AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX vs Intel Core Ultra 7 165U Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165U and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX are opposites in nearly every measurable way. The data shows a 12-core, 14-thread mobile processor with a 15 TDP facing a 64-core, 128-thread workstation monster with a 280 TDP. Benchmark results are lopsided: the Threadripper wins all eight head-to-head tests, often by margins exceeding 80%. Yet both chips share the same 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs, which reflects their very different roles. The Ultra 7 is a low-power part for thin laptops, while the Threadripper is a server-class workhorse. Choose accordingly, because the data makes clear these are not competitors; they are solutions for separate problems.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data alone, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX is the unequivocal performance king. It wins every single head-to-head test, with its largest victory being an 87.4% lead over the Intel in Cinebench R23 multicore (81175 vs 10226). If your workload scales with core count — rendering, simulation, heavy compilation — the Threadripper is the only choice from these two. Its 64 cores and 128 threads simply dwarf the Ultra 7’s 12 cores and 14 threads.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165U, however, is not without purpose. Its 15 TDP and integrated Arc Xe-LPG graphics make it suitable for thin-and-light mobile systems where power draw is the primary constraint. The data shows it scores 74th percentile against all CPUs, matching the Threadripper’s percentile (also 74) despite having a fraction of the performance. This is because the Ultra 7’s average benchmark score of 20249 is close to its rival’s 19928, driven by strong single-thread and efficiency-oriented results. The Threadripper is for workstations; the Ultra 7 is for portable machines that still need respectable multi-threaded capability.

Where Each One Wins

There is no benchmark category in the FACT PACK where the Intel Ultra 7 165U beats the Threadripper. The head-to-head results show the AMD chip winning all eight tests: Cinebench R15, R20, R23 (single and multi-core each), and Geekbench (single and multi-core). The closest margin is Geekbench single-core, where the Threadripper leads by 25.5% (1947 vs 1450). This suggests that even in lightly-threaded tasks, the Zen 3 architecture at 4.50 GHz boost outperforms the Meteor Lake chip at 4.90 GHz boost.

The Intel part’s theoretical wins are in areas the FACT PACK does not measure directly. Its 15 TDP (vs 280 TDP) implies far lower power consumption, making it viable for laptops. Its integrated Arc Xe-LPG 64EU graphics provide a display output without a discrete GPU, which the Threadripper lacks (its integratedGraphics field is null). For battery-powered devices, the Ultra 7 is the only option here. For any performance metric in the data, the Threadripper is the winner.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and philosophies. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165U uses Meteor Lake, built on a 7 nm process at Intel’s foundry. It has 12 cores and 14 threads, a base clock of 1700 MHz, and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its cache is split: 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5, dual-channel, with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and no ECC support. PCIe is Gen 4 with 12 CPU lanes.

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX uses Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Chagall PRO, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It has 64 cores and 128 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and boost of 4.50 GHz. Cache is substantially larger: 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and a massive 256 MB L3. Memory is DDR4, eight-channel, providing 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, with ECC support. PCIe is Gen 4 with 128 CPU lanes. The Threadripper has 33,200 million transistors across 8x 81 mm² dies, while the Intel chip’s transistor count and die size are not listed.

These architectural differences explain the benchmark gaps. The Threadripper’s 256 MB L3 cache is 21x larger than the Ultra 7’s 12 MB, feeding many more cores. The eight-channel memory bus provides 2.3x the bandwidth of the Ultra 7’s dual-channel. The Intel chip compensates with a higher boost clock (4.90 vs 4.50 GHz) and newer DDR5 support, but the core count disparity is insurmountable in multi-threaded tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core tasks?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX wins every single-core test in the data. In Geekbench single-core, it scores 1947 vs the Intel’s 1450, a 25.5% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a larger gap: 11460 vs 1662, an 85.5% difference.

Q: Can the Intel Ultra 7 165U be used for gaming?

A: The FACT PACK does not include gaming benchmarks. However, the Ultra 7 has integrated Arc Xe-LPG 64EU graphics, which could drive a display without a discrete GPU. The Threadripper has no integrated graphics, requiring a separate GPU for any display output.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each support?

A: The Intel Ultra 7 165U supports dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD Threadripper PRO 5995WX supports eight-channel DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s bandwidth, which is 2.3x higher.

