AMD Ryzen 5 230 vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 5 230, which wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the Intel Core 5 330 taking the remaining 5. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 25,782, placing it in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel chip averages 18,345 and sits in the 72nd percentile.

The most dramatic difference appears in integer math, where AMD dominates with a score of 67,257 versus Intel's 33,258, a 102.2% advantage. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison and indicates a fundamental throughput difference in basic arithmetic workloads. Data compression also shows a wide gap: AMD scores 218,588 against Intel's 145,287, a 50.5% lead. Random string sorting follows a similar pattern, with AMD ahead by 46.4% (26,019 versus 17,771).

Cinebench results are consistently one-sided. Across all three versions of the render benchmark, AMD wins both single-core and multi-core runs by exactly 35.8% (the single-core R15 run shows a 36% delta). In R23 multi-core, AMD posts 17,857 versus Intel's 13,150; in R23 single-core, AMD posts 2,521 versus Intel's 1,856. The same 35.8% margin recurs in R15 multi-core (1,799 versus 1,325), R15 single-core (253 versus 186), R20 multi-core (7,499 versus 5,523), and R20 single-core (1,058 versus 779). This consistency suggests a stable architectural efficiency advantage rather than workload-specific behavior.

Multithreaded performance in PassMark also favors AMD, with a 25.5% lead (19,411 versus 15,471). Data encryption shows a narrower but still clear AMD advantage of 19.9% (13,280 versus 11,076), and extended instruction workloads give AMD a 21.9% edge (15,618 versus 12,808).

The Intel Core 5 330 does claim several wins, and they are not trivial. In PassMark single-thread testing, Intel scores 4,088 against AMD's 3,558, a 13% advantage. Floating point math also goes to Intel: 43,885 versus 38,993, an 11.1% lead. Physics simulation favors Intel by 20.2% (1,201 versus 958), and prime number finding shows Intel at 114 versus AMD's 66, a 42.1% lead. These results indicate that Intel's microarchitecture, while slower in aggregate throughput, handles certain latency-sensitive or specialized workloads more effectively.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 is the clear choice for heavily threaded, throughput-oriented tasks. Its 12 threads (versus Intel's 6) directly feed the multi-core Cinebench wins, and the integer math result of 67,257 more than doubles Intel's output. Compression, encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting all favor AMD by margins between 19.9% and 50.5%. For rendering, data processing, or any workload that scales with parallel execution, the data points firmly to AMD.

The Intel Core 5 330 wins in single-threaded PassMark testing, where its 4,088 score exceeds AMD's 3,558 by 13%. The physics result (1,201 versus 958) and floating point math (43,885 versus 38,993) suggest that Intel's design handles scientific or simulation-style calculations with better efficiency per thread. The prime number score of 114 versus 66 is notable, though it represents a narrow workload category. These wins are meaningful for software that relies on single-core latency or specific math operations, but they do not offset the broader multi-core deficit.

The overall average benchmark score tells a clear story: AMD's 25,782 average is 40.5% higher than Intel's 18,345. In the nearest rival context, AMD's score is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-11700K (25,812, a 0.1% difference), while Intel's score aligns with the Core i3-14100 (18,318, a 0.1% difference). This positions the two chips in different performance tiers despite both being 6-core mobile parts.

The Verdict

From the recorded data alone, the AMD Ryzen 5 230 is the faster processor in the majority of measured workloads. It leads in 12 of 17 benchmarks, including every Cinebench test and the most demanding PassMark multi-threaded tasks. The 102.2% integer math advantage and the 35.8% Cinebench margins are decisive. Users running render workloads, compression pipelines, or parallel data processing should expect substantially higher throughput from the AMD part.

The Intel Core 5 330 is not without merits. Its single-thread PassMark score of 4,088 is higher, and its physics and floating point results beat AMD by 20.2% and 11.1% respectively. For software that is poorly threaded or that depends on specific math instructions, Intel can deliver better per-core performance. The prime number finding (114 versus 66) also indicates strength in certain algorithmic tasks.

The benchmark database places AMD in the 78th percentile versus Intel's 72nd, and the average score gap is roughly 7,400 points. The AMD Ryzen 5 230 should be selected when overall compute throughput is the priority. The Intel Core 5 330 should be considered when single-threaded PassMark performance or physics simulation results matter more than aggregate multi-core output.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 averages 25,782, while the Intel Core 5 330 averages 18,345, giving AMD a roughly 7,400 point advantage.

Q: How large is the Cinebench R23 multi-core gap?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 230 scores 17,857 versus the Intel Core 5 330's 13,150, a 35.8% difference in favor of AMD.

Q: In which benchmarks does the Intel Core 5 330 win?

A: Intel wins PassMark single-thread (4,088 versus 3,558), floating point math (43,885 versus 38,993), physics (1,201 versus 958), and prime number finding (114 versus 66).

Q: What is the largest single benchmark margin?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark integer math, where AMD scores 67,257 against Intel's 33,258, a 102.2% difference.

Q: How do the two chips compare to their nearest rivals?

A: AMD's average score of 25,782 is within 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-11700K (25,812) and 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655GE (25,880). Intel's average of 18,345 is within 0.1% of the Intel Core i3-14100 (18,318) and 0.2% of the Core i3-13100 (18,380).

Q: Does the Intel chip have any advantage in multi-threaded tests?

A: No. AMD wins PassMark multithread (19,411 versus 15,471, a 25.5% lead) and all three Cinebench multi-core tests by 35.8%.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on Intel's 3 nm process, also with 6 cores but only 6 threads. Its cache configuration differs substantially: 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3.

The AMD part's 12 threads versus Intel's 6 is the most important architectural difference for multi-threaded performance. The larger L3 cache (16 MB versus 6 MB) also helps keep more working data on-die. Intel's 3 nm process node is smaller, but the database does not list transistor count or die size for the Intel chip, so a direct density comparison is not possible.

Memory architecture differs as well. AMD supports dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while Intel supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X but only through a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. This 29.9 GB/s bandwidth gap directly affects data-heavy workloads. AMD also provides 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only), versus Intel's 6 lanes, which affects expansion capability for discrete components.

Integrated graphics differ: the AMD Ryzen 5 230 carries a Radeon 760M, while the Intel Core 5 330 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The database does not include iGPU benchmark scores, so any comparison between the two graphics solutions is not supported by the data.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 230 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a TDP of 28 W. The Intel Core 5 330 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a TDP of 15 W. AMD's higher base clock and 13 W higher TDP reflect its throughput-oriented design, while Intel's lower base clock and lower TDP point toward energy-conscious operation.

Both processors have 6 cores, but AMD offers 12 threads against Intel's 6. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket FP8, while Intel uses Intel BGA 1516. AMD's process node is 4 nm from TSMC; Intel's is 3 nm from Intel's own foundry. Memory support favors AMD with dual-channel DDR5 and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, versus Intel's single-channel DDR5/LPDDR5X at 59.7 GB/s. PCIe connectivity also favors AMD: Gen 4 with 20 lanes versus Intel's Gen 4 with 6 lanes.

Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part lists a part number of 100-000001726 and a release date of January 5, 2025. The Intel part lists part number SAE3G and a release date of April 15, 2026. The Intel Core 5 330 has a launch MSRP of $309; the AMD Ryzen 5 230 has no recorded launch MSRP. Production status for both is Active.