AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE vs Intel Atom P5342 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE and Intel Atom P5342 present a fascinating study in contrasting design philosophies, landing at nearly identical average benchmark scores. The AMD chip, a 4-core desktop processor built on a modern 7nm process, squares off against a 16-core server/workstation part on Intel's 10nm node with a much higher thermal envelope. Despite the Intel part winning every single head-to-head benchmark listed, the overall performance picture is remarkably close, with the average scores differing by just one point (3218 vs 3217).

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data reveals a clear, albeit narrow, victory for the Intel Atom P5342 across the board. In every Cinebench test—R15, R20, and R23—the Intel part takes the win in both single-core and multi-core workloads. The largest margin of victory for the Atom P5342 is a 3.8% lead in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, while its multi-core wins hover around a consistent 3.3-3.4% advantage. This consistency suggests a fundamental, if modest, performance edge in raw compute throughput for the Intel processor in these specific rendering workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, yet its performance is so close that the overall average benchmark score is virtually identical. This implies that the AMD part might excel in areas not captured by these specific Cinebench tests. The data available shows the Ryzen chip has a higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz compared to the Atom's base clock of 2.20 GHz, which could translate to better real-world performance in lightly-threaded tasks that are sensitive to clock speed and not entirely representative of the Cinebench suite. The Ryzen's wins are not in the provided benchmarks but are implied by its design as a lower-power (35W TDP), higher-clocked desktop part.

The Intel Atom's advantage appears to come from its sheer core count. With 16 cores, it has four times the core count of the AMD chip. This allows it to edge out the Ryzen in multi-threaded workloads even with a significantly lower clock speed. The data shows the Atom P5342 is also positioned for a different market segment entirely—Server/Workstation—which typically prioritizes consistent multi-threaded throughput. The AMD part, with its Desktop market segment, is likely tuned for a balance of single-thread responsiveness and power efficiency.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectural principles. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE is based on the Zen 3 architecture, code-named Cezanne, and is fabricated on a 7nm process by TSMC. This modern, dense process node allows AMD to pack 10,700 million transistors into a 180 mm² die. The Intel Atom P5342, in contrast, uses the Tremont microarchitecture, code-named Snow Ridge, and is built on Intel's 10nm process. The process node difference is a key indicator of their design goals: the smaller node is generally more power-efficient, which aligns with the Ryzen's 35W TDP versus the Atom's 71W TDP.

The core configurations could not be more different. The AMD processor features 4 cores and 8 threads, leveraging simultaneous multithreading (SMT) to process two threads per core. The Intel Atom P5342 has 16 cores but only 16 threads, meaning it lacks hyper-threading and operates with one thread per core. This is a classic trade-off between a few powerful, high-frequency cores and many simpler, lower-frequency cores. The Ryzen's base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz are far higher than the Atom's base clock of 2.20 GHz, and the Atom has no listed boost clock.

Cache hierarchies also differ significantly. Both have a 64 KB L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache is organized differently. The AMD chip has 512 KB of L2 per core, while the Intel part has a larger 4.5 MB L2 per module. The most critical difference is in the L3 cache: the AMD Ryzen has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Atom P5342 has no listed L3 cache at all. This is a substantial architectural gap, as a large L3 cache can significantly speed up access to frequently used data, though the Atom's design may mitigate this with its large per-module L2 caches.

Other differences are less about performance and more about platform and features. The AMD part includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, while the Intel Atom has no integrated graphics (N/A). The AMD chip fits into the ubiquitous AMD Socket AM4, making it a drop-in upgrade for existing motherboards, whereas the Intel Atom is soldered onto the board with an Intel BGA 2106 socket, typical for server and embedded systems. Both support DDR4 memory and have identical PCIe Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) configurations. Both also support ECC memory, a critical feature for their respective markets. The release dates differ, with the AMD part arriving on 2021-05-31 and the Intel part on 2022-06-05.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Atom P5342 is the superior performer in the tested workloads. It wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, making it the clear choice for applications that rely heavily on multi-threaded rendering or compute, where its 16 cores give it a consistent, if small, edge. Its average benchmark score of 3217 is statistically a tie with the Ryzen's 3218, but the consistency of its wins in the specific tests suggests it may be more reliable for sustained, heavy workloads.

