AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and Intel Core Ultra 5 225H are both 28-watt mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but the recorded benchmark data shows they excel in different areas. Across the 17 head-to-head tests in the database, the Intel part wins 14, while the AMD part takes 3. The margin of victory varies widely, from a 0.2% edge in one single-core test to a 65.5% blowout in a prime-number workload. This split suggests that the choice between them depends heavily on the specific application.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H dominates the Cinebench R15 and R20 suites. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel scores 2397.5 against AMD's 2041, a 14.9% lead. The R20 multi-core test shows a similar gap: Intel at 10041 versus AMD at 8506, a 15.3% advantage. Single-core results follow the same pattern in R20, with Intel at 1417 and AMD at 1200, again a 15.3% lead. The R15 single-core test is nearly a tie, with Intel at 288.5 and AMD at 288, a 0.2% difference.

The Passmark suite also favors Intel in most sub-tests. The largest margin is in the find-prime-numbers test, where Intel scores 220 versus AMD's 76, a 65.5% advantage. Floating-point math shows Intel at 86540 against AMD's 50746, a 41.4% lead. Physics follows with Intel at 1877 and AMD at 1174, a 37.5% gap. Data encryption gives Intel 21428 versus AMD's 16441, a 23.3% lead. Extended instructions: Intel 21915, AMD 19132, a 12.7% edge. Multithread: Intel 28119, AMD 23850, a 15.2% lead. Data compression: Intel 283451, AMD 272664, a 3.8% margin. Random string sorting: Intel 33654, AMD 33109, a 1.6% lead. Single-thread Passmark: Intel 4258, AMD 3641, a 14.5% advantage.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U wins three tests, and they are decisive. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD scores 20254 against Intel's 14629.5, a 38.4% lead. The R23 single-core test is even more lopsided: AMD at 2859, Intel at 1969, a 45.2% advantage. Passmark integer math also goes to AMD, with 88339 versus Intel's 68520, a 28.9% lead. These three wins are substantial, but they are isolated to specific workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H is the stronger performer in most general-purpose and compute-heavy tasks. Its wins span Cinebench R15 and R20, Passmark multithread, physics, floating-point math, encryption, extended instructions, data compression, random string sorting, and single-thread Passmark. This suggests that for typical productivity, content creation, and even some scientific workloads, Intel holds a consistent edge. The 14.5% lead in single-thread Passmark and the 15.2% lead in multithread are particularly relevant for everyday responsiveness and multitasking.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, however, shows a clear advantage in Cinebench R23, both multi-core and single-core, and in integer math. The R23 results are striking: a 38.4% multi-core lead and a 45.2% single-core lead. This indicates that AMD's architecture is particularly well-tuned for the R23 workload, which is a common benchmark for 3D rendering and video encoding. The integer math win, with a 28.9% margin, points to strengths in arithmetic-heavy applications such as financial modeling or database processing. Additionally, the AMD part has a higher average benchmark score of 32233 compared to Intel's 31508, and a higher percentile ranking at 83 versus 82, though these figures aggregate across different test sets.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different process nodes and architectures. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H uses a 3 nm process, also from TSMC. AMD's architecture is Zen 4, codenamed Hawk Point, while Intel's is Arrow Lake, specifically Arrow Lake-H. The AMD part has 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel has 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning Intel does not use simultaneous multithreading. Base clocks differ significantly: AMD runs at 3.30 GHz, Intel at 1.70 GHz. Boost clocks are closer, with AMD at 5.10 GHz and Intel at 4.90 GHz.

Cache layouts also differ. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel offers 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core caches on Intel may contribute to its single-thread performance in some tests, though the R23 results contradict that. Memory support: AMD uses DDR5 with dual-channel, achieving 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, with a higher bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. AMD supports ECC memory, while Intel does not. PCIe connectivity: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD has Radeon 780M, Intel has Arc Graphics 130T. The AMD part is built on a 178 mm² die with 25,000 million transistors; Intel's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database. Both use a 28 W TDP and are mobile parts. The AMD part was released on April 15, 2024, while Intel's release date is January 12, 2025.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear split. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, including all Passmark sub-tests except integer math, and all Cinebench R15 and R20 tests. For users who prioritize those workloads, Intel is the stronger choice. The Intel part also has higher memory bandwidth and a more advanced process node, which may contribute to its overall efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, however, is the winner in Cinebench R23, both multi-core and single-core, and in integer math. The R23 margins are large, 38.4% and 45.2% respectively, making AMD the clear pick for applications that rely on that benchmark, such as 3D rendering or video encoding. The integer math advantage also matters for specific computational tasks. Additionally, AMD supports ECC memory, which is a requirement for some professional and server-like workloads. The AMD part also has a higher average benchmark score and a higher percentile ranking, though these are aggregate measures.

Given the data, the choice depends on the intended use. If the workload is dominated by Cinebench R23 or integer-heavy calculations, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the better option. For everything else, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H offers a broader performance advantage. Both processors share the same 28 W TDP, so power consumption is not a differentiator. The Intel part's higher memory bandwidth and larger per-core caches may benefit memory-sensitive applications, while AMD's higher boost clock and ECC support are notable features.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H has 14 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has 8 cores. However, the AMD part supports 16 threads, while the Intel part has 14 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U boosts to 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H boosts to 4.90 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H does not.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H has a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, compared to 89.6 GB/s for the AMD part.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 20254, which is 38.4% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H's 14629.5.

Q: Which processor has a higher Passmark single-thread score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H scores 4258, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 3641, a 14.5% lead for Intel.