AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS vs Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V and AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS are two mobile processors that land in the same performance tier, with average benchmark scores of 19368 and 19364 respectively. This near-perfect parity in overall score, a delta of 0%, masks a fascinating split in workload-specific strengths, as each chip dominates in different types of tasks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, but the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS takes the two most significant multi-core victories. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 12342 against Intel’s 9848, a decisive 20.2% lead. This is the largest multi-core margin in the entire comparison and demonstrates the Ryzen’s raw throughput advantage in heavily threaded rendering workloads. The AMD also wins PassMark’s integer math test, scoring 50800 versus 38647, a 23.9% advantage that points to superior general-purpose arithmetic processing.

Intel’s counter-attacks come in nearly every other category, and some are dramatic. The most striking is PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the Core Ultra 5 226V scores 166 against the Ryzen’s 48, an enormous 245.8% advantage. This indicates a massive lead in single-threaded integer loop performance, likely a direct result of its newer microarchitecture. Floating-point math also favors Intel heavily, with a score of 52270 versus 27800, an 88% gap. The physics test shows a similar story, with Intel at 1449 and AMD at 821, a 76.5% difference.

In the Cinebench suite, the results are mixed. The Ryzen 5 7533HS wins R23 multi-core, but Intel wins R15 multi-core (1501 vs 1243, up 20.8%) and R20 multi-core (6381 vs 5183, up 23.1%). Single-core results are also split: Intel wins R15 single-core by a massive 52.6% (267 vs 175) and R20 single-core by 23.1% (900 vs 731), but in R23 single-core the two are effectively tied, with Intel at 1744 and AMD at 1742, a razor-thin 0.1% margin. PassMark single-thread tests give Intel a 37% lead (3754 vs 2740), reinforcing its per-core strength. Intel also leads in data encryption (12710 vs 10718, up 18.6%), extended instructions (14724 vs 11219, up 31.2%), data compression (170687 vs 168692, up 1.2%), random string sorting (20813 vs 17669, up 17.8%), and the overall multithread test (17850 vs 14520, up 22.9%).

Architecture Differences

The two chips are built on fundamentally different designs. The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V uses the Lunar Lake architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It features 8 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. Its cache hierarchy is notable for large per-core allocations: 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. This is a single-thread-per-core design, which explains its dominance in lightly threaded workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS, in contrast, is based on the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt-R, on a larger 6 nm TSMC process. It packs 6 cores and 12 threads, enabled by simultaneous multithreading. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, boosting to 4.40 GHz. The cache layout is different: 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a larger 16 MB of shared L3. The die size is 208 mm², though Intel’s die size is not listed for comparison. The AMD chip uses a dual-channel memory bus with a specified bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s and supports DDR5, while the Intel chip’s memory support is listed as “unknown” and depends on the motherboard. Both support dual-channel memory, but the AMD part has an explicitly documented bandwidth figure.

The integrated graphics also differ: Intel pairs the chip with Arc 130V, while AMD uses Radeon 660M. PCIe support is another divergence, with Intel offering Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only) and AMD providing Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The power envelope is starkly different, with Intel rated at 17 W TDP and AMD at 35 W TDP, though the benchmark scores do not account for power consumption. The Intel part is unlocked? No, both parts have multiplierUnlocked set to false. The production status for both is active, and neither supports ECC memory.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS is the clear choice for sustained multi-core rendering and integer-heavy computation. Its 20.2% win in Cinebench R23 multi-core suggests it will be faster in long render jobs, video encoding, and 3D scene compilation. The 23.9% lead in PassMark integer math reinforces this, as many productivity applications, database operations, and compilers are integer-bound. The extra threads (12 versus 8) are clearly being utilized in these workloads, and the larger 16 MB L3 cache likely helps in data-heavy scenarios.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V is dominant in almost every other category, but its most pronounced wins are in single-thread and floating-point performance. The 245.8% lead in prime number finding and the 88% lead in floating-point math show that per-core execution efficiency is far superior. This translates to wins in physics simulations, scientific computing, and any application that is not perfectly parallelized. The 37% lead in PassMark single-thread and 52.6% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core indicate snappier responsiveness in everyday tasks, web browsing, and office work. The Intel chip also wins the overall PassMark multithread test by 22.9%, suggesting that despite losing the R23 multi-core battle, its aggregate performance across a broader suite of tests is higher.

For users who prioritize battery life and efficiency, the Intel chip’s 17 W TDP versus AMD’s 35 W TDP is a significant architectural statement, though no efficiency benchmarks are provided. The Intel chip’s wins in data encryption (18.6%) and extended instructions (31.2%) make it more suitable for security-focused tasks and workloads leveraging modern instruction sets. The AMD chip’s 20-lane Gen 4 PCIe support versus Intel’s 4-lane Gen 5 could matter for peripheral connectivity, but that is a platform consideration rather than a CPU performance metric.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on several key specifications. The most obvious is core and thread count: Intel has 8 cores and 8 threads, while AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads. Clock speeds also vary, with Intel running a base of 2.10 GHz and boost of 4.50 GHz, compared to AMD’s 3.30 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost. The process node is smaller on Intel (3 nm versus 6 nm), and the architecture names differ (Lunar Lake versus Zen 3+ / Rembrandt-R).

The cache hierarchy is distinct: Intel allocates more L1 (192 KB per core vs 64 KB) and L2 (2.5 MB per core vs 512 KB) per core, while AMD has a larger shared L3 pool (16 MB vs 8 MB). The integrated graphics are different models (Arc 130V vs Radeon 660M). TDP is drastically different, with Intel at 17 W and AMD at 35 W. Socket types are incompatible (Intel BGA 2833 vs AMD Socket FP7). PCIe support differs in version and lane count (Gen 5, 4 lanes vs Gen 4, 20 lanes). Memory bandwidth is only specified for AMD at 76.8 GB/s, while Intel’s is unknown. The release dates are close, with Intel launching on 2024-09-23 and AMD on 2024-08-31. The AMD part has a listed die size of 208 mm², while Intel’s is not provided.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V wins the majority of single-core tests. It leads by 52.6% in Cinebench R15 single-core (267 vs 175), by 23.1% in Cinebench R20 single-core (900 vs 731), and by 37% in PassMark single-thread (3754 vs 2740). In Cinebench R23 single-core, the two are effectively tied, with Intel at 1744 and AMD at 1742.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS beat Intel in any multi-core test?

A: Yes, the AMD chip wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with a score of 12342 versus Intel’s 9848, a 20.2% advantage. It also wins PassMark integer math, scoring 50800 against Intel’s 38647, a 23.9% lead. However, Intel wins Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core, as well as the overall PassMark multithread test.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between these two CPUs?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V scores 166 against the AMD’s 48, a 245.8% difference. This is followed by Intel’s 88% lead in floating-point math (52270 vs 27800).

Q: How do their core and thread counts compare?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer physical cores, the AMD chip uses simultaneous multithreading to present 12 logical threads.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS’s boost of 4.40 GHz. However, the AMD chip has a higher base clock at 3.30 GHz versus Intel’s 2.10 GHz.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each processor?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V has a TDP of 17 W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS has a TDP of 35 W. This indicates a significantly lower power envelope for the Intel chip, though no efficiency benchmarks are provided in the data.