AMD Ryzen 7 6800U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H wins 10 of the 15 head-to-head tests, while the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U wins 5. Intel's victories include multi-core Cinebench runs and several PassMark workloads; AMD's wins are concentrated in data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and integer math.

Q: How large is Intel’s multi-core advantage in Cinebench?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H scores 12,804.5 versus AMD's 10,546, a 21.4% lead. The R15 multi-core test shows a smaller 13.8% gap (2021.5 vs 1776).

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U win any single-core tests?

A: Yes, but narrowly. In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD scores 242 versus Intel's 241, a 0.4% edge. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel leads by 9.4% (1647.5 vs 1506), and in PassMark single-thread, Intel leads by 7.4% (3399 vs 3166).

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 27,887 versus Intel's 27,507. Both sit at the 79th percentile among all CPUs. AMD's nearest rival is the Ryzen 7 5800X3D (delta 0%), while Intel's closest is the Ryzen 7 5800 (delta -0.1%).

Q: What is the biggest single-test margin between the two?

A: Intel's largest win is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 88 versus AMD's 57, a 54.4% advantage. AMD's biggest win is in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 15,935 versus Intel's 13,749, a 13.7% lead.

Q: How do their TDP ratings compare?

A: Intel is rated at 28W TDP, while AMD is rated at 15W TDP. This suggests AMD targets lower-power designs, yet Intel still manages to win the majority of benchmarks in this comparison.

The Verdict

The data points to two different design philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is the compute-heavy pick: it dominates multi-threaded rendering and physics workloads, with Cinebench R23 multi-core 21.4% ahead and PassMark physics 46.2% ahead. Its 14 cores and 18 threads outnumber AMD's 8 cores and 16 threads, which explains much of the multi-core gap. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, despite its lower 15W TDP, fights back in integer-heavy and encryption tasks, taking PassMark integer math by 10% and data encryption by 8.7%.

For users running Cinebench-style rendering, prime number searches, or floating-point math, the Intel chip is clearly stronger—floating-point math shows a 22.3% lead. For workloads like data compression, encryption, or extended instruction sets (AVX-type tasks), AMD is the better choice, though its margins are smaller than Intel's biggest wins. The AMD chip also holds a slight edge in Cinebench R15 single-core (0.4%) but loses the more modern R23 single-core test by 9.4%.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical (27,507 vs 27,887, a 1.4% difference), meaning overall performance parity is close. However, the distribution of wins matters: Intel wins more tests, and its wins are often larger. AMD's wins, except for extended instructions (13.7%) and integer math (10%), are mostly under 9%. If the workload is multi-threaded rendering or physics simulation, pick Intel. If the workload involves data compression, encryption, or integer math, pick AMD. The 28W Intel part will likely need more cooling, but the benchmark data does not quantify that tradeoff beyond the TDP figures.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Intel's most decisive victory is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 88 versus AMD's 57—a 54.4% margin. This test is highly sensitive to integer throughput per core, and Intel's architecture clearly excels there. PassMark physics also heavily favors Intel: 1439 versus 984, a 46.2% lead. Physics simulations often scale with core count, and Intel's 14 cores versus AMD's 8 cores provides a structural advantage.

Floating-point math is another Intel stronghold: 51,670 versus 42,246, a 22.3% lead. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 21.4% advantage (12,804.5 vs 10,546), which aligns with render workloads that use all cores. Cinebench R15 multi-core is closer at 13.8% (2021.5 vs 1776), suggesting the gap narrows in shorter render bursts. Intel also wins PassMark multithread by 3.7% (21,100 vs 20,350) and random string sorting by 5.7% (27,435 vs 25,954).

Single-threaded tests split: Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 9.4% (1647.5 vs 1506) and PassMark single-thread by 7.4% (3399 vs 3166), but AMD edges out Cinebench R15 single-core by 0.4% (242 vs 241). That R15 win is negligible, but it shows AMD's older Zen 3+ cores can still match Intel in a legacy test.

