AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus wins every single head-to-head test recorded in the database. Across all 11 shared PassMark workloads, the Intel part takes the higher score, leaving the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U without a single victory. That does not mean the AMD chip is without purpose, but its role is defined by platform constraints, not by performance supremacy.

The Ryzen 5 3501U is a 15 W mobile processor in a 3000 series lineup, built for thin-and-light laptops where power draw and thermals matter more than raw throughput. Its PassMark multithread score of 7071 and single-thread score of 2136 place it at the 69th percentile of all CPUs in the database. That percentile ranking shows it sits comfortably above the median, a capable part for everyday mobile workloads. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (average score 14336, delta -0.1%), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14277, delta 0.3%), Intel Core 7 160UL (14232, delta 0.6%), and Intel Core i5-10400F (14185, delta 1%). These deltas are all within a single percentage point, indicating the 3501U is clustered tightly with other mid-tier mobile and low-power desktop parts.

The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, meanwhile, is a desktop part with an 18-core, 18-thread configuration, a 125 W TDP, and a 93rd percentile standing. Its average benchmark score of 66855 dwarfs the AMD chip's 14320. The nearest rivals for the Intel part are server and high-end desktop processors: AMD EPYC 4465P (66925, delta -0.1%), Intel Xeon 6515P (67006, delta -0.2%), Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (67469, delta -0.9%), and Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus (66159, delta 1.1%). These are the company it keeps: workstation-class silicon.

The use-case split is therefore stark. The Intel part wins on every metric that measures compute throughput, from integer math to data compression. The AMD part wins on portability: it is a 15 W mobile chip that can operate in fanless or lightly cooled chassis, while the Intel part demands a desktop platform with serious cooling and power delivery.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages, different fabs, and different process nodes. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, using the Picasso codename and Zen+ architecture. It packs 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Arrow Lake Refresh silicon, manufactured on a 3 nm node at TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors in a 243 mm² die. The transistor density difference is enormous: the Intel part fits more than three times as many transistors into a die only slightly larger.

Core counts diverge sharply. The AMD chip has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The Intel chip has 18 cores and 18 threads, also without SMT, but with 14 more physical cores. Cache hierarchies reflect that gap. The Ryzen 5 3501U offers 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The Intel part also has a much higher boost clock: 5.30 GHz versus 3.70 GHz, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz versus 2.10 GHz.

Memory support differs by a generation. The AMD chip uses DDR4 with dual-channel access and 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel chip uses DDR5 with dual-channel access and 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth, three times the memory throughput. PCIe support also advances: the Ryzen 5 3501U uses Gen 3, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Gen 5 with 20 lanes on the CPU. ECC memory is supported on the Intel part but not on the AMD part.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD chip carries Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the Intel part uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The Intel chip is multiplier-unlocked, allowing overclocking, whereas the AMD chip is locked. Sockets are incompatible: the AMD part uses AMD Socket FP5, the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1851.

The release dates in the database place the Intel part earlier (2026-03-10) and the AMD part later (2026-05-31), though both are listed as active production parts. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $199; the AMD part has no launch MSRP recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin comes in passmark_find_prime_numbers. The Intel chip scores 486, the AMD chip scores 21, a delta of -95.7%. That is not a close contest; it is a workload where the Intel part's higher clock speed, more cores, and newer architecture completely overwhelm the older Zen+ design. Integer math shows a smaller but still decisive gap: 125091 versus 26321, a -79% delta. Floating-point math follows the same pattern: 162692 versus 12707, a -92.2% delta.

Data compression and encryption also favor the Intel part heavily. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 568721 in data compression versus 87380, a -84.6% delta. In data encryption, it scores 42144 versus 5580, a -86.8% delta. Extended instructions show a -92.7% delta (44565 versus 3274). Random string sorting shows 69090 versus 10414, a -84.9% delta.

The multithread test is a good summary of overall throughput: 51596 for Intel versus 7071 for AMD, a -86.3% delta. The physics test shows 3494 versus 483, a -86.2% delta. The single-thread tests, which are often the closest contests between generations, still show a substantial gap: 4757 versus 2136, a -55.1% delta. That is the narrowest margin in the dataset, but it is still more than a 2x advantage for the Intel part in per-core performance.

Every recorded benchmark in the head-to-head section lists the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus as the winner. The database records 0 wins for the AMD part and 11 wins for the Intel part. The deltas range from -55.1% (single-thread) to -95.7% (prime numbers), with most workloads landing between -79% and -93%. The consistency of the margin, not just the existence of a win, is the notable finding.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How do the single-thread scores compare?

A: The Intel part scores 4757 in passmark_single_thread, while the AMD part scores 2136, a delta of -55.1% in favor of Intel.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports ECC memory; the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports DDR5 with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus boosts to 5.30 GHz, compared to 3.70 GHz for the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U.

The Verdict

The database shows a complete performance sweep for the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. In every recorded PassMark workload, the Intel part delivers a higher score, with margins ranging from 55.1% to 95.7%. The Intel part also holds a 93rd percentile ranking versus the AMD part's 69th percentile, and its average benchmark score of 66855 is roughly 4.7 times the AMD part's 14320. For anyone selecting a desktop processor for compute-heavy tasks, the data points decisively to the Intel part.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is not a competitive desktop processor by comparison, but it is not meant to be. It is a 15 W mobile part on AMD Socket FP5, with Radeon Vega 8 graphics, DDR4 memory support, and a 12 nm Picasso die from GlobalFoundries. Its nearest rivals are all within 1% of its average score, confirming that it performs at the level expected for its class. For a thin laptop that needs modest compute with low power draw, the 3501U remains a reasonable pick within its segment.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, by contrast, sits alongside server and workstation parts in its nearest-rival list: AMD EPYC 4465P, Intel Xeon 6515P, and Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX. That is the competitive context. The launch MSRP for the Intel part is $199. The choice is not between two similar products; it is between a low-power mobile APU and a high-core-count desktop CPU. The benchmark data supports the Intel part for any workload where performance matters, and the AMD part only where power envelope and mobile form factor are the priority.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 3501U | Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus |

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

| Series | 3000 series | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Cores | 4 | 18 |

| Threads | 4 | 18 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 5.30 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 125 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP5 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Codename | Picasso | Arrow Lake Refresh |

| Generation | Ryzen 5 (Zen+ (Picasso)) | Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 17,800 million |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 96 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 30 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 115.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | false | true |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 8 | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Multiplier Unlocked | false | true |

| Production Status | Active | Active |

| Release Date | 2026-05-31 | 2026-03-10 |

| Launch MSRP | null | $199 |