AMD Ryzen 3 210 vs Intel Core i5-11400 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 210 and Intel Core i5-11400 occupy the same performance percentile—both sit at the 71st percentile of all CPUs—yet they achieve this status through fundamentally different designs and benchmark profiles. The Intel part wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, often by 20-34%, but the AMD chip counters with a decisive 24.5% lead in single-threaded PassMark scores and a 3.5% win in physics. The data points to a clear split: the i5-11400 is the raw throughput champion for multi-threaded workloads, while the Ryzen 3 210 delivers superior per-core efficiency and modern platform features.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 210 has an average benchmark score of 17,321, compared to 17,067 for the Intel Core i5-11400. This places them as near-perfect rivals, with the Ryzen leading by roughly 1.5%.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-core rendering performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400 dominates multi-core rendering. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 14,132 versus 11,198 for the AMD Ryzen 3 210, a 20.8% advantage. The same margin appears in R20 (5,935 vs 4,703) and R15 (1,424 vs 1,128).

Q: Which processor wins in single-threaded performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 210 wins in PassMark single-thread testing with a score of 3,724 versus 2,990 for the Intel, a 24.5% lead. However, the Intel part wins all Cinebench single-core tests, scoring 1,995 vs 1,581 in R23 (20.8% higher).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 210 supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-11400 uses DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. This gives the AMD part a 75% theoretical bandwidth advantage.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. Both the AMD Ryzen 3 210 and Intel Core i5-11400 have their multipliers locked. Neither processor supports user-controlled overclocking.

Q: Which processor has the better integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 210 features a Radeon 740M, while the Intel Core i5-11400 has UHD Graphics 730. The AMD integrated GPU is part of a newer 4nm design, but the FACT PACK does not include comparable graphics benchmark scores.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is generational. The AMD Ryzen 3 210 is built on TSMC's 4nm process with 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die. It uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename. The Intel Core i5-11400 relies on Intel's 14nm process with a 276 mm² die, using the Rocket Lake architecture. This process disparity explains the efficiency difference: the AMD part has a 28W TDP while the Intel part draws 65W.

Core counts differ significantly. The AMD Ryzen 3 210 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-11400 has 6 cores and 12 threads. This 50% core/thread advantage for Intel is the primary driver of its multi-core benchmark dominance. Cache layouts also differ: the AMD chip has 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, with 8 MB shared L3. The Intel chip has 80 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with 12 MB shared L3.

Platform support marks a major divergence. The AMD Ryzen 3 210 uses AMD Socket FP7, supports DDR5 memory, and offers 14 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only). The Intel Core i5-11400 uses Intel Socket 1200, supports DDR4, and provides 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only). The AMD memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s nearly doubles Intel's 51.2 GB/s. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

The market positioning differs sharply. The AMD Ryzen 3 210 is a mobile processor released on January 5, 2025, and remains in active production. The Intel Core i5-11400 is a desktop processor from March 15, 2021, now marked as end-of-life. The AMD part is a 4nm mobile chip; the Intel part is a 14nm desktop chip with a larger die and higher power envelope.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: for multi-threaded and heavily threaded workloads, the Intel Core i5-11400 is the superior choice. It wins 13 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with multi-core wins ranging from 16.1% to 34.1%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-11400 scores 14,132 versus 11,198 for the Ryzen 3 210, a 20.8% margin. This advantage is consistent across all Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, R23) and PassMark compression, encryption, and math workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 3 210 is the pick for single-threaded responsiveness and platform modernity. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3,724 beats the Intel's 2,990 by 24.5%. It also wins PassMark physics by 3.5% (821 vs 793). The Ryzen's DDR5 support and 4nm process make it the more future-proof platform, though it lacks the core count for heavy parallel workloads.

