AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE vs Intel Core 5 120U Comparison

Head-to-Head-to-Head-to-Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark record is decisively lopsided. The Intel Core 5 120U wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head tests, with the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE taking only two. The largest margins belong to Intel in single-core and physics workloads, while AMD’s two victories are notable for their magnitude in multi-core rendering.

The single-core gap is stark. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel scores 245 against AMD’s 154, a 59.1% advantage. That is not a small edge; it is a dominant one. Cinebench R20 single-core shows a 17.4% lead (755 vs 643), and R23 single-core shows 14.7% (1756.5 vs 1531). PassMark single-thread confirms the pattern: 3479 for Intel vs 3089 for AMD, a 12.6% delta. Any workload that depends on one thread will clearly favor the Intel part.

Physics performance is another Intel stronghold. PassMark physics shows 937 for Intel versus 552 for AMD, a 69.7% lead. Prime number finding is even more extreme in relative terms: Intel scores 53, AMD scores 31, a 71% delta. Floating-point math also leans heavily Intel: 36026 vs 24115, a 49.4% advantage. Integer math is less lopsided but still Intel-favored: 52280 vs 44665, a 17% gap.

The multi-core picture is mixed. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel wins by a modest 5.3% (1150.5 vs 1093). In R20 multi-core, Intel extends that to 17.4% (5349 vs 4555). PassMark multithread gives Intel a 17.9% lead (15042 vs 12761). However, Cinebench R23 multi-core flips the script: AMD scores 10846 against Intel’s 6659, a 38.6% advantage for AMD. That is the single largest margin in either direction, and it stands as AMD’s strongest result.

Other PassMark tests show consistent Intel wins. Data compression: 166432 vs 152885, an 8.9% lead. Data encryption: 10453 vs 9564, a 9.3% lead. Random string sorting: 19060 vs 17255, a 10.5% lead. Extended instructions is the only other AMD win: 10368 vs 9299, a 10.3% margin for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core 5 120U is built on Intel’s 10 nm process at Intel’s own foundry, using the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-U codename. It is a mobile part, soldered to Intel BGA 1744, with a 15 W TDP. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE is a desktop chip on AMD Socket AM4, built on TSMC’s 7 nm process using the Zen 3 architecture with the Cezanne codename. Its TDP is 35 W, more than double the Intel’s.

Core counts differ sharply. The Intel packs 10 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD offers 4 cores and 8 threads. That explains why Intel wins most multi-threaded tests, though it does not explain AMD’s R23 multi-core victory, which suggests that other factors matter more than raw core count in that specific workload. The Intel’s base clock is 1.40 GHz with a 5.00 GHz boost; the AMD runs at 3.60 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. The AMD has a much higher idle clock, but the Intel has a far higher ceiling.

Cache layouts are also different. Intel uses 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. AMD uses 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB L3. AMD’s total transistor count is listed at 10,700 million on a 180 mm² die, while Intel’s transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database.

Memory support separates the two. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports only DDR4. Both are dual-channel. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s; Intel’s bandwidth is not recorded. AMD also supports ECC memory, while Intel does not. PCIe capability differs: Intel offers Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only), AMD offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics are a further split. Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units; AMD uses Radeon Vega 6. The Intel is unlocked in no way (multiplier locked), and the AMD is likewise locked. Release dates differ: Intel launched on 2024-01-07, AMD on 2024-09-04. Both are marked as active production.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 120U wins in nearly every category that involves responsiveness, math throughput, or compression. Single-core performance is its strongest suit, with a 59.1% lead in R15 single-core and 14.7% in R23 single-core. That makes it the better choice for everyday desktop tasks, web browsing, office applications, and any software that is not heavily multi-threaded. Physics simulation, prime number calculation, and floating-point math are all Intel-favored by large margins, so scientific or engineering workloads that rely on those primitives will see a measurable benefit.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE wins in two specific areas. First, Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 38.6% advantage, which is a strong signal for long-duration rendering or video encoding that scales well across cores and can leverage the AMD’s higher sustained clock behavior at 35 W. Second, extended instructions (SIMD-style workloads) show a 10.3% lead, which could matter for media processing or certain database operations. The AMD also has ECC memory support, which is a feature Intel lacks entirely, making it more attractive for reliability-sensitive setups.

For most users, the Intel’s 15 wins out of 17 tests make it the default pick. The AMD’s two wins, while significant in magnitude, are narrow in scope. The R23 multi-core result is the one test that would push a content creator toward AMD, and the extended instructions result is relevant for specific compute tasks. Outside those, the Intel dominates.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U wins every single-core test in the database. It leads by 59.1% in Cinebench R15 single-core, 17.4% in R20 single-core, 14.7% in R23 single-core, and 12.6% in PassMark single-thread.

Q: Why does the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE win Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having fewer cores?

A: The AMD scores 10846 against Intel’s 6659, a 38.6% advantage. The AMD has 4 cores and 8 threads versus Intel’s 10 cores and 12 threads, but the AMD’s higher base clock (3.60 GHz vs 1.40 GHz) and its 35 W TDP likely contribute to sustained performance in that specific workload, though the database does not specify the exact cause.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD leads by 38.6%. The second largest is in PassMark prime number finding, where Intel leads by 71%, and in PassMark physics, where Intel leads by 69.7%.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 5 120U does not support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE supports only DDR4.

Q: How do the overall benchmark averages compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U has an average benchmark score of 17898, placing it at the 72nd percentile. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE has an average score of 17482, placing it at the 71st percentile. Intel’s average is 2.4% higher.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 5 120U | AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE |

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

| Cores | 10 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1.40 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Zen 3 |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-U | Cezanne |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not recorded | 10,700 million |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 180 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 8 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 51.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU | Radeon Vega 6 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2024-01-07 | 2024-09-04 |

| Part Number | SRM7P | 100-000001751 |

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core 5 120U as the stronger processor for the majority of workloads. It wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, including all single-core tests, all math tests, all compression and encryption tests, and the multi-core tests in R15, R20, and PassMark. Its 72nd percentile ranking and average score of 17898 sit above the AMD’s 71st percentile and 17482 average. For general computing, office tasks, physics simulation, and math-heavy applications, the Intel part is the clear choice.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE is the pick only for specific use cases. Its 38.6% win in Cinebench R23 multi-core makes it attractive for rendering workloads that run long and scale well across threads. Its 10.3% win in extended instructions matters for SIMD-heavy code. Its ECC memory support is a feature Intel does not offer, which could be decisive for users who require error-correcting memory. But those are narrow exceptions. The Intel wins the overall benchmark average, the single-core crown, and the vast majority of tests, so it is the default recommendation for most buyers.