AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G vs Intel Core i7-5960X Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a striking split between the two processors. Across the seven Cinebench tests and the single-core Geekbench test, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G emerges victorious in seven of the eight head-to-head comparisons. However, the Intel Core i7-5960X delivers one decisive counterpunch in the Geekbench multicore test, winning by a substantial 20.2% margin. This is a matchup where the overall average scores are nearly identical — 3442 for Intel versus 3441 for AMD — yet the individual workloads tell very different stories.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD part scores 1181 against Intel's 1165, a 1.4% advantage. The single-core R15 result is similarly close: 166 versus 164, again a 1.2% edge for AMD. Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds with AMD leading 4924 to 4857 in multicore (1.4% ahead) and 695 to 685 in single-core (1.4% ahead). The Cinebench R23 results continue this trend: AMD posts 11724 versus Intel's 11565 in multicore, and 1655 versus 1632 in single-core, both representing a 1.4% lead.

The Geekbench single-core test delivers the largest percentage gap of the entire comparison. AMD's Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 1813, while the Intel Core i7-5960X manages only 1010. That is a 44.3% deficit for the Intel part — a massive generational leap in per-core performance. Conversely, in Geekbench multicore, the Intel processor scores 6461 against AMD's 5373, giving Intel a 20.2% advantage. This suggests that while the AMD chip has vastly superior single-threaded efficiency, the Intel chip's eight physical cores and sixteen threads allow it to dominate in a workload that scales aggressively across cores.

The average benchmark score for both processors is essentially tied at 3441-3442, placing both at the 54th percentile among all CPUs tracked. The nearest rival list reinforces this parity: the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS averages 3444 (0% delta), the Intel Core i7-10870H averages 3446 (-0.1% from Intel), and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS averages 3447 (-0.1% from Intel). The two contenders in this comparison are functionally equivalent in aggregate performance, but their performance profiles could not be more different.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors spans nearly seven years of silicon evolution. The Intel Core i7-5960X is built on Intel's 22 nm Haswell-E process, featuring 2,600 million transistors on a 356 mm² die. In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G uses TSMC's 7 nm process for its Zen 3 Cezanne architecture, packing 10,700 million transistors into a smaller 180 mm² die. The process node difference alone — 22 nm versus 7 nm — explains much of the efficiency and clock speed disparity.

Core counts diverge significantly. The Intel part offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD part provides 4 cores and 8 threads. This is why Intel wins the Geekbench multicore test despite losing every Cinebench multicore benchmark — Cinebench appears to favor the higher per-core efficiency of Zen 3, while Geekbench multicore scales more effectively with the additional physical cores.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both share a 64 KB L1 cache per core, but the Intel processor uses 256 KB L2 per core versus AMD's 512 KB per core. The L3 cache is where the divergence becomes stark: Intel has 20 MB shared, while AMD provides 8 MB. This larger L3 on Intel may help in certain workloads, but the data suggests AMD's smaller, faster cache design works better for the tested benchmarks.

Memory subsystems are another major differentiator. The Intel Core i7-5960X supports quad-channel DDR4 with a theoretical memory bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G uses dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. Despite having 33% more memory bandwidth, Intel still loses the Cinebench multicore tests, indicating that memory bandwidth is not the limiting factor in these workloads.

The PCIe configuration also differs: Intel provides 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while AMD provides 16. The AMD part includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, whereas the Intel part has no integrated graphics. ECC memory support is present on the AMD processor but absent on the Intel. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD chip does not.

Clock speeds favor AMD significantly. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, compared to Intel's 3.00 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. This 1.0 GHz base clock advantage and 0.7 GHz boost advantage directly translate into the single-core performance lead. The thermal design power tells a similar story: AMD's 65 W TDP versus Intel's 140 W TDP means AMD delivers superior performance per watt in these tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The two are statistically tied. The Intel Core i7-5960X averages 3442, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G averages 3441, a delta of 0%.

Q: Why does the AMD processor win most benchmarks despite having fewer cores?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G operates at significantly higher clock speeds (4.00 GHz base, 4.20 GHz boost versus 3.00 GHz and 3.50 GHz) and uses a newer 7 nm process with a more efficient Zen 3 architecture. This gives it a large single-core advantage, as evidenced by the 44.3% lead in Geekbench single-core.

Q: In which benchmark does the Intel processor win, and by how much?

A: The Intel Core i7-5960X wins the Geekbench multicore test with a score of 6461 against AMD's 5373, a 20.2% advantage. This is attributed to its 8 cores and 16 threads versus AMD's 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What are the Cinebench R23 multicore scores for both processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 11724, while the Intel Core i7-5960X scores 11565, giving AMD a 1.4% lead.

Q: How do the memory channels differ between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-5960X supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 68.3 GB/s, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G uses dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. Intel also has 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus AMD's 16 lanes.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory and integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G supports ECC memory and includes Radeon Vega 6 integrated graphics. The Intel Core i7-5960X supports neither ECC memory nor integrated graphics.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear conclusion for different use cases. If the workload is heavily multithreaded and scales with core count — as seen in Geekbench multicore — the Intel Core i7-5960X is the stronger choice, delivering a 20.2% advantage over its rival. Its 8 cores and 16 threads provide the raw parallel throughput that the 4-core AMD part cannot match in that specific benchmark.

However, for the majority of the tested workloads, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the superior processor. It wins all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multicore) and the Geekbench single-core test. The consistent 1.4% lead across Cinebench multicore tests, combined with the massive 44.3% single-core advantage, indicates that the AMD part offers better real-world performance for most applications, especially those that are latency-sensitive or lightly threaded.

The AMD processor also operates at a much lower 65 W TDP compared to Intel's 140 W, making it significantly more power-efficient. It is an active production part, while the Intel processor is end-of-life. The AMD chip includes integrated graphics and ECC memory support, features absent from the Intel part. For a new system build, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the data-backed recommendation for general desktop use, productivity, and single-threaded performance. The Intel Core i7-5960X retains relevance only for specific workloads that demonstrate strong scaling across eight physical cores and sixteen threads, as evidenced by its Geekbench multicore victory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-5960X | AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 4 |

| Threads | 16 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 4.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 140 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 2011-3 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Zen 3 |

| Codename | Haswell-E | Cezanne |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | 2,600 million | 10,700 million |

| Die Size | 356 mm² | 180 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 20 MB (shared) | 8 MB |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 68.3 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 40 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Radeon Vega 6 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2014-08-31 | 2021-05-31 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | SR20Q | 100-000000256 |