AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Intel Core 7 251TE Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two processors compare in overall benchmark averages?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an average benchmark score of 39768, while the Intel Core 7 251TE posts a higher average of 41650. The Intel part also holds a slightly better percentile ranking at 88 versus the AMD part's 87 percentile versus all CPUs in the database.

Q: Which processor wins the majority of direct head-to-head tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins 9 of the 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core 7 251TE wins 6. The AMD part's wins are often by large margins, whereas several of the Intel part's wins are narrow.

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

A: The largest gap appears in the passmark extended instructions test, where the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 38808 against the Intel Core 7 251TE's 16974, a 128.6% advantage for AMD. The second largest gap is in the find prime numbers test, where AMD leads by 202.1%.

Q: Does the higher core count of the Intel processor translate into a win in multi-threaded workloads?

A: Not consistently. The Intel Core 7 251TE has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite that, AMD wins the Cinebench R15 multicore test (3647 vs 2572, a 41.8% lead) and the passmark multithread test (40009 vs 30022, a 33.3% lead). Intel wins Cinebench R23 multicore (25518 vs 23230, a 9% lead).

Q: How do single-thread results compare between the two?

A: The two processors split single-thread wins depending on the benchmark. The Intel Core 7 251TE wins Cinebench R15 single-core (362 vs 328, a 9.4% lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (3602 vs 2080, a 42.3% lead). The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins passmark single-thread (4430 vs 3568, a 24.2% lead).

Q: What are the launch MSRPs of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has a launch MSRP of $479, and the Intel Core 7 251TE has a launch MSRP of $384.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D belongs to the 9000 series and uses the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with a transistor count of 8,315 million and a die size of 70.6 mm². The Intel Core 7 251TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and is built on a 10 nm process at Intel, with a die size of 215 mm². The Intel part does not have a transistor count recorded in the database.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The AMD processor has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel processor has 24 cores and 32 threads. Base clocks also diverge sharply: the AMD chip runs at 4.70 GHz base and 5.20 GHz boost, while the Intel chip runs at 1.40 GHz base and 5.40 GHz boost. The AMD part has a 120 W TDP, while the Intel part has a 45 W TDP.

Cache configurations show clear design philosophy differences. Both parts have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The AMD part has 1 MB of L2 cache per core and 96 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part's 96 MB of L3 is 2.67 times larger than the Intel part's 36 MB.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D supports DDR5 memory only, while the Intel Core 7 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, and both have a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory.

The platform and connectivity options also differ. The AMD processor uses AMD Socket AM5 and provides PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU. The Intel processor uses Intel Socket 1700 and provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The AMD part has its multiplier unlocked, while the Intel part does not. Integrated graphics differ: the AMD part uses Radeon Graphics, and the Intel part uses UHD Graphics 770. The AMD part was released on 2024-11-06, and the Intel part on 2025-01-12.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results reveal a processor with two distinct personalities. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D dominates in several specialized workloads, while the Intel Core 7 251TE excels in certain rendering and math tasks.

Starting with CPU rendering benchmarks, the results are mixed. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 3647 against the Intel Core 7 251TE's 2572, a 41.8% advantage for AMD. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the results flip: Intel scores 25518 against AMD's 23230, a 9% lead for Intel. Single-core rendering also favors Intel. Cinebench R15 single-core shows Intel at 362 versus AMD at 328, a 9.4% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows an even larger Intel margin: 3602 versus 2080, a 42.3% lead.

The passmark suite provides a broader view. In passmark single-thread, AMD leads with 4430 versus Intel's 3568, a 24.2% advantage. The same margin appears in the duplicate passmark singlethread test, also 4430 versus 3568.

In multi-threaded passmark results, AMD wins clearly. The passmark multithread test shows AMD at 40009 and Intel at 30022, a 33.3% lead. The passmark physics test shows AMD at 4083 and Intel at 1938, a 110.7% lead. The passmark random string sorting test shows AMD at 48526 and Intel at 39643, a 22.4% lead.

The largest AMD advantages appear in specialized compute tests. In passmark extended instructions, AMD scores 38808 and Intel scores 16974, a 128.6% lead. In passmark find prime numbers, AMD scores 423 and Intel scores 140, a 202.1% lead. In passmark data compression, AMD scores 468017 and Intel scores 334399, a 40% lead.