Q: Which chip has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD Threadripper PRO 5995WX has 128 Gen 4 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel Ultra 7 165U has 12 Gen 4 lanes (CPU only). This makes the Threadripper far more suitable for multi-GPU or high-throughput storage configurations.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Intel Ultra 7 165U has a TDP of 15, suitable for mobile devices. The AMD Threadripper PRO 5995WX has a TDP of 280, indicating a need for substantial cooling and power delivery, typical of workstation platforms.

Q: Do both support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Threadripper PRO 5995WX supports ECC memory (eccMemory: true). The Intel Ultra 7 165U does not (eccMemory: false).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data set provides eight direct comparisons, and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX wins all of them. The largest margin is in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the Threadripper scores 81175 against the Intel’s 10226, a delta of -87.4% (meaning the Intel trails by 87.4% of the AMD score). This test is the clearest illustration of core-count dominance: 64 cores vs 12, 128 threads vs 14.

Cinebench R20 multicore shows a similar trend: 34093 vs 5943, a -82.6% delta. Cinebench R15 multicore yields 8182 vs 1605, a -80.4% delta. The single-core tests are closer but still decisive. Cinebench R23 single-core: 11460 vs 1662, a -85.5% delta. Cinebench R20 single-core: 4813 vs 839, a -82.6% delta. Cinebench R15 single-core: 1155 vs 231, a -80% delta.

Geekbench results are the most favorable to the Intel part. In Geekbench multicore, the Threadripper scores 16598 vs 7329, a -55.8% delta — the smallest multi-core gap in the set. In Geekbench single-core, the Threadripper leads 1947 vs 1450, a -25.5% delta. This suggests the Intel’s higher boost clock (4.90 GHz) narrows the gap in lightly-threaded workloads, but the Zen 3 architecture still comes out ahead.

The average benchmark score for the Threadripper is 19928, while the Intel’s is 20249. The Intel’s nearest rivals in the overall database include the Intel Core i7-9700K (20271, -0.1% delta) and AMD Ryzen 3 30 (20137, 0.6% delta). The Threadripper’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-11600H (19921, 0% delta) and Intel Core i7-11800H (19998, -0.3% delta). These rival comparisons show that both chips sit in a similar overall performance tier despite their extreme differences in core count and power.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. Here are the key contrasts from the FACT PACK:

• Cores: Intel has 12; AMD has 64.
• Threads: Intel has 14; AMD has 128.
• Base clock: Intel 1700 MHz; AMD 2700 MHz.
• Boost clock: Intel 4.90 GHz; AMD 4.50 GHz.
• TDP: Intel 15; AMD 280.
• Socket: Intel BGA 2049; AMD Socket WRX8.
• Architecture: Meteor Lake; Zen 3 (Chagall PRO).
• Foundry: Intel; TSMC.
• Transistors: Not listed for Intel; 33,200 million for AMD.
• Die size: Not listed for Intel; 8x 81 mm² for AMD.
• L1 cache: 112 KB per core (Intel); 64 KB per core (AMD).
• L2 cache: 2 MB per core (Intel); 512 KB per core (AMD).
• L3 cache: 12 MB shared (Intel); 256 MB (AMD).
• Memory support: DDR5 (Intel); DDR4 (AMD).
• Memory bus: Dual-channel (Intel); Eight-channel (AMD).
• Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s (Intel); 204.8 GB/s (AMD).
• ECC memory: False (Intel); True (AMD).
• PCIe: Gen 4, 12 lanes (Intel); Gen 4, 128 lanes (AMD).
• Integrated graphics: Arc Xe-LPG 64EU (Intel); None (AMD).
• Market segment: Mobile (Intel); Server/Workstation (AMD).
• Release date: 2023-12-13 (Intel); 2022-03-07 (AMD).
• Launch MSRP: $448 (Intel); $6499 (AMD).
• Part number: SRN6D (Intel); 100-000000444 (AMD).

The Intel chip is newer (late 2023 vs early 2022), but the AMD chip offers a 5.3x core count, a 17x larger L3 cache, and a 2.3x memory bandwidth advantage. The Intel chip counters with a higher boost clock, integrated graphics, and a dramatically lower TDP. Neither is a substitute for the other; the data says pick the Threadripper for raw throughput, the Ultra 7 for portable efficiency.