AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE vs Intel Core 5 320 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE and Intel Core 5 320 occupy similar positions in the overall performance percentile, with the AMD part at the 71st percentile and the Intel part at the 72nd. Their average benchmark scores are also close, at 17482 for the AMD and 18023 for the Intel, a difference of roughly 3%. However, the head-to-head results reveal a starkly split performance profile, with the Intel processor winning 13 of the 17 recorded comparisons, while the AMD processor takes 4. The data suggests these are not interchangeable parts; they excel in different types of workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant victory for the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE occurs in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test. Here, the AMD processor scores 10846 against Intel's 6197, a massive 75% advantage. This result indicates a substantial lead in heavily threaded rendering workloads. The AMD also wins in PassMark's integer math test, scoring 44665 versus 32323, a 38.2% lead, and in data compression with a score of 152885 against 148779, a 2.8% margin. The fourth win for AMD is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it scores 1093 against Intel's 1054, a modest 3.7% difference.

The Intel Core 5 320 dominates in single-threaded performance and several specific instruction tests. The largest margin is in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 110 against AMD's 31, a 71.8% difference. Intel also shows a strong lead in floating-point math, scoring 42440 versus 24115, a 43.2% margin, and in physics simulation, with a score of 1221 against 552, a 54.8% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, Intel scores 276 versus AMD's 154, a 44.2% difference. The Intel part also wins Cinebench R20 multi-core by 16.6% (5462 vs 4555) and single-core by 16.6% (771 vs 643). Its single-thread PassMark score is 4045 versus 3089, a 23.6% lead, and it wins the multithread test with 15450 against 12761, a 17.4% margin. Other wins for Intel include extended instructions (13262 vs 10368, a 21.8% lead), data encryption (10984 vs 9564, a 12.9% lead), and random string sorting (18038 vs 17255, a 4.3% lead).

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE uses the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Cezanne) on a 7 nm TSMC process, featuring 4 cores and 8 threads. Its socket is AMD Socket AM4, and it has a 35 W TDP. The Intel Core 5 320 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on Intel's 3 nm process, with 6 cores and 6 threads, a 15 W TDP, and a BGA 1516 socket. The core counts are inverted relative to thread counts: AMD has fewer cores but more threads, while Intel has more cores but fewer threads, indicating AMD uses simultaneous multithreading while Intel does not.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The AMD processor has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 8 MB of L3 cache. The Intel part has a total of 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support also diverges. AMD uses dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth and supports ECC memory. Intel uses single-channel DDR5 and LPDDR5X, with a higher memory bandwidth figure of 59.7 GB/s, but no ECC support. The PCIe interfaces differ as well: AMD offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes.

The integrated graphics are also distinct. AMD includes Radeon Vega 6, while Intel integrates Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The process nodes and foundries are different, with AMD using TSMC at 7 nm and Intel using its own 3 nm process. The AMD processor has a transistor count of 10,700 million and a die size of 180 mm², while the Intel part does not have recorded figures for these metrics. The base and boost clocks are also notable: AMD starts at 3.60 GHz and boosts to 4.20 GHz, while Intel starts much lower at 1.50 GHz but boosts to a higher 4.60 GHz.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data indicates a clear use-case split. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE is the stronger choice for multi-threaded rendering workloads. Its 75% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. The 38.2% win in integer math also suggests an advantage in general-purpose arithmetic tasks that are well-parallelized. Its win in data compression points to a slight edge in compression and decompression tasks. The AMD part also holds a narrow lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core, confirming its multi-threaded strength across different Cinebench versions.

The Intel Core 5 320 is the clear winner in single-threaded and latency-sensitive tasks. Its scores in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core tests are all higher, with deltas of 44.2%, 16.6%, and 20.5% respectively. The PassMark single-thread score also favors Intel by 23.6%. This makes the Intel part better suited for lightly threaded applications where a single core's performance is the bottleneck. Intel also dominates in specialized instruction throughput, as shown by its massive leads in find prime numbers (71.8%), floating-point math (43.2%), and extended instructions (21.8%). The physics simulation test, which Intel wins by 54.8%, is also a notable indicator of strength in that specific workload. The Intel part's higher overall multithread score (15450 vs 12761) is driven by its performance in these specific tests rather than generic multi-core rendering.

The Verdict

Selection between these two processors depends entirely on the workload. The data shows that the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE is the better processor for multi-threaded rendering, with a commanding 75% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core over the Intel Core 5 320. It also delivers a 38.2% advantage in integer math. This part is suited for users who prioritize parallel compute in rendering or similar tasks. The AMD processor also offers ECC memory support and a lower launch MSRP is not recorded for it, while the Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $340.

The Intel Core 5 320 is the superior choice for single-threaded performance and specific instruction-heavy workloads. Its 44.2% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 23.6% lead in PassMark single-thread are substantial. The Intel part also wins the majority of the PassMark sub-tests, including floating-point math, physics, and find prime numbers by large margins. The Intel part is a mobile segment processor with a 15 W TDP, which is lower than the AMD part's 35 W TDP. The Intel part also has 6 cores, two more than the AMD part, but it lacks multithreading. The overall average benchmark score slightly favors Intel, 18023 versus 17482, but this aggregate hides the fact that the two parts have very different strengths. The AMD part sits at the 71st percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part is at the 72nd, making them comparable in overall standing but not in specific tasks.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE scores 10846, which is 75% higher than the Intel Core 5 320's score of 6197.

Q: What is the single-thread score difference in Cinebench R15?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 scores 276, which is 44.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE's score of 154.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s with dual-channel DDR4, while the Intel Core 5 320 has 59.7 GB/s with single-channel DDR5 and LPDDR5X.

Q: What is the TDP for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE has a TDP of 35 W, and the Intel Core 5 320 has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Which processor wins the PassMark floating-point math test and by how much?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 wins the PassMark floating-point math test with a score of 42440, which is 43.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE's score of 24115.