AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245 Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D sit in the same performance neighborhood, with average benchmark scores of 48,107 and 47,874, respectively—a razor-thin 0.5% gap that places both in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Yet the head-to-head data reveals a far more polarized story: the AMD chip wins 14 of 17 direct comparisons, often by double-digit margins, while the Intel part claims only three victories, two of which are in the same single-threaded test. This is a matchup where the overall average hides the underlying character of each processor, and the benchmark breakdown shows two very different design philosophies colliding.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result in the entire comparison is in PassMark integer math, where the Ryzen 9 7900X3D scores 160,779 against Intel's 93,709—a 41.7% advantage. This is not a marginal lead; it is a dominant showing that points to fundamental throughput advantages in arithmetic-heavy workloads. Similarly, the AMD processor wins PassMark physics with a score of 4,728 versus 2,743, a 42% gap that mirrors the integer math result almost exactly, suggesting that the underlying execution resources scale consistently across these demanding tests.

The Cinebench suite tells a uniform story of AMD superiority across all versions and thread counts. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D posts 42,767 against Intel's 32,987, a 22.9% deficit for the Ultra 5 245. The same 22.9% delta appears in Cinebench R15, R20, and the multi-threaded PassMark test, indicating a consistent performance ceiling rather than a workload-specific anomaly. Single-core Cinebench results follow the same pattern: the AMD chip scores 6,037 in R23 single-core versus 4,657 for Intel, again a 22.9% gap.

Data compression and encryption also favor AMD decisively. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D achieves 593,838 in PassMark data compression, which is 35.5% higher than Intel's 382,742. Encryption shows a narrower but still significant 13.9% lead for AMD, with scores of 35,293 versus 30,374. Extended instruction workloads give AMD a 26.6% edge, and random string sorting shows a 31.1% advantage, with scores of 70,662 versus 48,661.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 does have its moments. In PassMark floating-point math, it scores 121,454 against AMD's 97,246, a 24.9% victory that stands out as the largest win for either side outside the integer math blowout. The Intel part also wins the PassMark single-thread test with 4,475 versus 4,126, an 8.5% margin that appears twice in the data (as both "single_thread" and "singlethread" entries). These two wins, plus the duplicate single-thread listing, account for Intel's three official victories in the head-to-head table.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is the clear choice for compute-heavy, multi-threaded workloads that stress integer arithmetic, physics simulation, and rendering. The Cinebench results across R15, R20, and R23 all show the same 22.9% advantage, which suggests that the AMD part scales better as thread counts increase. The physics benchmark's 42% lead reinforces this interpretation, as physics engines typically rely on integer-heavy collision detection and rigid body calculations. Data compression and encryption, which are common in server and content-creation tasks, also fall firmly in AMD's camp with 35.5% and 13.9% leads, respectively.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 wins in floating-point math by a wide 24.9% margin, which makes it the better option for scientific computing, financial modeling, or any workload dominated by floating-point operations such as matrix multiplications or signal processing. Its 8.5% lead in PassMark single-thread performance is notable, but it is the only single-threaded metric where Intel leads—the Cinebench single-core tests all go to AMD by 22.9%. This suggests Intel's advantage in single-threaded PassMark may be specific to that test's methodology rather than a general property of the architecture.

For mixed workloads, the AMD chip's wins in multithread (38,809 versus 50,317, a 22.9% gap) and its overall 0.5% average score advantage make it the more versatile performer. The Intel part's single-thread win is real but narrow, and it does not translate into broader single-core superiority across the benchmark suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design approaches. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is built on Arrow Lake-S, a 3 nm TSMC process, and packs 14 cores with 14 threads—a 1:1 core-to-thread ratio that indicates no simultaneous multithreading. In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D uses Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm process, with 12 cores and 24 threads, leveraging simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count. This difference explains why AMD can win multi-threaded tests despite having fewer physical cores: its 24 threads outnumber Intel's 14 by a significant margin.

