AMD Ryzen 7 160 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, which wins 10 of the 11 shared tests. The only exception is the PassMark integer math test, where the AMD Ryzen 7 160 takes the win. The scale of Intel's dominance varies widely by workload, from a modest single-thread edge to an overwhelming lead in floating-point math.

The Intel part's largest win comes in floating-point math, scoring 84,067 against AMD's 6,673. That is a 92.1% difference in Intel's favor, the most lopsided result in the entire comparison. Prime number finding is nearly as one-sided: Intel scores 304 versus AMD's 43, a 85.9% gap. These two results point to a fundamental throughput advantage in heavily arithmetic workloads. The physics test reinforces the pattern, with Intel at 2,697 versus AMD's 793, a 70.6% lead. Multi-thread performance also strongly favors Intel: 28,717 against 12,237, a 57.4% difference, despite the AMD chip having 16 threads to Intel's 12.

In the remaining PassMark workloads, Intel's advantage is smaller but still consistent. Data encryption shows Intel at 21,367 against 15,520, a 27.4% edge. Random string sorting favors Intel 34,082 to 25,981, a 23.8% difference. Extended instructions deliver Intel 23,906 versus 16,170, a 32.4% margin. Data compression is closer, with Intel at 276,539 and AMD at 242,634, a 12.3% gap. Single-thread performance shows Intel at 4,180 versus AMD's 3,435, a 17.8% advantage, which is the narrowest deficit for the AMD part among Intel's wins.

The AMD Ryzen 7 160's sole victory is in integer math, where it records 81,370 against Intel's 64,934. That 25.3% edge is substantial and shows that AMD's Zen 3+ cores can outpace the Intel design in at least one important integer-heavy workload. However, this single win does little to offset the breadth of Intel's advantages across the rest of the suite.

Context from the database's rival listings adds perspective. The AMD part's average benchmark score is 37,117, placing it at the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-12900T with an average score of 37,112, the Intel Core i7-13700 at 37,135, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37,093, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7735H at 37,161. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 33,989 and sits at the 84th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H at 34,083, the Intel Core i7-12800HX at 33,875, the Intel Xeon 6353P at 33,844, and the AMD EPYC 4244P at 34,220. So while the head-to-head PassMark wins overwhelmingly favor Intel, the overall average score actually favors AMD, which is a nuance worth noting. The two parts land within 3,128 points of each other in average score, with AMD ahead, even though Intel wins nearly every individual PassMark test in the shared set.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturing and design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 160 uses TSMC's 6 nm process node and is built on the Zen 3+ architecture with the Rembrandt-R codename. Intel's Core Ultra 5 338H uses Intel's own 3 nm process and the Panther Lake architecture with the Panther Lake-H codename. The process node difference is significant: 6 nm versus 3 nm, which helps explain why Intel can pack more compute into a similar power envelope.

Core counts diverge sharply. AMD provides 8 cores and 16 threads, relying on simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count. Intel provides 12 cores and 12 threads, with no multithreading, yet still wins the multi-thread benchmark by a wide margin. That result indicates the Intel cores are individually much more capable, or the Panther Lake design has other advantages that compensate for the lack of SMT.

Cache hierarchies are also different. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel uses 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches on the Intel side are notable, as they give each core more local data storage.

Memory support differs as well. AMD supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s and includes ECC support. Intel supports LPDDR5X memory on a dual-channel bus with a much higher memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s, but it lacks ECC support. The bandwidth gap, 136.5 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s, is nearly 1.8 times in Intel's favor, which likely contributes to its strong showing in memory-sensitive tests like data compression and random string sorting.

PCIe capabilities differ. AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 4 lanes from the CPU. Intel's PCIe 5 support offers higher per-lane bandwidth, but AMD offers far more total lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses the Radeon 680M, while Intel uses the Arc B370. Both are mobile-class parts, but the database does not provide graphics benchmarks for comparison.

The AMD part uses the AMD Socket FP7, while Intel uses the Intel BGA 2540 socket. Both are mobile sockets, and both processors have locked multipliers, so neither offers overclocking flexibility. The AMD part's die size is listed as 210 mm², while Intel's die size is not recorded in the database. The AMD part's release date is September 30, 2025, while Intel's is January 4, 2026, making Intel the newer design by roughly three months.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins 10 of the 11 shared tests, with the AMD Ryzen 7 160 winning only the PassMark integer math test.

