AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a clear split between the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T, with each winning in distinct workload categories. The Intel part takes 8 of the 15 head-to-head tests, while AMD wins 7, but the magnitude of the victories tells the more interesting story.

The largest single win belongs to AMD in integer math. The Ryzen 9 8945HS scores 101226 against 59543 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T, a 70% advantage. This is the most decisive result in the entire comparison. Data compression also heavily favors AMD, with the 8945HS posting 356508 versus 233998, a 52.4% lead. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 50.1% (43202 vs 28774), and extended instructions show a 34.3% margin (26964 vs 20083). The AMD chip also wins data encryption by 16.6% (21323 vs 18289) and the PassMark multithread test by 17.4% (29780 vs 25358).

Intel's wins are concentrated in rendering, single-thread performance, and specialized math. The most striking result is Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Core Ultra 5 225T scores 3101 against 1805 for the Ryzen, a 41.8% advantage. The single-core lead carries into Cinebench R15, where Intel wins 312 to 281, a 9.9% margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel part reverses the expected outcome: it scores 21971 versus 16795, a 23.6% lead despite having only 10 threads to AMD's 16. The older Cinebench R15 multi-core test goes the other way, with AMD winning 2640 to 2214, a 19.2% margin.

The remaining Intel victories are in find prime numbers (284 vs 92, a 67.6% lead), floating point math (82751 vs 61821, 25.3% ahead), physics (2053 vs 1434, 30.2% ahead), and PassMark single-thread (4348 vs 3850, 11.5% ahead). The overall average benchmark scores are close: the AMD part sits at 31074 versus 30468 for Intel, placing both at the 82nd percentile among all CPUs. The AMD chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-12700F with an average score of 31081 and a 0% delta, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T sits near the Intel Core i9-11980HK at 30422 and the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS at 30390.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T scores 3101 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 41.8% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS at 1805.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-threaded PassMark performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS scores 29780 in the PassMark multithread test, 17.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T at 25358.

Q: Which processor is stronger in integer math workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS dominates integer math with a score of 101226, which is 70% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T at 59543.

Q: What is the difference in data compression performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS scores 356508 in PassMark data compression, a 52.4% advantage over the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T at 233998.

Q: Does the Intel part win any memory bandwidth related benchmarks?

A: The database does not include a direct memory bandwidth benchmark for either processor, but the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T is rated for 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth versus 89.6 GB/s for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Q: Which chip has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS has an average benchmark score of 31074, compared to 30468 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T. Both are at the 82nd percentile among all CPUs.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is built on Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, part of the 8000 series. It uses a 4 nm process at TSMC with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, part of Core Ultra Series 2. It is fabricated on a 3 nm process at TSMC with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

The core configurations differ significantly. AMD provides 8 cores and 16 threads, relying on simultaneous multithreading to fill its pipeline. Intel provides 10 cores and 10 threads, with no multithreading support. This explains why the AMD chip wins in multithreaded workloads like PassMark multithread and Cinebench R15 multi-core. The Intel chip compensates with higher per-core efficiency, as reflected in IPC gains visible in single-thread tests.

Cache hierarchies also diverge substantially. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has 192 KB of L1 per core and 3 MB of L2 per core, with 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger Intel caches likely contribute to its strong showing in single-thread tests and physics simulations. Neither chip supports 3D V-Cache.

The integrated graphics differ as well. AMD pairs its CPU with a Radeon 780M iGPU, while Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units. The AMD part is a mobile product on AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel part is a desktop product on Intel Socket 1851. The AMD chip has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost of 5.20 GHz, while the Intel part runs at 2.50 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost. The AMD chip also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, whereas the Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. Both use DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, with Intel rated at 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for AMD. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ: AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel has 10 cores and 10 threads. Base clock speeds differ (4.00 GHz for AMD, 2.50 GHz for Intel), as do boost clocks (5.20 GHz versus 4.90 GHz). Thermal design power is 45 watts for AMD and 65 watts for Intel. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP8, the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1851. Architecture names differ (Zen 4 versus Arrow Lake), as do codenames (Hawk Point versus Arrow Lake-S) and generations (Ryzen 9, Zen 4 Hawk Point versus Ultra 5, Arrow Lake).

Process node differs (4 nm for AMD, 3 nm for Intel), as do transistor counts (25,000 million versus 17,800 million) and die sizes (178 mm² versus 243 mm²). Cache hierarchies differ across all levels: L1 is 64 KB per core for AMD versus 192 KB per core for Intel; L2 is 1 MB per core versus 3 MB per core; L3 is 16 MB shared versus 20 MB shared. Memory bandwidth ratings differ (89.6 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s). PCIe generation differs (Gen 4 versus Gen 5, both with 20 CPU lanes). Integrated graphics differ (Radeon 780M versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU). Market segment differs (mobile versus desktop). Release dates differ, with AMD launching on 2023-12-05 and Intel on 2024-12-31. Part numbers are listed for AMD, while Intel's part number is unknown. Both are active production parts with no listed launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS is the clear choice for integer-heavy and data-heavy workloads. If the application involves integer math, data compression, encryption, or string sorting, the AMD chip is decisively ahead. The 70% lead in integer math and 52.4% lead in data compression make it the better option for encoding tasks, database operations, and general office productivity with heavy data movement. The multithread win of 17.4% in PassMark reinforces this positioning for heavily threaded applications that do not rely on high clock speeds.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins where single-thread performance and rendering performance matter most. The 41.8% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is the standout metric for this chip. The Core Ultra 225T also dominates Cinebench R23 multi-core by 23.6%, making it the preferred choice for 3D rendering and video encoding tasks that scale across cores. The 67.6% lead in find prime numbers and 25.3% lead in floating point math point to advantages in scientific computing and physics simulations. The 30.2% physics win further supports its use in simulation workloads.

For users mixing workloads, the split is narrower than the final score suggests. The AMD chip averages 31074 versus 30468 for Intel, a difference of just 606 points, roughly 2% apart. The choice between them should be guided by the workload, not the headline numbers. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS wins in exactly 7 tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins in 8. The overall percentile ranking of 82 for both reinforces that these are closely matched parts, differing in the kinds of workloads they accelerate rather than in overall capability.