AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Intel Core 5 221TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a decisive performance gap between the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Intel Core 5 221TE. Across all 15 recorded head-to-head tests, the AMD processor wins every single matchup, with deltas ranging from 30.3% to 616.9%. The average benchmark score for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is 39,768, while the Intel Core 5 221TE sits at 17,860, placing the AMD part roughly 2.2 times higher in the database's aggregate metric.

The largest single victory comes in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 423 versus 59 for the Intel chip, a 616.9% advantage. That result highlights the AMD processor's arithmetic throughput advantage in a heavily integer-bound workload. Similarly, the PassMark extended instructions test shows a 301.9% delta, with scores of 38,808 and 9,655 respectively. The PassMark physics test also favors AMD heavily, at 317.9% (4,083 versus 977). These three tests represent the most lopsided results in the dataset.

Multi-threaded rendering workloads tell a similar story. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D posts 23,230 against 11,305 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 105.5% lead. The older Cinebench R15 multicore test shows an even larger gap at 220.2%, with scores of 3,647 and 1,139. PassMark multithread confirms the trend: 40,009 versus 13,301, a 200.8% difference. These results indicate that the AMD part delivers roughly double the multi-threaded throughput in several CPU-bound benchmarks.

Single-thread performance is also firmly in AMD's favor, though the margins are smaller. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2,080 versus 1,596, a 30.3% lead, the narrowest delta of any head-to-head test. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 328 versus 160, a 105% gap. PassMark single-thread shows 4,430 versus 1,734, a 155.5% difference. The data suggests the Zen 5 architecture provides a substantial per-thread advantage over the Bartlett Lake part, even when the Intel chip boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Memory-oriented and cryptographic workloads follow the same pattern. PassMark data compression scores 468,017 versus 156,682, a 198.7% lead. PassMark data encryption shows 22,158 versus 8,963, a 147.2% delta. Floating-point math lands at 79,456 versus 31,661, a 151% lead, while integer math scores 116,709 versus 42,303, a 175.9% difference. Random string sorting completes the sweep at 48,526 versus 16,929, a 186.6% margin.

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D also holds an 87th percentile ranking among all CPUs in the database, while the Intel Core 5 221TE sits at the 71st percentile. The AMD part's nearest rivals in the database, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, sit within 0.8% of its average score, indicating that the 9800X3D clusters with high-end desktop and mobile parts. The Intel Core 5 221TE, by contrast, sits near the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT and Intel Core 5 120U, all within 0.7% of its average, placing it in a much lower performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design lineages. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the Zen 5 architecture, built on Granite Ridge, with an 8-core, 16-thread configuration. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core 5 221TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, with 10 cores and 16 threads, built on a 10 nm process at Intel with a 215 mm² die. The transistor count for the Intel part is not recorded in the database.

Cache configurations differ significantly. Both processors share the same 80 KB L1 cache per core. The AMD part carries 1 MB of L2 cache per core, while the Intel part has 1.25 MB per core. L3 cache is where the designs diverge sharply: the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 96 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 5 221TE has only 24 MB shared. That 4x difference in L3 capacity is a major contributor to the AMD part's performance in cache-sensitive workloads.

Clock speeds also reflect different design targets. The AMD chip has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, with a 120 W TDP. The Intel chip runs at 1.80 GHz base and 5.00 GHz boost, with a 45 W TDP. The Intel part's much lower base clock and 45 W TDP indicate a power-constrained design, while the AMD part uses its higher power budget to sustain much higher base frequencies.

Memory support differs as well. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D supports DDR5 only, over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 221TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth. Both processors support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: the AMD part provides Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, while the Intel part provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics are present on both chips but from different vendors. The AMD processor includes Radeon Graphics, while the Intel processor includes UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. The AMD processor is built for AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel processor uses Intel Socket 1700.

Production status is listed as Active for both parts. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D was released on 2024-11-06, while the Intel Core 5 221TE followed on 2025-01-12. Launch MSRP for the AMD part is $479, and the Intel part launched at $232.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE has 10 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 8 cores. Both have 16 threads.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 96 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 5 221TE has 24 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 221TE boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Intel Core 5 221TE support ECC memory.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head tests?

A: The PassMark find prime numbers test shows the largest gap, with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D scoring 423 versus 59 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 616.9% delta.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39,768, compared to 17,860 for the Intel Core 5 221TE.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D | Intel Core 5 221TE |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 10 |

| Base Clock | 4.70 GHz | 1.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 120 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Not recorded |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Bartlett Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 8,315 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 70.6 mm² | 215 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 96 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 76.8 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Graphics | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Launch MSRP | $479 | $232 |

| Release Date | 2024-11-06 | 2025-01-12 |

The Verdict

The recorded data makes the performance hierarchy unambiguous. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins all 15 head-to-head benchmarks, with an average score of 39,768 versus 17,860 for the Intel Core 5 221TE. Its 87th percentile ranking versus the 71st percentile for the Intel part reinforces that the AMD processor operates in a higher performance class altogether.

The Intel Core 5 221TE is the lower-power part, with a 45 W TDP versus 120 W, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which gives it broader platform flexibility. Its 10 cores and 16 threads match the AMD part in thread count, but the benchmark results show that core count alone does not compensate for the differences in clock speed, cache capacity, and architectural efficiency. The Intel part's nearest database rivals, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT and Intel Core 5 120U, sit within 0.2% of its average score, placing it in a mid-range desktop/mobile tier.

For workloads that stress multi-threaded rendering, integer math, physics simulation, or data compression, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers roughly double or more of the Intel part's throughput. Even in single-thread tests, where the Intel chip's 5.00 GHz boost clock narrows the gap, the AMD part still leads by 30.3% in Cinebench R23 single-core and 155.5% in PassMark single-thread. The data supports choosing the Ryzen 7 9800X3D for any performance-focused desktop build, while the Intel Core 5 221TE appears suited to scenarios where its lower TDP and dual-generation memory support take priority.