AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX sit in different market segments, yet the recorded benchmarks place both at the 91st percentile among all CPUs. The AMD part wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, while the Intel part takes three, including a clear floating-point victory. The data shows a desktop processor with a 120 W TDP and a mobile processor with a 55 W TDP, but the performance gap is not uniform across workloads. This analysis walks through the numbers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D dominates the multi-threaded and integer-heavy tests. In PassMark integer math, AMD scores 179727 against Intel's 97177, a delta of 84.9% in AMD's favor. The physics test is even more lopsided: AMD scores 5340 versus 2550, a 109.4% advantage. Data compression shows AMD at 685074 against 426417, a 60.7% lead, and extended instructions follow at 59.2% (55426 vs 34808). Prime number finding gives AMD a 50.7% edge (544 vs 361), and random string sorting is 41.1% higher (71864 vs 50929). The multithread score is 56154 for AMD versus 40849 for Intel, a 37.5% difference.

Cinebench results are consistent across all versions. In R15 multicore, AMD scores 4811 to Intel's 3500, a 37.5% delta. R15 single-core is 679 vs 494, a 37.4% delta. R20 multicore: 20049 vs 14587, 37.4%. R20 single-core: 2830 vs 2059, 37.4%. R23 multicore: 47737 vs 34731, 37.4%. R23 single-core: 6739 vs 4903, 37.4%. Every Cinebench test shows the same relative gap, indicating a consistent architectural advantage for AMD in both single and multi-threaded rendering workloads.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX wins three tests. The most significant is PassMark floating point math, where Intel scores 129819 against AMD's 119622, a 7.9% advantage. The other two wins are the identical PassMark single-thread tests, where Intel scores 4683 versus AMD's 4646, a 0.8% margin. These are narrow wins, but they show Intel's strength in scalar and floating-point execution.

The overall win count is 14 for AMD and 3 for Intel. The average benchmark score in the database is 54762 for AMD and 52073 for Intel, placing AMD roughly 5% higher on average, though the exact percentage is not recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is the clear choice for workloads that stress integer arithmetic, data compression, encryption, physics simulation, and extended instruction sets. Its 84.9% lead in integer math and 109.4% lead in physics indicate a strong core design with high throughput for these operations. The 60.7% advantage in data compression and 59.2% in extended instructions further support this. For multi-threaded rendering, the Cinebench scores show a consistent 37.4% advantage across all versions, making it the better option for video encoding, 3D rendering, and other parallel tasks.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX wins in floating-point math, where it outperforms AMD by 7.9%. This suggests a better FPU pipeline or more efficient handling of floating-point operations. Its single-thread score is also slightly higher, by 0.8%, which could translate to a marginal edge in lightly threaded applications that rely on a single core. However, the margin is small, and the AMD part is still competitive in single-threaded Cinebench tests, where it leads by 37.4%.

For users who need maximum multi-threaded performance, the AMD part is the obvious pick. For those who prioritize floating-point throughput or run workloads that are heavily FPU-bound, the Intel part offers a measurable advantage. The data does not show any other category where Intel leads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has 14 cores and 14 threads. AMD has fewer cores but twice as many threads due to simultaneous multithreading.

Q: What are the clock speeds?

A: The AMD part has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The Intel part has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has 128 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has 24 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor wins in floating-point math?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX wins in PassMark floating point math, scoring 129819 versus AMD's 119622, a 7.9% advantage.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has a TDP of 120 W. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has a TDP of 55 W.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has 52073.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD part has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel part has 14 cores and 14 threads. Base clocks are 4.40 GHz versus 2.90 GHz, and boost clocks are 5.50 GHz versus 5.10 GHz. TDP is 120 W for AMD and 55 W for Intel. The socket is AMD Socket AM5 for the Ryzen, while the Intel uses BGA 2114. The process node is 4 nm for AMD and 3 nm for Intel, both from TSMC. Transistor counts are 16,630 million for AMD and 17,800 million for Intel. Die size is 2x 70.6 mm² for AMD and 243 mm² for Intel.

Cache structures differ significantly. AMD has 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 128 MB L3. Intel has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD and 102.4 GB/s for Intel, both dual-channel DDR5. ECC memory is supported on AMD but not on Intel. PCIe lanes are 24 for AMD and 20 for Intel, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics differ: AMD has Radeon Graphics, Intel has Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 48EU. Market segment is Desktop for AMD and Mobile for Intel. Release dates are 2025-01-05 for AMD and 2025-01-12 for Intel. The AMD part has a launch MSRP of $599; the Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP. Both have unlocked multipliers.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is built on Zen 5 architecture with the codename Granite Ridge. It uses a 4 nm process from TSMC and has a dual-chiplet design with a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX uses Arrow Lake architecture with the codename Arrow Lake-HX, built on a 3 nm process from TSMC with a monolithic die of 243 mm². The transistor counts are close, with Intel slightly higher at 17,800 million versus 16,630 million.

The cache hierarchy is a major differentiator. AMD's 128 MB L3 cache is more than five times larger than Intel's 24 MB shared L3. AMD also has smaller per-core L1 and L2 caches (80 KB and 1 MB) compared to Intel's 192 KB and 3 MB. The larger L3 on AMD likely contributes to its strong performance in data compression and integer workloads. Intel's larger per-core caches may help with single-threaded latency, though the benchmark data shows only a 0.8% single-thread advantage.

The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon Graphics, while Intel uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 48EU. The memory controller supports ECC on AMD only. The PCIe lane count is 24 for AMD and 20 for Intel, both Gen 5. The market segment is Desktop for AMD and Mobile for Intel, which explains the TDP difference (120 W vs 55 W) and the socket types.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance hierarchy. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, with margins ranging from 1.8% in data encryption to 109.4% in physics. It leads in every Cinebench test by 37.4%, in integer math by 84.9%, and in multithread by 37.5%. Its average benchmark score is 54762, higher than Intel's 52073. For desktop users who need maximum multi-threaded throughput, integer processing, or large cache performance, the AMD part is the superior choice.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX wins in floating-point math by 7.9% and in single-thread by 0.8%. It also has a lower TDP (55 W vs 120 W) and is designed for mobile systems. For users who prioritize floating-point workloads or need a mobile processor with a modest power envelope, the Intel part is the better fit. However, the overall benchmark record shows AMD ahead in the vast majority of tests, and the 91st percentile ranking for both does not change the fact that AMD's average score is higher. The verdict is straightforward: choose the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D for desktop performance, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX for mobile or floating-point-specific tasks.