Q: How large is Intel's lead in floating-point math?

A: Intel scores 84,067 versus AMD's 6,673, a 92.1% difference. This is the largest gap in any shared benchmark.

Q: Does the AMD part have any advantage in the benchmark data?

A: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 7 160 wins integer math with 81,370 versus Intel's 64,934, a 25.3% edge. It also has a higher average benchmark score of 37,117 compared to Intel's 33,989, and sits at the 85th percentile versus Intel's 84th.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: AMD uses 8 cores and 16 threads with multithreading. Intel uses 12 cores and 12 threads with no multithreading. Despite having fewer threads, Intel wins the multi-thread benchmark 28,717 to 12,237.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: AMD uses a 6 nm process from TSMC. Intel uses a 3 nm process from its own foundry.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: Intel supports LPDDR5X on a dual-channel bus with 136.5 GB/s of bandwidth. AMD supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 76.8 GB/s. Intel's bandwidth is nearly double.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. AMD includes the Radeon 680M, and Intel includes the Arc B370. Both are integrated solutions, but the database does not provide graphics benchmark scores for either.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification field. The AMD Ryzen 7 160 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has 12 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks differ: AMD runs at 2.70 GHz, Intel at 1.90 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with AMD at 4.75 GHz and Intel at 4.70 GHz. Thermal design power differs slightly: AMD is rated at 28 watts, Intel at 25 watts.

The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses AMD Socket FP7, Intel uses Intel BGA 2540. Architecture and codename differ, with AMD on Zen 3+ (Rembrandt-R) and Intel on Panther Lake (Panther Lake-H). Process nodes differ, with AMD on 6 nm TSMC and Intel on 3 nm Intel. AMD's die size is 210 mm²; Intel's die size is not recorded.

Cache configurations differ at every level. AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. Memory support differs: AMD uses DDR5, Intel uses LPDDR5X. Memory bandwidth differs, with AMD at 76.8 GB/s and Intel at 136.5 GB/s. ECC support is present on AMD but absent on Intel.

PCIe support differs: AMD has Gen 4 with 20 lanes, Intel has Gen 5 with 4 lanes. Integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 680M, Intel uses Arc B370. Part numbers differ, with AMD listed as 100-000000991(FP7r2) and Intel as SA4REQ9EW. Release dates differ, with AMD on September 30, 2025 and Intel on January 4, 2026. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and neither has a recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is the clear winner in the majority of benchmark categories. Its 92.1% lead in floating-point math and 85.9% lead in prime number finding make it the obvious choice for workloads dominated by heavy arithmetic computation. The 70.6% advantage in physics tests and the 57.4% advantage in multi-thread performance reinforce its strength in compute-intensive, parallel workloads. The Intel part also wins single-thread performance by 17.8%, so it is not merely a multi-core specialist; it also leads in lightly threaded tasks. Data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting all favor Intel, with margins ranging from 12.3% to 32.4%. For any user running a broad mix of computational tasks, the Intel part delivers faster results in nearly every measured category.

The AMD Ryzen 7 160 wins only the integer math test, with a 25.3% margin over Intel. That is a meaningful result for integer-heavy software, but it is the sole bright spot in the head-to-head data. The AMD part also has a higher average benchmark score, 37,117 versus 33,989, and a slightly higher percentile ranking, 85th versus 84th. These aggregate figures suggest that the AMD part is competitive in the broader CPU landscape, even if it loses most direct comparisons to the Intel part. Its higher base clock of 2.70 GHz versus 1.90 GHz and its 16 threads versus 12 may help in certain integer-bound or highly threaded scenarios, though the benchmark data does not show a broad advantage. The AMD part also supports ECC memory, which Intel does not, and offers 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes compared to Intel's 4 Gen 5 lanes, which could matter for expandability.

The overall picture is one of specialization. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is the stronger general-purpose processor in this comparison, with wins in 10 of 11 tests and particularly dominant results in floating-point, prime number, physics, and multi-thread workloads. The AMD Ryzen 7 160 is the better choice for integer math, and its higher average score and percentile ranking indicate it holds its own against a wide range of competing CPUs, but it cannot match the Intel part in the head-to-head measurements recorded here.