AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D vs Intel Core 7 251TE Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two processors compare in overall benchmark standing?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D sits at the 96th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel Core 7 251TE sits at the 88th percentile. The AMD part's average benchmark score is 97,453, compared to 41,650 for the Intel chip.

Q: Which processor wins the most head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D wins 13 of the 15 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core 7 251TE takes only two wins, both in Cinebench single-core tests.

Q: What is the biggest single benchmark margin between the two?

A: In PassMark extended instructions, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D scores 62,813 against 16,974 for the Intel Core 7 251TE, a 270.1% advantage. The AMD chip also leads PassMark find prime numbers by 275%.

Q: Does the Intel processor have any advantage in multi-core workloads?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D leads Cinebench R15 multi-core by 134.9%, Cinebench R23 multi-core by 49.5%, and PassMark multithread by 108.8%. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD processor dominates in every recorded multi-threaded test.

Q: What clock speeds do the two processors reach?

A: Both chips boost to 5.40 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has a 2.50 GHz base clock, while the Intel Core 7 251TE has a 1.40 GHz base clock.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D supports DDR5 only. The Intel Core 7 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use a dual-channel memory bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and both support ECC memory.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Fire Range codename, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and is fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. These process differences are substantial: the AMD chip integrates 16,630 million transistors across a dual-die design with two 70.6 mm² dies, while the Intel processor uses a single 215 mm² die.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The AMD part packs 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel part offers 24 cores and 32 threads. That means the Intel chip relies on more cores at lower base clocks to match thread counts. The AMD base clock of 2.50 GHz is considerably higher than the Intel base of 1.40 GHz, though both boost to 5.40 GHz.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both allocate 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but the AMD part provides 1 MB of L2 per core versus 1.25 MB per core on the Intel chip. The L3 cache gap is enormous: 128 MB on the AMD processor versus a shared 36 MB on the Intel processor. This L3 disparity is the defining architectural difference and explains much of the benchmark separation.

Platform support differs as well. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D uses AMD Socket FL1, targets the mobile market segment, and is unlocked for multiplier adjustments. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses Intel Socket 1700, targets the desktop segment, and has a locked multiplier. The AMD processor exposes 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel processor exposes 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ too. The AMD chip ships with Radeon 610M graphics, while the Intel chip uses UHD Graphics 770. Memory support is another split: the AMD part supports only DDR5, whereas the Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5. Both have ECC support and dual-channel memory buses.

The Intel Core 7 251TE has a launch MSRP of $384. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a split personality between the two chips. In multi-core tests, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is dominant. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 6,042.5 for the AMD part versus 2,572 for the Intel part, a 134.9% margin. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 38,161.5 versus 25,518, a 49.5% advantage. But in single-core Cinebench tests, the Intel Core 7 251TE wins both. R15 single-core gives the Intel chip 362 points against 332 for the AMD chip, an 8.3% margin. R23 single-core is more decisive: 3,602 for Intel versus 2,159.5 for AMD, a 40% difference.

PassMark results heavily favor AMD across the board. PassMark single-thread gives the AMD part 4,511 points versus 3,568 for the Intel part, a 26.4% lead. This mirrors the Cinebench single-core result in the opposite direction, showing workload-dependent single-thread behavior.

Data compression favors AMD heavily: 785,811 versus 334,399, a 135% margin. Data encryption shows 39,446 versus 22,176, a 77.9% lead. Extended instructions produce the largest gap among mainstream tests: 62,813 versus 16,974, a 270.1% difference.

Prime number finding is another blowout: 525 versus 140, a 275% margin. Floating-point math delivers 144,122 versus 85,607, a 68.4% lead. Integer math shows 222,503 versus 125,739, a 77% advantage. The PassMark multithread score is 62,674 versus 30,022, a 108.8% lead. Physics tests show 4,687 versus 1,938, a 141.8% margin. Random string sorting gives 83,497 versus 39,643, a 110.6% lead.

The nearest rivals in the database provide context. The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D sits just 1.1% below the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX, and 1.4% above the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945. The Intel Core 7 251TE is effectively tied with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H at a 0.1% delta, and 0.2% above the Intel Core i7-14650HX.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in almost every major specification category. Core counts: 16 for AMD, 24 for Intel. Thread counts are identical at 32. Base clocks: 2.50 GHz for AMD, 1.40 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks match at 5.40 GHz. TDP ratings: 55 for the AMD chip, 45 for the Intel chip.

Sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket FL1 versus Intel Socket 1700. Process nodes differ: 4 nm TSMC for AMD versus 10 nm Intel for the Intel part. The AMD chip has a dual-die design with two 70.6 mm² dies; the Intel chip uses a single 215 mm² die. Transistor count is recorded only for the AMD part at 16,630 million.

Cache specifications diverge completely. AMD provides 128 MB of L3 cache; Intel provides 36 MB shared. L2 cache per core: 1 MB for AMD, 1.25 MB for Intel. L1 cache per core matches at 80 KB.

Memory support: AMD supports DDR5 only; Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Both have dual-channel buses and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe lane counts: 28 Gen 5 lanes for AMD, 16 Gen 5 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics: Radeon 610M for AMD, UHD Graphics 770 for Intel.

Market segments differ: AMD is a mobile part, Intel is a desktop part. The AMD multiplier is unlocked; the Intel multiplier is locked. Release dates are one week apart: January 5, 2025 for AMD and January 12, 2025 for Intel. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $384; no launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D wins in almost every recorded workload category. Multi-threaded rendering, data compression, encryption, extended instruction sets, prime number calculations, floating-point math, integer math, physics simulation, and string sorting all go to the AMD part. The benchmark data indicates this processor is the stronger choice for compute-heavy tasks that scale with cache size and thread efficiency.

The 128 MB L3 cache on the AMD part likely drives the extreme margins in data compression and extended instructions. The 270.1% lead in extended instructions and the 275% lead in prime number finding suggest workloads that repeatedly access large working sets benefit disproportionately from the larger cache. Multi-threaded performance is also consistently strong: the 134.9% Cinebench R15 multi-core margin and the 108.8% PassMark multithread margin show broad multi-core superiority despite the AMD part having 8 fewer cores.

The Intel Core 7 251TE wins two specific tests: Cinebench R15 single-core and Cinebench R23 single-core. The R23 single-core margin is sizable at 40%. This indicates that in certain lightly threaded rendering tasks, the Intel architecture with its higher per-core clock behavior delivers better results. The Intel part also offers DDR4 memory compatibility, which may matter for systems with existing DDR4 memory infrastructure.

The Intel part has a lower TDP of 45 versus 55 for the AMD part, and it targets the desktop segment with a locked multiplier. The AMD part is a mobile processor with an unlocked multiplier. The Intel chip's 24 cores provide higher core counts, but the benchmark data shows this does not translate into multi-threaded wins over the AMD part.

For workloads where the PassMark single-thread score is representative, the AMD part leads by 26.4%. This contrasts with the Cinebench single-core results where Intel leads. The discrepancy suggests the two processors have different single-thread strengths depending on instruction mix and workload characteristics.

The overall picture from the database is clear: the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D holds a 13 to 2 win record in head-to-head tests, sits 8 percentile points higher in the overall CPU ranking, and delivers an average benchmark score of 97,453 versus 41,650 for the Intel Core 7 251TE. The Intel part retains specific single-core Cinebench advantages and DDR4 support, but the recorded data shows the AMD processor as the dominant performer across the measured test suite.