AMD Ryzen 5 220 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 236V Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 220 and Intel Core Ultra 5 236V are both mobile processors that land in the same performance tier, but they achieve it through different strengths. The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V wins the majority of benchmark comparisons, taking 12 of 17 head-to-head tests, while the AMD Ryzen 5 220 wins 5. However, the AMD chip’s wins are often by larger margins. The Ryzen 5 220 leads by 49.6% in integer math and 20.5% in data compression, while the Intel chip’s largest victory is 62% in prime number finding. For most users, the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V offers a more balanced profile, but the Ryzen 5 220 is the clear choice for specific integer-heavy and compression workloads. Both chips hold the 75th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 22289 for the AMD and 21952 for the Intel, making them near-identical in overall capability despite their architectural differences.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V as the better all-rounder for general productivity and single-threaded tasks. It wins every Cinebench test (R15, R20, R23) in both single-core and multi-core, though by narrow margins of 0.8-0.9%. Its single-thread Passmark score of 3893 beats the AMD’s 3646 by 6.3%, which translates to snappier everyday application responsiveness. The Intel chip also dominates in floating-point math (52774 vs 35500, a 32.7% lead) and physics (1503 vs 983, a 34.6% lead), making it the better pick for scientific and simulation workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 220 is the specialist. Its 49.6% advantage in integer math (57987 vs 38765) and 20.5% lead in data compression (212739 vs 176554) are substantial, not marginal. If your workflow involves encryption, compression, or integer-heavy calculations, the Ryzen 5 220 will finish those tasks noticeably faster. It also edges out the Intel chip in multithread performance (18582 vs 18375, a 1.1% lead) and extended instructions (15512 vs 15451, a 0.4% lead), despite having fewer threads overall. Choose the Intel for balanced performance and single-thread speed; choose the AMD for specialized integer and compression workloads where its wins are decisive.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 uses a 6-core, 12-thread configuration based on Zen 4 architecture (Hawk Point), built on TSMC’s 4 nm process with 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V uses 8 cores but only 8 threads, based on Lunar Lake architecture, built on TSMC’s 3 nm process. The Intel chip has a higher core count but lacks simultaneous multithreading, which explains why it trails in some multithreaded workloads despite having more physical cores.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The AMD chip provides 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip offers 192 KB L1 and 2.5 MB L2 per core, but only 8 MB of shared L3. This means the AMD has double the L3 capacity, which likely contributes to its strong performance in data compression and integer math where larger working sets can fit in cache. The Intel chip compensates with larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, which helps its single-thread performance.

The memory and I/O configurations also diverge. Both support DDR5 with dual-channel memory, but the AMD chip specifies 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth while the Intel’s bandwidth is not listed. The AMD uses PCIe Gen 4 with 14 CPU lanes, while the Intel uses PCIe Gen 5 with only 4 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD pairs with Radeon 740M, while the Intel uses Arc 130V. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked) with active production status.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V claims victory in every Cinebench workload, from R15 multicore (1575 vs 1562) through R23 multicore (15628 vs 15502) and all single-core variants. This consistency across rendering benchmarks suggests it handles general multi-threaded productivity slightly better. The Intel chip also wins Passmark single-thread (3893 vs 3646), floating-point math (52774 vs 35500), physics (1503 vs 983), data encryption (13049 vs 12493), and prime number finding (171 vs 65). The physics and prime number results are particularly lopsided, indicating strong performance in sequential or math-heavy tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 220 wins where parallel integer operations matter. Its data compression score of 212739 crushes the Intel’s 176554, and its integer math score of 57987 far exceeds the Intel’s 38765. It also wins random string sorting (25433 vs 21628) and multithread (18582 vs 18375), plus a narrow victory in extended instructions (15512 vs 15451). These results suggest the AMD chip excels in database operations, file archiving, and any workload that processes large amounts of integer data in parallel. The 12 threads versus 8 threads likely explains the multithread win despite the Intel’s higher core count.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V wins every single-core benchmark. It leads in Cinebench R23 single-core (2206 vs 2188), Cinebench R20 single-core (926 vs 918), and Passmark single-thread (3893 vs 3646, a 6.3% advantage).