Cache configurations diverge sharply. The Intel chip has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part has smaller per-core caches (64 KB L1, 1 MB L2) but compensates with a massive 128 MB of shared L3, which includes a dedicated 64 MB 3D V-Cache slice. This 3D V-Cache is the defining feature of the X3D lineup, and while the benchmark data does not isolate its effect, the large L3 pool is likely a contributor to AMD's wins in data compression and random string sorting, where cache capacity directly impacts performance.

Clock speeds also favor AMD. The Ryzen 9 7900X3D has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, while the Intel chip runs at 3.50 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost. The AMD part also has a higher TDP at 120W versus Intel's 65W, which gives it more headroom for sustained performance. Process nodes differ as well: Intel uses a 3 nm TSMC process with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors, while AMD uses 5 nm with two 71 mm² dies totaling 17,840 million transistors. The Intel die is larger but has fewer transistors, suggesting a less dense design.

PCIe lanes favor AMD with 24 Gen 5 lanes versus Intel's 20. Both support DDR5 memory, but Intel has a higher memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s compared to AMD's 83.2 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. The Intel chip integrates Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 EU, while AMD includes Radeon Graphics. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Intel chip is locked. Release dates differ by two years: AMD launched on 2023-01-03, Intel on 2025-01-06.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48,107, which is 0.5% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D's 47,874. Both are in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D always faster in multi-core tests?

A: Yes, across all Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, R23) and PassMark multithread, the AMD chip wins by a consistent 22.9% margin. Its scores range from 4,310 in Cinebench R15 to 42,767 in R23, versus Intel's 3,324 and 32,987.

Q: Where does the Intel chip beat AMD?

A: Intel wins PassMark floating-point math by 24.9% (121,454 versus 97,246) and PassMark single-thread by 8.5% (4,475 versus 4,126). These are the only two unique tests where Intel leads.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Intel chip has 14 cores and 14 threads, while the AMD chip has 12 cores and 24 threads. AMD uses simultaneous multithreading to achieve 24 threads, while Intel does not.

Q: What is the cache difference between the two?

A: AMD has 128 MB of shared L3 cache, including a 64 MB 3D V-Cache slice, while Intel has 24 MB of shared L3. AMD's per-core L1 and L2 caches are smaller (64 KB and 1 MB) than Intel's (192 KB and 3 MB).

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D boosts to 5.60 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245's 5.10 GHz. AMD also has a higher base clock at 4.40 GHz versus 3.50 GHz.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D is the superior processor for the vast majority of workloads, winning 14 of 17 head-to-head tests and dominating in integer math, physics, compression, and every Cinebench benchmark. The 22.9% consistent lead across all Cinebench versions and the 42% physics advantage are not marginal—they indicate a fundamentally stronger multi-threaded performer. For anyone running rendering, simulation, or data-processing tasks, the AMD chip is the obvious choice based on these numbers.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is the pick only for specific floating-point-heavy applications, where its 24.9% lead in PassMark floating-point math is substantial. Its 8.5% single-thread PassMark win is a point in its favor, but it is contradicted by AMD's 22.9% single-core wins in Cinebench, which are more widely cited benchmarks. The Intel chip also has a lower TDP at 65W versus 120W, which may appeal to power-conscious builds, but the benchmark data does not show a performance benefit from this efficiency.

Given that the AMD chip has a 0.5% higher average score, wins the majority of tests, and offers higher clock speeds, the data suggests it is the more capable processor in nearly all scenarios. The Intel part's wins are real but narrow and specialized, making it a niche choice rather than a general-purpose contender.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core Ultra 5 245 | AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D |

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

| Cores | 14 | 12 |

| Threads | 14 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 5.60 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 120 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1851 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Arrow Lake | Zen 4 |

| Process Node | 3 nm | 5 nm |

| Die Size | 243 mm² | 2x 71 mm² |

| Transistors | 17,800 million | 17,840 million |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 3 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 24 MB (shared) | 128 MB (shared) |

| 3D V-Cache | None | 1x 64MB Slice |

| Memory Bandwidth | 102.4 GB/s | 83.2 GB/s |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 5, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 24 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU | Radeon Graphics |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Release Date | 2025-01-06 | 2023-01-03 |

| Launch MSRP | $270 | $599 |