AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs Intel Core 9 273PE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D wins 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core 9 273PE takes only 2. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story about where each chip dominates.

Starting with the multi-threaded workloads, the AMD part is decisively ahead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 42,018 against the Intel part's 31,288, a 34.3% advantage. The gap widens dramatically in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the AMD chip scores 6,536 versus 3,153, a 107.3% lead. That near-doubling of performance indicates the AMD processor scales far better across all cores in rendering-style workloads. The PassMark multi-thread test reinforces this pattern: 70,255 for AMD against 36,810 for Intel, a 90.9% margin.

The single-core results flip the script, and this is where the Intel Core 9 273PE shows its strength. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 4,417 against AMD's 2,259, a 48.9% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a similar outcome: Intel at 445, AMD at 350, a 21.3% lead. These are substantial margins, not marginal differences. The Intel processor appears to deliver considerably higher per-thread performance in at least these two rendering benchmarks.

Yet the broader PassMark single-thread results contradict that pattern. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 4,737 in PassMark single-thread, ahead of Intel's 3,650 by 29.8%. This inconsistency between Cinebench single-core and PassMark single-thread is worth examining. The Cinebench single-core scores for AMD look anomalously low compared to its PassMark single-thread result, which suggests the AMD chip's single-thread performance may be workload-dependent, or the Cinebench R23 single-core measurement captures something specific about how the AMD architecture handles that particular render task.

In the remaining PassMark suite, AMD wins every category, often by wide margins. Extended instructions show AMD at 73,011 versus 24,630, a 196.4% lead, the largest percentage gap in the entire comparison. Find prime numbers gives AMD 613 against 203, a 202% advantage. Data compression shows AMD at 908,421 versus 405,885, a 123.8% lead. Random string sorting favors AMD at 95,423 versus 45,098, a 111.6% gain. Data encryption puts AMD ahead by 96% with 44,536 against 22,719. Integer math gives AMD a 74.5% lead at 243,209 versus 139,410. Floating point math shows AMD ahead 48.1% at 159,724 versus 107,884. Physics tests favor AMD at 5,670 versus 3,120, an 81.7% margin.

The aggregate picture from the database places the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D at an average benchmark score of 75,779, while the Intel Core 9 273PE averages 49,845. That is a 52% difference in overall average score. The AMD part sits at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel part sits at the 90th percentile. The AMD chip's nearest rivals in the database are all AMD or Intel parts with average scores within 0.4%: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 at 75,738, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D at 75,716, the AMD EPYC 8224P at 75,582, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 at 75,488. The Intel Core 9 273PE, by contrast, sits close to the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 at 49,796 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i5-14600KF at 49,394 (0.9% behind), the Intel Core i9-13980HX at 50,398 (1.1% behind), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 at 50,448 (1.2% behind). The Intel part's closest competitors are a mix of mobile and desktop chips, while the AMD part's rivals are all high-end desktop or server parts.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design schools. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses the Zen 5 architecture on the Granite Ridge codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. The Intel Core 9 273PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry. This process gap alone explains much of the efficiency and transistor density difference, though the database records the AMD part at 16,630 million transistors across a 2x 70.6 mm² die configuration, while the Intel part has no transistor count or die size recorded.

Core counts differ significantly. The AMD processor offers 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel processor offers 12 cores and 24 threads. The AMD part also boosts to 5.70 GHz, identical to the Intel part's 5.70 GHz boost clock, but the base clocks diverge sharply: AMD runs at 4.30 GHz base, Intel at 2.30 GHz base. The AMD chip's higher base clock suggests it sustains higher frequencies under load, which aligns with its multi-thread dominance. The Intel chip's much lower base clock with an equal boost clock implies a wider frequency range and possibly more aggressive boost behavior on fewer cores.

Cache hierarchies also differ substantially. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core. The AMD part uses 1 MB of L2 per core, while the Intel part uses 2 MB of L2 per core, double the per-core capacity. The L3 cache tells the opposite story: AMD provides 128 MB of L3, while Intel provides 36 MB shared. That 92 MB difference in L3 favors AMD heavily in workloads that benefit from large shared caches. The AMD part's 128 MB L3 is a defining feature of the X3D lineup, and the benchmark results in data compression and random string sorting likely reflect that cache advantage.

Memory support differs in compatibility. Both support dual-channel memory with an identical memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The AMD part supports DDR5 only, while the Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs: AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The AMD part includes integrated Radeon Graphics, while the Intel part includes UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. The AMD part uses AMD Socket AM5, the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700.

