AMD Ryzen 3 210 vs AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 210 wins this matchup decisively, taking 14 of 17 recorded benchmarks against the AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS despite both chips offering an identical 4-core, 8-thread configuration. The story is architectural: the Ryzen 3 210 runs the newer Zen 4 design on a 4 nm process, while the Ryzen 5 7235HS uses the older Zen 3+ design on a 6 nm process. The recorded data shows that generational advantage translating into consistent wins across nearly every workload category.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The rendering suite is the clearest evidence of the gap. In Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 3 210 scores 11198 multi-core and 1581 single-core, beating the 7235HS (10418 and 1470) by 7.5% and 7.6% respectively. Cinebench R20 tells the same story: 4703 versus 4375 multi-core (7.5% ahead) and 664 versus 617 single-core (7.6% ahead). Cinebench R15 mirrors it almost exactly, with the 210 ahead 7.4% in both multi-core (1128 versus 1050) and single-core (159 versus 148). That uniform margin across three renderer generations indicates a stable, workload-independent advantage rather than a benchmark-specific quirk.

Passmark results widen the gap considerably. The Ryzen 3 210 posts 3724 in single-thread against 2873 for the 7235HS, a 29.6% lead. Physics favors the 210 by 43% (821 versus 574), random string sorting by 27.2% (19454 versus 15294), find prime numbers by 58.1% (49 versus 31), and multithread by 11% (13585 versus 12243). Extended instructions go to the 210 by 5.3% (11464 versus 10887), and floating point math by 2.4% (23649 versus 23091).

The Ryzen 5 7235HS does land three wins, all narrow except one. Data compression is effectively a tie, 152168 versus 152017, a 0.1% edge to the 7235HS. Data encryption goes to the 7235HS by 4.9% (9051 versus 8607), and integer math by 5.6% (40174 versus 37933). These are isolated pockets of advantage in a comparison the 210 otherwise controls.

Where Each One Wins

For the Ryzen 3 210, the use-case coverage is broad. Anyone doing rendering, physics simulation, string-heavy data processing, or prime computation should expect the 210 to lead everywhere, from the modest 2.4% floating point margin to the dramatic 58.1% prime number margin. Its 29.6% single-thread lead in Passmark makes it the clear pick for latency-sensitive, lightly threaded applications, and everyday desktop responsiveness falls in the same column. The 210 also sits at the 71st percentile versus all CPUs in the database, slightly above the 7235HS at the 70th percentile.

The 7235HS carves out a defensible niche in three specific workloads. Its integer math win of 5.6% and encryption win of 4.9% suggest it holds up reasonably in integer arithmetic and cryptographic tasks, while compression is a dead heat. Beyond raw compute, the 7235HS offers platform advantages the benchmarks do not capture: 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes versus 14 on the 210, ECC memory support where the 210 has none, and a Radeon 660M integrated GPU against the 210's Radeon 740M. Buyers prioritizing expansion lanes or memory reliability features may accept the compute deficit.

Architecture Differences

The two chips share more than they differ at the platform level. Both are AMD mobile processors on Socket FP7, both carry 4 cores and 8 threads, both support DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, and both remain in active production. Both are multiplier-locked.

The divergence starts at the core design. The Ryzen 3 210 uses Zen 4 (Hawk Point) on TSMC's 4 nm node, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, and a TDP of 28W. The Ryzen 5 7235HS uses Zen 3+ (Rembrandt-R) on TSMC's 6 nm node, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz, a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, and a TDP of 45W. The 210's higher boost ceiling plus newer architecture explains most of the benchmark separation, and it does so with a lower TDP rating.

Cache configurations differ in the L2 tier. Both share an identical 8 MB L3 and 64 KB L1 per core, but the 210 gets 1 MB of L2 per core versus 512 KB per core on the 7235HS, doubling per-core mid-level cache. That advantage plausibly contributes to the 210's wins in sorting and physics workloads.

Physical and connectivity numbers also split. The 210 packs 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die, while the 7235HS uses a larger 210 mm² die with no transistor count recorded. Memory bandwidth favors the 210 at 89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s. PCIe lanes favor the 7235HS at 20 versus 14. The 210 has a recorded release date of January 5, 2025; no release date is recorded for the 7235HS.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster overall?

A: The Ryzen 3 210. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with an average benchmark score of 17321 versus 16902 for the 7235HS.

Q: How big is the single-core gap?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core the 210 leads 1581 to 1470, a 7.6% margin. In Passmark single-thread the gap is much larger, 3724 versus 2873, or 29.6% in favor of the 210.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 7235HS win anything?

A: Yes, three tests: integer math (40174 versus 37933), data encryption (9051 versus 8607), and data compression by a negligible 0.1% (152168 versus 152017).

Q: How do they compare to other CPUs in the database?

A: The 210 sits at the 71st percentile with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen 5 4500 (17333 average, 0.1% apart), the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (17278), the Intel Core 7 150U (17395), and the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239). The 7235HS sits at the 70th percentile, close to the AMD EPYC 7702 (16932), Intel Core i3-12100E (16853), Intel Core i5-1240U (16957), and AMD Ryzen 3 7335U (16827).

Q: Which chip has the better process and cache?

A: The 210. It uses a 4 nm node versus 6 nm, and 1 MB of L2 per core versus 512 KB, though both share the same 8 MB L3.

Q: Which has better platform features?

A: The 7235HS in two respects: 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes versus 14, and ECC memory support, which the 210 lacks. The 210 counters with higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s.

Specification Differences

• Architecture: Zen 4 (Hawk Point) on the 210 versus Zen 3+ (Rembrandt-R) on the 7235HS
• Process node: 4 nm versus 6 nm, both TSMC
• Base clock: 3.00 GHz versus 3.20 GHz (7235HS higher)
• Boost clock: 4.70 GHz versus 4.20 GHz (210 higher)
• TDP: 28W versus 45W
• L2 cache: 1 MB per core versus 512 KB per core
• Transistors: 20,900 million on the 210, not recorded for the 7235HS
• Die size: 137 mm² versus 210 mm²
• Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 4 with 14 lanes versus Gen 4 with 20 lanes
• ECC memory: not supported versus supported
• Integrated graphics: Radeon 740M versus Radeon 660M
• Release date: January 5, 2025 recorded for the 210, none recorded for the 7235HS
• Part number: 100-000001612 versus 100-000001507

Identical between the two: 4 cores, 8 threads, 64 KB L1 per core, 8 MB shared L3, DDR5 support, dual-channel memory bus, Socket FP7, mobile segment, active production status, and a locked multiplier on both.

The Verdict

The data points one direction for pure performance. The Ryzen 3 210 delivers roughly 7% more rendering throughput, nearly 30% higher Passmark single-thread results, and double-digit wins in multithread, physics, and sorting workloads, all with a lower 28W TDP rating and a newer 4 nm process. For a general-purpose laptop where CPU speed matters, it is the stronger recorded performer, and its 71st percentile database standing edges out the 7235HS at the 70th.

The Ryzen 5 7235HS earns consideration only on platform grounds. Its 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes, ECC memory support, and Radeon 660M graphics define its case, along with slim wins in integer math and encryption. Buyers who need memory error correction or more lane connectivity for devices may find that package worth roughly a 2.5% average benchmark deficit, based on the average scores of 16902 versus 17321. For everyone else, the recorded results make the Ryzen 3 210 the pick.