AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G and Intel Core Ultra 5 235 are both 65W desktop processors that land in the same performance tier, with average benchmark scores of 46187 and 46062 respectively. The Intel part holds a 0.3% average score advantage, but the head-to-head data reveals a far more lopsided contest: the Core Ultra 5 235 wins all 11 shared benchmark comparisons, often by substantial margins. This analysis breaks down those results, explores the architectural reasons behind them, and clarifies which processor suits specific workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 outperforms the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G in every single shared test. The largest gap appears in passmark_find_prime_numbers, where Intel scores 371 against AMD’s 90, a staggering 75.7% advantage. This test is highly sensitive to integer throughput and cache efficiency, and the Intel chip’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache versus AMD’s 8 MB likely plays a decisive role.

Floating-point mathematics shows a similarly one-sided result. The Intel part scores 117951 compared to 45711 for the AMD chip, a 61.2% delta. This is a massive margin for any modern processor comparison and suggests the Intel core design delivers far superior FPU throughput per clock. In passmark_data_encryption, Intel leads 29293 to 13585, a 53.6% difference, indicating better cryptographic instruction execution and memory bandwidth utilization.

The physics simulation test is another strong Intel win: 2570 versus 1329, a 48.3% gap. This workload often scales with core count and clock speed, and the Core Ultra 5 235 has both advantages. In passmark_multithread, Intel scores 37816 against AMD’s 23487, a 37.9% delta. That result is consistent with the core count disparity: Intel offers 14 cores and 14 threads, while AMD provides 6 cores and 12 threads.

The extended instructions benchmark shows Intel ahead by 37% (32752 vs 20648), while random string sorting favors Intel by 36.5% (48980 vs 31106). Data compression is closer in percentage terms but still a clear Intel win: 390711 versus 292735, a 25.1% gap. Integer math is the tightest of the major tests, with Intel leading 87948 to 71251, a 19% margin.

The single-thread results are the most competitive. Intel scores 4516 against AMD’s 4060, a 10.1% advantage. This confirms that the Core Ultra 5 235 has a meaningful per-core performance lead, not just a core-count advantage. Even in a best-case scenario for the AMD chip—single-threaded workloads—it trails by double digits.

The overall pattern is consistent: the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 wins every head-to-head test, with margins ranging from 10.1% in single-thread to 75.7% in prime number finding. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G does not win a single benchmark in this comparison, and its average score of 46187 places it within 0.5% of the AMD EPYC 4364P, its closest rival in the aggregate rankings.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G’s 46187. Both chips sit at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, and the Intel part’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 with a delta of 0.1%.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: In the passmark_single_thread test, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 4516 versus 4060 for the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G, a 10.1% advantage. This is the smallest margin in the entire head-to-head comparison, indicating that AMD is closest to Intel in lightly-threaded workloads.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmark in this comparison?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G wins 0 tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 wins all 11 shared benchmarks. The AMD chip’s best relative performance is in single-threaded testing, where it trails by 10.1%.

Q: What is the difference in multithreaded performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 37816 in passmark_multithread, compared to 23487 for the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G. That is a 37.9% gap, which aligns with Intel’s 14 cores and 14 threads versus AMD’s 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: How do the two processors compare in memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 supports 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G supports 89.6 GB/s. This 12.8 GB/s difference likely contributes to Intel’s wins in memory-sensitive tests like data compression and encryption.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, compared to 4.80 GHz for the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G. The base clocks are also different: 3.40 GHz for Intel versus 2.00 GHz for AMD.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear conclusion: the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is the superior processor for essentially every workload measured. Its 14 cores and 14 threads provide a structural advantage over AMD’s 6 cores and 12 threads, and that advantage shows up in every multithreaded benchmark. The 37.9% lead in passmark_multithread is not a marginal difference; it is a decisive gap that will be visible in video rendering, code compilation, and other parallel tasks.

The single-thread result is more nuanced but still favors Intel. A 10.1% lead in passmark_single_thread means the Core Ultra 5 235 will feel snappier in everyday applications and games that rely on per-core performance. The AMD chip’s 4.80 GHz boost clock is respectable, but it cannot overcome the architectural efficiency of the Intel core design, which reaches 5.00 GHz.

For buyers who prioritize raw throughput, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is the obvious choice. It wins every head-to-head test, often by 30% or more, and its 89th percentile ranking matches the AMD part. The only scenario where the AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G makes sense is if the integrated graphics or platform features are more important than CPU performance—but the benchmark data does not show any CPU workload where AMD is competitive.

The Intel part also offers 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes versus 12 Gen 4 lanes for AMD, which matters for users planning to run multiple high-speed NVMe drives or a modern GPU. The AMD chip does support ECC memory, which is a genuine differentiator for reliability-focused builds, but that is a niche requirement compared to the broad performance deficit it faces.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads. Intel’s base clock is 3.40 GHz versus 2.00 GHz for AMD, and the boost clocks are 5.00 GHz and 4.80 GHz respectively.

Cache configurations are drastically different. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, while Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core and 3 MB of L2 per core. The L3 cache is the biggest gap: 8 MB for AMD versus 24 MB shared for Intel. Memory bandwidth also favors Intel at 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s.

The platform sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket AM5, while Intel uses Socket 1851. PCIe support differs as well, with Intel offering Gen 5 and 20 lanes versus Gen 4 and 12 lanes for AMD. The Intel part has a locked multiplier, while AMD’s is unlocked. The integrated graphics are Radeon 840M for AMD and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU for Intel.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 440G is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, using the Gorgon Point codename with a Zen 5 / Zen 5c core architecture. Its die size is 195 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 uses a 3 nm process, also from TSMC, with the Arrow Lake-S codename and Arrow Lake architecture. Intel’s die is larger at 243 mm² and contains 17,800 million transistors.

The core architectures reflect different design philosophies. AMD uses a hybrid of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores, which allows for efficiency-oriented configurations, but in this chip it results in only 6 cores total. Intel’s Arrow Lake design delivers 14 cores with 14 threads, meaning no hyperthreading, but the raw core count is more than double AMD’s.

The process node advantage goes to Intel at 3 nm versus 4 nm for AMD, which may contribute to the power efficiency and clock speed differences. The L3 cache architecture is fundamentally different: AMD uses a smaller 8 MB pool, while Intel uses a 24 MB shared design. This larger cache likely explains Intel’s dominance in data compression and prime number tests, which benefit from having more working set data resident on-chip.

The memory controller also differs, with Intel supporting 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth versus 89.6 GB/s for AMD. Combined with the PCIe Gen 5 interface, the Intel platform is designed for higher data throughput overall. The AMD chip does support ECC memory, a feature absent on the Intel part, which may attract users building error-correcting workstations despite the performance gap.