AMD Ryzen 3 210 vs Intel Core i7-1255U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-1255U and AMD Ryzen 3 210 are both mobile processors, but they come from different design philosophies. The Intel part uses a 10-core, 12-thread configuration on a 10 nm Alder Lake-U design, while the AMD part uses a 4-core, 8-thread Zen 4 Hawk Point design on a 4 nm TSMC process. The recorded benchmarks show a split: AMD wins 11 of 17 head-to-head tests, including the heavy multi-threaded Cinebench R23, while Intel takes 6 tests with large margins in math workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-1255U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 210 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds?

A: Both processors boost to 4.70 GHz. The Intel base clock is 1.70 GHz, the AMD base clock is 3.00 GHz.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-1255U has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 3 210 has 8 MB.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 210 scores 11198 versus 8285 for the Intel, a 26% advantage.

Q: Which processor has a higher Passmark single-thread score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 210 scores 3724 versus 3192 for the Intel, a 14.3% lead.

Q: What are the process nodes?

A: Intel uses a 10 nm process from its own foundry, while AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC.

Architecture Differences

The two chips diverge sharply in core count and process technology. Intel’s Alder Lake-U design packs 10 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 1.70 GHz and a boost of 4.70 GHz. AMD’s Hawk Point design, based on Zen 4, offers only 4 cores and 8 threads, but starts at a higher 3.00 GHz base and matches the 4.70 GHz boost. The Intel part is built on Intel’s 10 nm node, while AMD uses TSMC’s 4 nm process, which is reflected in the transistor count: AMD lists 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die, while Intel does not record those figures.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, plus a 12 MB shared L3. AMD gives 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core, with an 8 MB shared L3. Despite having fewer cores, AMD’s higher base clock and newer architecture allow it to compete strongly in multi-threaded workloads. Memory support is another split: Intel accepts both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD is DDR5-only. AMD also lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, a figure Intel does not provide. PCIe connectivity favors Intel with 20 Gen 4 lanes versus AMD’s 14. Integrated graphics differ as well: Intel uses Iris Xe with 96 execution units, AMD uses Radeon 740M. Both are mobile parts, active in production, with no unlocked multiplier and no ECC support. AMD’s release date is 2025-01-05, while Intel’s is 2022-02-22.

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Ryzen 3 210 as the stronger overall performer in the majority of recorded tests. It wins 11 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, including the decisive Cinebench R23 multi-core test (11198 vs 8285, a 26% lead) and the Passmark single-thread test (3724 vs 3192, a 14.3% lead). The Intel Core i7-1255U, however, is not without its own territory. It dominates in floating point math (32618 vs 23649, a 37.9% advantage) and integer math (48498 vs 37933, a 27.9% advantage), and it also takes the Cinebench R15 single-core test by a wide margin (237.5 vs 159, a 49.4% lead). Both processors sit at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are close: Intel at 17656, AMD at 17321.

For users who prioritize multi-threaded productivity, modern single-thread responsiveness, or the efficiency of a newer 4 nm process, the Ryzen 3 210 is the clear choice. For workloads that are heavily math-oriented, such as floating point or integer calculations, the Core i7-1255U offers a substantial edge. The Intel part also has more cores and threads, which may appeal in specific parallel tasks, but the benchmark results show that AMD’s architecture extracts more performance per core. The verdict is straightforward: pick the AMD for general-purpose and multi-threaded work, pick the Intel if your software is dominated by the math operations where it excels.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-1255U | AMD Ryzen 3 210 |

|---------------|---------------------|------------------|

| Cores | 10 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1.70 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | AMD Socket FP7 |

| Architecture | Alder Lake | Zen 4 |

| Codename | Alder Lake-U | Hawk Point |

| Generation | Core i7 (Alder Lake-U) | Ryzen 3 (Zen 4 (Hawk Point)) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not recorded | 20,900 million |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 137 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 14 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe 96EU | Radeon 740M |

| Release Date | 2022-02-22 | 2025-01-05 |

| Part Number | SRLFP | 100-000001612 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest Intel wins come in single-core and math-heavy tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel scores 237.5 against AMD’s 159, a 49.4% lead. Floating point math shows Intel at 32618 versus 23649, a 37.9% advantage. Integer math follows with 48498 vs 37933, a 27.9% lead. Cinebench R15 multi-core also goes Intel’s way: 1387 vs 1128, a 23% margin. Data encryption favors Intel at 9262 vs 8607, a 7.6% edge, and Cinebench R23 single-core is a narrow Intel win at 1647 vs 1581, a 4.2% difference.

AMD’s wins are more numerous and often substantial. The largest is in Passmark extended instructions: 11464 vs 8231, a 28.2% lead. Cinebench R23 multi-core gives AMD 11198 vs 8285, a 26% advantage. Passmark find prime numbers shows 49 vs 40, an 18.4% lead. Single-thread performance in Passmark is 3724 vs 3192, a 14.3% edge. Random string sorting goes to AMD at 19454 vs 16934, a 13% lead. Data compression is close but AMD wins: 152017 vs 147320, a 3.1% margin. Passmark multithread gives AMD 13585 vs 13234, a 2.6% lead, and physics adds 821 vs 789, a 3.9% edge. Cinebench R20 multi-core and single-core are both narrow AMD wins: 4703 vs 4635 (1.4%) and 664 vs 654 (1.5%) respectively.

Overall, AMD takes 11 of the 17 recorded tests, with its strongest showings in multi-threaded rendering, extended instruction sets, and general single-thread throughput. Intel’s 6 wins are concentrated in math operations and the older Cinebench R15 suite, where its higher core count and per-core cache configuration pay off. The data does not show a single dominant chip across every workload, but the balance of results clearly favors the Ryzen 3 210 for most modern applications.