AMD Ryzen 3 2300U vs Intel Core i3-5157U Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the head-to-head benchmark comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U wins all three shared benchmarks. It takes Cinebench R15 multi-core with a 90.3% delta, Geekbench multi-core with a 42.5% delta, and Geekbench single-core with a 0.6% delta. The Intel Core i3-5157U records zero wins in the shared tests.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U posts an average benchmark score of 880, while the Intel Core i3-5157U scores 877. That is a 3-point gap, placing the AMD part 0.3% ahead of the Intel part in the nearestRivals data.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i3-5157U has 2 cores and 4 threads. Both support four threads total, but AMD does it with physical cores while Intel relies on Hyper-Threading.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U has a base clock of 2000.00 MHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The Intel Core i3-5157U has a base clock of 2500 MHz and no listed boost clock, meaning it runs at a fixed frequency.

Q: Which processor has the higher TDP?

A: The Intel Core i3-5157U has a TDP of 28 watts, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U's 15 watts. This suggests the Intel part draws more power under load.

Q: Are both processors in production?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is listed as "Active" in production status, while the Intel Core i3-5157U is listed as "End-of-life."

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is built on the Zen architecture with the Raven Ridge codename, part of the 2000 series and the Ryzen 3 generation. It uses a 14 nm process node fabricated by GlobalFoundries, with 4,950 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core i3-5157U uses the Broadwell architecture with the Broadwell-U codename, part of the Core i3 generation, also on a 14 nm process node but fabricated by Intel, with 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The AMD part features 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 3 MB of shared L3 cache. AMD's larger cache allocation per core and double the shared L3 cache give it a structural advantage in data-heavy workloads.

Memory support is another major divergence. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Intel Core i3-5157U supports DDR3 on a dual-channel bus with 29.9 GB/s of bandwidth. That is a 8.5 GB/s bandwidth advantage for AMD, plus the generational benefit of DDR4 over DDR3.

PCIe connectivity also differs. AMD provides Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 2 with 12 lanes (CPU only). AMD's newer PCIe generation offers higher per-lane bandwidth, though Intel has more lanes total. Integrated graphics are handled by the Radeon Vega 6 on the AMD side and the Intel Iris 6100 on the Intel side.

The Intel part carries a launch MSRP of $315, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP listed. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part uses socket AMD Socket FP5, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 1168.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive result comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U scores 422.5 against the Intel Core i3-5157U's 222. That is a 90.3% advantage for AMD — nearly double the Intel part's output. This reflects the AMD processor's extra two physical cores, which allow it to handle parallel rendering tasks far more effectively.

Geekbench multi-core shows a similar but less extreme pattern. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U scores 2234, while the Intel Core i3-5157U scores 1568, giving AMD a 42.5% lead. The margin is still large but narrower than in Cinebench, suggesting that the Geekbench workload is less sensitive to core count alone.

The single-core results are nearly identical. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U scores 783 in Geekbench single-core, and the Intel Core i3-5157U scores 778. That is a 0.6% edge for AMD, which is effectively a tie within benchmark noise. This shows that for lightly threaded tasks, the two processors are performance equivalents despite their architectural differences.

It is importantly the Intel part has additional benchmark results not shared with the AMD part: Cinebench R20 multi-core (925), Cinebench R20 single-core (130), Cinebench R23 multi-core (2203), and Cinebench R23 single-core (311). These cannot be directly compared head-to-head, but they establish that the Intel part's single-core performance remains competitive with its multi-core output being limited by its two physical cores.

Overall, the head-to-head data shows 3 wins for the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U and 0 wins for the Intel Core i3-5157U. The AMD processor dominates in multi-threaded scenarios while essentially tying in single-threaded performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U has 4 cores versus the Intel Core i3-5157U's 2 cores, though both have 4 threads. The AMD base clock is 2000.00 MHz with a 3.40 GHz boost, while the Intel base clock is 2500 MHz with no boost clock listed. The AMD TDP is 15 watts versus Intel's 28 watts.

