AMD Ryzen 3 7335U vs Intel Core i5-1240U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-1240U and AMD Ryzen 3 7335U are both mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but the benchmark data reveals two very different performance profiles. The Intel chip, with its 10-core hybrid design, dominates the majority of the 17 head-to-head tests, claiming 13 wins. The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U, a 4-core Zen 3+ part, counters with 4 decisive victories, including a massive one in the most demanding multi-core workload. The overall average benchmark scores are remarkably close — 16957 for the Intel and 16827 for the AMD — placing both in the 70th percentile of all CPUs, but the underlying strengths and weaknesses diverge sharply.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the entire comparison is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U delivers a score of 10703 against the Intel Core i5-1240U’s 7902. This is a 26.2% advantage for AMD, a substantial margin that flips the expected narrative given the Intel part’s higher core count. This single result suggests that the Ryzen’s sustained power delivery and efficient Zen 3+ architecture allow it to outperform the Intel chip when all cores are hammered for an extended period, likely due to the Intel part’s very low 9W TDP limiting its performance under load.

Conversely, the Intel Core i5-1240U scores its biggest wins in the older Cinebench R15 tests. In the single-core R15 test, Intel leads with 226 points versus AMD’s 152, a massive 48.7% delta. The multi-core R15 result also favors Intel, 1242 to 1078, a 15.2% advantage. This pattern suggests that the Intel chip excels in short, bursty workloads where its higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz can be utilized before thermal or power limits kick in, whereas the AMD chip’s 4.30 GHz boost clock cannot compensate for its lower per-core efficiency in these specific tests.

The PassMark suite reinforces the split. Intel wins the physics test decisively with a score of 981, a 51.6% lead over AMD’s 647. The Intel part also takes the floating-point math test, scoring 29726 versus 24298, a 22.3% margin. In prime number finding, Intel is dominant with a 75% advantage (63 vs 36). These wins indicate a clear Intel advantage in raw integer and floating-point compute tasks that are not heavily dependent on sustained multi-core throughput. The Intel chip also edges out AMD in the PassMark multi-thread test, 13406 to 12592, a 6.5% lead, and in single-thread performance, 3239 to 3053, a 6.1% advantage.

AMD’s other wins come in more specific workloads. The Ryzen 3 7335U leads in PassMark extended instructions, scoring 10314 against Intel’s 7932, a 23.1% advantage. This points to superior performance in workloads that utilize advanced instruction sets like AVX-512. AMD also wins in data compression (146309 vs 143102, a 2.2% delta) and data encryption (9335 vs 8964, a 4% delta). While these margins are smaller, they show the AMD chip is not without its own strengths in memory-intensive and cryptographic tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-1240U is the clear winner for users whose workloads are characterized by short, responsive bursts of activity. Its 48.7% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 22.3% lead in floating-point math make it the better choice for everyday application responsiveness, light photo editing, and tasks that rely on quick single-threaded reactions. The 51.6% advantage in PassMark physics further cements its position for any simulation or physics-based workload that is not fully multi-threaded. Its 6.5% win in the PassMark multi-thread test, despite having only 12 threads versus AMD’s 8, also suggests it manages mixed workloads better in many scenarios.

The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is the champion for sustained, heavy multi-threaded workloads. The 26.2% victory in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the standout result here, indicating that the chip can maintain high performance over longer rendering or encoding sessions. Its 23.1% lead in extended instructions makes it the better choice for media encoding, scientific computing, and other AVX-512-optimized applications. The smaller wins in data compression and encryption also make it a solid pick for tasks like file archiving and VPN throughput, where it holds a 4% edge.

The data also shows a clear distinction in power management. The Intel Core i5-1240U has a TDP of 9W, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U has a TDP of 28W. This suggests that the Intel chip is designed for fanless or ultra-low-power designs, whereas the AMD chip requires more substantial cooling and power delivery. The benchmark results, particularly the Cinebench R23 multi-core score, reflect this: the AMD chip can draw more power to sustain high clock speeds, while the Intel chip appears to throttle earlier under sustained load.

