AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G vs Intel Xeon E-2236 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G and Intel Xeon E-2236 are both 65W and 80W parts respectively, aimed at very different corners of the desktop and workstation market. The Ryzen is a modern, efficient 7nm design with integrated graphics, while the Xeon is a legacy 14nm server-oriented chip. Benchmark data shows the Xeon E-2236 edges out the Ryzen in every single Cinebench test included, but the margins are remarkably thin, making the choice between them a matter of platform priorities rather than raw performance dominance.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E-2236 wins every head-to-head benchmark in the data set. That is a clean 6-0 sweep across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests. The largest margin of victory is just -0.6% (in R15 multi-core, R15 single-core, R20 multi-core, and R23 multi-core), while the smallest is -0.4% in R20 single-core. In practical terms, the Xeon is the faster chip in pure compute tasks, but the advantage is so small that it would be imperceptible in real-world workloads. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G does not win a single benchmark in this comparison, yet its losses are all within a rounding error of a tie.

The Ryzen’s real win is not in the Cinebench scores but in its feature set and platform efficiency. It is built on a 7nm TSMC process with a 65W TDP, compared to the Xeon’s 14nm Intel process and 80W TDP. The Ryzen also packs Radeon Vega 6 integrated graphics, which the Xeon’s UHD Graphics P630 cannot match for gaming or general GPU-accelerated tasks. The Ryzen also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, same as the Xeon, but the Ryzen’s newer Zen 3 architecture delivers comparable performance with significantly lower power draw. For a compact desktop or an office PC where discrete graphics are unnecessary, the Ryzen is the more sensible option despite losing the benchmark war.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap here is generational. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G uses Zen 3 (Cezanne) on a 7nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 180 mm² and 10,700 million transistors. The Intel Xeon E-2236 uses Coffee Lake (Coffee Lake-S WS) on Intel’s 14nm process, with a die size of 154 mm² and unspecified transistor count. The Ryzen packs 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Xeon offers 6 cores and 12 threads. That core deficit is offset by the Ryzen’s higher base clock of 4.00 GHz versus the Xeon’s 3.40 GHz, though the Xeon boosts higher at 4.80 GHz versus the Ryzen’s 4.20 GHz.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The Ryzen has 512 KB of L2 per core and 8 MB of L3, while the Xeon has 256 KB of L2 per core and 12 MB of shared L3. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core. The Ryzen’s larger L2 helps it compensate for fewer cores, while the Xeon’s larger shared L3 benefits multi-threaded workloads. Memory support is DDR4 dual-channel for both, but the Ryzen has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus the Xeon’s 42.7 GB/s. Both support ECC memory, which is crucial for workstation reliability. The Ryzen’s integrated Radeon Vega 6 is far more capable than the Xeon’s UHD Graphics P630, which is a basic display-only solution. The Xeon is marked as End-of-life production status, while the Ryzen remains Active.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. If you need maximum multi-core throughput for rendering or simulation and are building on an Intel platform, the Xeon E-2236 is the safer pick—it wins all six Cinebench tests, even if by less than 1%. It also offers 6 cores and 12 threads, which gives it a structural advantage in heavily threaded applications. Its 80W TDP is higher, but the boost clock of 4.80 GHz is the highest frequency in this comparison, making it the better choice for single-threaded responsiveness where the extra 0.6% margin matters.

However, the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G is the better choice for a modern, power-efficient build. It matches the Xeon within 0.6% in every test while drawing 15W less power (65W versus 80W). It is on a 7nm process versus 14nm, meaning less heat and better performance per watt. The Radeon Vega 6 iGPU is a genuine advantage for systems without a discrete graphics card, and the Ryzen is still in production, whereas the Xeon is End-of-life. For a compact desktop, an HTPC, or a light workstation, the Ryzen’s platform longevity and integrated graphics make it the more practical buy—the benchmarks are effectively a tie, so the platform features break the tie in AMD’s favor.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Xeon E-2236 scores 11792 versus the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G’s 11724, a delta of -0.6% in favor of the Xeon.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes. The FACT PACK lists ECC memory support as true for both the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G and the Intel Xeon E-2236.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has a 65W TDP, while the Intel Xeon E-2236 has an 80W TDP. The Ryzen consumes less power.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics, and how do they compare?

A: Both have integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has Radeon Vega 6, while the Intel Xeon E-2236 has UHD Graphics P630. The Vega 6 is the more capable iGPU.

Q: What is the core and thread count for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Xeon E-2236 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which CPU is still in production?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has an Active production status. The Intel Xeon E-2236 is marked as End-of-life.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 1188 against the Ryzen’s 1181, a -0.6% delta. Single-core R15 shows the same pattern: Xeon 167, Ryzen 166, again -0.6%. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core test has Xeon at 4952 and Ryzen at 4924, still -0.6%. Single-core R20 narrows the gap to -0.4%, with Xeon at 698 and Ryzen at 695. In the newer Cinebench R23, multi-core sees Xeon at 11792 and Ryzen at 11724, maintaining that -0.6% difference. Single-core R23 shows Xeon at 1664 and Ryzen at 1655, a -0.5% delta.

The biggest win for the Xeon is in the multi-core tests, where its two extra cores (6 versus 4) should theoretically provide a larger advantage, but the Ryzen’s higher base clock (4.00 GHz versus 3.40 GHz) and larger L2 cache (512 KB per core versus 256 KB) keep it close. The Ryzen’s best showing is Cinebench R20 single-core, where it trails by only 3 points (695 vs 698). Across all six benchmarks, the average score for the Ryzen is 3441, while the Xeon averages 3410. The Ryzen actually has a higher average benchmark score than the Xeon, despite losing every head-to-head test, because that average includes Geekbench scores (5373 multi-core, 1813 single-core) which are not part of the head-to-head set. The Xeon’s average is based solely on its Cinebench results.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Xeon E-2236 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 4.00 GHz for the AMD and 3.40 GHz for the Intel, but boost clocks reverse the order: 4.20 GHz for the AMD, 4.80 GHz for the Intel. TDP is 65W for the AMD and 80W for the Intel. Process node is 7nm (TSMC) for the AMD and 14nm (Intel) for the Intel. Die size is 180 mm² for the AMD and 154 mm² for the Intel, with the AMD having 10,700 million transistors and the Intel having no listed transistor count.

Cache configurations differ: the AMD has 512 KB of L2 per core, while the Intel has 256 KB per core; the AMD has 8 MB of L3, while the Intel has 12 MB of shared L3. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD at 51.2 GB/s versus the Intel’s 42.7 GB/s. The AMD uses Socket AM4, while the Intel uses Socket 1151. The integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 6 on the AMD and UHD Graphics P630 on the Intel. The AMD is part of the 5000 series (Zen 3, Cezanne), while the Intel is in the Xeon E-2200 series (Coffee Lake). The AMD has a release date of 2021-05-31, while the Intel launched on 2019-05-28. The Intel Xeon E-2236 has a launch MSRP of $284; the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G has no launch MSRP listed. The AMD is Active production, while the Intel is End-of-life.