AMD Ryzen 7 170 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

Recorded PassMark data gives the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus a decisive edge over the AMD Ryzen 7 170. Intel wins all 11 head-to-head comparisons, records an average benchmark score of 66855 versus 43689, and sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs compared with AMD's 88th. The two processors are not direct platform rivals: AMD is a 35W mobile chip with 8 cores and 16 threads on Socket FP7, while Intel is a 125W desktop chip with 18 cores and 18 threads on Socket 1851.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus records an average benchmark score of 66855, compared with 43689 for the AMD Ryzen 7 170. Intel also reaches the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while AMD is at the 88th percentile.

Q: How many head-to-head wins does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus wins all 11 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 7 170 records 0 wins.

Q: What are the closest rivals for the AMD part?

A: The nearest rival by average score is the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 at 43704, a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is at 43717 with a delta of -0.1%, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 is at 43431 with a delta of 0.6%, and the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 is at 43326 with a delta of 0.8%.

Q: What are the closest rivals for the Intel part?

A: The AMD EPYC 4465P is closest at 66925 with a delta of -0.1%. The Intel Xeon 6515P is at 67006 with a delta of -0.2%, the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is at 67469 with a delta of -0.9%, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus is at 66159 with a delta of 1.1%.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Both support DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and ECC memory. Memory bandwidth differs: AMD lists 76.8 GB/s, Intel lists 115.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 170 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 170 uses the Zen 3+ architecture, codename Rembrandt-R, on a 6 nm TSMC process. Intel does not list a separate architecture name, but its codename is Arrow Lake Refresh and its generation is listed as Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake), on a 3 nm TSMC process.

The core configurations diverge sharply. AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel has 18 cores and 18 threads. Cache hierarchies also differ: AMD has 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core plus 16 MB shared L3; Intel has 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core plus 30 MB shared L3.

The platform positioning is different. AMD is built for Socket FP7 and the mobile market segment, while Intel uses Socket 1851 and the desktop market segment. AMD integrates Radeon 680M graphics; Intel integrates Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. Memory bandwidth is 76.8 GB/s for AMD and 115.2 GB/s for Intel. PCIe support is Gen 4 on AMD versus Gen 5 on Intel, both with 20 CPU lanes. The AMD multiplier is locked, while Intel's is unlocked. AMD's die is 210 mm², Intel's is 243 mm² with 17,800 million transistors.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Every recorded head-to-head benchmark winner is the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. The largest margins are in find prime numbers, where Intel scores 486 to AMD's 49, a -89.9% gap; physics, where Intel scores 3494 to AMD's 890, a -74.5% gap; floating point math, where Intel scores 162692 to AMD's 44979, a -72.4% gap; and data encryption, where Intel scores 42144 to AMD's 16078, a -61.8% gap.

Multithreaded work favors Intel by a wide margin: 51596 to 20760, a -59.8% gap. Random string sorting also favors Intel 69090 to 27804, another -59.8% gap. Extended instructions favor Intel 44565 to 18107, a -59.4% gap, while data compression favors Intel 568721 to 265920, a -53.2% gap. Integer math favors Intel 125091 to 79738, a -36.3% gap. Single-thread performance is Intel's as well: 4757 to 3128, a -34.2% gap, and this result appears twice in the recorded head-to-head set.

The result is a clean sweep. The AMD part does not win a single PassMark category in the database, while Intel wins all 11 recorded comparisons.

The Verdict

The database verdict is unambiguous: the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus wins every measured workload and holds an 11-0 head-to-head record. Its average benchmark score of 66855 and 93rd percentile place it clearly above the AMD part's 43689 and 88th percentile.

The AMD Ryzen 7 170's recorded advantages are platform-level rather than performance-level. It is the mobile part, with a 35W TDP, Socket FP7, and Radeon 680M graphics. The Intel part is the desktop part, with a 125W TDP, Socket 1851, and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The data points to Intel for desktop workloads and to AMD for a 35W mobile socket.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 170 | Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus |

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

| Series | Not listed | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Cores | 8 | 18 |

| Threads | 16 | 18 |

| Base clock | 3.20 | 4.20 |

| Boost clock | 4.75 | 5.30 |

| TDP | 35 | 125 |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Zen 3+ | Not listed |

| Codename | Rembrandt-R | Arrow Lake Refresh |

| Generation | Ryzen 7 (Zen 3+ (Rembrandt)) | Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) |

| Process node | 6 nm | 3 nm |

| Transistors | Not listed | 17,800 million |

| Die size | 210 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

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

| L3 cache | 16 MB (shared) | 30 MB (shared) |

| Memory bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 115.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 680M | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release date | 2025-09-30 | 2026-03-10 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $199 |

| Multiplier unlocked | No | Yes |

| Part number | 100-000000989 | SA4UZ |

Where Each One Wins

Head-to-head results give the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus all 11 wins. Unique benchmark categories won by Intel include data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, find prime numbers, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single thread. AMD records no wins in any recorded PassMark category.

The AMD part's differentiation is outside the benchmark suite: 35W TDP, mobile market segment, Socket FP7, and Radeon 680M graphics. The Intel part's differentiation is desktop Socket 1851, 125W TDP, Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU, and higher memory bandwidth. The recorded data therefore splits the use cases by platform: Socket 1851 desktop builds align with the Intel part, while 35W mobile designs on Socket FP7 align with the AMD part.