AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel Core Ultra 5 225T shows a decisive overall advantage for the AMD part. Across 15 recorded comparisons, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins 13, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T takes two. The magnitude of those wins, however, varies sharply by workload.

The largest single margin belongs to the AMD chip in PassMark data compression. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 468017 against 233998 for the Intel part, a 100% advantage. That is a doubling of throughput in a compression test, a result that will matter for archive handling and similar data-shuffling tasks. Integer math shows a similar story: 116709 for AMD versus 59543 for Intel, a 96% lead. Extended instructions, a proxy for workloads using newer SIMD paths, also heavily favor AMD at 38808 versus 20083, a 93.2% gap. Physics simulation in PassMark shows a 98.9% delta (4083 versus 2053), and random string sorting favors the Ryzen by 68.6% (48526 versus 28774).

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D also dominates in older Cinebench R15 multicore, scoring 3647 versus 2214, a 64.7% lead. PassMark multithread shows 40009 versus 25358, a 57.8% delta. Prime number finding favors AMD by 48.9% (423 versus 284), and data encryption shows a 21.2% advantage (22158 versus 18289).

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins the two remaining tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 3101 against AMD's 2080, a 32.9% advantage. This is not a small margin; it is the clearest single-threaded win in the dataset. Intel also takes PassMark floating point math, 82751 versus 79456, a 4% lead. The single-thread PassMark results are close: AMD leads 4430 versus 4348, a 1.9% delta. The same figures appear in the duplicate passmark_singlethread entry. Cinebench R15 single-core also goes to AMD by a slim 5.1% margin (328 versus 312). Cinebench R23 multicore goes to AMD by 5.7% (23230 versus 21971), a much narrower gap than the R15 multicore result.

The average benchmark score in the database is 39768 for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and 30468 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T, a difference of roughly 30%. In percentile terms, the AMD part sits at the 87th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part sits at the 82nd. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D are close: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS is 0.4% behind, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is 0.7% ahead, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450 is 0.7% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is 0.8% ahead. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T, by contrast, sits near the Intel Core i9-11980HK (0.2% behind), the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS (0.3% behind), the Intel Core i5-13600H (0.3% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U (0.3% behind). The Intel part's performance neighborhood is populated by previous-generation mobile and desktop parts rather than by current flagship desktop silicon.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins 13 of the 15 recorded comparisons. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins two.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in either direction?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D leads by 100% in PassMark data compression (468017 versus 233998). The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T leads by 32.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core (3101 versus 2080).

Q: How do the two compare in single-threaded performance?

A: It depends on the test. The Intel chip wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 32.9%. In PassMark single-thread, AMD leads by 1.9% (4430 versus 4348). In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD leads by 5.1% (328 versus 312).

Q: Which chip has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D averages 39768 across its recorded benchmarks. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T averages 30468.

Q: How do their overall percentile rankings differ?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is at the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T is at the 82nd percentile.

Q: Is the Intel part competitive in any multithreaded test?

A: In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Intel part scores 21971 against AMD's 23230, a 5.7% deficit. That is the closest multithreaded result. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the gap widens to 64.7% in AMD's favor.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design schools. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Granite Ridge codename, part of the 9000 series. It is built on TSMC's 4 nm process. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses the Arrow Lake architecture under the Arrow Lake-S codename, part of Core Ultra Series 2, and is built on TSMC's 3 nm process. Both are desktop parts with active production status.

The core configurations differ substantially. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, relying on simultaneous multithreading. The Intel chip has 10 cores and 10 threads, with no multithreading. That explains some of the multithreaded benchmark gaps: the AMD part has fewer physical cores but twice as many threads. Base clocks are 4.70 GHz for AMD and 2.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.20 GHz for AMD and 4.90 GHz for Intel. The AMD chip's multiplier is unlocked; the Intel chip's is not.

Cache layouts reflect different philosophies. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 96 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip's large shared L3 is the standout feature here, and it likely contributes to the compression and integer math wins. The Intel chip has more L1 and L2 per core but far less L3 overall.

