AMD Ryzen 7 260 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two processors cleanly by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 wins 7 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins 8. That near-even split hides a very distinct division of labor. The AMD part dominates integer math, data compression, encryption, and multithreaded PassMark workloads, while the Intel part takes every single-thread test and the floating-point and physics tests.

The Ryzen 7 260 is the pick for mixed productivity that leans on integer throughput and parallel compression or encryption work. Its 62.5% lead in PassMark integer math and 50.2% lead in data compression are the largest margins in either direction across the whole comparison. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T is the pick for lightly threaded applications where single-core response matters, plus any workload that stresses floating-point math or physics simulation. Its 42.9% margin in Cinebench R23 single-core and 40.7% margin in PassMark physics are decisive.

For general desktop use with a mix of office tasks, media playback, and occasional rendering, the database average benchmark score favors the AMD part: 43717 versus 30468. That 43.5% gap in average score places the Ryzen 7 260 in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 225T sits in the 82nd percentile. The AMD processor also draws less power on paper, with a 45 TDP versus the Intel part's 65 TDP, making it the more efficient choice for sustained all-core work.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design schools. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 uses Zen 4 architecture on the Hawk Point codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, built on TSMC's 3 nm process. It has 10 cores but only 10 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The lack of hyperthreading on the Intel part explains why its core count advantage does not translate into multithreaded wins.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The Ryzen 7 260 uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has more total cache per core and a larger L3 pool, which helps explain its single-thread performance edge. Transistor counts and die sizes also diverge: the AMD chip packs 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, while the Intel chip has 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

Memory support shows both use DDR5 with dual-channel buses, but the Intel part has a higher memory bandwidth rating at 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for the AMD part. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe generations differ: the AMD processor uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Intel processor uses Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics also differ, with the Ryzen 7 260 featuring Radeon 780M and the Core Ultra 5 225T featuring Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU.

The market segments differ as well. The Ryzen 7 260 is a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP8, released on 2025-01-05. The Core Ultra 5 225T is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1851, released on 2024-12-31. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part carries part number 100-000001724, while the Intel part's part number is listed as unknown.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 wins all three PassMark workloads that involve data manipulation at scale. Data compression shows 351517 versus 233998, a 50.2% advantage. Data encryption shows 20267 versus 18289, a 10.8% edge. Integer math shows 96737 versus 59543, a 62.5% margin. Extended instructions also favor AMD at 26544 versus 20083, a 32.2% lead. Random string sorting goes to AMD at 42383 versus 28774, a 47.3% advantage. The PassMark multithread score favors AMD at 28078 versus 25358, a 10.7% lead. Cinebench R15 multicore also goes to AMD at 2747.5 versus 2214, a 24.1% margin.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins every single-thread test in the database. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 312 versus 276.5, an 11.4% edge. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 3101 versus 1770.5, a 42.9% margin. PassMark single-thread shows 4348 versus 3736, a 14.1% lead. The Intel part also wins Cinebench R23 multicore at 21971 versus 17211.5, a 21.7% advantage, despite losing the older R15 multicore test. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 82751 versus 59462, a 28.1% margin. Find prime numbers shows a massive Intel win at 284 versus 77, a 72.9% advantage. Physics simulation favors Intel at 2053 versus 1218, a 40.7% lead.

The split is clear: AMD for integer-heavy, compression-heavy, and encryption-heavy parallel work; Intel for single-thread responsiveness, floating-point math, and physics. The Cinebench R23 multicore result is the notable outlier, where the Intel part wins by 21.7% despite having fewer threads, indicating its higher per-core throughput carries the day in that specific render workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores but only 10 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The AMD part has more threads despite fewer cores.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference?

A: The Intel part wins every single-thread test. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 3101 versus 1770.5, a 42.9% margin. PassMark single-thread shows 4348 versus 3736, a 14.1% edge.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260. Its PassMark data compression score is 351517 versus 233998 for the Intel part, a 50.2% advantage.

Q: Do both processors support DDR5 memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR5 with dual-channel memory buses. The Intel part has a higher memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for the AMD part.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 has a 45 TDP, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has a 65 TDP. The AMD part is rated for lower power draw.

Q: Which processor has the higher overall benchmark percentile?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 sits in the 88th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 43717. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T sits in the 82nd percentile with an average score of 30468.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest AMD victory comes in PassMark integer math, where the Ryzen 7 260 scores 96737 against 59543 for the Core Ultra 5 225T, a 62.5% margin. Data compression follows closely: 351517 versus 233998, a 50.2% lead. Random string sorting shows 42383 versus 28774, a 47.3% edge. Extended instructions show 26544 versus 20083, a 32.2% advantage. Cinebench R15 multicore shows 2747.5 versus 2214, a 24.1% win. PassMark multithread shows 28078 versus 25358, a 10.7% edge. Data encryption shows 20267 versus 18289, a 10.8% margin.

The largest Intel victory comes in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Core Ultra 5 225T scores 284 against 77 for the Ryzen 7 260, a 72.9% margin. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 3101 versus 1770.5, a 42.9% lead. PassMark physics shows 2053 versus 1218, a 40.7% edge. Floating-point math shows 82751 versus 59462, a 28.1% margin. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 21971 versus 17211.5, a 21.7% advantage. PassMark single-thread shows 4348 versus 3736, a 14.1% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 312 versus 276.5, an 11.4% edge. The two single-thread PassMark entries are identical, with both showing 4348 versus 3736.

The Cinebench results reveal an interesting inconsistency. The AMD part wins R15 multicore by 24.1%, yet the Intel part wins R23 multicore by 21.7%. This suggests the newer R23 workload favors the Intel part's higher per-core throughput, while the older R15 workload responds better to the AMD part's thread count. The Intel part also wins every single-core test in both Cinebench versions, confirming its per-core advantage is consistent across generations of the render benchmark.

The overall win count is 7 for AMD and 8 for Intel, but the magnitude of the AMD wins in integer and compression tasks exceeds the magnitude of most Intel wins, save for the prime number and single-core Cinebench results. The average benchmark score still favors the AMD part by a wide margin, 43717 versus 30468, because the AMD wins tend to come in higher-scoring workloads.

Specification Differences

The recorded data shows the following differences between the two processors:

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 260 | Intel Core Ultra 5 225T |

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

| Cores | 8 | 10 |

| Threads | 16 | 10 |

| Base clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 45 | 65 |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Hawk Point | Arrow Lake-S |

| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Transistors | 25,000 million | 17,800 million |

| Die size | 178 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB per core | 192 KB per core |

| L2 cache | 1 MB per core | 3 MB per core |

| L3 cache | 16 MB shared | 20 MB shared |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 lanes | Gen 5, 20 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 780M | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release date | 2025-01-05 | 2024-12-31 |

Both processors use DDR5 memory with dual-channel buses, neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel part uses a 3 nm process also from TSMC. The Intel part has a larger die despite fewer transistors, reflecting a different layout and cache structure. The AMD part has a higher thread count and higher boost clock, while the Intel part has a higher base clock only in the sense that its recorded base is lower, but its single-core benchmark performance is consistently higher. The recorded data shows the Intel part with 10 cores versus 8 for AMD, yet the AMD part wins the PassMark multithread test, indicating thread count matters more than core count in that workload.