AMD Ryzen 7 160 vs Intel Core Ultra 3 205 Comparison

AMD Ryzen 7 160 and Intel Core Ultra 3 205 are two very different designs: one is a 28-watt mobile processor with 16 threads, the other a 57-watt desktop chip with 8 threads. The benchmark data shows a clear overall winner, but the analysis reveals distinct strengths for each, particularly in specific integer-heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results are decisive. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 wins 10 of the 11 direct comparisons, with only a single victory for the AMD Ryzen 7 160. The largest margin for Intel comes in floating-point math, where the Core Ultra 3 205 scores 75,136 against the Ryzen 7 160's 6,673, a delta of -91.1 percent in favor of Intel. This is a massive gap, reflecting the fundamental architectural differences between the two processors.

The Core Ultra 3 205 also shows a substantial lead in the find prime numbers test, scoring 268 versus 43, a -84 percent delta. The multithread benchmark follows a similar pattern: Intel scores 26,167, AMD scores 12,237, a -53.2 percent delta. In physics, the Intel chip scores 2,016 against 793, a -60.7 percent delta. The extended instructions test shows Intel ahead by 28.4 percent (22,578 vs. 16,170), and data encryption shows Intel ahead by 17.3 percent (18,772 vs. 15,520). Single-thread performance also favors Intel: 4,575 versus 3,435, a -24.9 percent delta. Random string sorting is closer, with Intel at 31,083 versus AMD's 25,981, a -16.4 percent delta. Even data compression, which is often a strong point for AMD, goes to Intel: 260,651 versus 242,634, a -6.9 percent delta.

The sole AMD win is in integer math, where the Ryzen 7 160 scores 81,370 against the Core Ultra 3 205's 54,755, a 48.6 percent delta in favor of AMD. This is a significant outlier in an otherwise one-sided comparison. The data suggests that the AMD chip's 16 threads provide a distinct advantage in this specific workload, despite the Intel chip's higher single-thread and overall multithread scores. The average benchmark scores reflect this split: the Ryzen 7 160 has an average of 37,117, while the Core Ultra 3 205 averages 31,473.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded benchmark results, the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 is the stronger processor for the vast majority of tasks. Its wins span encryption, compression, sorting, physics, and especially floating-point and prime-finding workloads. The data indicates that the Core Ultra 3 205 is better suited for applications that rely on single-thread performance, complex mathematical calculations, and high-throughput multithreaded tasks. Its Cinebench results reinforce this: it scores 19,856 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2,803 in single-core, alongside 8,339 in Cinebench R20 multicore and 1,177 in single-core, and 2,001 in Cinebench R15 multicore with 282 in single-core.

The AMD Ryzen 7 160's win in integer math is its only clear advantage in this dataset. This suggests that for workloads that are heavily dependent on integer operations, the Ryzen 7 160 can outperform the Intel chip by a wide margin. The 48.6 percent delta is substantial, indicating that in a specialized integer-heavy application, the AMD processor could be the better choice. However, this is a narrow use case. The AMD chip also has a higher average benchmark score at 37,117, compared to Intel's 31,473, but this average includes all recorded scores, and the head-to-head results show Intel winning in most categories.

The percentile rankings place the AMD Ryzen 7 160 at the 85th percentile across all CPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 sits at the 82nd percentile. The nearest rivals for the AMD chip, based on average score, include the Intel Core i9-12900T (37,112, 0 percent delta), the Intel Core i7-13700 (37,135, 0 percent delta), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37,093, 0.1 percent delta), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7735H (37,161, -0.1 percent delta). The Intel Core Ultra 3 205's nearest rivals are the Intel Core 7 240H (31,483, 0 percent delta), the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX (31,495, -0.1 percent delta), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H (31,508, -0.1 percent delta), and the Intel Core i5-13500 (31,510, -0.1 percent delta).

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different architectures, which explains the benchmark results. The AMD Ryzen 7 160 uses the Zen 3+ architecture (codenamed Rembrandt-R) on a 6 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 210 mm². It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.75 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s and ECC memory support. The integrated graphics are Radeon 680M, and it uses AMD Socket FP7.

The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 uses the Arrow Lake architecture (codenamed Arrow Lake-S) on a 3 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. It has 8 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its cache includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 15 MB of shared L3 cache. It also supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, but with a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It does not support ECC memory. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU, and it uses Intel Socket 1851.

The key differences are the thread count: AMD has 16 threads versus Intel's 8, which explains AMD's win in integer math. The Intel chip has a higher base and boost clock, and a larger L2 cache per core, which contributes to its single-thread advantage. The memory bandwidth difference (102.4 GB/s vs. 76.8 GB/s) also favors Intel in memory-intensive tasks. The process node is smaller for Intel (3 nm vs. 6 nm), and the transistor count is higher, but the die size is also larger. The PCIe support differs: AMD has Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel has Gen 5 with 20 lanes. The market segments are different as well: AMD is a mobile part, while Intel is a desktop part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 160 has 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 8 threads.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference?

A: In the PassMark single-thread test, the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 scores 4,575, while the AMD Ryzen 7 160 scores 3,435, a -24.9 percent delta in favor of Intel.

Q: Does the AMD chip win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 160 wins the PassMark integer math test, scoring 81,370 versus 54,755 for Intel, a 48.6 percent delta.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 160 has a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 102.4 GB/s.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 160's boost clock of 4.75 GHz.

Q: What are the Cinebench R23 scores for the Intel chip?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 scores 19,856 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2,803 in single-core.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 is the stronger processor for general and most multithreaded workloads. It wins 10 of the 11 head-to-head benchmarks, with particularly large margins in floating-point math, prime number finding, and physics. Its higher boost clock, larger L2 cache, and higher memory bandwidth contribute to these results. The Intel chip is also a desktop part with a 57-watt TDP, whereas the AMD chip is a mobile part with a 28-watt TDP, which explains some of the performance differences.

The AMD Ryzen 7 160 is the better choice only for workloads that are heavily dependent on integer math, where its 48.6 percent advantage in that specific test could be decisive. Its 16 threads do not help it in most other benchmarks, as the Intel chip outperforms it in the multithread test by 53.2 percent. The AMD chip also has an 85th percentile ranking versus Intel's 82nd, but this does not translate into a head-to-head win.

For users running typical desktop applications, the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 delivers superior performance across the board. For specialized integer-heavy tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 160 offers a unique advantage. The launch MSRP for the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 is $140, but no pricing data is available for the AMD Ryzen 7 160. The choice depends on the workload: choose Intel for overall performance, AMD for integer-specific applications.