Intel wins in some math and encryption workloads. In passmark floating point math, Intel scores 85607 against AMD's 79456, a 7.2% lead. In passmark integer math, Intel scores 125739 against AMD's 116709, also a 7.2% lead. The passmark data encryption test is extremely close: Intel scores 22176 and AMD scores 22158, a 0.1% lead for Intel.

The win count of 9 for AMD and 6 for Intel reflects these margins. AMD's wins are often decisive, with several exceeding 20% and two exceeding 100%. Intel's wins are mostly single-digit margins except for the two Cinebench single-core tests.

The Verdict

The data shows two different design targets. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers its strongest results in workloads that depend on large cache and high per-core efficiency at moderate thread counts. The Intel Core 7 251TE uses its 24 cores and 32 threads to take the lead in some rendering and math workloads, but it loses ground in several specialized compute tests.

For users running Cinebench R23 multicore or single-core workloads, the Intel Core 7 251TE is the better choice based on the recorded data. Its 42.3% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is the single largest Intel advantage in the head-to-head set. The Intel part also leads in floating point math and integer math, both by 7.2%.

For users running passmark single-thread, physics, data compression, extended instructions, or prime number tests, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is clearly superior. The 202.1% lead in find prime numbers and the 128.6% lead in extended instructions indicate a strong advantage in computation-heavy tasks. The 33.3% lead in passmark multithread also shows that the AMD part can outperform the higher-core-count Intel part in at least one multi-threaded workload.

The overall average benchmark score favors Intel at 41650 versus 39768, a difference of about 4.7%. The percentile rankings are nearly identical at 88 versus 87. Neither processor holds a universal advantage across all recorded tests.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category.

Core and thread counts: AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads; Intel has 24 cores and 32 threads.

Clock speeds: AMD has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz; Intel has a base clock of 1.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz.

TDP: AMD is rated at 120 W; Intel is rated at 45 W.

Socket: AMD uses AMD Socket AM5; Intel uses Intel Socket 1700.

Process node: AMD uses 4 nm at TSMC; Intel uses 10 nm at Intel.

Die size: AMD is 70.6 mm²; Intel is 215 mm².

Transistor count: AMD has 8,315 million; Intel has no recorded transistor count.

L2 cache per core: AMD has 1 MB; Intel has 1.25 MB.

L3 cache shared: AMD has 96 MB; Intel has 36 MB.

Memory support: AMD supports DDR5 only; Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5.

PCIe lanes: AMD has Gen 5 with 24 lanes; Intel has Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics: AMD uses Radeon Graphics; Intel uses UHD Graphics 770.

Multiplier: AMD is unlocked; Intel is locked.

Release date: AMD was released on 2024-11-06; Intel was released on 2025-01-12.

Launch MSRP: AMD is $479; Intel is $384.

Memory bandwidth is identical at 89.6 GB/s. Both support dual-channel memory and ECC memory. L1 cache per core is identical at 80 KB.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins in passmark single-thread, passmark multithread, passmark physics, passmark data compression, passmark extended instructions, passmark find prime numbers, passmark random string sorting, and Cinebench R15 multicore. These wins span 9 of the 15 head-to-head tests. The largest margins are in find prime numbers (202.1% lead), extended instructions (128.6% lead), physics (110.7% lead), and Cinebench R15 multicore (41.8% lead). The AMD part also leads passmark multithread by 33.3% and data compression by 40%. This pattern suggests that the AMD processor is strongest in workloads involving large data sets, cache-sensitive operations, and physics simulation.

The Intel Core 7 251TE wins in Cinebench R15 single-core, Cinebench R23 single-core, Cinebench R23 multicore, passmark data encryption, passmark floating point math, and passmark integer math. These are 6 of the 15 head-to-head tests. The largest Intel margin is in Cinebench R23 single-core at 42.3%, followed by Cinebench R15 single-core at 9.4% and Cinebench R23 multicore at 9%. The floating point math and integer math wins are both 7.2%, and the data encryption win is minimal at 0.1%. This pattern indicates that the Intel processor is better suited to rendering workloads and general math operations.

The overall average benchmark score favors Intel, and the percentile ranking is essentially tied. The choice between the two depends on the specific workload. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the stronger performer in specialized compute and physics-heavy tests. The Intel Core 7 251TE is the stronger performer in Cinebench rendering and in floating point and integer math. The AMD part's higher TDP of 120 W versus 45 W suggests a different power envelope, but the recorded data does not include power consumption measurements for either part.