The TDP figures are starkly different: the AMD part draws 170 watts, the Intel part draws 65 watts. That 105-watt gap in thermal design power suggests the AMD chip requires substantially more cooling and power delivery, while the Intel chip could fit into more modest systems. The release dates also differ, with the AMD part recorded as released in January 2025 and the Intel part in March 2026, over a year later.

The Verdict

The database paints a clear performance hierarchy. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D wins 13 of 15 head-to-head comparisons and holds a 52% higher average benchmark score. Its multi-thread and throughput advantages are massive, with leads exceeding 100% in several PassMark categories. For workloads that use many cores, large caches, or heavy data processing, the AMD part is the stronger choice by every recorded metric.

The Intel Core 9 273PE wins only two comparisons, both in Cinebench single-core tests, with leads of 21.3% and 48.9% over the AMD part. Those wins are real and significant, but they are isolated to a narrow set of single-thread rendering tasks. The AMD part actually wins PassMark single-thread by 29.8%, which complicates any simple claim that Intel has superior single-thread performance overall. The Intel part's wins appear specific to Cinebench's single-core workload rather than a general single-thread advantage.

The Intel part does offer a dramatically lower TDP of 65 watts versus 170 watts, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which could matter for system compatibility. But the performance data shows the AMD part ahead in almost every measurable category, often by wide margins. The AMD chip also sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, five points above the Intel chip's 90th percentile. With launch MSRP values of $699 for the AMD part and $549 for the Intel part, the price difference is recorded, but the performance gap is far larger in relative terms.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D wins 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core 9 273PE wins 2.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 42,018 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 34.3% higher than the Intel Core 9 273PE's score of 31,288.

Q: Does the Intel processor beat AMD in any single-core test?

A: Yes. The Intel Core 9 273PE wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 4,417 against 2,259, a 48.9% lead, and Cinebench R15 single-core with 445 against 350, a 21.3% lead.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: How do the L3 cache sizes compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 128 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core 9 273PE has 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75,779, compared to 49,845 for the Intel Core 9 273PE.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D dominates every multi-threaded workload in the database. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 107.3% lead, Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 34.3% lead, and PassMark multi-thread shows a 90.9% lead. The AMD part also leads in all specialized PassMark tests: data compression by 123.8%, data encryption by 96%, extended instructions by 196.4%, find prime numbers by 202%, floating point math by 48.1%, integer math by 74.5%, physics by 81.7%, and random string sorting by 111.6%. Even in PassMark single-thread, AMD leads by 29.8%.

The Intel Core 9 273PE wins only in the two Cinebench single-core tests. Cinebench R15 single-core gives Intel a 21.3% edge, and Cinebench R23 single-core gives Intel a 48.9% edge. These wins suggest the Intel architecture handles single-threaded Cinebench rendering tasks particularly well, possibly due to its higher per-core L2 cache of 2 MB versus AMD's 1 MB, or its lower base clock allowing more aggressive boost headroom. But these two wins stand alone against thirteen AMD victories.

For users running heavily threaded workloads such as video rendering, data compression, scientific computation, or encryption, the AMD part is the clear choice based on the data. For users whose primary workload is single-threaded Cinebench rendering, the Intel part offers a measurable advantage, though the AMD part's PassMark single-thread win complicates any broader single-thread conclusion.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses the Zen 5 architecture on TSMC's 4 nm process, while the Intel Core 9 273PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on Intel's 10 nm process. The AMD part has 16 cores and 32 threads; the Intel part has 12 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks differ substantially: 4.30 GHz for AMD versus 2.30 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks match at 5.70 GHz for both.

Thermal design power differs by over 100 watts: 170 watts for AMD versus 65 watts for Intel. Cache configurations diverge: both have 80 KB L1 per core, but AMD uses 1 MB L2 per core while Intel uses 2 MB L2 per core. L3 cache favors AMD at 128 MB total versus Intel's 36 MB shared. Memory support differs: AMD supports DDR5 only, Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory at 89.6 GB/s, and both support ECC.

PCIe connectivity differs: AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics differ: AMD includes Radeon Graphics, Intel includes UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel part is locked. Sockets differ: AMD uses AM5, Intel uses Socket 1700. The AMD part has a recorded transistor count of 16,630 million across a 2x 70.6 mm² die; the Intel part has no transistor or die size data recorded. The AMD part launched with a $699 MSRP; the Intel part launched with a $549 MSRP. Release dates differ, with AMD recorded in January 2025 and Intel in March 2026.