AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 vs Intel Core 5 221TE Comparison

# AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 vs Intel Core 5 221TE

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 and Intel Core 5 221TE represent two different approaches to modern desktop and mobile processing. The Ryzen AI 5 330 uses a 4 nm TSMC process with Zen 5 cores and targets mobile systems, while the Core 5 221TE is a 10 nm Intel desktop part with more cores and a higher TDP. The database records 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with Intel winning 9 and AMD winning 6. The AMD part holds a 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, while Intel sits at the 71st percentile. The average benchmark score for AMD is 18811, compared to 17860 for Intel, a difference that flatters the AMD chip despite Intel winning more individual tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 leads in every single-thread test in the database. It scores 1812 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1596 for Intel (a 13.5% advantage), and it posts 3515 in PassMark single-thread versus 1734, a 102.7% margin.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-core workloads?

A: Results are mixed. Intel wins Cinebench R23 multi-core decisively with 11305 versus 7840 (a 30.7% lead). However, AMD wins Cinebench R15 multi-core with 1191 versus 1139 (4.6% ahead), and Intel only narrowly edges PassMark multithread at 13301 versus 12797 (3.8% ahead).

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

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core 5 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads, giving Intel a substantial core-count advantage.

Q: Which chip has the larger L3 cache?

A: Intel has the larger L3 cache at 24 MB shared, while AMD has only 4 MB of L3. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core, and Intel has 1.25 MB of L2 per core versus 1 MB for AMD.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, while Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Intel also adds ECC memory support, which AMD does not offer.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 has a 28 W TDP, while the Intel Core 5 221TE has a 45 W TDP. Intel's higher power envelope corresponds with its higher core count and larger cache.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, using the Zen 5 architecture under the Krackan Point 2 codename. It belongs to the Ryzen AI 300 generation, which combines Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. The chip has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. It uses an AMD Socket FP8 and integrates Radeon 820M graphics. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of L3. Memory support covers DDR5 and LPDDR5X with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. PCIe connectivity is Gen 4 with 14 CPU lanes.

The Intel Core 5 221TE is a 10 nm part from Intel's foundry, using the Bartlett Lake codename and belonging to the Core 5 generation. It has 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The TDP is 45 W, and the die size is 215 mm². It uses Intel Socket 1700 and integrates UHD Graphics 730. The cache arrangement provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. Memory support includes DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth. It supports ECC memory and offers PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

The architectural differences are stark. AMD uses a more advanced 4 nm process versus Intel's 10 nm node. AMD has a higher base clock (2.00 GHz versus 1.80 GHz) but a lower boost clock (4.50 GHz versus 5.00 GHz). Intel has 2.5 times the cores and 2 times the threads. Intel offers a much larger L3 cache (24 MB versus 4 MB) and slightly more L2 per core. Intel supports ECC memory and PCIe Gen 5, while AMD uses PCIe Gen 4. AMD has higher memory bandwidth (89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s) and supports LPDDR5X, which Intel does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows AMD ahead with 1191 points versus 1139 for Intel, a 4.6% margin. This is surprising given Intel's core advantage, suggesting the Zen 5 architecture extracts more performance per core in this older benchmark. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the situation reverses dramatically. Intel scores 11305 versus 7840 for AMD, a 30.7% lead. The newer benchmark appears to scale better with Intel's 10 cores and 16 threads.

Single-core results consistently favor AMD. Cinebench R15 single-core shows AMD at 199.9 versus 160 for Intel, a 24.9% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core shows AMD at 1812 versus 1596, a 13.5% lead. The PassMark single-thread test is even more lopsided: AMD scores 3515 versus 1734 for Intel, a 102.7% margin. This suggests AMD's Zen 5 cores deliver substantially higher per-thread performance, while Intel's higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz does not translate into single-thread dominance.

In PassMark workloads, Intel wins most of the multi-threaded operations. Data compression favors Intel at 156682 versus 152012 (3% ahead). Data encryption goes to Intel at 8963 versus 7251 (19.1% ahead). Integer math shows Intel at 42303 versus 37771 (10.7% ahead). Floating point math goes to Intel at 31661 versus 26196 (17.3% ahead). Physics tests favor Intel at 977 versus 705 (27.8% ahead). Prime number finding favors Intel at 59 versus 42 (28.8% ahead). Random string sorting is close, with Intel at 16929 versus 16188 (4.4% ahead). PassMark multithread also goes to Intel at 13301 versus 12797 (3.8% ahead).