Cache sizing differs across all levels: AMD has 96 KB L1 per core versus Intel's 64 KB L1 per core; AMD has 512 KB L2 per core versus Intel's 256 KB L2 per core; AMD has 4 MB shared L3 versus Intel's 3 MB shared L3. The process node is identical (14 nm for both), but the foundry differs: GlobalFoundries for AMD, Intel for Intel.

Transistor count and die size are significantly different. AMD packs 4,950 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while Intel has 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die. AMD's higher transistor density and larger die reflect its more complex memory controller and integrated Vega graphics.

Memory support diverges: AMD uses DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while Intel uses DDR3 with 29.9 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe generation differs as well: AMD offers Gen 3 with 8 lanes, Intel offers Gen 2 with 12 lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 6 on AMD and Intel Iris 6100 on Intel.

The socket is different (AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel BGA 1168), and the production status differs (Active versus End-of-life). The AMD part was released on 2018-01-07, while the Intel part was released on 2015-02-28. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $315, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U wins in every scenario where multi-core performance matters. Its 90.3% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 42.5% lead in Geekbench multi-core make it the clear choice for video rendering, 3D modeling, software compilation, or any workload that scales with core count. Its larger L3 cache (4 MB versus 3 MB), higher memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s versus 29.9 GB/s), and newer DDR4 memory support reinforce this advantage. The AMD part also wins on power efficiency, with a 15-watt TDP compared to Intel's 28 watts, making it more suitable for thin-and-light laptops where thermals and battery life matter.

The Intel Core i3-5157U does not win any benchmark in the shared data, but it is not without merits. Its single-core Geekbench score of 778 is only 0.6% behind the AMD part's 783, meaning that for basic office tasks, web browsing, or legacy single-threaded applications, the two processors will feel identical. The Intel part also has a higher base clock (2500 MHz versus 2000.00 MHz), which can help in bursty workloads that do not sustain long enough to trigger boost behavior. Its 12 PCIe Gen 2 lanes, while older in generation, provide more total lanes than AMD's 8 Gen 3 lanes, which could matter for connecting multiple peripherals in a compact system.

The Intel part's production status is end-of-life, meaning it is no longer being manufactured, while the AMD part remains active. For new system builds, this makes the AMD processor the more viable procurement option. The Intel part's release date of 2015-02-28 also means it predates the AMD part's 2018-01-07 release by nearly three years, which is reflected in its older architecture and DDR3 memory support.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is the superior processor in this comparison. It wins all three shared benchmarks, with margins ranging from a narrow 0.6% in single-core to a dominant 90.3% in Cinebench R15 multi-core. Its 4 physical cores, 4 MB of L3 cache, DDR4 memory support, and 15-watt TDP give it structural advantages that the Intel Core i3-5157U cannot overcome with its 2 cores, 3 MB of L3 cache, and DDR3 memory.

The Intel Core i3-5157U's only saving grace is that its single-core performance is essentially tied with the AMD part, which means it will not disappoint in everyday light workloads. However, it loses decisively in any multi-threaded scenario, draws nearly double the power (28 watts versus 15 watts), and is end-of-life in production status. Its launch MSRP of $315 also provides no cost benefit, and it offers no benchmark wins to justify consideration.

For anyone selecting between these two processors, the choice should be based on workload. If the system will run multi-threaded applications, rendering, or parallel processing, the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is the only rational pick — it delivers 90% more Cinebench multi-core performance and 42% more Geekbench multi-core performance. If the workload is strictly single-threaded and light, the two processors are interchangeable, but the AMD part still offers the advantages of being active in production, having newer DDR4 memory, and consuming less power.

The percentile data places both processors at the 23rd percentile against all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are within 3 points of each other (880 versus 877). This indicates that in the broader CPU landscape, both are entry-level mobile parts. But within this specific matchup, the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is the clear winner, and the Intel Core i3-5157U's only competitive claim is a statistical tie in single-core speed.