The transistor counts and die sizes are also very different. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D packs 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The Intel die is more than three times larger by area and holds more than twice the transistors. Power envelopes differ: the AMD chip is rated at 120 W TDP, while the Intel chip is rated at 65 W TDP.

Both support DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus. Memory bandwidth is higher on the Intel part: 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory support is present on the AMD chip but absent on the Intel chip. PCIe connectivity favors AMD: Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only) versus Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only) on Intel. The integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD chip includes Radeon Graphics, while the Intel chip includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. Sockets are not interchangeable: AMD uses Socket AM5, Intel uses Socket 1851. The AMD chip launched on 2024-11-06 with a launch MSRP of $479. The Intel chip launched on 2024-12-31 with no recorded launch MSRP.

The Verdict

The data points in one direction for most workloads. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins 13 of 15 head-to-head tests, holds a 30% higher average benchmark score, and sits five percentile points higher in the overall CPU ranking. The workloads where it wins are not niche: compression, encryption, integer math, extended instructions, physics simulation, multithreaded rendering, and prime number finding all favor AMD, often by large margins.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has two clear wins. Cinebench R23 single-core performance is substantially better on Intel, with a 32.9% lead. Floating point math in PassMark also goes to Intel, though by only 4%. For tasks that depend primarily on that specific single-threaded Cinebench metric, the Intel part is the better choice. The Intel chip also does this at a much lower TDP: 65 W versus 120 W. That power efficiency is a real advantage for constrained builds, though the benchmark data does not include power consumption measurements.

The choice depends on workload priority. Buyers who need maximum multithreaded throughput, large data handling, and encryption performance should choose the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Buyers who specifically need the highest Cinebench R23 single-core score, or who want a lower-TDP desktop part, should consider the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T. The Intel part's 10 physical cores without multithreading cannot match the AMD part's 8 cores with 16 threads in threaded tests.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 8 cores and 16 threads; the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads. Base clock: 4.70 GHz for AMD, 2.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clock: 5.20 GHz for AMD, 4.90 GHz for Intel. TDP: 120 W for AMD, 65 W for Intel. Socket: AM5 for AMD, 1851 for Intel. Architecture: Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) for AMD, Arrow Lake (Arrow Lake-S) for Intel. Process node: 4 nm for AMD, 3 nm for Intel, both using TSMC as foundry. Transistors: 8,315 million for AMD, 17,800 million for Intel. Die size: 70.6 mm² for AMD, 243 mm² for Intel. L1 cache: 80 KB per core for AMD, 192 KB per core for Intel. L2 cache: 1 MB per core for AMD, 3 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache: 96 MB shared for AMD, 20 MB shared for Intel. Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s for AMD, 102.4 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory: supported on AMD, not supported on Intel. PCIe: Gen 5 with 24 lanes on AMD, Gen 5 with 20 lanes on Intel. Integrated graphics: Radeon Graphics on AMD, Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU on Intel. Multiplier: unlocked on AMD, locked on Intel. Part number: 100-000001084 for AMD, unknown for Intel. Release date: 2024-11-06 for AMD, 2024-12-31 for Intel. Launch MSRP: $479 for AMD, none recorded for Intel. Memory support and memory bus type are the same: DDR5, dual-channel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins in data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, integer math, multithreaded PassMark, physics simulation, random string sorting, PassMark single-thread, Cinebench R15 single-core, Cinebench R15 multicore, and Cinebench R23 multicore. The margins range from 1.9% (PassMark single-thread) to 100% (data compression). The AMD chip is the clear pick for threaded workloads, data processing, encryption, and general desktop use where the single-threaded gap is small.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins in Cinebench R23 single-core and PassMark floating point math. The Cinebench R23 single-core margin is substantial at 32.9%, making it the default choice for that specific benchmark. Floating point math is close, with Intel ahead by 4%. The Intel part also carries a 65 W TDP and more L1 and L2 cache per core, though those are specification advantages rather than measured benchmark wins. For users whose workload is dominated by Cinebench R23 single-core performance or floating point math, the Intel part delivers those specific results. For everything else in the recorded data, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is ahead.