AMD Ryzen 3 3100 vs Intel Core i5-8500T Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 wins every head-to-head benchmark against the Intel Core i5-8500T. Across four tests, the Ryzen 3 3100 takes all wins, with the Intel part winning none. The AMD processor leads by margins ranging from 12.4% to 47.8%, making it the stronger choice for any workload measured. The Intel Core i5-8500T is an end-of-life part with a 35 W TDP and no unlocked multiplier, while the Ryzen 3 3100 is active, carries a 65 W TDP, and supports overclocking. For users who prioritize raw compute performance, the Ryzen 3 3100 is the clear pick. The database shows both CPUs sit at the same 46th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are roughly comparable in overall standing, but the Ryzen 3 3100 achieves that with fewer cores and more threads, indicating much higher efficiency per core. The Intel part only makes sense if the platform requires its specific traits, such as integrated graphics or a lower power envelope, but on benchmark performance alone, the AMD processor dominates.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-8500T is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, using a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel. It has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning each core handles one thread. Its base clock is 2.10 GHz with a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse, on a 7 nm process node from TSMC. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, using simultaneous multithreading to process two threads per core. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz, boosting to 3.90 GHz. The AMD chip also reports a transistor count of 3,800 million and a die size of 74 mm², while the Intel part does not list these figures.

Cache configurations differ notably. Both have a 64 KB L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache is 256 KB per core on the Intel part versus 512 KB per core on the AMD part. The shared L3 cache is 9 MB on the Intel chip, while the AMD chip offers 16 MB. Memory bandwidth also favors AMD: the Ryzen 3 3100 lists 51.2 GB/s, compared to 42.7 GB/s for the Intel part. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory, and neither supports ECC memory.

PCIe support is a major difference. The Intel Core i5-8500T provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 provides PCIe Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The Intel processor includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD 630, while the AMD processor has no integrated graphics at all. The Intel part uses the Intel Socket 1151, while the AMD part uses the AMD Socket AM4. The Ryzen 3 3100 has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking, whereas the Intel part is locked. Both are desktop parts, but the Intel is end-of-life, released in April 2018, while the AMD is active, released in April 2020. The AMD part carries a launch MSRP of $99, but no price information is recorded for the Intel part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a decisive sweep. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 scores 991 against the Intel Core i5-8500T’s 662, a delta of 33.2% in AMD’s favor. That is a massive gap for a multi-threaded workload, especially considering the Intel part has 6 cores against AMD’s 4. The AMD chip’s 8 threads clearly compensate, and its higher clocks help as well. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD processor scores 178 versus 93, a delta of 47.8%. That is the largest relative margin in the entire comparison, showing that the Zen 2 core design is substantially stronger per-thread than the older Coffee Lake core. A single-core score that is nearly double the Intel part’s result indicates a major IPC advantage.

Geekbench results are closer but still favor AMD. In Geekbench multi-core, the Ryzen 3 3100 scores 4898 against 4293 for the Intel part, a delta of 12.4%. This test likely benefits from the Intel part’s extra two physical cores, narrowing the margin compared to Cinebench. In Geekbench single-core, the AMD processor scores 1395 against 1187, a delta of 14.9%. The single-core advantage is consistent with the Cinebench R15 single-core result, though less extreme. Across all four tests, the AMD chip wins by at least 12.4%, and in two tests it wins by more than 30%. The Intel part never leads in any recorded metric. The data also shows the Ryzen 3 3100 has additional benchmark entries for 3DMark tests, with scores of 3001 for 16 threads, 1267 for 2 threads, 2214 for 4 threads, 2972 for 8 threads, 2970 for max threads, and 660 for single thread. These scores demonstrate scaling from 2 threads to 16 threads, but no comparable 3DMark data exists for the Intel part in the database.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i5-8500T offers 6 cores and 6 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 offers 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 2.10 GHz versus 3.60 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.50 GHz versus 3.90 GHz, both favoring AMD. TDP is 35 W for Intel versus 65 W for AMD. The process node is 14 nm for Intel versus 7 nm for AMD, and the foundry is Intel versus TSMC. The socket is Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket AM4. The L2 cache per core is 256 KB versus 512 KB, and the shared L3 cache is 9 MB versus 16 MB. Memory bandwidth is 42.7 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s. PCIe generation is Gen 3 versus Gen 4, both with 16 lanes. The Intel part includes UHD 630 integrated graphics, while the AMD part has none. The multiplier is locked on Intel and unlocked on AMD. Production status is end-of-life versus active. Release dates are April 2018 versus April 2020. The AMD part also lists a transistor count of 3,800 million and a die size of 74 mm², while the Intel part does not. Both support DDR4 dual-channel memory, neither supports ECC, and both have 64 KB L1 cache per core.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 wins all multi-core tests. It scores 991 in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 662 for the Intel Core i5-8500T, and 4898 in Geekbench multi-core versus 4293. The delta is 33.2% in Cinebench and 12.4% in Geekbench.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-8500T have any advantage in single-core performance?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 wins both single-core tests. It scores 178 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 93, a 47.8% advantage, and 1395 in Geekbench single-core versus 1187, a 14.9% advantage.

Q: Why does the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 have fewer cores but more threads?

A: The AMD chip uses simultaneous multithreading, providing 8 threads from 4 cores. The Intel chip has 6 cores but only 6 threads, as it does not use multithreading. This allows the AMD part to match or exceed the Intel part in multi-threaded tests despite having two fewer physical cores.

Q: Can either CPU be overclocked?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core i5-8500T has a locked multiplier, so overclocking is not supported according to the database.

Q: Which CPU includes integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-8500T includes UHD 630 integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for display output.

Q: What is the production status of each CPU?

A: The Intel Core i5-8500T is end-of-life, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 is active. The Intel part was released in April 2018, and the AMD part in April 2020.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 wins every recorded benchmark, so it is the clear choice for any performance-oriented task. Its largest advantage comes in single-threaded work, where it leads by 47.8% in Cinebench R15 single-core. This suggests that applications relying heavily on single-thread performance, such as older games or lightly threaded productivity software, will see a substantial benefit from the AMD chip. The AMD part also leads by 33.2% in Cinebench R15 multi-core, indicating strong multi-threaded performance for rendering or compilation workloads. Even in Geekbench multi-core, where the Intel part’s extra two cores help close the gap, the AMD chip still leads by 12.4%. The Ryzen 3 3100 also offers PCIe Gen 4 support, which is a forward-looking feature for modern GPUs and NVMe storage, and an unlocked multiplier for overclocking potential.

The Intel Core i5-8500T has no benchmark wins, but it retains some structural advantages that may matter in specific use cases. Its 35 W TDP is significantly lower than the AMD part’s 65 W, making it more suitable for compact or low-power builds where heat and power draw are constrained. It includes UHD 630 integrated graphics, which means a discrete GPU is not required for basic display output. This could be useful for office systems or media players where a dedicated graphics card is unnecessary. The Intel part also has 6 physical cores, which can be an advantage in workloads that do not scale well with simultaneous multithreading, though the recorded benchmarks do not show such a scenario. For users building on the Intel Socket 1151 platform or requiring integrated graphics, the i5-8500T remains a viable option, but the data shows the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 is superior in every measured performance category.