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

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive overall advantage for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which claims victory in 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core 9 273PQE secures only 2 wins, both in single-core Cinebench tests, but those wins are substantial and point to a specific strength.

The largest margin of victory for AMD comes in the PassMark prime number search test, where the Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 613 against Intel's 198, a 209.6% advantage. This is an extreme outlier in the dataset and indicates a massive lead in this particular integer workload. The physics test also shows a dramatic gap, with AMD at 5670 versus Intel's 2754, a 105.9% difference. Extended instructions follow closely, with AMD scoring 73011 against 38743, an 88.4% lead.

In multi-core Cinebench R23, the AMD processor scores 42018 against Intel's 39190, a 7.2% advantage. This is a much narrower margin than the PassMark results suggest, indicating that the two processors are closer in sustained all-core rendering workloads than in other tests. The Cinebench R15 multi-core test tells a different story, however, with AMD at 6536 and Intel at 3950, a 65.5% gap. The discrepancy between R15 and R23 results is notable and likely reflects differences in how each test scales with the respective architectures.

PassMark multi-thread performance shows AMD at 70255 versus Intel's 46107, a 52.4% lead. Integer math follows at 243209 against 164629, a 47.7% margin. Floating point math shows a smaller but still clear advantage: 159724 against 125546, a 27.2% difference. Data compression favors AMD at 908421 versus 585752, a 55.1% lead, while data encryption shows AMD at 44536 against 29636, a 50.3% gap. Random string sorting rounds out the PassMark suite with AMD at 95423 versus 53167, a 79.5% advantage.

The two Intel wins come in Cinebench single-core tests. In R23 single-core, Intel scores 5532 against AMD's 2259, a 59.2% advantage. In R15 single-core, Intel scores 557 against AMD's 350, a 37.2% lead. These are the only tests where Intel comes out ahead, but they are consistent: Intel's single-thread Cinebench performance is significantly higher in both versions of the benchmark.

The PassMark single-thread test tells a different story, with AMD edging out Intel 4737 to 4573, a 3.6% margin. This contradiction between Cinebench single-core and PassMark single-thread results suggests the two processors have different strengths depending on the specific instruction mix and workload characteristics.

Architecture Differences

The two processors diverge sharply in their underlying designs. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses the Zen 5 architecture on the Granite Ridge codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It packs 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core 9 273PQE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry, with 12 cores and 24 threads.

The process node difference is significant: 4 nm versus 10 nm. This explains part of the performance and efficiency gap, though the Intel part compensates with a higher boost clock. AMD's base clock is 4.30 GHz with a boost of 5.70 GHz. Intel's base clock is lower at 3.40 GHz, but the boost reaches 5.90 GHz, which is higher than AMD's boost. The higher boost clock on Intel likely contributes to its single-core Cinebench victories.

Cache configurations differ substantially. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core. The L2 cache is 1 MB per core on AMD versus 2 MB per core on Intel. The L3 cache is where the biggest difference appears: AMD has 128 MB total, while Intel has 36 MB shared. This 128 MB L3 on the AMD side is a major factor in its multi-threaded and data-heavy workload performance.

Memory support also differs. AMD supports DDR5 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use a dual-channel memory bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe lanes differ: AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ as well: AMD uses Radeon Graphics, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 770.

The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part does not. The AMD processor is listed with a TDP of 170, while the Intel part is listed at 125. The AMD part uses the AMD Socket AM5, while Intel uses the Intel Socket 1700.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D dominates in nearly every multi-threaded and data-intensive workload recorded. The PassMark suite shows consistent leads across integer math, floating point math, data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, physics, prime number search, and random string sorting. The 209.6% lead in prime number search and the 105.9% lead in physics are particularly striking.

The Intel Core 9 273PQE wins in Cinebench single-core tests, both R15 and R23. The 59.2% lead in R23 single-core is the largest Intel advantage in the dataset. This suggests that workloads that are lightly threaded and run well on a single core with high clock speeds will favor the Intel processor. The higher 5.90 GHz boost clock on Intel is consistent with this result.

