AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, which claims 14 wins across the shared test suite, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T takes a single win. The margin of victory varies dramatically by workload type, with the largest gaps appearing in integer-heavy and compression tasks.

The single largest delta appears in PassMark integer math, where the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 181,056 against the Core Ultra 5 225T's 59,543, a 204.1% advantage. This result aligns with the core and thread disparity between the two parts, but the sheer scale of the gap suggests architectural efficiency differences beyond raw thread count. Data compression shows a similar pattern: the AMD part delivers 683,579 points versus 233,998 for the Intel chip, a 192.1% lead. Extended instruction workloads also heavily favor AMD, with 55,243 versus 20,083, a 175.1% delta.

Multi-threaded rendering benchmarks confirm the trend. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 32,172 while the Core Ultra 5 225T manages 21,971, a 46.4% advantage. The older Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows an even larger gap: 5,008 versus 2,214, a 126.2% delta. PassMark multithread follows with 54,643 versus 25,358, a 115.5% lead for AMD.

The AMD processor also wins in randomized string sorting, scoring 72,013 against 28,774, a 150.3% delta. Data encryption shows an 82.7% advantage for AMD (33,421 versus 18,289), while physics simulation gives AMD a 64.7% lead (3,381 versus 2,053). Prime number finding favors AMD by 53.5% (436 versus 284), and floating-point math shows a 45.1% margin (120,083 versus 82,751).

Single-thread performance is far closer. PassMark single-thread gives the Ryzen 9 9900X a 7.5% edge (4,672 versus 4,348). Cinebench R15 single-core also favors AMD, but by a smaller 13.1% margin (353 versus 312). The one benchmark where the Intel part wins is Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Core Ultra 5 225T delivers 3,101 against AMD's 2,253, a 27.3% advantage. This single result indicates that in certain modern single-threaded rendering workloads, the Intel architecture can outperform despite losing other single-thread tests.

The average benchmark score for the Ryzen 9 9900X sits at 57,498, placing it in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9015 (55,575, a 0.1% gap), the AMD EPYC 7313 (57,399, a 0.2% gap), the Intel Core i9-14900 (58,115, a 1.1% gap), and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (58,323, a 1.4% gap). The Core Ultra 5 225T averages 30,468, placing it in the 82nd percentile. Its nearest rivals are all mobile or older desktop parts: the Intel Core i9-11980HK (30,422, a 0.2% gap), the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS (30,390, a 0.3% gap), the Intel Core i5-13600H (30,548, a 0.3% gap), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7736U (30,364, a 0.3% gap). The delta between the two reviewed processors in average score is roughly 89%, an enormous separation for desktop parts.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X uses the Zen 5 architecture on the Granite Ridge die, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses Arrow Lake, specifically Arrow Lake-S, fabricated on a 3 nm process, also at TSMC. Both use TSMC as the foundry, but the node sizes differ.

Transistor counts and die sizes tell an interesting story. The AMD chip integrates 16,630 million transistors across a die composed of two 70.6 mm² chiplets. The Intel part packs 17,800 million transistors into a single 243 mm² die. Intel's monolithic approach uses more silicon area, while AMD's chiplet design spreads the same approximate transistor budget across a smaller combined area.

Core counts differ substantially. The Ryzen 9 9900X offers 12 cores with 24 threads, using simultaneous multithreading. The Core Ultra 5 225T provides 10 cores and 10 threads, with no multithreading capability. Clock speeds also differ: the AMD part has a 4.40 GHz base clock and a 5.60 GHz boost clock, while the Intel part runs at 2.50 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost.

Cache hierarchies reflect different strategies. The Ryzen 9 9900X allocates 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a large 64 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 225T uses 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and only 20 MB of shared L3. Intel's per-core L1 and L2 allocations are larger, but the AMD chip's L3 pool is more than three times the size of Intel's.

Power envelopes diverge sharply. The Ryzen 9 9900X carries a 120 W TDP, while the Core Ultra 5 225T is rated at 65 W. This difference explains part of the performance gap, but the Intel part's lower power target also positions it differently in the market. Both support DDR5 memory with dual-channel buses, but memory bandwidth differs: AMD lists 89.6 GB/s, while Intel lists 102.4 GB/s, giving the Intel part a nominal bandwidth advantage that does not translate into benchmark wins.

