Core Ultra 5 125U vs Ryzen 5 6600U

Core Ultra 5 125U vs Ryzen 5 6600U Performance Spectrum

Core Ultra 5 125U

12 / 14

17,152

+0.9%

16,992

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core Ultra 5 125U vs Ryzen 5 6600U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core Ultra 5 125U vs Ryzen 5 6600U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core Ultra 5 125U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.5% higher average FPS across 50 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 50 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 all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 5 125U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.5% more average FPS across 50 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 stronger 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 makes the most sense overall. Core Ultra 5 125U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Core Ultra 5 125U makes more sense long term 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 is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core Ultra 5 125U vs Ryzen 5 6600U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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)	512K (per core)+25500%
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.