AMD Ryzen 5 230 vs Intel Core 5 315 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 records an average benchmark score of 25782, while the Intel Core 5 315 sits at 18188. The AMD part also ranks higher in the overall CPU percentile, at 78 versus 72 for Intel.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in multithreaded Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 wins every Cinebench multithreaded test by a consistent margin of 37.5 to 37.6 percent. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD scores 17857 against Intel's 12981, a 37.6 percent lead.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 315 win any benchmark categories?

A: Yes, the Intel part wins 5 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests. It takes passmark_find_prime_numbers (112 versus 66, a 41.1 percent margin), passmark_floating_point_math, passmark_physics, and both passmark single-thread entries, where it scores 4021 against AMD's 3558.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 uses dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Core 5 315 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but runs single-channel, delivering 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 boosts to 4.90 GHz, compared to 4.40 GHz for the Intel Core 5 315. The AMD base clock is also higher at 3.50 GHz versus 1.50 GHz.

Q: How many threads does each processor handle?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core 5 315 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The AMD chip therefore processes two threads per core, the Intel chip one.

Architecture Differences

The two mobile processors take fundamentally different design paths. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 uses the Zen 4 architecture on the Hawk Point codename, built on a 4 nm TSMC process with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core 5 315 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm Intel process; the database records no transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Cache hierarchies diverge sharply. The AMD chip allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip lists 192 KB of total L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD design therefore offers far more aggregate cache, particularly at the L3 level, which favors workloads that repeatedly access a working set.

Threading is another major split. The Ryzen 5 230 implements simultaneous multithreading, delivering 12 threads from its 6 cores. The Core 5 315 runs 6 threads from 6 cores, with no SMT. This directly impacts any benchmark that scales with thread count, and the data confirms the AMD part's dominance in multithreaded tests.

Memory architectures also differ. AMD uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X but restricts the bus to single-channel, capping bandwidth at 59.7 GB/s. The AMD chip carries 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes from the CPU; the Intel chip provides 6 PCIe Gen 4 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 includes a Radeon 760M. The Intel Core 5 315 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. Neither part unlocks its multiplier, and both target the mobile market segment. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP8, the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1516.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 dominates threaded and throughput-oriented workloads. Its 12 threads, larger L3 cache, and higher memory bandwidth produce decisive wins in Cinebench multicore tests, with margins of 37.5 to 37.6 percent across all three Cinebench versions. PassMark integer math shows the largest gap of any test: the AMD scores 67257 against Intel's 31690, a 112.2 percent advantage. Data compression also favors AMD heavily, with a 49.6 percent lead (218588 versus 146143), and random string sorting goes AMD's way by 48.2 percent. Multithreaded PassMark gives AMD a 27.1 percent edge (19411 versus 15272). Encryption and extended instructions round out the AMD wins at 19.4 and 18.8 percent respectively.

The Intel Core 5 315 wins in a narrower set of workloads, but they are not trivial. The single-thread PassMark score of 4021 beats AMD's 3558 by 11.5 percent, indicating the Intel core has a higher per-thread ceiling despite the lower boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus 4.90 GHz. Prime number finding shows Intel at 112 versus AMD's 66, a 41.1 percent lead, which suggests strong performance on latency-sensitive integer loops. Floating-point math also goes Intel's way, 42441 versus 38993, an 8.1 percent margin. The physics test gives Intel a 17.6 percent win, 1163 versus 958.

The pattern is clear: AMD wins wherever thread scaling or memory bandwidth matters, while Intel wins in single-threaded and certain math-heavy scenarios. For rendering, compression, sorting, encryption, and general multithreaded productivity, the AMD chip is the stronger part. For lightly threaded tasks where per-core efficiency dominates, the Intel chip has the edge.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 230 | Intel Core 5 315 |

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

| Cores | 6 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 6 |

| Base clock | 3.50 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Not recorded |

| Codename | Hawk Point | Wildcat Lake |

| Process node | 4 nm (TSMC) | 3 nm (Intel) |

| Transistors | 25,000 million | Not recorded |

| Die size | 178 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 64 KB per core | 192 KB total |

| L2 cache | 1 MB per core | 2.5 MB total |

| L3 cache | 16 MB shared | 6 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 59.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 lanes | Gen 4, 6 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 760M | Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) |

| Release date | 2025-01-05 | 2026-04-15 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $340 |

The table shows that the AMD part uses a higher base clock, more threads, a wider memory bus, and far more PCIe lanes. The Intel part counters with a smaller process node, a lower TDP, and LPDDR5X support. The Intel launch MSRP is recorded at $340; the AMD launch MSRP is not recorded in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite tells a consistent story. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 5 230 scores 1799 against Intel's 1308, a 37.5 percent win. The single-core R15 result repeats the same margin: 253 versus 184. Cinebench R20 multicore gives AMD 7499 to Intel's 5452, again 37.5 percent, and the single-core test lands at 1058 versus 769, a 37.6 percent margin. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 17857 versus 12981, and single-core shows 2521 versus 1832, both at 37.6 percent. The consistency of the delta across all three Cinebench versions indicates a fixed architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

PassMark results split the two processors more evenly. The AMD chip wins data compression by 49.6 percent, scoring 218588 to Intel's 146143. Random string sorting goes AMD's way by 48.2 percent, 26019 versus 17551. Integer math is the largest single gap in the entire comparison: AMD scores 67257 and Intel scores 31690, giving AMD a 112.2 percent lead. Multithreaded PassMark puts AMD ahead by 27.1 percent, 19411 versus 15272. Data encryption favors AMD by 19.4 percent, 13280 versus 11119, and extended instructions go AMD's way by 18.8 percent, 15618 versus 13143.

The Intel wins are concentrated in four PassMark categories. The single-thread test (recorded twice as passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, both with identical scores) gives Intel 4021 against AMD's 3558, an 11.5 percent margin. Prime number finding is Intel's largest win: 112 versus 66, a 41.1 percent advantage. Floating-point math goes Intel by 8.1 percent, 42441 versus 38993. Physics gives Intel a 17.6 percent win, 1163 versus 958.

Counting the head-to-head results, the AMD Ryzen 5 230 wins 12 of the 17 recorded tests, and the Intel Core 5 315 wins 5. The AMD part's average benchmark score of 25782 places it near the Intel Core i7-11700K (25812, a 0.1 percent deficit) and the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (25625, a 0.6 percent surplus). The Intel Core 5 315's average of 18188 aligns closely with the AMD EPYC 9274F and Intel Core i7-9700, both at a 0 percent delta. The percentile rankings, 78 for AMD versus 72 for Intel, confirm that the Ryzen 5 230 sits in a higher overall performance tier despite the Core 5 315's notable single-thread and math wins.