AMD Ryzen 7 170 vs Intel Core Ultra 3 205 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 170 and Intel Core Ultra 3 205 are both 8-core processors, yet they target fundamentally different segments. The Ryzen 7 170 is a mobile part designed for the AMD Socket FP7, while the Core Ultra 3 205 is a desktop chip for Intel Socket 1851. The benchmark data shows a clear split: the Intel part dominates in 9 of the 11 head-to-head comparisons, while the AMD chip secures wins in 2, with one of those being a decisive margin. The Ryzen 7 170 also holds a higher average benchmark score of 43689 against the Core Ultra 3 205’s 31473, but the Intel part counters with a far superior single-thread score.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 is the clear winner in most computational workloads. Its strongest showing is in single-threaded performance, where it scores 4575 compared to the Ryzen 7 170’s 3128, a 31.6% advantage. This dominance carries into extended instructions, where it leads by 19.8%, and floating-point math, where it beats the AMD part by 40.1%. The physics test also favors Intel, with a score of 2016 versus 890, a 55.9% gap. The Core Ultra 3 205 also wins the multithread test with 26167 against 20760, a 20.7% lead, despite having only 8 threads versus the Ryzen’s 16.

The AMD Ryzen 7 170 takes the integer math workload decisively, scoring 79738 against 54755, a 45.6% margin. It also wins data compression, scoring 265920 versus 260651, a narrow 2% edge. These wins indicate that the Ryzen 7 170’s architecture handles integer-heavy and compression tasks more efficiently, even though its overall multithread score is lower. For workloads that rely on encryption, random string sorting, or prime number generation, the Intel part is the better choice, with leads of 14.4%, 10.5%, and 81.7% respectively.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural families. The AMD Ryzen 7 170 uses the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt-R, built on a 6 nm process at TSMC with a die size of 210 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 uses the Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-S, built on a 3 nm process also at TSMC, with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. The Intel part is part of the Core Ultra Series 2 generation.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The Ryzen 7 170 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Core Ultra 3 205 offers 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 15 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip’s larger per-core L1 and L2 caches likely contribute to its higher single-thread performance.

Memory support is DDR5 for both, with dual-channel buses. However, the Intel part has a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s compared to the Ryzen’s 76.8 GB/s. The Ryzen 7 170 supports ECC memory, while the Core Ultra 3 205 does not. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Intel chip uses Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are present in both, with the Ryzen featuring Radeon 680M and the Intel featuring Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU.

Power and clock behavior also separate the two. The Ryzen 7 170 has a TDP of 35 watts, a base clock of 3.20 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.75 GHz. The Core Ultra 3 205 has a TDP of 57 watts, a base clock of 3.80 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Intel part’s higher clocks and power envelope align with its desktop positioning. The Ryzen 7 170 is a mobile part released on 2025-09-30, while the Core Ultra 3 205 is a desktop part released on 2025-07-31 with a launch MSRP of $140.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 scores 4575 in the PassMark single-thread test, which is 31.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 170’s 3128.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 170 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins PassMark integer math with a score of 79738 (a 45.6% lead) and PassMark data compression with 265920 (a 2% lead).

Q: How do the two processors compare in multithread performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 leads with a PassMark multithread score of 26167, while the AMD Ryzen 7 170 scores 20760, a 20.7% difference in favor of Intel.

Q: What are the thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 170 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 170 has 16 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has 15 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 170 has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 has a TDP of 57 watts.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 170 | Intel Core Ultra 3 205 |

|---|---|---|

| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |

| Series | null | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Threads | 16 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.75 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 57 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Zen 3+ | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Rembrandt-R | Arrow Lake-S |

| Generation | Ryzen 7 (Zen 3+ (Rembrandt)) | Ultra 3 (Arrow Lake) |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | TSMC |

| Transistors | null | 17,800 million |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 15 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | true | false |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 680M | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2025-09-30 | 2025-07-31 |

| Launch MSRP | null | $140 |

| Part Number | 100-000000989 | SRVFC |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the dataset belongs to the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 in the PassMark find prime numbers test. The Intel part scores 268 against the Ryzen 7 170’s 49, an 81.7% advantage. This result highlights a massive difference in integer-heavy, branch-heavy workloads. The floating-point math test also shows a significant gap, with Intel at 75136 versus AMD’s 44979, a 40.1% lead. Physics performance follows a similar pattern, with Intel scoring 2016 versus 890, a 55.9% difference.

The AMD Ryzen 7 170’s biggest win is in integer math, where it scores 79738 against 54755, a 45.6% margin. This is the only head-to-head test where the AMD part wins by a substantial amount. Its data compression win is much smaller, only 2%, with scores of 265920 versus 260651. The remaining Intel wins range from 10.5% in random string sorting to 31.6% in single-thread performance. The data encryption test favors Intel at 18772 versus 16078, a 14.4% lead, and extended instructions favor Intel at 22578 versus 18107, a 19.8% lead.

The overall benchmark picture is consistent. The Intel Core Ultra 3 205 delivers stronger results in 9 of 11 tests, including all of the most common general-purpose workloads. The AMD Ryzen 7 170’s two wins are in integer math and data compression, but its average benchmark score of 43689 is still higher than Intel’s 31473. The Ryzen 7 170’s percentile rank of 88 versus Intel’s 82 places it higher overall in the database, despite losing most direct comparisons. This indicates that the Ryzen 7 170’s strong integer and compression performance, along with its 16 threads, contributes to a higher aggregate score across the full PassMark suite. The Intel part’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core 7 240H and AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX, while the AMD part’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 and Ryzen 7 260.