AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX, which wins 13 of the 15 recorded comparisons. The most striking result is in PassMark extended instructions, where the AMD part scores 57,946 against the Intel Core 5 221E's 18,216, a delta of 218.1%. This indicates a massive advantage in workloads that leverage advanced instruction sets, likely reflecting the architectural gulf between the two processors.

Multi-core performance is another area of complete dominance for the AMD chip. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 9 9955HX scores 37,159, which is 43.3% ahead of the Intel's 25,933. The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows an even larger gap: 5,905 versus 2,613, a 126% delta. PassMark multithread results follow the same pattern, with the AMD processor scoring 56,171 compared to 30,510, an 84.1% advantage. The data suggests the Ryzen 9's 16 cores and 32 threads (versus 14 cores and 20 threads) provide a substantial throughput advantage in heavily threaded tasks.

The AMD processor also wins every PassMark productivity and math workload. Integer math shows an 80.5% lead (212,598 vs. 117,813), floating point math is 73% higher (136,682 vs. 79,028), and data compression is 125.7% better (731,998 vs. 324,285). Data encryption results show a 94.4% advantage (37,330 vs. 19,205), and prime number finding is 65.9% faster (287 vs. 173). Even physics simulation, a more moderate workload, favors AMD by 22% (2,720 vs. 2,230).

The Intel Core 5 221E does secure two notable wins, both in single-threaded Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel chip scores 3,661 versus 2,174 for the AMD, which is a 40.6% advantage. In Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel wins 368 to 336, an 8.7% margin. These results show the Intel part's higher base clock (2.70 GHz vs. 2.50 GHz) and boost clock (5.20 GHz vs. 5.40 GHz) do not fully explain the gap; the architectural efficiency of Bartlett Lake appears superior on lightly threaded Cinebench loads. However, in PassMark single-thread, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX wins narrowly, 4,393 to 4,147, a 5.9% margin. This suggests the Intel lead is specific to Cinebench's rendering pipeline rather than a universal single-core superiority.

Overall average benchmark scores confirm the hierarchy: the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX records an average benchmark score of 91,199, while the Intel Core 5 221E averages 40,144. The AMD part sits at the 96th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel sits at the 87th percentile.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX has an average benchmark score of 91,199, compared to 40,144 for the Intel Core 5 221E.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 221E win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the Intel wins Cinebench R15 single-core (368 vs. 336, an 8.7% lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (3,661 vs. 2,174, a 40.6% lead).

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX leads by 43.3% in Cinebench R23 multi-core and by 126% in Cinebench R15 multi-core.

Q: What is the single-thread PassMark result for each CPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX scores 4,393 in PassMark single-thread, while the Intel Core 5 221E scores 4,147, giving AMD a 5.9% lead.

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of each processor?

A: Both processors support dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX uses the Zen 5 architecture, built on TSMC's 4 nm process node. It is part of the Fire Range codename family within the 9000 series. The chip integrates 16,630 million transistors across a die size of 2x 70.6 mm². The Intel Core 5 221E is based on the Bartlett Lake codename, fabricated by Intel on a 10 nm process node, with a die size of 257 mm². These manufacturing differences are substantial: the AMD chip uses a much smaller process node and a dual-die design with a smaller total area.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD processor provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel processor also has 80 KB of L1 per core, but doubles the L2 to 2 MB per core, and reduces shared L3 to 24 MB. The AMD's larger L3 pool (64 MB vs. 24 MB) likely contributes to its strong data compression and encryption results, while Intel's larger per-core L2 may help in latency-sensitive single-threaded tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX is a mobile-market processor using the AMD Socket FL1, with an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core 5 221E is a desktop-market processor on Intel Socket 1700, with a locked multiplier. The AMD chip's integrated graphics is the Radeon 610M, while the Intel chip uses UHD Graphics 730. Both support ECC memory, and both have dual-channel memory buses, but the AMD chip offers PCIe Gen 5 with 28 lanes (CPU only), whereas the Intel chip offers 16 lanes (CPU only). Memory support also differs: the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD chip supports only DDR5.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every headline specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz for AMD and 2.70 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.40 GHz for AMD and 5.20 GHz for Intel. The AMD TDP is 55 watts, while the Intel TDP is 65 watts.

