AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Comparison

AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX and Intel Core Ultra 5 226V occupy opposite extremes of the processor spectrum. The former is a 64-core workstation monster aimed at server-class rendering and virtualization, while the latter is an 8-core mobile chip designed for thin-and-light laptops. The recorded benchmark data shows a complete sweep for the AMD part across all head-to-head tests, yet the Intel chip holds its own in single-thread performance and overall percentile ranking. This analysis breaks down the architectural divide, spec sheet differences, and measured performance deltas to clarify which processor serves which workload.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX wins all 8 recorded head-to-head comparisons, with the largest margin being a 724.3% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: How do the two chips compare in overall database percentile rankings?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX sits at the 74th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V sits just one point lower at the 73rd percentile.

Q: What is the difference in average benchmark scores?

A: The AMD part records an average benchmark score of 19928, while the Intel part records 19368. The AMD chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-11600H at 19921, and the Intel chip’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS at 19364.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: Both processors share the same maximum boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The AMD chip has a higher base clock at 2.70 GHz compared to the Intel chip’s 2.10 GHz.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Intel chip is competitive with the AMD chip?

A: In Geekbench single-core, the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V scores 1930 against the AMD’s 1947, a delta of only 0.9%. This is the closest margin in the entire dataset.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX has 64 cores and 128 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two processors is vast, stemming from fundamentally different design goals. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX is built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Chagall PRO, using a 7 nm process node from TSMC. It integrates 33,200 million transistors across a die size of 8x 81 mm², reflecting a multi-chiplet design optimized for maximum parallel throughput. The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, by contrast, uses the Lunar Lake architecture, built on a more advanced 3 nm process node from TSMC. While the Intel chip’s transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database, its single-die design is clearly oriented toward power efficiency and compact integration.

The cache hierarchies tell a story of scale versus latency. The AMD chip provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB of shared L3 cache. This enormous L3 pool is critical for holding large working sets in workstation tasks. The Intel chip offers 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and just 8 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip’s larger per-core L2 indicates a focus on reducing latency for single-thread burst work, while the AMD chip’s massive L3 is designed for multi-threaded data sharing across 64 cores.

Memory architecture reinforces the divergence. The AMD part supports DDR4 memory over an eight-channel bus, delivering 204.8 GB/s of bandwidth, with ECC memory support enabled. The Intel part uses dual-channel memory, with bandwidth not recorded, and lacks ECC support. The AMD chip also offers PCIe Gen 4 with 128 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel chip provides PCIe Gen 5 with just 4 lanes (CPU only). The Intel chip integrates Arc 130V graphics, whereas the AMD chip has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for any display output.

The socket and market segments are polar opposites. The AMD processor uses AMD Socket WRX8, targeting the Server/Workstation segment, and was released on 2022-03-07. The Intel processor uses Intel BGA 2833, targeting the Mobile segment, and was released on 2024-09-23. The AMD chip’s TDP is 280 watts, while the Intel chip’s TDP is just 17 watts. Neither chip allows multiplier unlocking, and both are currently marked as Active in production.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for multi-core workloads. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX is the only choice for tasks that scale across many cores, such as rendering, scientific computation, and heavy virtualization. Its 256 MB L3 cache and eight-channel memory bandwidth provide the infrastructure for sustained throughput that the Intel chip cannot approach. The 724.3% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is not incremental; it represents a different class of processing capability.

For mobile users, the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V is the only viable option of the two, given its 17-watt TDP and integrated Arc 130V graphics. It cannot be installed in a desktop workstation socket, and its 8 cores are sufficient for everyday productivity and light content creation. The single-core Geekbench result, where the Intel chip trails by only 0.9%, shows that Lunar Lake’s architecture is competitive for latency-sensitive applications. The Intel chip’s 73rd percentile ranking, despite its low core count, indicates strong efficiency per watt, but the data shows it wins no head-to-head comparisons against the AMD part.

Picking a winner depends entirely on the physical platform. The AMD chip is for a server rack or high-end workstation chassis with ample cooling and power delivery. The Intel chip is for a thin laptop where battery life and thermal envelope are paramount. There is no overlap in use cases, and the benchmark data reinforces this separation. The AMD part should be selected when absolute multi-threaded performance is required; the Intel part should be selected when portability and integrated graphics are required.

Specification Differences

The recorded specification fields highlight stark contrasts between the two processors. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX has 64 cores and 128 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD chip’s base clock is 2.70 GHz, while the Intel chip’s base clock is 2.10 GHz; both share a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The AMD part draws 280 watts of TDP, whereas the Intel part draws only 17 watts.

Process node and foundry are identical in vendor but different in size: both use TSMC, but the AMD chip uses 7 nm while the Intel chip uses 3 nm. The AMD chip’s cache hierarchy features 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core with 256 MB L3, whereas the Intel chip features 192 KB L1 and 2.5 MB L2 per core with 8 MB L3. Memory support differs fundamentally: the AMD chip uses DDR4 with an eight-channel bus and 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel chip uses dual-channel memory with no recorded bandwidth. ECC memory is supported on the AMD chip but not on the Intel chip.

PCIe capabilities are inverted in generation and lane count: the AMD chip offers Gen 4 with 128 lanes, while the Intel chip offers Gen 5 with just 4 lanes. Integrated graphics are absent on the AMD chip but present on the Intel chip as Arc 130V. The socket types are entirely incompatible: AMD Socket WRX8 versus Intel BGA 2833. The AMD chip is marked for Server/Workstation, while the Intel chip is marked for Mobile. The AMD chip has a recorded launch MSRP of $6499, while the Intel chip has no recorded launch MSRP. The AMD chip’s part number is 100-000000444, and the Intel chip’s part number is SRPMQSRPMR.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table shows a clean sweep for the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, but the margins vary wildly across tests. The largest victory comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD chip scores 81175 against the Intel chip’s 9848, a delta of 724.3%. This test scales almost linearly with core count, and the 64-core AMD part has an overwhelming advantage. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 8182 against 1501, a 445.1% delta, and in Cinebench R20 multi-core, the scores are 34093 versus 6381, a 434.3% delta.

Single-core Cinebench results also favor the AMD chip by large margins, though the absolute scores are closer. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD chip scores 1155 against 267, a 332.6% delta. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD chip scores 4813 against 900, a 434.8% delta. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD chip scores 11460 against 1744, a 557.1% delta. These results suggest the Zen 3 architecture’s single-thread performance is substantially ahead of Lunar Lake’s efficiency-oriented design in this specific benchmark suite.

The Geekbench results show a different pattern. In Geekbench multi-core, the AMD chip scores 16598 against 8598, a 93% delta, which is significant but far smaller than the Cinebench margins. In Geekbench single-core, the AMD chip scores 1947 against 1930, a delta of just 0.9%. This near-tie indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V’s single-thread capabilities are competitive with the AMD chip when measured by Geekbench’s workload, which is a notable data point for a mobile processor against a workstation-class part.

The Intel chip’s additional PassMark benchmarks, not present for the AMD chip, provide context for its real-world capabilities. It scores 170687 in data compression, 12710 in data encryption, and 14724 in extended instructions. Its floating-point math score is 52270, integer math is 38647, and multithread is 17850. These scores are not comparable to the AMD chip due to missing data, but they show the Intel chip’s balanced performance profile across different workload types. The AMD chip wins all 8 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel chip wins 0, yet the single-core Geekbench result suggests that for short, single-threaded bursts, the two processors are functionally equivalent.