AMD Ryzen 3 5300U vs Intel Core i5-8259U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U and Intel Core i5-8259U are both 4-core, 8-thread mobile processors, but the benchmark data reveals they excel in distinctly different workloads. The AMD chip wins the majority of head-to-head tests, yet the Intel part takes the most demanding multi-threaded benchmark, making the choice dependent on the specific application. The data shows the Ryzen 3 5300U holds a 46th percentile rank among all CPUs, matching the Core i5-8259U's identical 46th percentile, though their average benchmark scores diverge slightly: 2135 for the AMD versus 2108 for the Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U scores 906 against the Intel Core i5-8259U's 667, a commanding 35.8% lead. This pattern repeats in single-core tests, but with an even larger margin. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD processor scores 170 versus 94 for the Intel, resulting in an 80.9% advantage—the largest delta in the entire comparison. This suggests the Zen 2 architecture in the Ryzen delivers substantially better per-thread performance in this older benchmark.

The single-core advantage persists in newer tests, though the gap narrows. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ryzen 3 5300U scores 1115, which is 19.4% higher than the Intel's 934. Similarly, in Geekbench single-core, the AMD part scores 1244 versus 1207, a 3.1% edge. These results indicate that for lightly-threaded tasks, the Ryzen 3 5300U is consistently the faster processor, with the margin shrinking as the test becomes more modern.

However, the Intel Core i5-8259U flips the script in multi-threaded workloads under the latest Cinebench version. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 6622, outperforming the AMD's 5341 by 19.3%. This is a significant reversal from the R15 result. The Geekbench multi-core test also favors Intel, with a score of 4168 against 4035 for the AMD, a more modest 3.2% lead. The data shows a clear pattern: Intel wins the two multi-core tests, while AMD wins the remaining four benchmarks, giving the Ryzen 3 5300U four wins out of six head-to-head comparisons.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data, the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is the better choice for users prioritizing single-threaded performance and older multi-threaded benchmarks. The 80.9% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core is decisive, and the 19.4% edge in Cinebench R23 single-core confirms this strength. For everyday tasks that rely on single-core speed, such as web browsing or office applications, the data clearly favors the AMD processor. The Ryzen 3 5300U also wins in Cinebench R15 multi-core, making it a strong option for older software that scales across cores.

The Intel Core i5-8259U is the better pick for modern, heavily multi-threaded workloads. Its 19.3% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core is substantial, and the 3.2% lead in Geekbench multi-core, while smaller, reinforces this trend. For users running current rendering, video encoding, or scientific computing tasks that leverage all 8 threads, the Intel chip offers superior performance. The data suggests that the newer Cinebench R23 test is more representative of modern software demands, giving Intel the edge in this category.

Both processors share the same 46th percentile rank among all CPUs, indicating they are closely matched overall. The average benchmark scores are also near-identical, with the AMD at 2135 and Intel at 2108. The Intel Core i5-8259U has a launch MSRP of $320, which can be stated as a point of reference, but the choice ultimately hinges on workload type rather than overall capability.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is built on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Lucienne, and belongs to the 5000 series. It is manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process node, which is a significant advantage over Intel's 14 nm process. The AMD chip integrates 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. In contrast, the Intel Core i5-8259U uses the older Coffee Lake architecture, specifically Coffee Lake-U, and is produced by Intel on a 14 nm node. The Intel die size is 126 mm², and the transistor count is not listed in the data.

Cache configurations differ notably between the two. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, with a shared 4 MB L3 cache. The Intel Core i5-8259U also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but only 256 KB of L2 per core, and a larger shared 6 MB L3 cache. The larger L3 on Intel may help in certain workloads, but the AMD's larger L2 cache and smaller L3 represent a different balance of resources.

The integrated graphics also differ. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U features Radeon Graphics with 384SP, while the Intel Core i5-8259U includes Iris Pro Plus 655. The memory support is the same type (DDR4) and dual-channel bus, but the AMD chip offers a higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s for Intel. PCIe lanes also differ: the AMD provides Gen 3 with 12 lanes, while Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Specification Differences

The base clock speeds differ, with the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U running at 2.60 GHz compared to the Intel Core i5-8259U's 2.30 GHz. Both processors share the same boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The thermal design power (TDP) is another key difference: the AMD chip has a 15 W TDP, while the Intel part has a 28 W TDP, indicating higher power consumption for Intel. The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses Socket FP6, while Intel uses BGA 1526.

The production status also varies. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is listed as "Active," while the Intel Core i5-8259U is marked as "End-of-life." The release dates reflect this: the AMD was released on 2021-01-11, while the Intel was released earlier on 2018-04-04. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $320, while the AMD's launch MSRP is not listed. The part numbers also differ, with AMD using 100-000000376 and Intel using SRCKBSRCUU.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U wins all single-core tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 170 versus 94 for Intel (80.9% higher), and in Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1115 versus 934 (19.4% higher).

Q: Which processor performs better in modern multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-8259U wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core with a score of 6622 compared to 5341 for AMD, a 19.3% advantage. It also leads in Geekbench multi-core with 4168 versus 4035.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has an average benchmark score of 2135, while the Intel Core i5-8259U has 2108. Both processors rank at the 46th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has a TDP of 15 W, while the Intel Core i5-8259U has a TDP of 28 W, making the Intel chip more power-hungry.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-8259U has a shared 6 MB L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has a shared 4 MB L3 cache. However, the AMD chip has 512 KB of L2 per core versus 256 KB per core for Intel.

Q: Are both processors currently in production?

A: No, the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is listed as "Active," while the Intel Core i5-8259U is marked as "End-of-life."

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is the clear winner for single-threaded tasks across all tested benchmarks. The data shows a 3.1% lead in Geekbench single-core, a 19.4% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core, and an 80.9% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core. This makes it the preferred choice for applications that are not well-optimized for multi-threading, such as legacy software, certain productivity tools, and general system responsiveness. The AMD chip also wins in Cinebench R15 multi-core by 35.8%, indicating it handles older multi-threaded workloads better.

The Intel Core i5-8259U wins in the two most modern multi-threaded tests. Its 19.3% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the largest positive delta for Intel, and the 3.2% lead in Geekbench multi-core adds to its case. This makes Intel the better option for current-generation rendering, video editing, and compute-heavy tasks that scale well across all 8 threads. The Intel chip also has a larger L3 cache (6 MB versus 4 MB) and more PCIe lanes (16 versus 12), which could benefit certain workloads despite the higher TDP. The choice is clear: AMD for single-core and legacy multi-core, Intel for modern multi-core.