The PassMark single-thread test, however, shows AMD ahead by 3.6%. This means Intel's single-core advantage is not universal across all single-threaded workloads. The Cinebench tests appear to favor Intel's architecture more strongly than PassMark's single-thread test does.

For multi-core Cinebench R23, the AMD advantage is only 7.2%, which is the narrowest AMD multi-core win in the dataset. This suggests that in rendering workloads similar to Cinebench R23, the two processors are much closer than the core count difference of 16 versus 12 would imply. The Cinebench R15 multi-core test, by contrast, shows a 65.5% AMD lead, so the gap varies considerably depending on the benchmark version.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D wins 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE wins 2.

Q: In which tests does the Intel processor outperform AMD?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE wins in Cinebench R15 single-core (557 versus 350) and Cinebench R23 single-core (5532 versus 2259).

Q: What is the largest performance gap in either direction?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D leads by 209.6% in the PassMark prime number search test, scoring 613 against Intel's 198.

Q: How do the processors compare in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 42018, which is 7.2% ahead of the Intel Core 9 273PQE's 39190.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75779, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE has an average of 66099.

Q: How do the percentile rankings compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D sits at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE sits at the 93rd percentile.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE has 12 cores and 24 threads. The base clock is 4.30 GHz on AMD versus 3.40 GHz on Intel. The boost clock is 5.70 GHz on AMD versus 5.90 GHz on Intel. TDP is 170 on AMD versus 125 on Intel.

The socket differs: AMD Socket AM5 versus Intel Socket 1700. The architecture is Zen 5 on AMD versus Bartlett Lake on Intel. The process node is 4 nm at TSMC for AMD versus 10 nm at Intel for the Intel part. The transistor count is 16,630 million on AMD, while no figure is recorded for Intel. The die size is 2x 70.6 mm² on AMD, with no figure recorded for Intel.

L2 cache is 1 MB per core on AMD versus 2 MB per core on Intel. L3 cache is 128 MB on AMD versus 36 MB (shared) on Intel. Memory support is DDR5 only on AMD versus DDR4 and DDR5 on Intel. PCIe lanes are Gen 5 with 24 lanes on AMD versus Gen 5 with 16 lanes on Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics on AMD versus UHD Graphics 770 on Intel. The multiplier is unlocked on AMD and locked on Intel. The launch MSRP is $699 for AMD and $589 for Intel.

The Verdict

The recorded data shows the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D as the stronger overall processor across the benchmark suite. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head tests, holds a 95th percentile ranking versus Intel's 93rd, and delivers a higher average benchmark score of 75779 against 66099. Its closest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 at 75738 (0.1% behind) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D at 75716 (0.1% behind), placing it in a tight cluster at the top.

The Intel Core 9 273PQE's nearest rivals tell a different story. It sits near the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus at 66159 (0.1% ahead) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D at 65914 (0.3% ahead). The Intel part's average score places it in a lower performance tier than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, despite its wins in Cinebench single-core tests.

For workloads that rely heavily on multi-threaded performance, data compression, encryption, physics, or extended instructions, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the clear choice based on the data. The 128 MB L3 cache and 16-core configuration appear to drive these results. For workloads that are dominated by single-threaded Cinebench performance, the Intel Core 9 273PQE offers a notable advantage, with its 5.90 GHz boost clock and 2 MB per-core L2 cache likely contributing to its 59.2% lead in R23 single-core.

The benchmark results indicate that the AMD processor is the better all-around option for users whose workloads span multiple test categories. The Intel processor has a specific niche in single-threaded Cinebench applications, but the breadth of AMD's wins across the rest of the suite makes the overall comparison lopsided in AMD's favor. The 7.2% margin in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the closest AMD multi-core win, so users whose primary workload is that specific rendering test will find the two processors much more comparable.