AMD Ryzen 3 5300U vs Intel Core i5-8500T Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U and the Intel Core i5-8500T are both 46th-percentile processors by average benchmark score, yet they achieve that standing through completely different means. The Ryzen 3 5300U, a 15 W mobile part built on TSMC's 7 nm process, wins four of the six head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i5-8500T, a 35 W desktop chip on Intel's 14 nm node, takes the two multi-core tests that favor its extra two physical cores. The data suggests the Ryzen chip is the better choice for single-threaded and older multi-threaded workloads, while the Intel part claims victory in modern multi-core rendering and Geekbench's multi-core test. For a user prioritizing raw multi-core throughput in current applications, the i5-8500T leads, but the 5300U dominates in legacy benchmarks and single-core performance, making it the more versatile mobile option.

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two CPUs along workload lines, not generational lines. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U wins the Cinebench R15 multi-core test by 36.9% (906 vs 662) and the R15 single-core test by a massive 82.8% (170 vs 93). It also wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 20.3% (1115 vs 927) and Geekbench single-core by 4.8% (1244 vs 1187). The Intel Core i5-8500T, however, wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 18.7% (6571 vs 5341) and Geekbench multi-core by 6% (4293 vs 4035).

Who should pick which? The Ryzen 3 5300U is the clear choice for anyone running older software or single-threaded workloads. Its R15 single-core score of 170 versus the i5's 93 is not a marginal gap; it is a generational leap in per-core efficiency. The Intel part is the pick for users running modern multi-core renderers, as its six physical cores give it a structural advantage in R23 multi-core. The Geekbench multi-core result (4293 vs 4035) reinforces this, showing the i5-8500T holds a smaller but consistent edge in that synthetic workload. The Ryzen wins 4 of 6 head-to-head tests, but the two Intel wins are in the most demanding modern tests. The data implies the Intel chip is a better fit for sustained multi-threaded desktop tasks, while the AMD chip is better for everything else, especially in a mobile form factor where its 15 W TDP versus 35 W makes a significant thermal difference.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U uses the Zen 2 architecture on the Lucienne codename, fabricated on a 7 nm process by TSMC. It packs 9,800 million transistors into a 156 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-8500T uses the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process from Intel, with no transistor or die size data available. The Ryzen is a 4-core, 8-thread part with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Intel is a 6-core, 6-thread part with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz.

Cache configurations differ notably. The Ryzen 3 5300U has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel i5-8500T has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a much larger 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip's larger L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB) partially compensates for its smaller per-core L2. The Ryzen supports dual-channel DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel also supports dual-channel DDR4 but with a lower 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Both have integrated graphics: the Radeon Graphics 384SP on the AMD side versus the UHD 630 on the Intel side. The Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP6 with 12 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the Intel uses Socket 1151 with 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. The Ryzen is a mobile part, active in production, released on 2021-01-11; the Intel is a desktop part, end-of-life, released on 2018-04-01.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the Ryzen 3 5300U scores 170 against the i5-8500T's 93, an 82.8% advantage. This is not a small lead; it indicates the Zen 2 architecture's per-core performance is nearly double that of the older Coffee Lake design in this specific legacy benchmark. The R15 multi-core test also goes to the Ryzen, with 906 versus 662, a 36.9% win. This is surprising given the Intel chip has two more physical cores, but the Ryzen's superior single-core performance and its 8 threads versus 6 threads overcome the core deficit.

The tables turn in Cinebench R23. The Intel i5-8500T scores 6571 multi-core versus the Ryzen's 5341, an 18.7% lead. This is the largest Intel win. The R23 single-core test still goes to the Ryzen, with 1115 versus 927, a 20.3% advantage. Geekbench results show a split: the Intel wins multi-core with 4293 versus 4035 (a 6% lead), while the Ryzen wins single-core with 1244 versus 1187 (a 4.8% lead). The deltaPct values show the Ryzen's wins range from 4.8% to 82.8%, while the Intel's wins range from 6% to 18.7%. The Ryzen's wins are more frequent and often larger in magnitude, but the Intel's wins occur in the most modern multi-threaded workloads, suggesting the i5's two extra cores provide a more durable long-term advantage in heavily threaded software.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has an average benchmark score of 2135, while the Intel Core i5-8500T has an average benchmark score of 2110. Both sit at the 46th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How does the Ryzen 3 5300U compare to the i5-8500T in single-core performance?

A: The Ryzen wins all three single-core tests. It leads by 82.8% in Cinebench R15 (170 vs 93), by 20.3% in Cinebench R23 (1115 vs 927), and by 4.8% in Geekbench (1244 vs 1187).

Q: Where does the Intel Core i5-8500T have the advantage?

A: The Intel chip wins the two multi-core tests where core count matters most. It leads by 18.7% in Cinebench R23 multi-core (6571 vs 5341) and by 6% in Geekbench multi-core (4293 vs 4035).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core i5-8500T has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, compared to the Intel Core i5-8500T's boost clock of 3.50 GHz.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U has a TDP of 15 W, while the Intel Core i5-8500T has a TDP of 35 W.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U wins in every single-core benchmark and in the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test. This makes it the superior choice for legacy applications, lightly threaded software, and any workload where a single core's speed is the bottleneck. The 82.8% lead in R15 single-core is the largest margin in the entire comparison, indicating that users running older CAD tools, office suites, or single-threaded games will see a dramatic improvement with the Ryzen. Its 8 threads also help in the R15 multi-core test, where it beats the 6-thread Intel chip despite having fewer physical cores. The 15 W TDP makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where thermal headroom is minimal.

The Intel Core i5-8500T wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core and Geekbench multi-core. These are modern, heavily threaded workloads that reward additional physical cores. The 18.7% lead in R23 multi-core is substantial, suggesting that video rendering, 3D modeling, and modern multi-threaded compilation will run noticeably faster on the Intel chip. Its 6 physical cores provide a structural advantage that the Ryzen's 4 cores cannot overcome in these tests, despite the Ryzen's higher clocks and superior single-core efficiency. The 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth is lower than the Ryzen's 51.2 GB/s, but the larger 9 MB L3 cache helps mitigate that gap in multi-threaded scenarios. The i5-8500T is a desktop part with 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, making it better suited for systems with discrete GPUs or multiple expansion cards.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen 3 5300U offers 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-8500T offers 6 cores and 6 threads. The Ryzen has a higher base clock (2.60 GHz vs 2.10 GHz) and a higher boost clock (3.80 GHz vs 3.50 GHz). The TDP difference is significant: 15 W for the AMD versus 35 W for the Intel. The Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel uses Intel Socket 1151. The process nodes differ, with the Ryzen on 7 nm TSMC and the Intel on 14 nm Intel. The Ryzen's cache is 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core with 4 MB shared L3; the Intel's is 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core with 9 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD (51.2 GB/s vs 42.7 GB/s), though both use dual-channel DDR4. PCIe lanes differ: 12 on the AMD versus 16 on the Intel, both Gen 3. The integrated graphics are the Radeon Graphics 384SP on the AMD and UHD 630 on the Intel. The Ryzen has a transistor count of 9,800 million on a 156 mm² die, while the Intel has no transistor count or die size listed. The market segments are mobile for the AMD and desktop for the Intel. Production status is Active for the AMD and End-of-life for the Intel. The release dates are 2021-01-11 for the AMD and 2018-04-01 for the Intel. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.