 5058 (a 15.4% win), and in R20 single-core, it scores 844 against 714 (also a 15.4% win).

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Does the AMD processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U does not.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, and is manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process. It has 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U uses the Meteor Lake architecture, also on a 7 nm process, but manufactured by Intel. The AMD chip features a 64 KB L1 cache and 512 KB L2 cache per core, with 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has a larger 112 KB L1 cache and 2 MB L2 cache per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

The memory and PCIe capabilities also differ significantly. The AMD processor supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel processor supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and a much higher bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The AMD chip provides PCIe Gen 3 with 20 lanes (CPU only), whereas the Intel chip provides PCIe Gen 4 with 12 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are also different: the AMD uses Radeon Vega 7, while the Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG 64EU.

Specification Differences

The most notable specification difference is the core count: the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE has 6 cores and 12 threads. The base clocks are also starkly different, with the AMD running at 3.30 GHz and the Intel at 1300.00 MHz. The boost clocks are closer, with the AMD at 4.20 GHz and the Intel at 4.30 GHz. The TDP is a major differentiator, with the AMD at 35 W and the Intel at a much lower 15 W.

The socket types differ, with the AMD using AMD Socket AM4 and the Intel using Intel BGA 2049. The market segment is also different: the AMD is a desktop processor, while the Intel is a mobile processor. The release dates are separated by over a year, with the AMD launching on 2022-11-10 and the Intel launching on 2023-12-13. The AMD has a part number of 100-000001156100-100001156MPK, while the Intel has a part number of SRN6E. Both processors are actively in production and have locked multipliers. The Intel processor has a launch MSRP of $363, while the AMD's launch MSRP is not listed.