AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database records 15 direct comparisons between the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H. The AMD part wins 11 of those tests, while the Intel part wins 4. The margin of victory varies dramatically by workload, revealing distinct performance profiles.

The largest single win for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where it scores 227 against 88 for the Intel chip, a delta of 158%. This is a workload that heavily favors the AMD architecture's raw integer throughput per thread. The second-largest margin appears in PassMark extended instructions: 22580 versus 13749, a 64.2% advantage for AMD. This test typically exercises SIMD and specialized instruction paths, and the Zen 3 core handles them with substantially more efficiency in this comparison.

In PassMark data encryption, the AMD chip scores 20258 against 14251, a 42.2% lead. Data compression follows at 39.6% (329688 versus 236209). These two results suggest that the AMD processor's memory subsystem and cache hierarchy provide a significant edge in data-intensive operations. The 96 MB of shared L3 cache on the 5800X3D likely plays a role here, keeping more working data closer to the cores.

The PassMark multithread score shows a 34.2% advantage for AMD (28309 versus 21100). Despite having fewer cores (8 versus 14), the AMD processor outpaces the Intel part in this overall multithreaded metric. The PassMark integer math test shows a 26.6% lead (88608 versus 69986). PassMark physics shows a 100.4% delta (2884 versus 1439), a massive gap that points to the AMD chip's ability to handle physics simulation workloads with far greater throughput.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD chip scores 2413 against 2021.5, a 19.4% lead. Cinebench R23 multicore shows a smaller but still clear 11.8% advantage (14317 versus 12804.5). The Cinebench R15 single-core test is a dead tie: both score exactly 241.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H wins its four tests by narrower margins. The single-threaded PassMark test shows Intel ahead at 3399 versus 3234, a 4.9% edge. Cinebench R23 single-core gives Intel the win at 1647.5 versus 1452, an 11.9% margin. PassMark floating point math goes to Intel by 3% (51670 versus 50100). These wins indicate that the Intel core has a higher single-thread clock efficiency in certain workloads, but the margins are modest compared to AMD's multi-threaded dominance.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D wins decisively in every multithreaded and throughput-oriented benchmark in the database. The data shows that the AMD processor is the stronger choice for workloads that scale across many threads: rendering, data compression, encryption, integer math, physics simulation, and extended instruction processing. The PassMark multithread score of 28309 versus 21100 places the AMD chip in a different performance class for heavily parallel tasks.

The 100.4% delta in PassMark physics is particularly notable. This benchmark simulates physical interactions and is sensitive to both core count and cache behavior. The AMD chip's 96 MB L3 cache and 8 fast Zen 3 cores deliver double the throughput of the Intel part in this test. Similarly, the 158% delta in prime number finding suggests that the AMD core's integer execution pipeline is markedly more efficient for this arithmetic-heavy workload.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H wins in single-threaded scenarios and in floating point math. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1647.5 versus 1452 gives Intel an 11.9% advantage, which is meaningful for lightly threaded applications like legacy software, certain scripting workloads, or interactive coding environments. The PassMark single-thread score of 3399 versus 3234 reinforces this pattern. The floating point math win, though only 3%, suggests that the Intel architecture handles FPU-heavy calculations with slightly better efficiency.

For a user running a mix of tasks, the choice depends on thread scaling. If the workload is mostly single-threaded or floating point, the Intel part holds a measurable edge. If the workload involves any significant parallel processing, the AMD part wins by margins ranging from roughly 12% to over 150%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses the Zen 3 architecture on a 7 nm process fabricated by TSMC. It has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H uses the Meteor Lake architecture on a 7 nm process fabricated by Intel, with 14 cores and 18 threads. The core counts differ, but the thread counts reveal an important detail: Intel's 14 cores only produce 18 threads, meaning some cores do not support simultaneous multithreading, while AMD's 8 cores all support it.

The cache configurations diverge sharply. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 96 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel provides 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and only 18 MB of shared L3. The AMD L3 cache is more than five times larger, which explains its dominance in data compression and encryption benchmarks where cache residency matters.

Memory support differs as well. AMD uses DDR4 with dual-channel access and a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Intel uses DDR5 (depending on motherboard), also dual-channel, but with a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel part has a theoretical bandwidth advantage, yet the benchmark data shows AMD winning most memory-sensitive tests, suggesting that cache capacity offsets the raw bandwidth gap.

The AMD processor supports ECC memory; the Intel part does not. The PCIe interface also differs: AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5. The AMD chip is a desktop part on Socket AM4, while Intel is a mobile part on BGA 2049. The Intel chip includes integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG 96EU); the AMD chip has no integrated graphics listed.

The TDP figures reflect their intended platforms: AMD is rated at 105 W for desktop use, while Intel is rated at 28 W for mobile. Despite the lower power envelope, the Intel part achieves competitive single-thread scores and a floating point win, but it cannot match the AMD chip's multithreaded output. The AMD processor is end-of-life in production status, while Intel's part is active. The AMD chip was released in 2022, the Intel part in 2023.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. For users running multithreaded workloads, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the superior processor. It wins 11 of 15 head-to-head benchmarks, and its victories come with substantial margins: 34.2% in multithread, 39.6% in data compression, 42.2% in encryption, 64.2% in extended instructions, 100.4% in physics, and 158% in prime number finding. These are not marginal wins; they represent large performance gaps in real-world parallel tasks.

For users running single-threaded workloads, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H offers a measurable advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core score leads by 11.9%, and the PassMark single-thread score leads by 4.9%. The floating point math win of 3% adds another point in Intel's favor. However, these wins are all in the single-digit to low-double-digit percentage range, whereas AMD's wins frequently exceed 20%.

The overall average benchmark score in the database is 27896 for AMD and 27507 for Intel, a difference of roughly 1.4%. The percentile rankings are close: AMD sits at the 80th percentile of all CPUs, Intel at the 79th. This suggests that in aggregate performance, the two are near neighbors, but the distribution of wins is heavily skewed. AMD's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K (0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-12600KF (0.3% delta), while Intel's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (-0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (-0.3% delta).

The choice comes down to workload profile. A desktop user with a socket AM4 motherboard who runs rendering, compilation, or simulation tasks should pick the AMD chip. A mobile user who prioritizes single-thread responsiveness and has a 28 W power budget should pick the Intel chip. The AMD processor cannot be used in mobile, and the Intel processor is not a drop-in desktop part, so the platform determines the practical choice.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multithreaded benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 28309 in PassMark multithread, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H scores 21100. AMD leads by 34.2%.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: The largest Intel win is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 1647.5 against 1452, an 11.9% lead. Its other wins are 4.9% (PassMark single-thread) and 3% (PassMark floating point math).

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The AMD processor has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel processor has 14 cores and 18 threads. Despite fewer cores, the AMD chip wins most multithreaded benchmarks.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache size?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D has 96 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H includes integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG 96EU). The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth figures?

A: The AMD processor records 51.2 GB/s with DDR4 support. The Intel processor records 89.6 GB/s with DDR5 support (depending on motherboard).

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |

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

| Series | 5000 series | Core Ultra Series 1 |

| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 18 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.50 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 105 W | 28 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Zen 3 | Meteor Lake |

| Codename | Vermeer | Meteor Lake |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 8,850 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 74 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 112 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 96 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5 (depends on motherboard) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

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

| Integrated Graphics | None | Arc Xe-LPG 96EU |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2022-04-19 | 2023-12-13 |

| Launch MSRP | $449 | $375 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | No |

| Part Number | 100-000000651 | SRMZ4 |