However, the data also tells a story of trade-offs that favor the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE in other scenarios. The Ryzen's much lower TDP of 35W compared to the Atom's 71W indicates a significant power efficiency advantage. For a desktop system where heat and energy costs are a concern, or for users who prioritize single-threaded responsiveness from its higher 4.20 GHz boost clock, the AMD part is more appealing. The inclusion of integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics also means a system can be built without a discrete GPU, which is not possible with the Atom P5342.

The choice is therefore a matter of use-case. If the priority is raw multi-threaded compute throughput in a server or workstation environment, the Intel Atom P5342's 16 cores and consistent benchmark wins make it the logical selection. For a desktop user who needs a capable, power-efficient processor with integrated graphics and a socket that allows for easy upgrades, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE is the more sensible choice. The data shows the Intel part wins on raw performance, but the AMD part wins on efficiency and platform flexibility.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE has a marginally higher average benchmark score of 3218, compared to the Intel Atom P5342's 3217. This difference is effectively negligible.

Q: Does the Intel Atom P5342 win all the benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the Intel Atom P5342 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23 in both single and multi-core), with margins ranging from 3.3% to 3.8%.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Atom P5342 has 16 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part has four times the cores but does not support simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Which CPU supports integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics. The Intel Atom P5342 does not have any integrated graphics (N/A).

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE has a TDP of 35W, while the Intel Atom P5342 has a higher TDP of 71W, indicating the Intel part consumes and dissipates more power.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE and the Intel Atom P5342 support ECC memory, a feature commonly required for server and workstation reliability.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results show a consistent pattern of Intel Atom P5342 victories, but the margins are remarkably small. In Cinebench R15, the Intel part scores 1121 versus the AMD's 1083 in the multi-core test, a 3.4% difference. The single-core R15 test is the closest race, with the Atom scoring 158 against the Ryzen's 152, a 3.8% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core scores are 4671 for the Atom and 4515 for the Ryzen, a 3.3% advantage. The single-core R20 test shows a similar story: 659 for the Intel part versus 637 for the AMD, also a 3.3% difference.

The Cinebench R23 results mirror the other tests. In the multi-core benchmark, the Intel Atom P5342 scores 11122, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE scores 10750, giving the Intel part a 3.3% lead. The single-core R23 test sees the Atom at 1570 and the Ryzen at 1517, a 3.4% gap. These results are striking because they show that despite the Atom's 16 cores versus the Ryzen's 4 cores, the performance advantage is only around 3-4%. This suggests that the AMD's Zen 3 cores are significantly more powerful on a per-core basis, allowing it to nearly match a processor with four times the core count. The data implies that while the Atom P5342 is the winner in these tests, the Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE delivers exceptional per-core efficiency and performance.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two processors highlight their divergent design goals. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE is a 4-core, 8-thread processor with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, while the Intel Atom P5342 is a 16-core, 16-thread processor with a base clock of 2.20 GHz and no listed boost clock. The AMD chip has a TDP of 35W, whereas the Intel part has a TDP of 71W. The AMD processor is built on a 7nm process and has an 8 MB L3 cache, while the Intel processor uses a 10nm process and has no L3 cache listed. The AMD part features 512 KB of L2 cache per core, while the Intel part has 4.5 MB of L2 cache per module. The AMD chip comes with integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics, but the Intel chip has no integrated graphics. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory, but the AMD has a higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s compared to the Intel's 42.7 GB/s. They share the same PCIe configuration (Gen 3, 16 Lanes) and both support ECC memory. The sockets are different: AMD uses Socket AM4, while Intel uses BGA 2106. The release dates also differ, with the AMD launching on 2021-05-31 and the Intel on 2022-06-05.