AMD Ryzen 3 7335U vs Intel Core i5-1235U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U and Intel Core i5-1235U are closely matched mobile processors, with the Intel chip winning more individual benchmarks (10 vs 7) but the AMD chip taking every Cinebench test by a solid margin. The data shows a clear split: AMD dominates in rendering and extended instruction workloads, while Intel leads in most PassMark system-level tests, particularly in prime number finding and floating-point math. While the overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical, the Ryzen 3 7335U edges out the Core i5-1235U by 0.3% in aggregate, with both CPUs sitting at the 70th percentile among all CPUs.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is the decisive winner in CPU rendering workloads. Across all six Cinebench tests, the AMD chip takes a clean sweep, with margins ranging from 9.4% to 10.1%. This includes both multi-core and single-core tests, indicating that the Zen 3+ architecture provides a consistent advantage in sustained computational tasks like 3D rendering and video encoding. The largest single win for AMD comes in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 10314 against Intel's 8176, a massive 26.1% advantage. This suggests the AMD chip is better suited for workloads that leverage modern instruction sets, such as cryptography and media processing.

The Intel Core i5-1235U, on the other hand, wins the majority of the PassMark suite, but its victories are typically smaller and more specialized. Its most dramatic win is in the find prime numbers test, where it scores 954 compared to AMD's 36, a staggering 96.2% difference. This is a massive outlier, likely due to architectural differences in how the two CPUs handle integer-heavy loops. Intel also wins floating-point math by a wide margin, scoring 43303 versus AMD's 24298, a 43.9% lead. These wins indicate that Intel's hybrid architecture, with its higher core count, excels in parallel mathematical operations. The Intel chip also takes data compression, data encryption, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread tests, though most of these margins are small, ranging from 0.1% to 12.5%.

The Verdict

For users prioritizing rendering performance and modern instruction set efficiency, the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is the clear choice. Its 9.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 9.6% lead in single-core are substantial and consistent, making it the better option for creative professionals who rely on CPU rendering. The 26.1% advantage in extended instructions also makes it more future-proof for software that increasingly uses AVX-512 or similar features.

For general-purpose computing, the Intel Core i5-1235U is the more versatile option. Its 10 cores and 12 threads (versus AMD's 4 cores and 8 threads) give it an edge in a wider variety of everyday tasks, as evidenced by its wins in integer math, data compression, and multithread tests. While its margins are often slim, the consistency of its wins across the PassMark suite suggests it provides a smoother experience for office work, web browsing, and light content creation. However, its catastrophic 96.2% loss in prime number finding is a red flag for any workload that is heavily integer-loop dependent, such as scientific computing or certain types of data analysis.

The data ultimately points to a trade-off: AMD for raw single-thread and render performance, Intel for broader multi-threaded general workloads. Neither chip is a clear overall winner, but the Ryzen 3 7335U’s higher average benchmark score of 16827 versus Intel's 16770 gives it a very slight theoretical edge.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant wins for the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U are in the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD scores 1078 against Intel's 985, a 9.4% advantage. This margin expands slightly to 9.5% in R20 multi-core (4495 vs 4105) and remains at 9.5% in R23 multi-core (10703 vs 9774). The single-core results are equally decisive, with AMD leading by 10.1% in R15 (152 vs 138), 9.5% in R20 (634 vs 579), and 9.6% in R23 (1511 vs 1379). These results prove that the AMD chip's higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz, despite the Intel chip's 4.40 GHz boost, translates into better real-world single-thread performance. The data also shows AMD's lead in extended instructions is its largest, with a 26.1% delta (10314 vs 8176).

The Intel Core i5-1235U’s biggest victory is in the prime numbers test, where it scores 954 versus AMD's 36, a delta of -96.2%. This is an extreme outlier and suggests a fundamental architectural difference in how the CPUs execute this specific loop. Intel also wins floating-point math by a 43.9% margin (43303 vs 24298) and integer math by 12.5% (48553 vs 42493). In the more general PassMark multithread test, Intel wins with a score of 12923 versus 12592, a 2.6% margin. The single-thread test also goes to Intel, with a score of 3151 compared to AMD's 3053, a 3.1% difference. Intel’s other wins in data compression (147450 vs 146309, -0.8%), data encryption (9347 vs 9335, -0.1%), physics (686 vs 647, -5.7%), and random string sorting (17050 vs 15361, -9.9%) are all relatively narrow.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is significantly faster, scoring 10703 versus Intel's 9774, a 9.5% advantage.

Q: Why does the Intel Core i5-1235U win the PassMark multithread test?

A: The Intel chip scores 12923 versus AMD's 12592, a 2.6% lead. This is likely due to its higher core and thread count of 10 cores/12 threads versus the AMD's 4 cores/8 threads.

Q: What is the biggest single benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where Intel wins by 96.2%, scoring 954 compared to AMD's 36.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1235U has a higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U boosts to 4.30 GHz.

Q: Does the AMD chip have any advantage in memory support?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U supports DDR5 memory and has a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the Intel chip supports DDR4 and DDR5 but has no listed memory bandwidth figure.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in overall average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U has a slightly higher average score of 16827, compared to the Intel Core i5-1235U's 16770, a difference of 0.3%.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is built on the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt-R, and manufactured on TSMC's 6 nm process node. This is a monolithic design with 4 cores and 8 threads. It features a 208 mm² die size and a total of 8 MB of shared L3 cache, with 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core. The chip supports ECC memory, a feature not found on the Intel part. In contrast, the Intel Core i5-1235U uses the Alder Lake architecture, specifically the Alder Lake-U codename, and is built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It has a hybrid design with 10 cores and 12 threads, likely a mix of performance and efficiency cores. Intel's cache layout is different, with 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a larger 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip does not support ECC memory.

The process node difference is significant: TSMC's 6 nm process for AMD versus Intel's 10 nm process for the Core i5. This likely contributes to the AMD chip's lower TDP of 28 watts, though Intel's TDP is even lower at 15 watts. The memory support also differs, with AMD exclusively supporting DDR5 while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both processors use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), and both have integrated graphics, with AMD featuring Radeon 660M and Intel featuring Iris Xe 80EU.

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is the core and thread count. The Intel Core i5-1235U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U has only 4 cores and 8 threads. This is a major architectural divergence, with Intel relying on a hybrid design to increase core count. The base clocks also differ drastically: the AMD chip has a base clock of 3.00 GHz, while the Intel chip has a base clock of 1300.00 MHz (1.30 GHz). This indicates that Intel's base clock is much lower, likely for the efficiency cores, but its boost clock of 4.40 GHz is slightly higher than AMD's 4.30 GHz boost.

The TDP (thermal design power) also differs, with AMD rated at 28 watts and Intel at 15 watts. This suggests the Intel chip is more power-efficient at the package level, potentially leading to longer battery life in laptops. The sockets are different as well: AMD uses Socket FP7, while Intel uses BGA 1744. The cache configurations are not just different in size but also in structure, with Intel having a larger L3 cache of 12 MB versus AMD's 8 MB. Finally, memory support differs: AMD supports only DDR5 with a specified memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but does not list a specific memory bandwidth figure. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, while the Intel chip does not.