Users who need maximum throughput for rendering, data compression, or integer math should choose the Intel Core i5-11400. Users who prioritize single-thread speed, lower power draw (28W vs 65W), and a modern DDR5 platform should choose the AMD Ryzen 3 210. The Intel part's end-of-life status and older 14nm process are notable drawbacks, while the AMD part's mobile-focused design limits its multi-core ceiling.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. The AMD Ryzen 3 210 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-11400 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz for AMD and 2.60 GHz for Intel; boost clocks are 4.70 GHz and 4.40 GHz, respectively. TDP is dramatically different: 28W for the AMD versus 65W for the Intel.

Socket and platform are incompatible: AMD Socket FP7 versus Intel Socket 1200. The AMD chip uses Zen 4 architecture on a 4nm TSMC process, while the Intel chip uses Rocket Lake on Intel's 14nm process. Die size differs at 137 mm² versus 276 mm², with transistor counts of 20,900 million (AMD) versus no listed figure for Intel.

Cache configurations vary per core: AMD has 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, Intel has 80 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core. Shared L3 is 8 MB for AMD and 12 MB for Intel. Memory support is DDR5 for AMD and DDR4 for Intel, with bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s. PCIe lanes differ: 14 for AMD, 20 for Intel, both Gen 4 (CPU only).

Integrated graphics are Radeon 740M for AMD and UHD Graphics 730 for Intel. The AMD part is mobile and active, released January 5, 2025; the Intel part is desktop and end-of-life, released March 15, 2021. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $182. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-11400 wins decisively in the multi-core arena. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 14,132 against 11,198, a 20.8% delta. The same margin repeats in R20 (5,935 vs 4,703) and R15 (1,424 vs 1,128). PassMark multithread shows a 18.6% Intel win (16,690 vs 13,585). The largest margin is in PassMark integer math, where Intel leads 57,601 to 37,933, a 34.1% advantage. Floating-point math shows a 30.5% Intel win (34,004 vs 23,649).

The Intel lead extends to data workloads. PassMark data compression favors Intel 206,952 to 152,017, a 26.5% delta. Data encryption shows a 16.1% Intel win (10,264 vs 8,607). Extended instructions are 23.1% higher on Intel (14,901 vs 11,464). Random string sorting goes to Intel by 18.9% (23,974 vs 19,454). Even single-core Cinebench tests favor Intel: R23 single-core is 1,995 vs 1,581 (20.8%), R20 is 837 vs 664 (20.7%), and R15 is 200 vs 159 (20.5%).

The AMD Ryzen 3 210 wins the PassMark single-thread test decisively: 3,724 vs 2,990, a 24.5% advantage. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. The AMD chip also wins PassMark physics by 3.5% (821 vs 793) and ties in find prime numbers (49 vs 49). Notably, the AMD wins are concentrated in single-threaded and physics workloads, while the Intel wins span all multi-threaded categories. The win tally is 13 for Intel and 4 for AMD.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-11400 is the clear winner for multi-threaded productivity. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration delivers 20.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core scores and 18.6% higher PassMark multithread scores. For data compression, encryption, and extended instruction workloads, the Intel part leads by 16.1% to 26.5%. Integer and floating-point math workloads show the biggest Intel margins at 34.1% and 30.5%, respectively. This makes the i5-11400 the choice for rendering, video encoding, data analysis, and any workload that scales across cores.

The AMD Ryzen 3 210 wins where per-core efficiency matters most. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3,724 beats the Intel by 24.5%, indicating snappier response in lightly threaded applications. The physics benchmark win (821 vs 793, +3.5%) suggests better performance in simulation or physics-based tasks. The AMD part also wins the prime number test with a tie at 49, though this is a statistical dead heat. The Ryzen 3 210's 28W TDP versus 65W for Intel makes it the efficiency leader, and its DDR5 support with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth positions it for memory-intensive tasks, even if benchmark data does not directly capture that advantage.

For a mobile or power-constrained system, the AMD Ryzen 3 210 is the only option given its mobile market segment. For a desktop build where multi-threaded performance is paramount, the Intel Core i5-11400's 13 benchmark wins make it the data-backed choice. The choice hinges on whether the workload is parallel (Intel) or latency-sensitive (AMD).