The L2 cache per core differs: AMD uses 1 MB per core, Intel uses 2 MB per core. Shared L3 cache is 64 MB on the AMD and 24 MB on the Intel. Process nodes are 4 nm (TSMC) for AMD and 10 nm (Intel) for Intel. The AMD chip measures 2x 70.6 mm², while the Intel chip measures 257 mm². The AMD chip has 16,630 million transistors; the Intel chip's transistor count is not recorded.

Socket types differ: AMD Socket FL1 versus Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. Market segments differ: mobile for AMD, desktop for Intel. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 610M versus UHD Graphics 730. PCIe lanes are 28 (CPU only) for AMD versus 16 (CPU only) for Intel. Memory support is DDR5 only for AMD, while Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD part was released on 2025-01-05, and the Intel part on 2025-01-12. The Intel Core 5 221E has a launch MSRP of $232; the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX has no recorded launch MSRP.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear verdict for heavily threaded and compute-intensive workloads: the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX is the faster processor by a wide margin. Its average benchmark score of 91,199 places it at the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 221E, with an average of 40,144, sits at the 87th percentile. The AMD chip wins 13 of 15 comparisons, with leads ranging from 5.9% in PassMark single-thread to 218.1% in extended instructions.

The Intel Core 5 221E, however, demonstrates a compelling advantage in Cinebench single-core tests, specifically R15 and R23. In R23 single-core, the Intel chip is 40.6% faster, which is a substantial margin for any workload that is purely single-threaded and uses Cinebench's rendering engine. Yet this advantage does not translate to PassMark single-thread, where AMD leads by 5.9%. Therefore, the Intel win is workload-specific rather than a general single-core superiority.

For users running parallel rendering, encryption, compression, or math-heavy code, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX delivers between 22% and 218.1% higher performance depending on the test. The Intel chip, with its lower core count and smaller L3 cache, cannot match these results. The data also shows the AMD chip achieves this with a lower TDP (55 watts vs. 65 watts), which is notable for a mobile processor.

The Intel Core 5 221E remains competitive only in narrow single-threaded Cinebench scenarios. Its 14 cores and 20 threads are still sufficient for many tasks, but the benchmark record shows it trails the AMD part by 43.3% or more in every multi-core test. The choice between these two is therefore not balanced: the AMD processor is the performance leader in almost every measured category, with the exception of specific Cinebench single-core runs.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX wins in all PassMark workloads, including data compression (731,998 vs. 324,285), data encryption (37,330 vs. 19,205), extended instructions (57,946 vs. 18,216), prime number finding (287 vs. 173), floating point math (136,682 vs. 79,028), integer math (212,598 vs. 117,813), multithread (56,171 vs. 30,510), physics (2,720 vs. 2,230), random string sorting (77,890 vs. 37,686), and single-thread (4,393 vs. 4,147). It also wins both Cinebench multi-core tests (R15: 5,905 vs. 2,613; R23: 37,159 vs. 25,933). These wins make it the clear choice for multi-core rendering, data processing, encryption, scientific computing, and any workload that benefits from 32 threads and 64 MB of L3 cache.

The Intel Core 5 221E wins only Cinebench R15 single-core (368 vs. 336) and Cinebench R23 single-core (3,661 vs. 2,174). This indicates its niche is light, single-threaded tasks that rely on Cinebench's specific rendering pipeline, where its 2.70 GHz base clock and 2 MB L2 per core provide an edge. It is also a desktop part with DDR4 and DDR5 support, which may suit legacy system integration, but the benchmark data does not show any performance advantage outside of those two tests.