AMD Athlon 220GE vs Intel Core i5-3335S Comparison

The AMD Athlon 220GE and Intel Core i5-3335S are both 30th-percentile desktop processors, but they achieve that standing through very different means. The Athlon 220GE is a modern, low-power dual-core with simultaneous multi-threading, while the i5-3335S is an older quad-core without it. In every head-to-head benchmark recorded, the AMD chip wins by roughly 20%. The Athlon 220GE is the clear choice for anyone building a new, efficient system on the AM4 platform. The i5-3335S only makes sense if you are upgrading an existing Socket 1155 system and cannot change the motherboard, as its quad-core design and older architecture cannot keep pace with the newer AMD part in any tested workload.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Athlon 220GE wins all multi-core tests. It scores 379 versus 314 in Cinebench R15 multi-core (a 20.7% lead), 1580 versus 1310 in R20 multi-core (20.6% ahead), and 3764 versus 3121 in R23 multi-core (20.6% ahead).

Q: Is the Intel i5-3335S better in single-core performance?

A: No. The Athlon 220GE also dominates single-core tests, scoring 223 versus 184 in Cinebench R20 single-core (21.2% ahead) and 531 versus 440 in R23 single-core (20.7% ahead). The Intel part has no advantage in any recorded benchmark.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Athlon 220GE has 2 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i5-3335S has 4 cores and 4 threads. Despite having half the physical cores, the AMD chip still wins all multi-threaded tests.

Q: How do their integrated graphics compare?

A: The Athlon 220GE features a Radeon Vega 3 iGPU, while the i5-3335S has an Intel HD 4000. The benchmark data does not include graphics performance, so no direct comparison can be made from this data.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The AMD Athlon 220GE supports DDR4 memory, while the Intel Core i5-3335S supports DDR3. The AMD part also lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the Intel part has no bandwidth figure recorded.

Q: Are these CPUs similar in overall performance?

A: Yes, their average benchmark scores are very close. The Athlon 220GE has an average score of 1088, and the i5-3335S has an average of 1083. However, in every direct head-to-head test, the AMD chip wins decisively.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The AMD Athlon 220GE uses the Zen architecture, specifically the Raven Ridge generation, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This is a modern design that emphasizes efficiency and multi-threading capabilities. The Intel Core i5-3335S, in contrast, uses the much older Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel. This represents a significant generational gap, with the AMD part benefiting from years of architectural improvements.

The transistor counts tell a stark story of design complexity. The AMD chip packs 4,950 million transistors on a 209.8 mm² die, while the Intel chip has only 1,480 million transistors on a smaller 160 mm² die. The AMD design uses its transistor budget for more complex cores and a more capable iGPU, whereas the Intel design is simpler and older. The cache layouts also differ: the Athlon 220GE has 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3. The i5-3335S has smaller 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but a larger 6 MB shared L3.

The integrated graphics solutions are also from different generations. The AMD part ships with a Radeon Vega 3, while the Intel part has an HD 4000. The AMD chip's iGPU is based on newer Vega architecture, though the benchmark data does not quantify the performance difference. The PCIe support also varies, with the Athlon 220GE offering Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes, while the i5-3335S offers Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious difference. The AMD Athlon 220GE has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i5-3335S has 4 cores and 4 threads. The clock speeds also differ: the AMD chip has a base clock of 3.40 GHz with no boost clock listed, while the Intel chip has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. Despite the Intel part having more physical cores and a boost capability, it loses in every benchmark.

The power profiles are notably different. The AMD Athlon 220GE has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core i5-3335S has a TDP of 65 watts. This makes the AMD part significantly more power-efficient, especially given that it also performs better. The sockets are incompatible: the AMD chip uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1155. This means they cannot be used interchangeably on the same motherboard.

Memory support is a major divider. The AMD part supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a listed bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The Intel part supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus but has no bandwidth figure recorded. Neither processor supports ECC memory. The AMD chip's launch MSRP was $65; the Intel chip has no launch MSRP recorded. Both have locked multipliers. The AMD part is listed as Active in production, while the Intel part's production status is not provided.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is remarkably consistent: the AMD Athlon 220GE wins all five recorded head-to-head tests by a margin of roughly 20%. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 379 against the Intel's 314, a 20.7% advantage. This pattern continues in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the AMD scores 1580 versus 1310, a 20.6% win. The R23 multi-core test shows the same story, with AMD at 3764 and Intel at 3121, again a 20.6% lead.

Single-core performance tells an identical story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD Athlon 220GE scores 223, while the i5-3335S scores 184, giving AMD a 21.2% advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows AMD at 531 and Intel at 440, a 20.7% win. The consistency of these margins, all hovering around 20-21%, indicates that the AMD architecture is uniformly faster across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, and that the Intel part's additional two physical cores do not compensate for its older, slower design.

The overall average benchmark scores reinforce this closeness in overall class, even though the head-to-head tests are decisive. The AMD Athlon 220GE has an average benchmark score of 1088, landing it exactly even with the Intel Core i5-3350P. The Intel i5-3335S has an average of 1083, putting it level with the Intel Core i5-2320. Both chips sit in the 30th percentile of all CPUs, but the direct comparisons show the AMD part is the stronger performer.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon 220GE wins in every single test category where data is available. It is faster in multi-core rendering, as shown by its 20.7% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 20.6% leads in both R20 and R23 multi-core. It is also faster in single-core tasks, with 21.2% and 20.7% leads in R20 and R23 single-core respectively. This means the AMD chip is the better choice for any workload that relies on CPU computation, from rendering to general productivity, and even for tasks that benefit from high single-thread performance.

The Intel Core i5-3335S does not have a single benchmark win. Its only potential advantages come from non-benchmark specifications. It has more physical cores (4 versus 2), which could theoretically help in highly parallel workloads that scale perfectly with core count, but the data shows this does not translate into real-world wins. It also has a larger shared L3 cache (6 MB versus 4 MB) and more PCIe lanes (16 versus 8), which could matter for specific expansion needs, though no benchmark data supports a performance benefit from these features.

For practical use, the AMD Athlon 220GE is the obvious pick for a new build. It is faster, more power-efficient (35W TDP versus 65W), and supports modern DDR4 memory. The Intel i5-3335S only makes sense as a drop-in upgrade for someone with an existing Socket 1155 motherboard who cannot or will not change platforms. In that specific scenario, it could be a viable option, but in any direct comparison, the AMD chip is the superior processor.