AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE vs Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE and the Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 represent two very different approaches to computing, yet the benchmark data places them in a surprisingly close contest. The AMD part is a modern, low-power desktop chip built on a 7 nm process, while the Intel Xeon is a 12-core server processor from the Haswell generation on a 22 nm node. Despite the Xeon’s massive advantage in core count and thread count, the Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the Cinebench suite, though by remarkably narrow margins. The data shows a consistent pattern: the Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE leads in all six tests, with the largest delta being just 1.9% and the smallest at 1.6%.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are striking for their uniformity. Across the entire Cinebench suite, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE wins all six tests, but the margins are razor-thin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 904 against the Xeon’s 888, a 1.8% advantage. The single-core R15 result is similar: 127 versus 125, a 1.6% lead for AMD. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core test shows AMD ahead with 3769 points versus 3702, again a 1.8% delta, while single-core shows 532 versus 522, a 1.9% gap, the largest of the entire comparison.

The trend continues in the newest benchmark, Cinebench R23. The Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE posts 8975 in multi-core, beating the Xeon E5-4640 v3’s 8816 by 1.8%. In single-core R23, the AMD scores 1267 against 1244, another 1.8% lead. What makes this remarkable is the hardware disparity. The Xeon E5-4640 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads, three times the core count of the Ryzen’s 4 cores and 8 threads. Yet the AMD part’s superior per-core performance, driven by its Zen 2 architecture and much higher clock speeds, completely neutralizes the Xeon’s thread advantage. The Xeon’s base clock is 1900.00 MHz with a boost of 2.60 GHz, while the Ryzen runs at 3.50 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost.

Interpreting these numbers requires context. The average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE is 2596, placing it at the 49th percentile of all CPUs. The Xeon E5-4640 v3 has an average score of 2550, also at the 49th percentile. The nearest rival for the AMD is the Intel Core i7-8850H with an average score of 2604, a delta of -0.3%, meaning the AMD is essentially tied with that mobile chip. For the Xeon, its nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E5-1650 v3 at 2545, a 0.2% delta. The Xeon is also within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS and 0.8% of the Intel Core i3-10325. These percentile rankings confirm that while the AMD wins the head-to-head, both processors occupy the same performance tier, making the 1.8% deltas in the Cinebench tests appear almost incidental rather than decisive.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two processors explains why the benchmark results are so counterintuitive. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE is built on TSMC’s 7 nm process node, packing 9,800 million transistors into a die size of 156 mm². Its architecture is Zen 2, under the codename Renoir, representing the 4000 series. In contrast, the Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 uses Intel’s 22 nm process, with 2,600 million transistors on a much larger 356 mm² die. This makes the Xeon physically larger but electrically less efficient, with a TDP of 105 watts compared to the AMD’s 35 watts.

Cache configurations also differ substantially. The AMD has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 4 MB L3 cache. The Xeon E5-4640 v3 also has 64 KB L1 per core, but only 256 KB L2 per core, while its shared L3 cache is a much larger 30 MB. Despite the Xeon’s 7.5x larger L3 cache, the AMD’s higher clock speeds and newer architecture win out in the benchmarks.

Memory support shows another divergence. Both support DDR4 and ECC memory, but the AMD uses a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Xeon uses a quad-channel configuration, achieving 59.7 GB/s. The Xeon also offers more PCIe connectivity with Gen 3, 40 lanes from the CPU, versus the AMD’s Gen 3, 16 lanes. The AMD includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, while the Xeon has no integrated graphics at all. The AMD is a desktop part, currently active in production, whereas the Xeon is an end-of-life server/workstation chip. The Xeon launched on 2015-05-31, and the AMD on 2022-11-10, a gap of over seven years.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Why does the 4-core AMD chip beat the 12-core Xeon in multi-core benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost of 4.00 GHz, compared to the Xeon’s 1900.00 MHz base and 2.60 GHz boost. Additionally, the AMD is built on a 7 nm process with Zen 2 architecture, whereas the Xeon uses 22 nm Haswell architecture.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD scores 8975, and the Xeon scores 8816. The AMD wins by 1.8%.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE and the Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE includes Radeon Vega 6 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE has an average benchmark score of 2596. The Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 has an average score of 2550.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3 has 12 cores and 24 threads. Clock speeds favor AMD: 3.50 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost versus the Xeon’s 1900.00 MHz base and 2.60 GHz boost. The TDP is drastically different, with AMD at 35 watts and Intel at 105 watts. The AMD uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Xeon uses Intel Socket 2011-3.

The process technology separates them by a full generation: AMD uses TSMC’s 7 nm node, and Intel uses its own 22 nm node. The AMD has 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die, while the Xeon has 2,600 million on 356 mm². L2 cache is 512 KB per core on the AMD versus 256 KB per core on the Xeon. L3 cache is 4 MB shared on the AMD versus 30 MB shared on the Xeon. The memory bus is dual-channel for AMD at 51.2 GB/s, versus quad-channel for Intel at 59.7 GB/s. PCIe lanes are 16 on the AMD and 40 on the Xeon. The AMD has integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics; the Xeon has none. The market segments differ: Desktop for AMD, Server/Workstation for Intel. Production status is Active for AMD and End-of-life for Intel. The AMD was released on 2022-11-10, while the Xeon was released on 2015-05-31. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of $2859; the AMD has no launch MSRP listed.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear picture for different use cases. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE is the superior choice for single-threaded performance and energy efficiency. It wins all six Cinebench tests, including a 1.9% lead in R20 single-core, while consuming only 35 watts TDP versus the Xeon’s 105 watts. Its integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics make it a self-contained desktop solution, and its active production status means it is a current, supported part. For users building a low-power desktop system where per-core speed matters, the AMD is the obvious pick.

The Intel Xeon E5-4640 v3, despite losing the head-to-head, offers attributes the AMD cannot match. Its 12 cores and 24 threads provide the raw thread count for heavily parallel workloads beyond what Cinebench captures. The quad-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes make it a more capable platform for memory-intensive server tasks. The 30 MB shared L3 cache is substantially larger. However, its end-of-life status, higher TDP, and lower clock speeds make it less attractive for general use. The benchmark data shows a 1.8% performance gap in all multi-core tests, which means the Xeon’s only real advantage lies in its scalability and platform features, not raw Cinebench scores. Users needing massive thread counts for server workloads should consider the Xeon, but the data indicates the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE is the better performer in every measured benchmark.