AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D and Intel Core 5 221E occupy opposite ends of the performance spectrum, and the benchmark data reflects a decisive split. Across 15 head-to-head tests, the AMD processor claims 13 wins, while the Intel part takes 2. The wins are not evenly distributed: AMD dominates in every multithreaded and throughput-oriented workload, while Intel’s victories come exclusively in older single-core Cinebench tests. This suggests a simple use-case division: the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is built for sustained parallel workloads, whereas the Core 5 221E holds a narrow edge in legacy single-threaded rendering tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D wins in all 13 of the tests that involve multiple cores or heavy data manipulation. Its largest margins appear in PassMark extended instructions (244.8% ahead), prime number finding (203.5% ahead), and data compression (142.3% ahead). These are workloads that scale with core count, cache size, and memory bandwidth, all areas where the AMD part is configured to excel. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D also wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 47.2% and in Cinebench R15 multi-core by 131.2%, confirming that its advantage persists across different rendering engines.

The Intel Core 5 221E wins in Cinebench R15 single-core and Cinebench R23 single-core. In R15 single-core, it scores 368 versus 332, a 9.8% advantage. In R23 single-core, it scores 3661 versus 2159.5, a 41% advantage. Notably, the Intel part does not win the PassMark single-thread test; the AMD chip leads there by 8.8% (4511 versus 4147). This means Intel’s single-core win is specific to Cinebench’s rendering workload, not a universal single-thread superiority. The data indicates that for users running legacy Cinebench versions in single-threaded mode, the Intel chip is faster, but for more modern single-threaded benchmarks, the AMD chip holds a modest lead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different platforms. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D uses the Zen 5 architecture on the Fire Range codename, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It packs 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its cache configuration is extensive: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a massive 128 MB of L3 cache. This large L3 is a defining feature, as it directly benefits workloads that repeatedly access large datasets, such as compression and encryption.

The Intel Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel. It has 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. Its cache is smaller: 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the AMD chip supports only DDR5. Both have dual-channel memory buses with identical 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD processor uses AMD Socket FL1, while Intel uses Socket 1700. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Intel chip is locked. The AMD part also has more PCIe lanes: 28 Gen 5 lanes versus 16 Gen 5 lanes on the Intel chip.

The process node difference is stark: 4 nm versus 10 nm. This explains why the AMD chip can house 16,630 million transistors on a 2x 70.6 mm² die, while the Intel chip uses a 257 mm² die with no disclosed transistor count. The AMD chip is a mobile segment part, while the Intel chip is a desktop part. Both have integrated graphics, but AMD uses Radeon 610M and Intel uses UHD Graphics 730. Both support ECC memory.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single victory for the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 62813 versus 18216, a 244.8% delta. This test measures SIMD and vectorized instruction throughput, and the AMD chip’s Zen 5 architecture with 16 cores and 128 MB L3 cache appears to handle these operations far more efficiently. The next biggest win is in PassMark find prime numbers, where AMD scores 525 versus 173, a 203.5% delta. Prime number finding is heavily dependent on integer arithmetic and cache residency, and the AMD chip’s larger L3 cache likely reduces memory stalls.

In PassMark data compression, AMD scores 785811 versus 324285, a 142.3% delta. This is a 2.4x difference in raw throughput, which is consistent with the 128 MB L3 cache absorbing more of the compression dictionary. PassMark random string sorting shows AMD ahead by 121.6% (83497 versus 37686), again a workload that benefits from cache capacity. PassMark physics shows AMD ahead by 110.2% (4687 versus 2230), and PassMark multithread shows AMD ahead by 105.4% (62674 versus 30510). Data encryption also shows AMD ahead by 105.4% (39446 versus 19205).

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD scores 6042.5 versus 2613, a 131.2% delta. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD scores 38161.5 versus 25933, a 47.2% delta. The smaller delta in R23 suggests that the newer rendering engine scales somewhat better with the Intel chip’s 14 cores, but AMD still holds a commanding lead. In PassMark floating point math, AMD scores 144122 versus 79028, an 82.4% delta. In PassMark integer math, AMD scores 222503 versus 117813, an 88.9% delta. The only AMD loss in PassMark single-thread is not a loss; AMD wins by 8.8% (4511 versus 4147).

The Intel Core 5 221E’s two wins are in Cinebench single-core tests. In R15 single-core, Intel scores 368 versus 332, a 9.8% delta, which is a modest advantage. In R23 single-core, Intel scores 3661 versus 2159.5, a 41% delta, which is substantial. This suggests that Cinebench’s single-core rendering path favors Intel’s higher base clock (2.70 GHz versus 2.50 GHz) and possibly its per-core L2 cache (2 MB versus 1 MB). However, the PassMark single-thread result contradicts this pattern, as AMD leads there. The data implies that Intel’s single-core win is workload-specific, not a general single-core advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache size?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has 128 MB of L3 cache, whereas the Intel Core 5 221E has 24 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 single-core?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E wins, scoring 3661 versus 2159.5, a 41% advantage for Intel.

Q: Which processor wins in PassMark multithread?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D wins, scoring 62674 versus 30510, a 105.4% advantage for AMD.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D and the Intel Core 5 221E support ECC memory.

Q: What is the process node for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC, while the Intel Core 5 221E is manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D uses 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 5 221E uses 14 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks differ: 2.50 GHz for AMD versus 2.70 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks differ: 5.40 GHz for AMD versus 5.20 GHz for Intel. TDP differs: 55 watts for AMD versus 65 watts for Intel. Sockets differ: AMD Socket FL1 versus Intel Socket 1700. Architecture differs: Zen 5 for AMD versus no listed architecture for Intel, with codenames Fire Range versus Bartlett Lake. Process nodes differ: 4 nm at TSMC versus 10 nm at Intel. Die sizes differ: 2x 70.6 mm² for AMD versus 257 mm² for Intel. L2 cache per core differs: 1 MB for AMD versus 2 MB for Intel. L3 cache differs: 128 MB for AMD versus 24 MB shared for Intel. Memory support differs: DDR5 only for AMD versus DDR4 and DDR5 for Intel. PCIe lanes differ: 28 Gen 5 lanes for AMD versus 16 Gen 5 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 610M for AMD versus UHD Graphics 730 for Intel. Market segment differs: Mobile for AMD versus Desktop for Intel. Multiplier unlock status differs: unlocked for AMD versus locked for Intel. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $232; the AMD chip has no launch MSRP listed.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice based on workload type. For users running multithreaded rendering, data compression, encryption, or any PassMark compute workload, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is overwhelmingly faster, often by more than 100%. Its 128 MB L3 cache and 16 cores deliver results that the Intel Core 5 221E cannot approach in parallel tasks. The AMD chip also leads in PassMark single-thread, which suggests its modern architecture is better for general single-threaded applications.

The Intel Core 5 221E is preferable only for users who specifically run Cinebench R15 or R23 in single-core mode, where it holds a 9.8% and 41% advantage respectively. This is a narrow niche. For everything else, including PassMark single-thread, the AMD chip wins. The Intel part does offer a lower TDP in some contexts? No, the Intel TDP is 65 watts versus 55 watts for AMD, so AMD is more power-efficient. Intel also supports DDR4 memory, which could be relevant for systems with existing DDR4 modules, but the performance gap in multithreaded workloads is so large that this compatibility advantage is unlikely to compensate. The verdict from the recorded data is that the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the superior processor for virtually all compute-intensive tasks, while the Intel Core 5 221E is a specialized alternative for legacy Cinebench single-core benchmarks.