AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a decisive multi-core victory for the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, but the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D claims a few specialized wins. Out of 15 recorded comparisons, Intel takes 13, with AMD securing 2. The most dramatic gap appears in PassMark floating point math, where the Intel part scores 162,692 versus 81,998 for the AMD chip, a 49.6% advantage. This suggests the Intel processor has a substantial edge in workloads that rely heavily on floating-point throughput, such as scientific simulations or certain rendering tasks.

Data encryption shows another notable disparity. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 42,144 compared to 22,856 for the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D, a 45.8% difference. This is one of the largest deltas in the entire comparison and indicates a significant hardware acceleration advantage for the Intel processor in cryptographic operations. Similarly, random string sorting favors Intel by 28%, with scores of 69,090 versus 49,764, pointing to stronger memory subsystem performance or better instruction-level parallelism for sorting algorithms.

Cinebench R23 multi-core tells a clear story for threaded rendering: Intel scores 30,867 versus 22,807 for AMD, a 26.1% lead. Cinebench R15 multi-core repeats the pattern, with Intel at 4,640 versus 3,551, a 23.5% advantage. The PassMark multi-thread test also goes to Intel, 51,596 versus 41,318, a 19.9% margin. Data compression follows the same trend, with Intel ahead by 16.6% (568,721 versus 474,501).

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D does strike back in two areas. PassMark physics shows AMD ahead by 19.4%, scoring 4,171 versus 3,494. Cinebench R15 single-core goes to AMD by 4.6%, with 343 versus 328. The R23 single-core result is nearly a tie, with Intel edging ahead by only 1.5% (2,261 versus 2,228). PassMark single-thread is similarly close, Intel at 4,757 versus AMD at 4,704, a 1.1% margin. Integer math is also tight, Intel at 125,091 versus 123,140, just 1.6% apart. Extended instructions favor Intel by 11.9%, and prime number finding goes to Intel by 10.5%.

The overall average benchmark scores reflect this: the Intel part averages 66,855 across all recorded tests, while the AMD part averages 58,386. Intel sits at the 93rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, while AMD sits at the 92nd percentile. Intel's nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4465P, is only 0.1% behind in average score, indicating the 250K Plus is positioned near the top of its performance class. AMD's nearest rival, the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M, is just 0.1% ahead, meaning the 9850X3D lands in a crowded field of comparable processors.

Architecture Differences

The two processors take fundamentally different design approaches. The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D uses 8 cores and 16 threads, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses 18 cores and 18 threads, meaning it has no simultaneous multithreading. It belongs to the Arrow Lake Refresh family, uses a 3 nm TSMC process, and packs 17,800 million transistors on a much larger 243 mm² die.

Cache configurations differ sharply. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a large 96 MB shared L3 cache. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and only 30 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip's huge L3 is likely a key factor in its physics benchmark win, where larger caches can reduce memory latency for certain workloads. Intel's smaller L3 but larger per-core L1 and L2 might help with other access patterns.

Memory bandwidth favors Intel at 115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for AMD, even though both support dual-channel DDR5. This bandwidth advantage likely contributes to Intel's wins in data compression and random string sorting, which are memory-sensitive. Both processors support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: AMD offers Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, while Intel offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes.

Clock speeds are close. AMD has a 4.70 GHz base clock and 5.60 GHz boost clock. Intel has a 4.20 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost. Despite lower clocks, Intel wins most benchmarks, indicating architectural efficiency or core-count advantages outweigh raw frequency. TDP ratings are similar, 120 W for AMD and 125 W for Intel.

Integrated graphics differ as well. AMD includes Radeon Graphics, while Intel includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. Both are unlocked for overclocking. AMD uses Socket AM5, Intel uses Socket 1851. Release dates are close, AMD on January 28, 2026, and Intel on March 10, 2026.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Why does the AMD chip win PassMark physics despite losing most other tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D scores 4,171 in PassMark physics versus 3,494 for Intel, a 19.4% lead. The AMD processor also carries a very large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which can reduce memory access penalties in physics workloads that reuse data frequently.

Q: Is the Intel processor consistently faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: The data is mixed. Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 1.5% and PassMark single-thread by 1.1%, but AMD wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 4.6%. The margins are small in all three cases, so single-thread performance is effectively comparable.

Q: How large is the multi-core gap?

A: Intel leads by 26.1% in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 23.5% in Cinebench R15 multi-core. PassMark multi-thread shows a 19.9% Intel advantage.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: Intel lists 115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for AMD. Both use dual-channel DDR5 memory.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: Intel uses 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while AMD uses 8,315 million on a 70.6 mm² die. Intel also uses a smaller 3 nm process node compared to AMD's 4 nm.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to a clear overall winner in the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. It wins 13 of 15 head-to-head comparisons, holds a higher average benchmark score (66,855 versus 58,386), and reaches the 93rd percentile versus the 92nd for AMD. The most decisive wins come in floating-point math, encryption, and multi-core rendering, where Intel leads by 20% to 50%. For users running threaded workloads, data compression, or cryptography, the Intel processor is the stronger choice according to these measurements.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is not without merit. It wins PassMark physics by 19.4% and Cinebench R15 single-core by 4.6%. Its 96 MB L3 cache likely explains the physics result, and its smaller 70.6 mm² die with fewer transistors suggests higher density efficiency. However, the overall score gap is substantial: Intel's average is roughly 14.5% higher than AMD's average.

The Intel part also offers more cores (18 versus 8) and higher memory bandwidth (115.2 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s). The AMD processor counters with higher clock speeds (5.60 GHz boost versus 5.30 GHz) and more PCIe lanes (24 versus 20). For users prioritizing multi-threaded throughput, encryption, or memory-heavy sorting, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the data-backed choice. For physics simulation or legacy single-core Cinebench R15 results, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D shows an advantage.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D | Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus |

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

| Cores | 8 | 18 |

| Threads | 16 | 18 |

| Base clock | 4.70 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.60 GHz | 5.30 GHz |

| TDP | 120 W | 125 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Arrow Lake Refresh |

| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Transistors | 8,315 million | 17,800 million |

| Die size | 70.6 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 96 MB (shared) | 30 MB (shared) |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 115.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 lanes | Gen 5, 20 lanes |

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

| Release date | 2026-01-28 | 2026-03-10 |

| Part number | 100-000001973 | SA4UZ |

Both processors support DDR5 memory with dual-channel bus and ECC memory. Both have unlocked multipliers. Both are active production desktop parts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus dominates the majority of benchmark categories. It wins all three multi-core rendering tests, all PassMark math tests (integer, floating-point, extended instructions, prime numbers), all data-oriented tests (compression, encryption, random string sorting), and the PassMark multi-thread test. The largest margins are in floating-point math (49.6%), encryption (45.8%), and random string sorting (28%). This pattern suggests Intel's 18-core design with higher memory bandwidth is well suited to parallel throughput and memory-bandwidth-sensitive workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D wins exactly two tests. PassMark physics shows a 19.4% advantage, likely tied to the 96 MB L3 cache reducing latency for iterative physics calculations. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 4.6% win, indicating that in this older test, AMD's higher boost clock and Zen 5 architecture deliver a measurable edge. In the other single-threaded tests, the results are nearly tied, so the AMD win in R15 may be specific to that benchmark's characteristics rather than a general single-thread advantage.

The choice comes down to workload profile. For rendering, data compression, encryption, and general multi-threaded processing, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the stronger performer according to the recorded scores. For physics simulation and the specific Cinebench R15 single-core test, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D takes the win. Users running mixed workloads should note that Intel's average score is 14.5% higher, which reflects broader overall capability.