AMD Ryzen 3 7320C vs Intel Core i5-10400 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C and Intel Core i5-10400 occupy different corners of the processor market, yet their benchmark averages place them in the same performance tier. The Ryzen 3 7320C posts an average benchmark score of 14,277, placing it in the 69th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core i5-10400 scores 14,037, landing in the 68th percentile. Despite the near-identical overall averages, the head-to-head data reveals a deeply one-sided rivalry: the Intel part wins 16 of 17 benchmark comparisons. The single AMD victory, however, is substantial enough to warrant close examination.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core i5-10400 establishes a commanding lead across nearly every workload category. In Cinebench tests, the margin is remarkably consistent. The i5-10400 outperforms the Ryzen 3 7320C by 15.5% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (838 vs 708), 15.5% in R20 multi-core (3492 vs 2950), and 15.5% in R23 multi-core (8316 vs 7025). Single-core results follow the same pattern, with the Intel chip ahead by 16.1% in R15 (118 vs 99) and 15.6% in both R20 (493 vs 416) and R23 (1174 vs 991). This consistency suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than workload-specific optimization.

The gap widens considerably in PassMark’s compute-focused tests. The i5-10400 leads by 70.7% in extended instructions (12,501 vs 3,663), 46% in floating-point math (26,080 vs 14,071), and 47.1% in prime number finding (34 vs 18). Data compression favors Intel by 22.8% (187,207 vs 144,465), while integer math shows a 22.7% deficit for the AMD part (41,715 vs 32,247). Multithreaded performance tells a similar story: the i5-10400 scores 12,006 versus 8,265, a 31.2% advantage, and physics simulation results in a 25.3% gap (669 vs 500).

The lone AMD victory comes in PassMark’s data encryption test, where the Ryzen 3 7320C scores 5,443 against the Intel’s 4,078 — a 33.5% advantage. This is not a marginal win; it is a decisive reversal of the overall trend. Notably, the closest overall contest is in single-thread performance, where the i5-10400 leads by just 4.7% (2,560 vs 2,439). The Intel processor’s 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.30 GHz boost clock do not translate into a dominant single-thread margin, suggesting the AMD’s Zen 2 architecture closes much of the per-core efficiency gap despite lower clock speeds.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different platforms. The Ryzen 3 7320C is a 6 nm TSMC-fabricated chip using the Zen 2 architecture (codename Mendocino), part of AMD’s 7000 series. It is a mobile-focused part with a 15-watt TDP, designed for AMD Socket FT6. The Intel Core i5-10400, in contrast, is a 14 nm Intel-foundry product using the older Comet Lake architecture, part of the Core 10th Gen lineup. It is a desktop processor with a 65-watt TDP on Intel Socket 1200.

Core counts differ significantly. The AMD chip provides 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel chip offers 6 cores and 12 threads — a 50% advantage in both raw cores and threads. This explains the consistent multi-threaded deficits seen in the benchmarks. Cache configurations also favor Intel: the i5-10400 has 12 MB of shared L3 cache versus 4 MB on the Ryzen 3 7320C. Both processors feature 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core versus 256 KB on the Intel.

Memory support diverges sharply. The Ryzen 3 7320C supports LPDDR5 memory with dual-channel configuration and a memory bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s. The Intel chip uses DDR4, also dual-channel, but with a substantially lower 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth. The AMD’s memory bandwidth advantage is 106% higher, which may contribute to its encryption performance win. PCIe connectivity also differs: the AMD provides Gen 3 with 4 CPU lanes, while Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Both processors include integrated graphics — Radeon 610M on the AMD side and UHD Graphics 630 on the Intel. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The Ryzen 3 7320C has a die size of 100 mm², while the Intel’s die size is not listed. Release dates are far apart: the AMD launched on 2023-05-22, while the Intel launched on 2020-04-29.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-10400 is the clear choice for multi-threaded productivity. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration delivers 15.5% higher Cinebench multi-core scores across all three R15, R20, and R23 versions. Content creation workloads that rely on floating-point math will favor Intel by 46%, and the 70.7% lead in extended instructions indicates strong SIMD and vector processing capabilities. Data compression tasks, common in file archiving and database workloads, show a 22.8% Intel advantage. Random string sorting is 26.9% faster on Intel, suggesting better handling of memory-intensive sorting algorithms.

The Ryzen 3 7320C’s single win is not insignificant. The 33.5% advantage in data encryption suggests that its AES-related instruction implementation is meaningfully more efficient than Intel’s Comet Lake offering. For workloads involving encryption, hashing, or secure data handling, the AMD part would be the preferred processor. The single-thread performance gap of just 4.7% also means that for lightly threaded applications, the Ryzen 3 7320C is nearly competitive despite its lower clock speeds. Its much higher memory bandwidth (88.0 GB/s vs 42.7 GB/s) could benefit memory-bandwidth-sensitive tasks, though the benchmark data here does not isolate that effect.

Power consumption is a differentiator. The Ryzen 3 7320C’s 15-watt TDP is a fraction of the Intel’s 65-watt rating, making it suitable for fanless or passively cooled mobile designs. The Intel part, with its higher TDP, targets desktop systems where power draw is less constrained. The AMD’s smaller process node (6 nm vs 14 nm) and newer release date likely contribute to its efficiency profile, though the benchmark results themselves do not directly measure power.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C has an average benchmark score of 14,277, while the Intel Core i5-10400 scores 14,037. The AMD part is ahead by 1.7%, though both sit in a similar percentile range (69th vs 68th).

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400 leads by 15.5% in all three Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, R23). In PassMark multithreaded testing, the Intel advantage is 31.2% (12,006 vs 8,265).

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C win any benchmark?

A: Yes. The AMD chip wins the PassMark data encryption test with a score of 5,443 versus 4,078, a 33.5% advantage over the Intel Core i5-10400.

Q: How do the processors compare in single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400 is ahead, but the margin is small. PassMark single-thread scores show Intel at 2,560 versus AMD at 2,439, a 4.7% difference. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 15.6% gap (1,174 vs 991).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C supports LPDDR5 memory with 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-10400 uses DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD processor’s bandwidth is more than double.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400 has 6 cores and 12 threads. The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C has 4 cores and 8 threads.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear hierarchy. The Intel Core i5-10400 is the superior performer for the vast majority of workloads. It wins 16 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, with particularly large margins in compute-heavy tasks like extended instructions (70.7%), floating-point math (46%), and prime number finding (47.1%). Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration and 12 MB of L3 cache provide a structural advantage that the AMD’s 4-core, 8-thread design cannot overcome in most scenarios. Users prioritizing multi-threaded rendering, video encoding, or general productivity should choose the Intel part based solely on the data.

The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is not without merit. Its 33.5% encryption win makes it the better choice for security-focused workloads such as disk encryption, VPN tunnels, or secure communications processing. Its near-parity in single-thread performance (within 4.7%) means it handles basic desktop tasks competently. The 15-watt TDP versus 65-watt TDP, combined with LPDDR5 memory support and 88.0 GB/s bandwidth, positions it as a low-power mobile part where efficiency matters more than raw throughput. For a compact, fanless mobile device with light to moderate usage, the Ryzen 3 7320C’s profile is more compelling. For a desktop system where performance is the priority, the data unequivocally favors the Intel Core i5-10400. The two processors serve different markets, and the benchmark results reflect that split.