AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G vs Intel Core i9-9900K Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G and Intel Core i9-9900K occupy a similar average benchmark tier, with the AMD part scoring 27,382 and the Intel part scoring 27,097, yet they achieve this parity through starkly different means. The Ryzen 3 is a 4-core, 8-thread Zen 3 part, while the i9-9900K is an 8-core, 16-thread Coffee Lake flagship. The data shows a head-to-head split of 3 wins for the AMD chip and 8 wins for the Intel chip, but the margins and specific workloads tell a nuanced story about architectural efficiency versus raw core count.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive Intel victory comes in the PassMark data compression test, where the i9-9900K scores 283,506 against the Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G’s 168,041, a delta of -40.7%. This is the largest gap in the comparison, indicating the Intel part’s superior parallel throughput in this workload. The random string sorting test shows a similar trend, with Intel winning at 36,238 versus 18,819, a -48.1% delta. These two tests alone highlight the i9-9900K’s strength in memory-heavy, multi-threaded operations.

Floating-point and integer math also favor Intel significantly. The i9-9900K scores 41,036 in floating-point math compared to 25,245 for the Ryzen 3, a -38.5% gap, and 66,134 versus 45,910 in integer math, a -30.6% delta. Extended instructions follow the pattern, with Intel at 18,965 and AMD at 11,935, a -37.1% difference. Prime number finding is closer but still Intel-favored, 47 versus 36, a -23.4% delta. The multi-thread benchmark shows Intel ahead at 18,153 versus 14,033, a -22.7% margin, and the physics test similarly favors Intel, 934 versus 701, a -24.9% delta.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G, however, secures two notable wins. In data encryption, it scores 10,288 against Intel’s 6,430, a commanding 60% advantage. This suggests the Zen 3 architecture’s cryptographic instructions are markedly more efficient. The single-thread test is also an AMD victory, with a score of 3,096 versus 2,919, a 6.1% delta. This is a critical result: despite having half the cores and a significantly lower boost clock, the Ryzen 3’s single-thread performance is superior, reflecting the IPC gains of Zen 3 over Coffee Lake.

The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the AMD part at 27,382 and the Intel part at 27,097. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 3 include the Intel Core i7-13700H (27,355, 0.1% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (27,507, -0.5% delta), placing it in a competitive mobile and desktop hybrid tier. The i9-9900K’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G (27,051, 0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i5-14400T (27,166, -0.3% delta), showing it still trades blows with modern mid-range parts.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 3,096, compared to the Intel Core i9-9900K’s 2,919, a 6.1% advantage for the AMD part.

Q: How large is the performance gap in the data compression test?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900K leads significantly, scoring 283,506 versus 168,041 for the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G, representing a -40.7% delta in favor of Intel.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmark by a wide margin?

A: Yes, in data encryption the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G scores 10,288 against Intel’s 6,430, a 60% lead, which is the largest positive delta for either processor.

Q: What is the difference in core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900K has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G has an average benchmark score of 27,382, while the Intel Core i9-9900K has an average of 27,097, a difference of roughly 285 points in favor of AMD.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-9900K has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is built on the Zen 3 architecture using a 7 nm process from TSMC, featuring a die size of 180 mm² and 10,700 million transistors. Its codename is Cezanne, and it belongs to the 5000 series. The Intel Core i9-9900K, conversely, uses the Coffee Lake architecture (specifically Coffee Lake-R) on Intel’s 14 nm process, with a die size of 180.3 mm². The process node difference is substantial, with AMD’s 7 nm offering a density advantage that helps explain its efficiency despite fewer cores.

Cache hierarchies differ notably. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of L3 cache. The Intel part also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but only 256 KB of L2 per core, and a larger 16 MB shared L3 cache. This means Intel has double the total L3, which aids its multi-threaded workloads, while AMD’s larger per-core L2 might contribute to its single-thread efficiency.

Integrated graphics also differ: the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G features Radeon Vega 6, while the Intel Core i9-9900K has UHD Graphics 630. Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the AMD part has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus Intel’s 42.7 GB/s. The AMD processor also supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Specification Differences

The core specification differences are stark. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i9-9900K doubles that to 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 4.00 GHz for AMD and 3.60 GHz for Intel, but the boost clocks reverse the order, with Intel reaching 5.00 GHz versus AMD’s 4.20 GHz. The TDP also differs, with AMD at 65 watts and Intel at 95 watts, reflecting the Intel part’s higher power draw for its extra cores.

Socket compatibility is entirely different: the AMD part uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1151. The AMD processor has a locked multiplier, whereas the Intel Core i9-9900K has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking. Production status also diverges, with the AMD part listed as Active and the Intel part as End-of-life. The release dates are far apart, with Intel launching on 2018-10-18 and AMD on 2024-09-04. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $488, which is stated here once for reference. Part numbers are 100-000001749 for AMD and SRG19SRELS for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-9900K is the clear winner in raw parallel compute and memory-intensive tasks. Its victories in data compression, random string sorting, floating-point math, integer math, and extended instructions make it the preferred choice for workloads that scale with core count and cache size. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration dominates the multi-thread benchmark, and the -22.7% delta there, while narrower than other tests, still represents a solid lead. The physics test also favors Intel, suggesting better performance in simulation-style workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G wins in specific efficiency-oriented tasks. Its 60% lead in data encryption is the headline result, indicating hardware-level acceleration that Intel lacks. The single-thread win, while modest at 6.1%, is significant because it comes from a lower-clocked, 4-core part, showing that Zen 3’s IPC improvements can overcome a 0.80 GHz boost clock disadvantage. This makes the AMD part suitable for lightly-threaded applications where per-core performance is paramount, and for tasks involving cryptographic operations.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload priority. For users whose primary tasks involve heavy multi-threading, data compression, or complex mathematical computations, the Intel Core i9-9900K is the stronger choice, as it wins 8 of the 11 head-to-head benchmarks, often by margins exceeding 30%. Its 16 MB L3 cache and 8 physical cores provide a decisive advantage in parallel environments, despite its older 14 nm process and higher 95-watt TDP.

Conversely, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is the better option for users prioritizing single-thread responsiveness, encryption performance, and power efficiency. Its 65-watt TDP, superior single-thread score, and 60% encryption lead make it a compelling modern part for office productivity, secure communications, and light to moderate multitasking. The near-identical average benchmark scores (27,382 versus 27,097) mean that the choice is not about overall speed but about matching the processor to the specific workload. The Intel part is a veteran with raw strength; the AMD part is a newer, more efficient contender with focused advantages.