AMD wins the remaining PassMark test: extended instructions at 11124 versus 9655, a 15.2% advantage. This indicates AMD's instruction handling is more efficient in certain specialized workloads, even against Intel's broader core count.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core 5 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads. AMD's base clock is 2.00 GHz versus Intel's 1.80 GHz. AMD's boost clock is 4.50 GHz versus Intel's 5.00 GHz. The TDP is 28 W for AMD and 45 W for Intel.

AMD uses a 4 nm process at TSMC, while Intel uses a 10 nm process at its own foundry. AMD's architecture is Zen 5 with the Krackan Point 2 codename, while Intel's codename is Bartlett Lake. AMD's socket is AMD Socket FP8, Intel's is Intel Socket 1700. The die size is not recorded for AMD, but Intel's is 215 mm².

Cache configurations differ notably. Both have 80 KB of L1 per core. AMD has 1 MB of L2 per core and 4 MB of L3. Intel has 1.25 MB of L2 per core and 24 MB of shared L3. Memory support shows AMD with DDR5 and LPDDR5X, Intel with DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD and 76.8 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory is available on Intel but not on AMD.

PCIe generation and lane counts differ: AMD uses Gen 4 with 14 lanes, Intel uses Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon 820M for AMD and UHD Graphics 730 for Intel. The market segment is mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel. The release date is 2025-07-15 for AMD and 2025-01-12 for Intel. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $232; no launch MSRP is recorded for AMD.

The Verdict

The data indicates a tradeoff between single-thread efficiency and multi-thread throughput. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 delivers superior single-thread performance across all recorded tests, with margins ranging from 13.5% in Cinebench R23 to 102.7% in PassMark single-thread. It also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core and PassMark extended instructions. The Intel Core 5 221TE counters with wins in 9 of 15 benchmarks, including large margins in Cinebench R23 multi-core (30.7%), PassMark physics (27.8%), and PassMark prime numbers (28.8%).

The average benchmark score favors AMD at 18811 versus 17860, a 5.3% advantage, despite Intel winning more individual tests. This suggests AMD's wins are concentrated in heavier-weight benchmarks or that the average score weights certain tests more heavily. The percentile ranking reinforces this: AMD sits at the 73rd percentile versus Intel at the 71st.

The AMD chip uses a 4 nm process and has a 28 W TDP, making it more power-efficient per core. The Intel chip has more cores, more cache, ECC support, and PCIe Gen 5, but requires 45 W and uses a 10 nm process. Users who prioritize single-thread responsiveness and efficiency should favor AMD. Users who need multi-thread throughput for rendering, compression, or physics workloads should favor Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 wins in scenarios that demand high per-core performance. Its 24.9% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 13.5% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core point to applications like web browsing, office productivity, and lightly threaded creative tools where one or two threads dominate. The 102.7% lead in PassMark single-thread is remarkable, indicating AMD's Zen 5 architecture excels at tasks that cannot be parallelized. The Cinebench R15 multi-core win at 4.6% ahead suggests older multi-threaded applications may still favor AMD despite fewer cores. The 15.2% lead in PassMark extended instructions shows AMD handles specialized instruction sets more efficiently, relevant for certain encryption, signal processing, or SIMD-heavy workloads.

The Intel Core 5 221TE wins in heavily parallel workloads. The 30.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core demonstrates clear superiority in modern rendering and video encoding tasks that scale with cores. The 19.1% lead in PassMark data encryption and 10.7% lead in integer math indicate advantages in data processing and general computation. The 27.8% lead in physics tests suggests better performance in simulation and physics-based workloads. The 28.8% lead in prime number finding points to strength in integer-heavy algorithmic tasks. The 17.3% lead in floating point math covers scientific calculations and 3D rendering. The 3% lead in data compression and 4.4% lead in random string sorting round out Intel's multi-threaded dominance.

The specification differences reinforce this split. Intel's 24 MB of L3 versus 4 MB for AMD provides a major advantage for data-heavy multi-threaded workloads that benefit from large shared caches. Intel's 10 cores and 16 threads give it raw parallel throughput, while AMD's higher boost clock and newer process node deliver better single-thread performance. Intel's ECC support and PCIe Gen 5 make it suitable for workstation or server-like environments, while AMD's LPDDR5X support and mobile market segment target portable systems. The recorded data confirms that neither chip is universally faster; the choice depends entirely on whether the workload favors single-thread efficiency or multi-thread scaling.