AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G vs Intel Xeon E-2146G Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G and the Intel Xeon E-2146G occupy very different positions in the desktop and workstation landscape, despite both being locked-down, ECC-capable processors. The data reveals a clear split: the AMD part dominates nearly every Cinebench iteration and single-core Geekbench testing, while the Intel Xeon secures a decisive victory in multi-core Geekbench. With the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G taking 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, the overall performance narrative favors AMD, but the specific workloads and platform considerations tell a more nuanced story.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the overwhelming winner in all Cinebench tests, both single-core and multi-core. Across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, it maintains a consistent lead of approximately 4.5% over the Xeon E-2146G in every iteration. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD scores 11724 against the Intel's 11214, a 4.5% advantage. The single-core deltas are nearly identical, with the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G posting 1655 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1583 for the Xeon, again a 4.5% gap. This consistency suggests the Zen 3 architecture provides a fundamental efficiency advantage in rendering and 3D modeling workloads that rely on sustained multi-threaded and single-threaded performance.

The Intel Xeon E-2146G's lone victory comes in Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 6283 against the AMD's 5373, a substantial 14.5% margin. This is a significant outlier compared to the Cinebench results, indicating that the Xeon's six-core, twelve-thread configuration with a 4.50 GHz boost clock excels in Geekbench's specific workload mix. However, in Geekbench single-core, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G reverses the trend decisively, scoring 1813 against the Xeon's 1540, a 17.7% advantage—the largest delta of any benchmark in the comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is built on TSMC's 7 nm process with the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne. It packs 10,700 million transistors into a 180 mm² die. In contrast, the Intel Xeon E-2146G uses Intel's 14 nm process with the Coffee Lake architecture, codenamed Coffee Lake-S WS, on a smaller 154 mm² die. The process node advantage explains much of the AMD's efficiency in single-threaded tasks.

Core configurations differ significantly. The AMD offers 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel provides 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the AMD manages to outperform the Intel in multi-threaded Cinebench tests, highlighting the superior instructions per clock (IPC) of Zen 3. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the AMD has 512 KB of L2 per core and 8 MB of shared L3, while the Intel has 256 KB of L2 per core and a larger 12 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on the Intel does not translate into a Cinebench win, but it may contribute to the Geekbench multi-core result.

Both processors support DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the AMD has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s compared to the Intel's 42.7 GB/s. Both support ECC memory and feature PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ: the AMD includes Radeon Vega 6, while the Intel has HD Graphics P630. The AMD is a desktop segment part released in 2021, while the Intel is a server/workstation segment part released in 2018 and is now end-of-life.

The Verdict

Benchmark results indicate the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the superior choice for users prioritizing Cinebench-style rendering workloads, where it consistently outperforms the Intel Xeon E-2146G by about 4.5% across all versions of the test. Its single-core Geekbench lead of 17.7% is particularly compelling for applications that depend heavily on single-threaded performance, such as older software or lightly-threaded productivity tasks. The AMD also offers a more modern 7 nm process and higher memory bandwidth, which could benefit memory-sensitive workloads.

However, the Intel Xeon E-2146G should be selected by users whose primary workload aligns with Geekbench multi-core performance, where it leads by 14.5%. The Xeon's six cores and twelve threads provide additional parallel processing capability that the AMD's four cores cannot match in that specific benchmark. For server or workstation environments where the Xeon's 2018-era stability and end-of-life status are not concerns, and where the specific Geekbench workload is representative, the Intel part retains relevance. The data shows the AMD wins 7 of 8 benchmarks, but the one loss is a large margin, suggesting the Xeon is not without merit in specific scenarios.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 11724, while the Intel Xeon E-2146G scores 11214, giving the AMD a 4.5% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Xeon E-2146G have more cores than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G?

A: Yes. The Intel Xeon E-2146G has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in Geekbench single-core, where the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 1813 versus the Intel's 1540, a 17.7% lead for AMD.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G and the Intel Xeon E-2146G have ECC memory support.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2146G has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz.

Q: How many benchmarks does the AMD win out of the head-to-head comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G wins 7 out of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, with the only loss being Geekbench multi-core.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent pattern of AMD dominance in Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 1181 against the Intel Xeon E-2146G's 1130, a 4.5% win. The single-core R15 test follows suit: AMD 166 versus Intel 159, a 4.4% margin. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD leads multi-core with 4924 against 4709 (4.6%) and single-core with 695 against 664 (4.7%). The Cinebench R23 results maintain the trend: multi-core 11724 versus 11214 (4.5%) and single-core 1655 versus 1583 (4.5%).

The Geekbench results introduce a dramatic divergence. In Geekbench multi-core, the Intel Xeon E-2146G secures its only win with a score of 6283 versus the AMD's 5373, a decisive 14.5% margin. This is the second-largest delta in the entire comparison, showcasing the Xeon's ability to leverage its additional cores in this specific benchmark. However, Geekbench single-core flips the script entirely: the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G scores 1813 against the Intel's 1540, a 17.7% advantage that stands as the largest percentage difference across all tests.

The average benchmark scores place the AMD at 3441 and the Intel at 3410, with both processors at the 54th percentile among all CPUs. The AMD's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-5960X at 3442 (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS at 3444 (-0.1% delta). The Intel Xeon E-2146G's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2236 at 3410 (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C18I at 3406 (0.1% delta). These figures position both processors in the mid-range of CPU performance, with the AMD holding a slight overall edge of 31 points in average benchmark score.