AMD Ryzen 3 5300G vs Intel Core i5-11500T Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G and Intel Core i5-11500T are both low-power desktop processors, but the benchmark data reveals a fascinating split. The Ryzen 3 5300G dominates the Cinebench suite, while the Intel Core i5-11500T takes a clear victory in Geekbench multi-core. This isn't a simple one-sided affair; it's a story of architectural philosophy versus raw core count, with each chip claiming territory in different types of workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the consistency of the Cinebench results. Across all six Cinebench tests—R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core variants—the AMD Ryzen 3 5300G wins by exactly 1.9%. This uniform delta is remarkable. It suggests that the Zen 3 architecture's efficiency per clock is so potent that even a 4-core/8-thread part can outpace a 6-core/12-thread Intel chip in these rendering workloads. For instance, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 3 5300G scores 11060 against the Intel's 10854. In the single-core R23 test, the AMD chip scores 1561 versus 1532 for the Intel. The 1.9% margin is consistent, indicating a fundamental per-thread advantage for AMD in this specific benchmark engine.

However, the story flips dramatically in Geekbench. The Intel Core i5-11500T wins the Geekbench multi-core test with a score of 5774, compared to the AMD's 5467. That is a 5.3% victory for Intel, a significantly larger margin than AMD's Cinebench wins. This is a critical piece of data because it shows that the Intel chip's two extra cores and four extra threads are not universally beneficial, but they are highly influential in Geekbench's multi-core workload. The Geekbench single-core test, conversely, goes back to AMD, with the Ryzen 3 5300G scoring 1768 against Intel's 1696, a 4.2% advantage.

The overall average benchmark score reflects this split. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G has an average score of 3303, which is 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i5-11500T's 3288. The nearest rivals list puts both chips in the same performance tier. The AMD chip is 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-11400T and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2374G. Intel's Core i5-11500T is 0.3% behind the same Xeon and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2516. Both processors sit at the 53rd and 54th percentiles of all CPUs, respectively, confirming they are closely matched competitors in the broader market.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear, workload-dependent verdict. For users whose primary applications rely on Cinebench-style rendering, the AMD Ryzen 3 5300G is the superior choice. Its consistent 1.9% lead across all Cinebench versions, including the demanding R23 multi-core test, shows that its Zen 3 architecture delivers more performance per core. The Ryzen 3 5300G also wins in Geekbench single-core by 4.2%, indicating it is the better choice for lightly-threaded applications that depend on raw single-thread speed.

Conversely, for users whose applications are heavily multi-threaded and scale with core count, like those represented by Geekbench's multi-core test, the Intel Core i5-11500T is the better option. Its 5.3% lead in that specific benchmark is substantial. The Intel chip's 6 cores and 12 threads provide a tangible advantage in this scenario that the AMD part cannot overcome.

The Intel Core i5-11500T has a launch MSRP of $192. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G has no listed launch MSRP. The choice is not about a clear winner but about matching the silicon to the software. The Ryzen 3 5300G wins 7 out of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, but the single loss is a significant one in a common general-purpose benchmark. The Intel chip wins fewer tests but wins the most important one for multi-threaded general computing.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G wins in all Cinebench tests, which are classic rendering workloads. This makes it the stronger candidate for 3D modeling, animation, and video rendering tasks that utilize the Cinebench engine. Its 4.2% victory in Geekbench single-core also positions it well for everyday tasks like web browsing, office productivity, and legacy software that doesn't use many cores. The data shows that in any scenario where clock-for-clock efficiency is king, the AMD chip is superior.

The Intel Core i5-11500T wins in Geekbench multi-core, which is a more general and varied workload than Cinebench. This suggests it is better suited for modern, well-threaded applications such as video encoding, photo editing suites, and compiling code. The 5.3% margin in this test is the largest in the entire comparison, indicating that Intel's advantage in this area is more pronounced than AMD's in Cinebench. The Intel chip's higher core and thread count is a clear asset in this domain.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G is faster, scoring 11060 compared to the Intel Core i5-11500T's 10854, a 1.9% difference.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-11500T win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-11500T wins the Geekbench multi-core test, scoring 5774 against the AMD's 5467, a 5.3% margin.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G wins all single-core tests. It leads by 1.9% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, and by 4.2% in Geekbench single-core.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance tier?

A: Yes, their average benchmark scores are very close. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G averages 3303, while the Intel Core i5-11500T averages 3288, a 0.5% difference.

Q: What is the core and thread count for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core i5-11500T has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-11500T has a boost clock of 3.90 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G uses the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed "Cezanne," and is fabricated on a 7 nm process by TSMC. This is a modern, dense process node that contributes to the chip's efficiency. The Intel Core i5-11500T uses the Rocket Lake architecture, codenamed "Rocket Lake," and is fabricated on a 14 nm process by Intel. This is an older, less dense node, which explains the Intel chip's larger die size of 276 mm² compared to the AMD's 180 mm². The AMD chip also has a much higher transistor count of 10,700 million, while Intel's is not listed.

The cache layouts differ significantly. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G has 64 KB of L1 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, with a total of 8 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core i5-11500T has 80 KB of L1 cache and 511 KB of L2 cache per core, with a larger 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, and neither supports ECC memory. The integrated graphics also differ, with the AMD chip featuring Radeon Vega 6 and the Intel chip featuring UHD Graphics 750.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is core count: the AMD Ryzen 3 5300G has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-11500T has 6 cores and 12 threads. This is a major factor in the Geekbench multi-core result. The base clocks are also distinct. The AMD chip has a base clock of 4.00 GHz, while the Intel chip's base clock is 1500.00 MHz (1.5 GHz). The boost clock is higher on the AMD part at 4.20 GHz versus 3.90 GHz on the Intel. The TDP also differs, with the AMD at 65W and the Intel at a much lower 35W.

The sockets and platforms are incompatible. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300G uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel Core i5-11500T uses Intel Socket 1200. The PCIe support also differs: the AMD chip has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the Intel chip has PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, while the Intel chip's multiplier is locked. The production status also differs, with the AMD chip listed as "Active" and the Intel chip listed as "End-of-life." Finally, the release dates are slightly different, with Intel's chip released on 2021-03-15 and AMD's on 2021-04-12.