AMD Ryzen 7 5800X vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against desktop processors at a similar price

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 6.0/10 overall, ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X at 5.4/10.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X leads on single-core performance and efficiency.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus leads on multi-core performance and integrated graphics.

They score the same on platform.

The biggest difference is integrated graphics, where the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 5/10 to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X's 0/10.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

5.4/10verdict: good, not the best

The Ryzen 7 5800X suits builders who want eight Zen 3 cores on the AM4 socket for compiling, VMs and general desktop work. It fits someone who already has or plans to buy a discrete graphics card. It is a poor match for a headless server or media box that needs built-in video output.

Typically about £199.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

6.0/10verdict: good, not the best

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus suits developers and homelabbers who want a lot of cores for builds, rendering and parallel workloads. It also suits anyone who needs ECC memory support on a desktop socket. It is a weaker fit for always-on servers where idle power matters, or for buyers whose main aim is gaming.

Typically about £216.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X	Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
Multi-core performance	25%	7/10	9/10
Single-core performance	20%	7/10	6/10
Efficiency	20%	5/10	3/10
Platform	20%	6/10	6/10
Integrated graphics	15%	0/10	5/10
Overall		5.4/10	6.0/10

Specifications

Spec	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X	Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
Cores / threads	8 cores / 16 threads	18 total (6 performance + 12 efficient), 18 threads
Base / boost clock	Base 3.8 GHz, boost up to 4.7 GHz	P-core base 4.2 GHz, P-core max turbo 5.3 GHz; E-core base 3.3 GHz, E-core max turbo 4.6 GHz
Socket	AM4	FCLGA1851
TDP	105W	Processor Base Power 125 W; Maximum Turbo Power 159 W
Cache	L2 4 MB, L3 32 MB	30 MB Intel Smart Cache; total L2 cache 30 MB
Integrated graphics	None; discrete graphics card required	Intel Graphics, 4 Xe-cores, 300 MHz base, 1.9 GHz max dynamic, 8 GPU peak TOPS
Memory support	DDR4, up to 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5-7200 MT/s; 2 memory channels; max 256 GB; ECC supported

Strengths and weaknesses

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

+ Eight cores and 16 threads on Zen 3
+ Boost clock up to 4.7 GHz
+ Works across X570, X470, B550, B450 and A520 boards
− No integrated graphics; discrete card required
− Owners report high temperatures at idle and under load
− 105W TDP

Skip it if:

Anyone building a headless server or media box without a graphics card
Buyers who need very quiet or cool always-on running
People needing 12 or more cores for heavy rendering or many VMs

Read the full AMD Ryzen 7 5800X review ›

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

+ 18 cores and 18 threads for parallel work
+ ECC memory supported, up to 256 GB DDR5
+ Reviewers praised its low price and multi-core performance
− Reviewers criticised high idle power draw
− 125 W base power, 159 W maximum turbo
− Reviewers noted gaming shortfalls and limited Gen 5 SSD speeds

Skip it if:

Homelabbers building a low-power server that stays on around the clock
Gamers who want the best gaming results above all
Buyers planning around the fastest Gen 5 SSD speeds

Read the full Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus review ›

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