AMD Ryzen 5 9500F vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F and Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus occupy similar desktop slots, but the benchmark data separates them decisively. The Intel part wins every recorded head-to-head test, with the widest gaps appearing in heavily parallel workloads, while the AMD chip’s strongest showing is in single-threaded tasks where the margin narrows considerably. The database places the Intel processor at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD processor sits at the 91st percentile, and their average benchmark scores reflect that gap: 66,159 for the Intel versus 52,873 for the AMD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result in the comparison is floating point math, where the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus scores 159,824 against the Ryzen 5 9500F’s 56,570. That is a 64.6% deficit for the AMD part, meaning the Intel chip delivers nearly three times the throughput in this workload. Data encryption shows a similar pattern: Intel scores 41,292 versus AMD’s 15,716, a 61.9% gap. These two tests dominate the narrative of the entire comparison, as they account for the largest proportional differences in the dataset.

The multithreaded PassMark score reinforces that trend. Intel records 50,146, while AMD manages 28,312, a 43.5% difference. The physics test follows closely, with Intel at 3,183 and AMD at 1,851, a 41.8% gap. Random string sorting also favors Intel heavily, 67,209 versus 34,174, a 49.2% difference. Prime number finding shows Intel at 452 against AMD’s 220, a 51.3% gap. Extended instruction performance lands at 42,880 for Intel and 26,370 for AMD, a 38.5% deficit. Integer math is the closest of the heavily threaded tests: Intel scores 123,030, AMD scores 84,198, a 31.6% gap. Data compression completes the sweep with Intel at 553,155 and AMD at 325,678, a 41.1% difference.

The single-threaded results are the only place where the AMD processor looks competitive. Intel scores 4,698 in the single-thread PassMark test, while AMD scores 4,258, a 9.4% difference. That is a meaningful but modest lead for Intel, and it suggests that in lightly threaded tasks the two chips are closer than the rest of the benchmark suite implies. Still, the Intel part wins that test as well, so the head-to-head table shows zero wins for the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F and eleven wins for the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus. The closest rival comparisons in the database for the AMD chip include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X at a 0.8% higher average score and the AMD EPYC 7313P at 0.6% higher, while the Intel chip’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D at 0.4% lower and the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus at 1% higher.

Architecture Differences

The two processors take fundamentally different approaches to core configuration. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F uses 6 cores and 12 threads, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus uses 18 cores and 18 threads, built on the Arrow Lake Refresh codename under the Core Ultra Series 2 umbrella, fabricated on a 3 nm process, also at TSMC. The Intel part has no hyper-threading, so its thread count equals its core count, while the AMD part doubles its threads through simultaneous multithreading.

The transistor and die size figures illustrate the scale difference. Intel packs 17,800 million transistors onto a 243 mm² die, while AMD uses 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel chip is physically much larger and carries more than double the transistor count. Cache layouts differ as well. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The per-core cache figures favor Intel, but the shared L3 pool is slightly larger on the AMD part.

Clock speeds favor Intel on paper. The Intel base clock is 4.20 GHz with a boost of 5.30 GHz, while the AMD base clock is 3.80 GHz with a boost of 5.00 GHz. Power targets differ substantially: the Intel TDP is 125 watts, the AMD TDP is 65 watts. Memory bandwidth also favors Intel, with 115.2 GB/s against AMD’s 89.6 GB/s, though both use dual-channel DDR5 and both support ECC memory. PCIe lane counts differ: AMD offers Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, Intel offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. Neither chip includes integrated graphics. Both have unlocked multipliers, and both are listed as active production parts with desktop market segments. The AMD part uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1851.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus records an average benchmark score of 66,159, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F records 52,873. The Intel part also sits at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, compared to the AMD part’s 91st percentile.

Q: How large is the single-threaded performance gap?

A: The Intel chip scores 4,698 in the PassMark single-thread test, and the AMD chip scores 4,258. That is a 9.4% difference, the smallest margin in the entire head-to-head set.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Both support DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Intel part offers 115.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the AMD part offers 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel part does not use simultaneous multithreading, so its thread count equals its core count.

