AMD Ryzen 7 260 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 and Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus occupy very different positions in the database. The recorded head-to-head results are one-sided, with the Intel part taking all 15 shared benchmark comparisons. The largest margin appears in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 615 against AMD's 77, a delta of 87.5 percent. That is the single biggest gap in the set. Floating point math also shows a decisive split: Intel posts 229491 versus AMD's 59462, a 74.1 percent difference. The data compression workload follows the same pattern, with Intel at 804322 and AMD at 351517, a 56.3 percent gap. Even the smallest Intel win, the Cinebench R15 single-core test, still shows a 21.9 percent advantage (354 versus 276.5). The consistent theme is that Intel leads in every recorded metric, but the size of the lead varies sharply by workload type.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Intel scores 44253, while AMD manages 17211.5, a 61.1 percent deficit for the AMD part. This is not a small edge; it is a workload where the Intel chip delivers roughly two and a half times the throughput. The single-core R23 test narrows the gap considerably, with Intel at 2439 and AMD at 1770.5, a 27.4 percent difference. That pattern repeats across the PassMark suite. In integer math, Intel leads by 45 percent (175986 versus 96737), a substantial but smaller margin than the 74.1 percent gap in floating point math. The encryption test shows Intel at 59097 against AMD's 20267, a 65.7 percent lead. Extended instructions follow with a 58.2 percent gap (63506 versus 26544). Random string sorting produces a 56.3 percent difference (96945 versus 42383).

The multithreaded PassMark score is another large differentiator: Intel scores 68574, AMD 28078, a 59.1 percent gap. Physics simulation shows Intel at 4064 versus AMD's 1218, a 70 percent deficit. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel leads by 58.7 percent (6656 versus 2747.5). Single-thread PassMark results put Intel at 5068 and AMD at 3736, a 26.3 percent gap. The database records 15 wins for Intel and zero for AMD. No recorded benchmark favors the Ryzen 7 260. The percentile ranking reinforces this: Intel sits at the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while AMD sits at the 88th. The average benchmark score for Intel is 93785, for AMD it is 43717.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. AMD's Ryzen 7 260 is built on Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It has 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus uses Arrow Lake Refresh, fabricated on a 3 nm process, also at TSMC, and it packs 24 cores with 24 threads. The thread count is identical to the core count on the Intel part, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The AMD part has 16 threads from 8 cores, indicating SMT support. Transistor counts differ substantially: AMD lists 25,000 million transistors, Intel lists 17,800 million. Die size also differs, with AMD at 178 mm² and Intel at 243 mm².

Cache hierarchies are not comparable. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The Intel L3 is more than double the AMD L3. Memory support is DDR5 for both, with dual-channel buses, but the bandwidth figures differ: Intel lists 115.2 GB/s, AMD lists 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the Intel part but not on the AMD part. PCIe generations differ as well: Intel uses Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, AMD uses Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are different: AMD uses Radeon 780M, Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The base clocks are close (3.80 GHz for AMD, 3.70 GHz for Intel), but the boost clock favors Intel at 5.50 GHz versus AMD's 5.10 GHz. Power targets are not equal: AMD lists a TDP of 45, Intel lists 125. The socket types differ completely: AMD uses Socket FP8, Intel uses Socket 1851. The AMD part is a mobile segment product, the Intel part is a desktop segment product. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier; the AMD part does not. The Intel launch MSRP is $299.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data shows no benchmark wins for the AMD Ryzen 7 260. Every shared test in the database goes to the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. The practical interpretation is that the Intel part dominates in all measured categories. The largest margins are in prime number finding, floating point math, and physics simulation. These workloads tend to scale with raw compute throughput and core count. The Intel part has 24 cores versus AMD's 8, and the benchmark results reflect that scaling. The smallest Intel advantage appears in single-core tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap is 27.4 percent. In PassMark single-thread, it is 26.3 percent. Even in single-threaded workloads, the Intel part holds a clear lead, but the margin is roughly a quarter rather than the 60 to 87 percent seen in multi-threaded tests.

For a workload that depends heavily on integer math, the Intel part leads by 45 percent. For data compression, the lead is 56.3 percent. Encryption shows a 65.7 percent gap. The pattern is consistent: the Intel part wins by a larger margin when the workload is parallel or math-heavy. The AMD part does not win anywhere, so there is no use case in the recorded data where it comes out ahead. The closest contest is single-core performance, where the Intel lead is smallest, but it is still a lead. The Ryzen 7 260 is a mobile processor with a 45 W TDP, which suggests a different design target, but the database does not contain a benchmark where that design target translates into a victory.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus scores 44253, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 scores 17211.5. Intel leads by 61.1 percent.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 2439 and AMD scores 1770.5, a 27.4 percent difference. In PassMark single-thread, Intel scores 5068 and AMD scores 3736, a 26.3 percent difference.

Q: Do the two processors use the same manufacturing process?

A: No. Both are fabricated at TSMC, but AMD uses a 4 nm process and Intel uses a 3 nm process.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel has 24 cores and 24 threads.

Q: Do both support ECC memory?

A: No. Intel supports ECC memory, AMD does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for each?

A: Intel lists 115.2 GB/s, AMD lists 89.6 GB/s. Both use dual-channel DDR5.

The Verdict

The database is unambiguous. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus wins all 15 head-to-head benchmarks against the AMD Ryzen 7 260. The average benchmark score for Intel is 93785, more than double AMD's 43717. The Intel part sits at the 96th percentile of all CPUs, the AMD part at the 88th. The closest Intel win is in single-core Cinebench R15, where it leads by 21.9 percent. The largest Intel win is in prime number finding, where it leads by 87.5 percent. For any workload represented in the recorded data, the Intel part is the faster processor.

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is a mobile part with a 45 W TDP, 8 cores, and 16 threads. It is not competitive with the desktop Intel part in any measured metric. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a desktop part with a 125 W TDP, 24 cores, and a 5.50 GHz boost clock. It offers more L3 cache (36 MB versus 16 MB), higher memory bandwidth (115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s), PCIe Gen 5 support, and ECC memory support. The Intel part also has an unlocked multiplier and a launch MSRP of $299. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP and a locked multiplier.

Selecting between them depends strictly on the usage profile. The Intel part is the clear choice for any multi-threaded workload, math-heavy computation, or data processing task in the database. The AMD part does not win a single recorded test, so there is no benchmark-based reason to prefer it. The only consideration in the data is the power target: AMD lists 45 W, Intel lists 125 W. For a system where power draw is the primary constraint, the AMD part uses less, but it also delivers less performance in every recorded test.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 260 | Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus |

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

| Cores | 8 | 24 |

| Threads | 16 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 125 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Arrow Lake Refresh |

| 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) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 115.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 20 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 780M | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Unlocked Multiplier | No | Yes |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $299 |