AMD Ryzen 7 7735U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 135H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear overall winner in the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H, which takes 12 of the 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. However, the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U is not without its own moments of superiority, and the specific workloads where it leads are revealing.

The most lopsided Intel victories come in compute-heavy, parallel workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel part scores 11,875.5 against AMD's 10,085, a 17.8% advantage. That is a substantial margin for mobile processors in the same 28W TDP class. The single-core Cinebench R23 result reinforces the pattern: Intel leads 1,700 to 1,490, a 14.1% gap. Even in the older Cinebench R15 tests, Intel holds the edge, winning multi-core 1,718 to 1,698 (only 1.2%) and single-core 244 to 234 (4.3%). The R15 multi-core result is remarkably close, suggesting that at lower thread counts or with shorter workloads, the two are nearly matched.

The PassMark suite reveals where each architecture's strengths lie. Intel wins floating-point math decisively, 54,867 to 42,966, a 27.7% margin. The physics test is even more lopsided: Intel scores 1,482 against AMD's 996, a 48.8% advantage. Prime number searching is another Intel stronghold, with a 56.1% lead (89 vs. 57). These results point to the Intel chip having superior per-core execution resources for certain mathematical operations.

AMD fights back in three specific areas. The largest AMD win is in extended instructions, where it scores 16,349 versus Intel's 15,028, an 8.1% edge. Integer math also favors AMD, 79,580 to 73,509, a 7.6% margin. Data encryption is the third AMD victory, 15,825 to 15,026, a 5% lead. These are not trivial workloads; they represent real-world scenarios in security, compression, and general integer-heavy code.

The remaining benchmarks are closer. Data compression is nearly a tie, with Intel at 251,651 and AMD at 250,457, a 0.5% difference. Multithreaded PassMark gives Intel an 8.2% win (22,422 vs. 20,723), while random string sorting goes to Intel by 9.9% (28,980 vs. 26,365). Single-thread PassMark shows an 8.8% Intel advantage (3,521 vs. 3,236).

Looking at the broader database context, the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H sits at the 81st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29,093. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, is essentially tied at 29,123 (-0.1%). The AMD Ryzen 7 7735U ranks at the 80th percentile with an average score of 28,350, placing it just behind the Intel Core i9-11950H (28,332, +0.1%) and just ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U (28,379, -0.1%). The overall average score gap between the two chips in question is about 2.6% in Intel's favor.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward choice for most users: the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is the stronger processor overall. It wins the most important multi-core rendering tests (Cinebench R23 multi-core by 17.8%) and the single-core tests that matter for everyday responsiveness (Cinebench R23 single-core by 14.1%, PassMark single-thread by 8.8%). For users running Cinebench-style workloads, floating-point math, physics simulations, or prime number calculations, the Intel chip is clearly superior.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7735U is the pick for workloads that rely on integer math, extended instruction sets (such as AVX-512 or similar), and encryption tasks. In those specific areas, the AMD chip leads by 5% to 8.1%. If a user's primary applications are cryptographic, compression-heavy, or integer-bound, the AMD part is the better fit.

For general-purpose mobile computing, the Intel chip's wins in multi-threaded PassMark (8.2%) and random string sorting (9.9%) suggest it handles mixed workloads with more headroom. The 48.8% physics test lead is particularly striking for any simulation or gaming physics work. The verdict is not unanimous, but the weight of the evidence favors Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H scores 11,875.5, which is 17.8% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U's 10,085.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins three: data encryption (15,825 vs. 15,026, 5% higher), extended instructions (16,349 vs. 15,028, 8.1% higher), and integer math (79,580 vs. 73,509, 7.6% higher).

Q: How close is the data compression performance?

A: Very close. Intel scores 251,651 and AMD scores 250,457, a difference of just 0.5% in Intel's favor.

Q: What is the biggest single benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel leads 89 to 57, a 56.1% advantage.

Q: How do these chips compare to other CPUs in the database?

A: The Intel chip ranks at the 81st percentile with an average score of 29,093, while the AMD chip ranks at the 80th percentile with an average score of 28,350. Intel's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X at 29,123 (-0.1%), and AMD's nearest rival is the Intel Core i9-11950H at 28,332 (+0.1%).

Q: Which chip is better for general multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H, based on its 8.2% lead in PassMark multithread (22,422 vs. 20,723) and its 17.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H has 14 cores and 18 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U has 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel's base clock is 3.60 GHz and boost clock is 4.60 GHz; AMD's base clock is 2.70 GHz and boost clock is 4.75 GHz. Both have a 28W TDP.

The cache hierarchy differs significantly. Intel uses 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The memory bandwidth also favors Intel: 89.6 GB/s versus AMD's 76.8 GB/s, though both are dual-channel.

The integrated graphics are different: Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG 96EU, while AMD uses Radeon 680M. PCIe support differs, with Intel offering Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only) and AMD offering Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Intel does not support ECC memory, while AMD does. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $342; the AMD chip has no recorded launch MSRP.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is fundamental. The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is built on Meteor Lake, a 7nm process from Intel's own foundry. The AMD Ryzen 7 7735U uses Zen 3+ architecture on a 6nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 208 mm². The codenames reflect their different lineages: Meteor Lake for Intel, Rembrandt-R for AMD.

The Intel chip is part of the Core Ultra Series 1, with a generation label of "Ultra 5 (Meteor Lake)." The AMD chip belongs to the 7000 series, with a generation label of "Ryzen 7 (Zen 3+ (Rembrandt))." Their sockets are incompatible: Intel BGA 2049 for Intel, AMD Socket FP7 for AMD.

The cache architecture differences are notable. Intel's per-core L1 is 112 KB versus AMD's 64 KB, and Intel's per-core L2 is 2 MB versus AMD's 512 KB. Intel's shared L3 is 18 MB versus AMD's 16 MB. The larger per-core caches on the Intel side likely contribute to its single-thread performance advantages in the benchmark data.

Intel's memory support is listed as DDR5 with the note "depends on motherboard," while AMD's is simply DDR5. Both are dual-channel, but Intel has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth (89.6 GB/s vs. 76.8 GB/s). The AMD chip supports ECC memory, which is not available on the Intel chip.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H wins in 12 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons, and its victories span several categories. For rendering and content creation, the Cinebench R23 multi-core win (17.8%) and R15 multi-core win (1.2%) make it the clear choice. For scientific computing and physics, the PassMark physics test (48.8% lead) and floating-point math (27.7% lead) are decisive. For prime number calculations, the 56.1% lead is massive. For single-thread responsiveness, the Cinebench R23 single-core (14.1%) and PassMark single-thread (8.8%) wins matter. For general multitasking, the PassMark multithread (8.2%) and random string sorting (9.9%) wins reinforce Intel's position.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7735U wins in three focused areas. Data encryption (5% lead) makes it the better choice for security-focused workloads such as VPNs, disk encryption, or secure communications. Extended instructions (8.1% lead) suggests it handles SIMD-heavy code more efficiently. Integer math (7.6% lead) indicates an advantage in general-purpose computing tasks like database operations, compilers, and many business applications.

The data compression benchmark is essentially a tie, so neither chip has a claim there. The overall pattern reveals an Intel chip that dominates in floating-point and physics-heavy tasks, and an AMD chip that excels in integer and encryption work. For a user who knows their primary applications lean one way or the other, the choice is clear. For a user with mixed workloads, the Intel chip's broader set of wins and higher average benchmark score (29,093 vs. 28,350) makes it the safer default recommendation.