Q: The AMD chip has fewer cores but more threads. Does that help in multithreaded workloads?

A: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel has 8 cores and 8 threads. The AMD wins Passmark multithread (18582 vs 18375), but the Intel still wins all Cinebench multicore tests, so the benefit is workload-specific.

Q: Which chip is better for data compression?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 220 is decisively better. It scores 212739 in Passmark data compression versus 176554 for the Intel, a 20.5% advantage. This is one of the AMD chip’s largest wins.

Q: How do the processors compare in floating-point math?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V dominates. It scores 52774 in Passmark floating-point math versus 35500 for the AMD, a 32.7% lead. The Intel also wins physics (1503 vs 983, a 34.6% lead).

Q: Are these processors similar in overall performance?

A: Very similar. Both have the 75th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The AMD averages 22289 across benchmarks, while the Intel averages 21952. The AMD sits 0.3% above the Intel Core i7-10700K, while the Intel sits 0.1% below the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 220 has 16 MB of shared L3 cache, double the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V’s 8 MB. The Intel chip has larger per-core L1 (192 KB vs 64 KB) and L2 (2.5 MB vs 1 MB) caches.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V wins the Cinebench series by consistent, narrow margins. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 15628 versus 15502 for the AMD, a 0.8% lead. The single-core R23 result is similarly tight: 2206 versus 2188, also a 0.8% gap. These margins hold across R15 and R20, with the Intel winning both multicore and single-core by 0.8-0.9%. The pattern suggests the Intel chip has a slight but consistent efficiency advantage in rendering workloads, though the difference is small enough to be within run-to-run variance.

The Passmark suite reveals where the processors diverge sharply. The AMD Ryzen 5 220’s biggest win is integer math, where it scores 57987 versus 38765 for a 49.6% advantage — the largest delta in either direction. Data compression is the second-largest AMD win at 20.5% (212739 vs 176554). The AMD also wins random string sorting by 17.6% (25433 vs 21628) and multithread by 1.1% (18582 vs 18375). Its extended instructions win is minimal at 0.4% (15512 vs 15451).

The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V counters with its own blowout victories. Prime number finding is the biggest: 171 versus 65, a 62% margin. Floating-point math follows at 32.7% (52774 vs 35500), and physics at 34.6% (1503 vs 983). Data encryption goes to Intel by 4.3% (13049 vs 12493), and single-thread by 6.3% (3893 vs 3646). These results paint a clear picture: the Intel chip excels at math-intensive and single-threaded tasks, while the AMD wins at integer-heavy, memory-latency-sensitive workloads.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most striking difference. The AMD Ryzen 5 220 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V has 8 cores but only 8 threads. Clock speeds differ as well: the AMD has a 3.20 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost, while the Intel has a lower 2.10 GHz base but a 4.70 GHz boost. The AMD’s higher boost clock likely contributes to its integer performance, while the Intel’s architecture compensates for lower clocks in single-thread tests.

Power and process technology also differ. The AMD chip has a 28 W TDP, while the Intel is more power-efficient at 17 W. The Intel uses a 3 nm process from TSMC, while the AMD uses 4 nm, also from TSMC. The AMD lists 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die; the Intel’s transistor count and die size are not specified. Socket compatibility differs completely: the AMD uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel uses Intel BGA 2833. The PCIe implementation also varies, with the AMD offering Gen 4 with 14 lanes versus the Intel’s Gen 5 with 4 lanes. Memory bandwidth is listed at 89.6 GB/s for the AMD, with no figure for the Intel. Release dates place the Intel earlier at September 2024, with the AMD following in January 2025.