Core Ultra 5 125U vs Ryzen 5 6600U

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core Ultra 5 125U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.6% higher average FPS across 12 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 6600U

2022

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 125U across 12 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,992 vs 17,152).

Core Ultra 5 125U

2023

Ryzen 5 6600U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.6% higher average FPS across 12 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 125U across 12 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,992 vs 17,152).

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 125U better than Ryzen 5 6600U?

Yes. Core Ultra 5 125U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.6% average FPS lead across 12 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 5 125U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.6% more average FPS across 12 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 125U is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core Ultra 5 125U still looks like the safer overall buy. Core Ultra 5 125U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 8.6% average FPS lead across 12 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core Ultra 5 125U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core Ultra 5 125U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 6600U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 125U	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	181 FPS	167 FPS
medium	145 FPS	145 FPS
high	117 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	142 FPS
medium	116 FPS	121 FPS
high	93 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	79 FPS
medium	67 FPS	72 FPS
high	54 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 125U Open Ryzen 5 6600U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 125U	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	181 FPS	353 FPS
medium	153 FPS	294 FPS
high	140 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	228 FPS
1440p
low	160 FPS	304 FPS
medium	139 FPS	258 FPS
high	129 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	111 FPS	202 FPS
4K
low	131 FPS	226 FPS
medium	117 FPS	195 FPS
high	110 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	146 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 125U Open Ryzen 5 6600U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 125U	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	429 FPS	425 FPS
medium	429 FPS	425 FPS
high	429 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	344 FPS
1440p
low	429 FPS	425 FPS
medium	429 FPS	400 FPS
high	429 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	413 FPS	301 FPS
4K
low	429 FPS	340 FPS
medium	380 FPS	284 FPS
high	331 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 125U Open Ryzen 5 6600U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 125U	Ryzen 5 6600U
1080p
low	429 FPS	425 FPS
medium	429 FPS	425 FPS
high	429 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	425 FPS
1440p
low	429 FPS	425 FPS
medium	429 FPS	425 FPS
high	429 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	425 FPS
4K
low	429 FPS	425 FPS
medium	429 FPS	425 FPS
high	417 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	359 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 125U Open Ryzen 5 6600U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 125U and Ryzen 5 6600U

Core Ultra 5 125U

The Core Ultra 5 125U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,152 points. Launch price was $363.

Ryzen 5 6600U

The Ryzen 5 6600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,992 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 125U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen 5 6600U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125U versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 6600U — a 4.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 6600U (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 6600U uses Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 125U scores 17,152 against the Ryzen 5 6600U's 16,992 — a 0.9% lead for the Core Ultra 5 125U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125U vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 6600U.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 125U	Ryzen 5 6600U
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.5 GHz+5%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.9 GHz+123%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022)
PassMark	17,152	16,992

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 6600U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.