The Verdict

The choice between these two processors comes down to the intended use case, strictly based on the data. For users who prioritize snappy single-threaded performance, quick burst workloads, and longer battery life in a lightweight chassis, the Intel Core i5-1240U is the superior option. Its 48.7% lead in R15 single-core, 22.3% lead in floating-point math, and 6.1% win in PassMark single-thread performance make it the better choice for general productivity, web browsing, and office applications. The 75% advantage in prime number finding confirms its per-core strength in integer tasks.

For power users who render videos, compile code, or run scientific simulations that can utilize all cores for extended periods, the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is the clear winner. The 26.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the most important benchmark for such workloads, and it is a decisive margin. The 23.1% advantage in extended instructions further solidifies its position for AVX-512-heavy software. Users who prioritize data compression and encryption will also find the AMD chip to be the better choice, albeit by a smaller margin.

The overall average benchmark scores for both chips are nearly identical, with the Intel part at 16957 and the AMD part at 16827, a difference of less than 1%. This parity is reflected in their nearest rivals: the Intel chip sits between the AMD EPYC 7702 (16932) and the Intel Core i7-1260P (17007), while the AMD chip is competitive with the Intel Core i5-1235U (16770). Ultimately, the Intel Core i5-1240U is the better all-rounder for typical mobile use, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U is the specialist for sustained multi-threaded performance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U wins every single-core benchmark. It leads by 48.7% in Cinebench R15 single-core (226 vs 152), by 11.5% in Cinebench R20 single-core (707 vs 634), by 3.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1559 vs 1511), and by 6.1% in PassMark single-thread (3239 vs 3053).

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U ever beat the Intel chip?

A: Yes, it wins 4 of the 17 head-to-head tests. The most significant win is in Cinebench R23 multi-core (10703 vs 7902, a 26.2% advantage). It also wins in PassMark extended instructions (10314 vs 7932, 23.1%), data compression (146309 vs 143102, 2.2%), and data encryption (9335 vs 8964, 4%).

Q: How do their core and thread counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U has 4 cores and 8 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD chip wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test by a wide margin.

Q: What are the key architectural differences between the two chips?

A: The Intel chip is based on the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, while the AMD chip uses the Zen 3+ architecture on a 6 nm process. The Intel chip has a larger L3 cache (12 MB shared) compared to the AMD’s 8 MB shared. The Intel chip supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the AMD chip supports only DDR5.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U has a higher boost clock at 4.40 GHz, compared to the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U’s 4.30 GHz. However, the AMD chip has a significantly higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus the Intel’s 1.10 GHz.

Q: How do their power requirements differ?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U has a TDP of 9W, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7335U has a TDP of 28W. This indicates the Intel chip is designed for much lower power consumption and potentially fanless designs, while the AMD chip requires more robust cooling.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-1240U utilizes the Alder Lake architecture, which employs a hybrid core design. This is reflected in its specifications: 10 cores and 12 threads, indicating a mix of performance and efficiency cores. The chip is fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process node and uses the Intel BGA 1781 socket. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 12 MB L3 cache.

The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U, in contrast, is based on the Zen 3+ architecture, specifically the Rembrandt-R codename. It is a more traditional design with 4 cores and 8 threads, manufactured by TSMC on a 6 nm process node. The AMD chip has a die size of 208 mm² and uses the AMD Socket FP7. Its cache configuration is smaller on the L2 front, with 512 KB per core, and it has a shared 8 MB L3 cache. The AMD chip also features a larger L1 cache at 64 KB per core, but the Intel part’s L1 is listed at 80 KB per core.

Memory support also differs. The Intel Core i5-1240U supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering flexibility for system builders. The AMD Ryzen 3 7335U supports only DDR5, also in dual-channel, but it boasts a specific memory bandwidth figure of 76.8 GB/s. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the Intel part. Both processors offer PCIe Gen 4 connectivity, though the AMD chip specifies 20 lanes for the CPU only.

The integrated graphics are another point of divergence. The Intel chip includes Iris Xe graphics with 80 execution units, while the AMD chip features the Radeon 660M. The release dates also differ, with the Intel chip launching on 2022-02-22 and the AMD chip on 2023-01-03. The AMD chip’s part number is listed as 100-000000537(FP7) and 100-000000549(FP7r2). Both processors are currently marked as Active in production and are not multiplier-unlocked.