AMD Ryzen 5 3400G vs Intel Core i5-8500T Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits this comparison cleanly by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G wins 6 of the 8 head-to-head tests, including every Cinebench iteration, while the Intel Core i5-8500T takes 2 wins in Geekbench. If your priority is threaded rendering performance, the Ryzen 5 3400G is the clear choice: it leads by roughly 16% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core tests. The i5-8500T counters in Geekbench, where it leads by 15.1% in multi-core and 7.8% in single-core. Both CPUs sit at the 46th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy the same overall performance tier, but the Ryzen achieves that standing with four cores and eight threads while the Intel uses six cores and six threads. The Ryzen 5 3400G is the better pick for anyone running Cinebench-style workloads; the i5-8500T is the better pick for Geekbench-style workloads. The Intel part is end-of-life, while the AMD remains active in production, which matters for long-term availability.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-8500T is built on Coffee Lake using a 14 nm process from Intel's own foundry. It packs six physical cores with six threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G uses the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It has four physical cores but eight threads thanks to simultaneous multithreading. The AMD chip integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Intel die size and transistor count are not recorded in the database.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The i5-8500T provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 9 MB L3 pool. The Ryzen 5 3400G offers 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has more total cache at the L3 level, while the AMD part has larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations. Clock speeds favor the AMD chip significantly: the i5-8500T runs at 2.10 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost, while the Ryzen 5 3400G runs at 3.70 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. This clock advantage explains much of the AMD's lead in single-threaded Cinebench tests.

The integrated graphics also differ. The Intel i5-8500T uses UHD 630, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G uses Radeon RX Vega 11. The database records no benchmark scores for either iGPU, so no direct comparison is possible. The Ryzen 5 3400G has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, while the i5-8500T is locked. Memory bandwidth slightly favors the AMD part: 46.9 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s, both on dual-channel DDR4. The Intel uses Socket 1151 with PCIe Gen 3 and 16 CPU lanes, while the AMD uses Socket AM4 with PCIe Gen 3, though lane count is not specified for the AMD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. The Ryzen 5 3400G wins every Cinebench test by almost exactly the same margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 789 against the Intel's 662, a delta of 16.1%. Single-core R15 shows 111 versus 93, a 16.2% gap. Cinebench R20 repeats the pattern: multi-core 3290 versus 2759 (16.1% gap), single-core 464 versus 389 (16.2% gap). Cinebench R23 continues it: multi-core 7835 versus 6571 (16.1% gap), single-core 1106 versus 927 (16.2% gap). The uniformity of these deltas suggests a consistent architectural efficiency difference in Cinebench's workload, likely tied to the Ryzen's higher clock speeds and simultaneous multithreading.

Geekbench flips the script. The Intel i5-8500T wins Geekbench multi-core with a score of 4293 against the AMD's 3731, a 15.1% lead. In Geekbench single-core, the Intel scores 1187 against 1101, a 7.8% lead. This is a notable reversal, especially given that the AMD chip has a 0.7 GHz higher boost clock. The Intel's six physical cores likely help in Geekbench multi-threaded scaling, and its per-core efficiency in that benchmark appears stronger despite the lower clock speed. The database shows the i5-8500T's average benchmark score at 2110, slightly above the Ryzen's 2059, even though the AMD wins more individual tests. This reflects the different weighting of benchmark types in the average.

The Ryzen 5 3400G also has additional 3DMark results not present for the Intel chip: 2414 at 16 threads, 994 at 2 threads, 1703 at 4 threads, 2391 at 8 threads, 2384 at max threads, and 516 at single thread. These scores show scaling from 2 to 8 threads nearly tripling performance (994 to 2391), with diminishing returns beyond 8 threads.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G wins both Cinebench R23 tests. It scores 7835 in multi-core versus 6571 for the Intel i5-8500T, a 16.1% gap. In single-core, it scores 1106 versus 927, a 16.2% gap.

Q: Which CPU is faster in Geekbench?

A: The Intel Core i5-8500T wins both Geekbench tests. It scores 4293 in multi-core versus 3731 for the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G, a 15.1% lead, and 1187 in single-core versus 1101, a 7.8% lead.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Intel i5-8500T has 6 cores and 6 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G has 4 cores and 8 threads. The AMD has fewer physical cores but uses simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The Intel i5-8500T has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The AMD chip runs significantly faster in both metrics.

Q: Which CPU has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel i5-8500T has 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G has only 4 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the AMD chip has larger per-core L1 cache (96 KB versus 64 KB) and L2 cache (512 KB versus 256 KB).

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-8500T is marked as end-of-life in the database. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G is marked as active, meaning it remains in production.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G dominates Cinebench workloads across all three versions tested. Its 16.1% multi-core and 16.2% single-core advantages in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 are consistent and substantial. The Ryzen also offers an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking beyond its already higher 4.20 GHz boost clock. Its larger L1 and L2 caches likely contribute to its Cinebench efficiency, and its 46.9 GB/s memory bandwidth gives it a small edge in memory throughput. The Ryzen's 3DMark results show strong thread scaling, with 8-thread scores reaching 2391 versus 994 at 2 threads. For users running rendering, video encoding, or other Cinebench-like multithreaded tasks, the Ryzen is the better performer.

The Intel Core i5-8500T wins in Geekbench, both multi-core and single-core. Its 15.1% multi-core lead and 7.8% single-core lead in that benchmark indicate different workload characteristics. The Intel's six physical cores provide more raw core count, which may help in Geekbench's scaling patterns. Its larger 9 MB L3 cache is likely beneficial for workloads that repeatedly access shared data. The Intel chip also has a much lower TDP of 35 watts versus the AMD's 65 watts, making it a better fit for power-constrained systems or compact builds where cooling is limited. Its 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes on the CPU are explicitly documented, which may matter for discrete GPU or NVMe configurations. The Intel part also carries a higher average benchmark score (2110 versus 2059) and outperforms the AMD in its nearest rival comparisons, with the i5-8500T sitting 0.1% above the Core i5-8259U and 0.4% above the Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G, while the Ryzen 5 3400G sits 0.1% above the Core i3-10105T and 0.2% above the Ryzen 3 3100.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ across nearly every major specification. The Intel Core i5-8500T uses the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process from Intel, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G uses Zen+ (Picasso) on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. Core and thread counts differ: 6 cores and 6 threads for Intel, 4 cores and 8 threads for AMD. Base clocks are 2.10 GHz versus 3.70 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.50 GHz versus 4.20 GHz, both favoring AMD. TDP differs significantly: 35 watts for Intel versus 65 watts for AMD. Sockets differ: Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket AM4.

Cache structures are different at every level. Intel has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3. AMD has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth favors AMD at 46.9 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s, both dual-channel DDR4, and neither supports ECC. PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, but Intel specifies 16 lanes from the CPU while AMD only lists Gen 3 without lane count. Integrated graphics differ: Intel uses UHD 630, AMD uses Radeon RX Vega 11. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel chip is locked. The Intel part is end-of-life and released in April 2018, while the AMD part is active and released in July 2019. The AMD carries a launch MSRP of $149. The AMD has 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while Intel's transistor count and die size are not recorded. Intel's part number is SR3XD; AMD's is YD3400C5M4MFH or YD3400C5FHBOX.