Q: What are the manufacturing process nodes for these chips?

A: The Intel part is fabricated on a 3 nm process, while the AMD part is fabricated on a 4 nm process. Both are manufactured by TSMC.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus boosts to 5.30 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F boosts to 5.00 GHz. The Intel base clock is 4.20 GHz, and the AMD base clock is 3.80 GHz.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split between these two processors. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus wins every benchmark in the database, and in most workloads it wins by a wide margin. The floating point math result alone, a 64.6% gap, shows that the Intel chip is in a different performance class for compute-heavy tasks. The multithread score of 50,146 versus 28,312 confirms that the extra cores translate directly into throughput. The Intel part’s average benchmark score of 66,159 places it alongside much higher-tier processors, with its nearest rival being the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D at a 0.4% lower score.

The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F does not manage a single win in the head-to-head comparison, but its single-thread score of 4,258 against Intel’s 4,698 shows that the gap is not universal. The 9.4% single-thread deficit is the only result under 30%, which means lightly threaded applications will not show the same dramatic difference as the multi-core workloads. The AMD chip also operates at a 65 watt TDP, compared to Intel’s 125 watts, and it uses a smaller 70.6 mm² die with 8,315 million transistors, so the efficiency profile is different even if the raw performance is lower.

For workloads that scale across many cores, such as rendering, physics simulation, encryption, or data compression, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus is the clear choice based on the recorded data. For users who care about single-thread responsiveness and lower power draw, the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F is closer to parity, though still behind. The database’s percentile rankings, 93rd for Intel and 91st for AMD, align with the average score gap of roughly 25%. Neither chip offers integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is required in both cases.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F uses 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus uses 18 cores and 18 threads. Base clocks are 3.80 GHz for AMD and 4.20 GHz for Intel; boost clocks are 5.00 GHz and 5.30 GHz respectively. TDP is 65 watts for AMD and 125 watts for Intel. The AMD part uses AMD Socket AM5, the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1851. The process node is 4 nm for AMD and 3 nm for Intel, both from TSMC. Transistor counts are 8,315 million for AMD and 17,800 million for Intel. Die sizes are 70.6 mm² for AMD and 243 mm² for Intel.

Cache hierarchies differ across all levels. AMD provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Intel provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD and 115.2 GB/s for Intel, with both using dual-channel DDR5 and both supporting ECC. PCIe lanes are 24 for AMD and 20 for Intel, both Gen 5. The architecture names differ: Zen 5 with Granite Ridge for AMD, and Arrow Lake Refresh for Intel. The AMD part has a launch MSRP of $219, and the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $184. Both have unlocked multipliers, both lack integrated graphics, and both are active production parts for the desktop market.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus wins every measured benchmark category, so the practical question is where the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F remains viable. The smallest Intel advantage appears in single-threaded performance, where the 9.4% gap leaves room for the AMD chip to feel competitive in everyday responsiveness. The AMD part’s 65 watt TDP also positions it as the lower-power option, which matters for compact builds or systems with limited cooling capacity, even though the database does not include thermal or acoustic measurements.

The Intel part dominates in multi-core throughput, floating point math, encryption, compression, physics, and sorting. The 64.6% floating point gap and the 61.9% encryption gap are the standout results, and the 43.5% multithread gap confirms that the 18-core configuration delivers a substantial advantage over the 6-core AMD part. The Intel chip’s 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, higher clocks, and larger 243 mm² die with 17,800 million transistors all support these results.

For users whose workloads are single-threaded or lightly threaded, the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F offers the smaller performance deficit and a lower power envelope. For users whose workloads scale across cores, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus is the stronger part by every recorded metric. The database shows no workload category where the AMD chip wins outright, so the Intel processor is the default recommendation for maximum performance, while the AMD processor remains relevant for efficiency-focused builds and single-thread scenarios.