PCIe support also differs. The AMD processor provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both, but with different implementations: AMD uses Radeon Graphics, while Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units. ECC memory support is exclusive to the AMD side, with the Intel part not supporting it. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel chip is locked. The Ryzen 9 9900X launched on 2024-08-14 with a launch MSRP of $499, while the Core Ultra 5 225T has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X wins 14 of the 15 shared benchmarks, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins only one, specifically Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark integer math, where the Ryzen 9 9900X leads by 204.1%. Data compression follows closely at 192.1%, and extended instructions at 175.1%.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins Cinebench R23 single-core with a score of 3,101 against the AMD part's 2,253, a 27.3% advantage. This is the only test in the shared suite where Intel comes out ahead.

Q: How do the two chips compare on single-thread performance overall?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X wins PassMark single-thread with a 7.5% margin (4,672 versus 4,348) and Cinebench R15 single-core with a 13.1% margin (353 versus 312). The Intel chip's single win comes in the newer Cinebench R23 single-core test.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads, with no multithreading support.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores and percentile rankings?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 57,498, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. The Core Ultra 5 225T averages 30,468, placing it in the 82nd percentile.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category in the database.

Cores and Threads: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X provides 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T provides 10 cores and 10 threads.

Clock Speeds: AMD lists a 4.40 GHz base clock and a 5.60 GHz boost clock. Intel lists a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 4.90 GHz boost clock.

TDP: The AMD part is rated at 120 W. The Intel part is rated at 65 W.

Process Node: AMD uses a 4 nm process. Intel uses a 3 nm process. Both are fabricated by TSMC.

Transistors: AMD integrates 16,630 million transistors. Intel integrates 17,800 million.

Die Size: AMD uses two chiplets at 70.6 mm² each. Intel uses a single 243 mm² die.

Cache: AMD allocates 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 64 MB L3. Intel allocates 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB L3.

Memory Bandwidth: AMD lists 89.6 GB/s. Intel lists 102.4 GB/s.

ECC Memory: AMD supports ECC memory. Intel does not.

PCIe: AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU. Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes.

Integrated Graphics: AMD uses Radeon Graphics. Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units.

Multiplier: The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel chip is locked.

Socket: AMD uses Socket AM5. Intel uses Socket 1851.

Architecture: AMD uses Zen 5 (Granite Ridge). Intel uses Arrow Lake (Arrow Lake-S).

Release Date: AMD launched on 2024-08-14. Intel has a recorded release date of 2024-12-31.

Launch MSRP: The AMD part launched at $499. The Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is the stronger choice for nearly every measured workload. Its wins span rendering, encryption, compression, physics simulation, and general multithreaded tasks. The 46.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and the 126.2% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core make it the clear pick for any CPU-bound production workload that scales across cores. The 204.1% integer math advantage and the 192.1% data compression advantage further reinforce its position for compute-heavy tasks such as code compilation, scientific calculations, and file archiving. The 82.7% encryption lead makes it the better option for workloads involving cryptography or secure data handling.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has a much narrower set of strengths. Its single win in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it leads by 27.3%, shows that in at least one modern rendering path, the Arrow Lake architecture can outperform Zen 5 on a per-thread basis. The 65 W TDP also gives it a substantial power efficiency profile relative to the 120 W AMD part, though the database does not record power consumption measurements to quantify this further. The Intel chip's larger L1 and L2 allocations per core (192 KB and 3 MB, respectively) and higher nominal memory bandwidth (102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s) do not translate into benchmark wins, but they do indicate a design aimed at lower-power operation with competitive single-thread responsiveness in specific scenarios.

For all other tested workloads, the Ryzen 9 9900X dominates. The 115.5% multithread lead, the 150.3% random string sorting lead, and the 64.7% physics lead collectively show that the AMD chip's 24 threads and larger L3 cache provide a consistent advantage in both parallel and mixed workloads. The 7.5% single-thread win in PassMark, alongside the 13.1% win in Cinebench R15 single-core, shows that AMD also holds a modest edge in most single-threaded tasks, with the Cinebench R23 result standing as the exception rather than the rule. The average benchmark gap of roughly 89% between the two processors places them in entirely different performance tiers, despite both being current-generation desktop parts. The Ryzen 9 9900X sits at the 92nd percentile among all CPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 225T sits at the 82nd percentile, a separation that reflects the consistent and substantial margins observed across the shared test suite.