AMD's wins are all in PassMark workloads. Data compression goes AMD's way by 3.2% (244,082 vs 236,209). Data encryption sees AMD ahead 8.7% (15,601 vs 14,251). Extended instructions favor AMD by 13.7% (15,935 vs 13,749), which is notable for SIMD-heavy code. Integer math is AMD's second-largest win at 10% (77,731 vs 69,986). These are not trivial margins, but they cover fewer test categories than Intel's victories.

Overall, the head-to-head record of 10-5 in Intel's favor understates how lopsided some tests are. Intel's wins include the two biggest margins (54.4% and 46.2%), while AMD's largest margin is 13.7%. The average benchmark score difference is only 1.4%, but that average masks the uneven distribution of performance strengths.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts diverge sharply: Intel offers 14 cores and 18 threads, while AMD offers 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel's base clock is 3.60 GHz versus AMD's 2.70 GHz, but AMD's boost clock is higher at 4.70 GHz versus Intel's 4.50 GHz. TDP differs significantly: Intel is rated at 28W, AMD at 15W.

Cache structures also differ. Intel has 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel's larger per-core L2 (2 MB vs 512 KB) may contribute to its strong prime number and physics results. L3 totals are close (18 MB vs 16 MB), but the per-core partitioning is different.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 89.6 GB/s versus AMD's 76.8 GB/s, though both use dual-channel memory. Both support DDR5, with Intel's memory support listed as "depends on motherboard." PCIe generation differs: Intel has Gen 5, AMD has Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ: Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG 96EU, AMD uses Radeon 680M.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel uses BGA 2049, AMD uses Socket FP7. Intel's process node is listed as 7 nm (foundry: Intel), while AMD's is 6 nm (foundry: TSMC). AMD's die size is 208 mm²; Intel's die size is not listed. Neither CPU has ECC memory support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. Intel has a launch MSRP of $375; AMD has no launch MSRP listed. Release dates differ: Intel's is 2023-12-13, AMD's is not provided.

Architecture Differences

Intel's Meteor Lake architecture uses a 7 nm process from Intel's own foundry, while AMD's Rembrandt uses Zen 3+ on a 6 nm process from TSMC. The process node difference (7 nm vs 6 nm) does not automatically translate to performance, but the foundry difference (Intel vs TSMC) is notable for supply chain and mature process characteristics.

Core counts reflect architectural philosophy: Intel uses 14 cores (likely a mix of performance and efficiency cores, though the pack does not specify the split) with 18 threads, while AMD uses 8 full Zen 3+ cores with 16 threads. Intel's 2 MB L2 per core is four times larger than AMD's 512 KB per core, which likely helps in workloads with high data locality, such as prime number sieving and physics. AMD's smaller L1 (64 KB vs 112 KB per core) suggests a different cache hierarchy design.

Both architectures support DDR5, but Intel's higher memory bandwidth (89.6 GB/s vs 76.8 GB/s) gives it an edge in memory-bound tests. Intel's PCIe Gen 5 support is a generation ahead of AMD's Gen 4, though the practical impact depends on peripheral support, which is not benchmarked here. Integrated graphics differ: Intel's Arc Xe-LPG 96EU versus AMD's Radeon 680M. No GPU benchmarks are provided, so relative GPU performance cannot be assessed from this data.

AMD's Zen 3+ is an incremental update over Zen 3, optimized for mobile efficiency (15W TDP). Intel's Meteor Lake is a newer architecture (release date 2023-12-13) designed for the Ultra series, but it comes with a higher 28W TDP. The TDP difference is the most tangible architectural consequence: AMD can fit into thinner, cooler chassis, while Intel's higher TDP allows for higher sustained clocks (3.60 GHz base vs 2.70 GHz) but likely requires more robust cooling.

The benchmark data suggests Intel's architectural choices—more cores, larger L2, higher base clock—pay off in multi-threaded and latency-sensitive tests. AMD's smaller die (208 mm²) and lower TDP indicate a focus on efficiency, which shows in its PassMark wins for integer and encryption workloads. Neither architecture supports ECC, and both are production-active mobile parts. The average benchmark scores are nearly tied, but the architectural differences point to Intel for raw compute throughput and AMD for power-constrained integer-focused tasks.