AMD Ryzen 3 3100U vs Intel Core 5 120 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep for the Intel Core 5 120 across every head-to-head benchmark, with no wins recorded for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U. The Intel chip wins all 11 shared tests, and the margins are substantial in every category.

The largest single gap appears in floating point math, where the Intel Core 5 120 scores 45,383 against the AMD's 5,854, a delta of 87.1 percent. Integer math follows a similar pattern, with Intel at 60,462 versus AMD's 8,873, a difference of 85.3 percent. Extended instructions show an 85.2 percent gap, with Intel at 14,264 and AMD at 2,116.

Data compression is another major differentiator. Intel delivers 219,535 points in the PassMark data compression test, while AMD manages 38,455, a delta of 82.5 percent. Data encryption shows Intel at 11,131 against AMD's 1,972, an 82.3 percent gap. Random string sorting produces 21,499 for Intel versus 4,666 for AMD, a 78.3 percent difference.

The multithread benchmark tells a similar story: Intel scores 18,597, AMD scores 3,348, a delta of 82 percent. Physics performance is also lopsided, with Intel at 1,333 and AMD at 232, an 82.6 percent gap. Prime number finding shows Intel at 77 versus AMD's 18, a 76.6 percent delta.

The narrowest relative gap is in single-thread performance, but it is still decisive. Intel scores 3,595 in both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, while AMD scores 1,592 in both, a delta of 55.7 percent. Even in the closest comparison, Intel is more than twice as fast per thread.

The average benchmark score in the database reflects this overall dominance. Intel posts an average of 25,362, while AMD posts 6,247. The Intel part sits at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, while AMD sits at the 62nd percentile. Intel's nearest rival by average score is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D at 25,365, a delta of 0 percent, followed by the Intel Core i7-11700KF at 25,423, a delta of 0.2 percent. AMD's nearest rival is the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X at 6,231, a delta of 0.3 percent.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design lineages and process technologies. AMD uses the Zen+ architecture with the Picasso codename, built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This is the Ryzen 3 generation of the 3000 series. Intel, by contrast, uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry, and belongs to the Core 5 generation with a Raptor Lake Refresh designation.

Core counts differ sharply. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads. That three-fold core advantage and six-fold thread advantage explains the magnitude of the multithreaded benchmark deltas.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. AMD allocates 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 pool on Intel, 18 MB versus 4 MB, is a significant architectural difference.

Clock speeds favor Intel as well. The AMD base clock is 1.90 GHz with a boost of 3.20 GHz. Intel starts at 2.50 GHz base and boosts to 4.50 GHz. The combination of higher clocks and a newer architecture contributes to the single-thread lead.

The transistor counts and die sizes reflect the different process generations. AMD's Picasso die contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. Intel's die size is listed at 163 mm² with no transistor count recorded. The node difference, 12 nm for AMD versus 10 nm for Intel, is visible in the die-size and density tradeoffs.

Memory support differs as well. AMD supports DDR4 only, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use a dual-channel memory bus. AMD records a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while Intel has no bandwidth figure in the database. Neither part supports ECC memory.

PCIe capability is another differentiator. AMD lists PCIe Gen 3. Intel lists PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes available from the CPU. Integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses Radeon Vega 8, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 730.

The market segments and sockets further separate the two. AMD is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP5, while Intel is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part has a 15 W TDP, while Intel has a 65 W TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 scores 3,595 in the PassMark single-thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U scores 1,592, a delta of 55.7 percent in favor of Intel.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U supports DDR4 only. The Intel Core 5 120 supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 boosts to 4.50 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U boosts to 3.20 GHz.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each part?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 has an average benchmark score of 25,362, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has an average of 6,247.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U and the Intel Core 5 120 have ECC memory support listed as false.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 3 3100U | Intel Core 5 120 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 6 |

| Threads | 2 | 12 |

| Base clock | 1.90 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.20 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP5 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen+ (Picasso) | Raptor Lake |

| Codename | Picasso | Raptor Lake-R |

| Generation | Ryzen 3 (Zen+ (Picasso)) | Core 5 (Raptor Lake Refresh) |

| Process node | 12 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Die size | 210 mm² | 163 mm² |

| L1 cache | 96 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 512 KB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 4 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Vega 8 | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release date | 2026-05-31 | 2025-07-30 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $211 |

| Part number | YM3100C4T2OFG | SA35V |

| Percentile vs all CPUs | 62 | 77 |

| Average benchmark score | 6,247 | 25,362 |

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core 5 120 wins every recorded head-to-head test. There are no categories in which the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U records a victory. The wins for Intel span compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and both single-thread tests.

The Intel part is the clear choice for compute-heavy workloads. Its 12 threads and 18 MB of L3 cache give it a massive advantage in multithreaded tasks, as shown by the 82 percent delta in the multithread benchmark. The 87.1 percent delta in floating point math indicates strong performance in scientific and rendering workloads. Data compression, a common server and database workload, shows an 82.5 percent advantage for Intel.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has a much smaller footprint in every metric. Its 15 W TDP and mobile socket designation make it a low-power option, but the data shows it cannot match Intel in raw throughput. The closest relative comparison for AMD is the single-thread test, where Intel leads by 55.7 percent, still a dominant margin.

Looking at the percentile rankings in the database, Intel sits at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, while AMD sits at the 62nd percentile. Intel's average score of 25,362 places it alongside desktop parts like the Ryzen 5 5600X3D and Core i7-11700KF. AMD's average of 6,247 places it near the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X and EPYC 7272, both older server parts with lower average scores.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. For any task that benefits from multiple cores, high clock speeds, or large cache, the Intel Core 5 120 is the only part in this comparison with competitive data. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U offers lower power consumption and a mobile form factor, but the recorded benchmarks do not show a single workload where it outperforms Intel.