Core Ultra 5 125H vs Ryzen 7 5800H

Intel

Core Ultra 5 125H

14 Cores18 Thrd0 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 5800H

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 125H

2023

Why buy it

  • Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Ryzen 7 5800H

2021

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Lower PassMark (20,686 vs 20,754).
    • Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 125H moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Core Ultra 5 125H better than Ryzen 7 5800H?
    Yes. Core Ultra 5 125H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.1% average FPS lead across 18 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% 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 125H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.1% more average FPS across 18 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 125H is the better fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 18 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Core Ultra 5 125H still looks like the safer overall buy. Core Ultra 5 125H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 18 shared CPU game tests in our data.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Core Ultra 5 125H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021), a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of FP6, and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 18 threads instead of 8/16. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

    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.

    Path of Exile 2

    Path of Exile 2

    PresetCore Ultra 5 125HRyzen 7 5800H
    1080p
    low192 FPS183 FPS
    medium153 FPS150 FPS
    high123 FPS121 FPS
    ultra101 FPS99 FPS
    1440p
    low155 FPS155 FPS
    medium121 FPS125 FPS
    high98 FPS101 FPS
    ultra81 FPS82 FPS
    4K
    low86 FPS87 FPS
    medium73 FPS76 FPS
    high58 FPS60 FPS
    ultra45 FPS47 FPS
    Counter-Strike 2

    Counter-Strike 2

    PresetCore Ultra 5 125HRyzen 7 5800H
    1080p
    low519 FPS517 FPS
    medium517 FPS422 FPS
    high419 FPS361 FPS
    ultra375 FPS316 FPS
    1440p
    low519 FPS459 FPS
    medium453 FPS383 FPS
    high376 FPS333 FPS
    ultra321 FPS281 FPS
    4K
    low335 FPS328 FPS
    medium281 FPS281 FPS
    high256 FPS257 FPS
    ultra224 FPS222 FPS
    League of Legends

    League of Legends

    PresetCore Ultra 5 125HRyzen 7 5800H
    1080p
    low519 FPS517 FPS
    medium519 FPS517 FPS
    high519 FPS517 FPS
    ultra519 FPS517 FPS
    1440p
    low519 FPS517 FPS
    medium519 FPS517 FPS
    high519 FPS486 FPS
    ultra494 FPS430 FPS
    4K
    low519 FPS469 FPS
    medium441 FPS398 FPS
    high400 FPS349 FPS
    ultra321 FPS284 FPS
    Valorant

    Valorant

    PresetCore Ultra 5 125HRyzen 7 5800H
    1080p
    low519 FPS517 FPS
    medium519 FPS517 FPS
    high519 FPS517 FPS
    ultra519 FPS517 FPS
    1440p
    low519 FPS517 FPS
    medium519 FPS517 FPS
    high519 FPS517 FPS
    ultra519 FPS458 FPS
    4K
    low519 FPS495 FPS
    medium519 FPS445 FPS
    high473 FPS385 FPS
    ultra413 FPS329 FPS

    Technical Specifications

    Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 125H and Ryzen 7 5800H

    Intel

    Core Ultra 5 125H

    The Core Ultra 5 125H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 18 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,754 points. Launch price was $375.

    AMD

    Ryzen 7 5800H

    The Ryzen 7 5800H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,686 points. Launch price was $299.

    Processing Power

    The Core Ultra 5 125H packs 14 cores / 18 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125H has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125H versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800H — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 125H (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 125H uses the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5800H uses Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 125H scores 20,754 against the Ryzen 7 5800H's 20,686 — a 0.3% lead for the Core Ultra 5 125H. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125H vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5800H.

    FeatureCore Ultra 5 125HRyzen 7 5800H
    Cores / Threads
    14 / 18+75%
    8 / 16
    Boost Clock
    4.5 GHz+2%
    4.4 GHz
    Base Clock
    3.6 GHz+12%
    3.2 GHz
    L3 Cache
    18 MB (total)+13%
    16 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    2 MB (per core)+300%
    512K (per core)
    Process
    7 nm
    7 nm
    Architecture
    Meteor Lake-H (2023)
    Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021)
    PassMark
    20,754
    20,686
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Core Ultra 5 125H uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 5800H uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureCore Ultra 5 125HRyzen 7 5800H
    Socket
    FCBGA2049
    FP6
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 5.0+67%
    PCIe 3.0