AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs Intel Core 7 251TE Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE has 24 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 16 cores. Both processors have 32 threads.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D records an average benchmark score of 75779, while the Intel Core 7 251TE records 41650. The AMD part sits at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the 88th percentile for Intel.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 42018 in Cinebench R23 multicore, which is 64.7% ahead of the Intel Core 7 251TE's score of 25518.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the Intel Core 7 251TE wins Cinebench R15 singlecore (362 vs 350, a 3.3% margin) and Cinebench R23 singlecore (3602 vs 2259, a 37.3% margin).

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has a TDP of 170 watts, while the Intel Core 7 251TE has a TDP of 45 watts.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D supports DDR5 only, while the Intel Core 7 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Granite Ridge codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel. The AMD chip is a 9000 series desktop part with an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is a locked multiplier processor.

The cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD processor has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with a large 128 MB L3 cache. The Intel processor also has 80 KB of L1 per core but a larger 1.25 MB of L2 per core, paired with a much smaller 36 MB shared L3 cache. The transistor count for AMD is listed at 16,630 million across a dual-die design of 2x 70.6 mm², while Intel's die is 215 mm² with no transistor count recorded.

Platform support also diverges. AMD uses Socket AM5 with 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CPU only) and integrated Radeon Graphics. Intel uses Socket 1700 with 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CPU only) and integrated UHD Graphics 770. Both support ECC memory and have 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth. The AMD chip's base clock is 4.30 GHz with a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, whereas the Intel chip has a much lower base clock of 1.40 GHz but a boost clock of 5.40 GHz.

The release dates are close, with AMD launching on 2025-01-05 and Intel on 2025-01-12. Both are marked as Active in production status and target the desktop market segment.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits decisively in favor of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which wins 13 of the 15 head-to-head tests. The AMD part dominates in every multithreaded workload recorded, including data compression, encryption, floating point math, integer math, physics, random string sorting, and the multi-threaded Cinebench tests. The data also shows AMD leading in the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 4737 against Intel's 3568, a 32.8% margin.

The Intel Core 7 251TE wins only in the two Cinebench single-core tests. In Cinebench R15 singlecore, Intel scores 362 versus AMD's 350, a 3.3% edge. In Cinebench R23 singlecore, Intel's advantage grows to 37.3% with a score of 3602 against AMD's 2259. These wins indicate that for lightly threaded legacy rendering workloads, the Intel part has a measurable edge, but the margin is inconsistent between the two Cinebench versions.

For workloads that use the full thread count, the AMD processor is the clear choice. The 16-core, 32-thread configuration with a 128 MB L3 cache produces results that the 24-core Intel part cannot match despite having the same thread count. The Intel part's 45 W TDP suggests a low-power orientation, and its benchmark profile aligns with that positioning: competitive in light-load single-thread tasks but far behind when all cores engage.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 7 251TE has 24 cores and 32 threads. Base clocks are 4.30 GHz for AMD and 1.40 GHz for Intel, while boost clocks are 5.70 GHz and 5.40 GHz respectively. TDP is 170 W for AMD versus 45 W for Intel.

Sockets differ: AMD Socket AM5 versus Intel Socket 1700. The process node is 4 nm for AMD (TSMC) versus 10 nm for Intel (Intel foundry). The die size is 2x 70.6 mm² for AMD versus 215 mm² for Intel. The transistor count is 16,630 million for AMD, with no figure recorded for Intel.

Cache configurations differ in L2 and L3. Both have 80 KB L1 per core, but AMD has 1 MB L2 per core versus Intel's 1.25 MB L2 per core. AMD's L3 is 128 MB, while Intel's is 36 MB shared. Memory support differs: AMD is DDR5 only, Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. PCIe lanes differ: 24 Gen 5 lanes for AMD versus 16 Gen 5 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon Graphics versus UHD Graphics 770. The multiplier is unlocked on AMD and locked on Intel. Launch MSRP for AMD is $699, and for Intel it is $384. The part numbers are 100-000000719 for AMD and SRQAXQ5ZG for Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest single win for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D comes in PassMark extended instructions, where AMD scores 73011 against Intel's 16974, a 330.1% advantage. The next largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, with AMD at 613 versus Intel's 140, a 337.9% delta. These two tests show the widest gaps in the entire comparison.

In PassMark data compression, AMD scores 908421 against Intel's 334399, a 171.7% lead. PassMark physics shows AMD at 5670 versus Intel's 1938, a 192.6% margin. PassMark random string sorting goes to AMD at 95423 versus 39643, a 140.7% delta. PassMark multithread shows AMD at 70255 against Intel's 30022, a 134% advantage. PassMark data encryption shows AMD at 44536 versus 22176, a 100.8% lead.

Cinebench R15 multicore results show AMD at 6536 versus Intel's 2572, a 154.1% margin. Cinebench R23 multicore shows AMD at 42018 versus Intel's 25518, a 64.7% lead. PassMark floating point math goes to AMD at 159724 against Intel's 85607, an 86.6% margin. PassMark integer math shows AMD at 243209 versus Intel's 125739, a 93.4% delta.

The Intel Core 7 251TE wins Cinebench R23 singlecore with 3602 against AMD's 2259, a 37.3% margin. Intel also wins Cinebench R15 singlecore with 362 versus AMD's 350, a 3.3% margin. The single-thread PassMark tests go the other way: AMD scores 4737 versus Intel's 3568, a 32.8% lead, confirming that Intel's single-core advantage is specific to the Cinebench rendering workload rather than a general pattern.

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear division of roles. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the stronger processor for multithreaded workloads by a wide margin, winning 13 of 15 head-to-head tests and delivering leads from 64.7% up to 337.9% in compute-heavy tasks. Its 128 MB L3 cache, 16,630 million transistors, and 170 W TDP align with a high-performance desktop orientation. The average benchmark score of 75779 places it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals within 0.4% including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 and Intel Core Ultra 9 285.

The Intel Core 7 251TE, with its 45 W TDP and 1.40 GHz base clock, targets a different use case. Its two wins in Cinebench single-core tests show it can handle lightly threaded rendering tasks with competence, and its support for DDR4 alongside DDR5 broadens platform compatibility. However, its average benchmark score of 41650 places it at the 88th percentile, with nearest rivals like the Intel Core i7-14650HX within 0.2%. For any workload that scales across threads, the AMD part is decisively ahead. For low-power systems where single-thread Cinebench performance matters most, the Intel part has a narrow but real edge. The data does not support using the Intel part for multithreaded productivity, while the AMD part's single-thread Cinebench deficit is isolated and does not appear in PassMark single-thread results.