AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE vs Intel Core i5-8259U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data draws a remarkably clear line between these two processors: the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, while the Intel Core i5-8259U does not claim a single victory. That outcome is not a narrow margin either; the smallest advantage for AMD is 12.8% in Cinebench R15 single-core, and the largest is 13.6% across multiple tests. For a buyer examining use cases, this means the Ryzen 5 3400GE is the stronger choice for any workload captured by these Cinebench measurements, which primarily stress CPU rendering and multi-threaded compute.

The use-case split, however, is not entirely about raw performance. The AMD chip is a desktop part with a 35 W TDP, while the Intel chip is a mobile part with a 28 W TDP. That difference suggests the Intel i5-8259U is designed for laptops and compact systems where lower power draw and thermal output matter more than peak speed. The data does not include battery-life or thermal-sustained tests, so the analysis can only note the TDP figures and the market segments as recorded: AMD lists "Desktop" and Intel lists "Mobile." In practical terms, the Ryzen 5 3400GE wins on performance across all measured Cinebench versions, but the Intel part may still be the only one that fits a thin-and-light chassis given its socket (Intel BGA 1526 is soldered) and lower TDP.

Another angle is platform flexibility. The Ryzen 5 3400GE uses AMD Socket AM4 and has an unlocked multiplier, which means it can be paired with a wide range of motherboards and overclocked if the system allows. The Intel i5-8259U is a BGA package, not socketed, and its multiplier is locked. So, while the AMD chip wins every benchmark, the Intel chip offers a different kind of advantage: integration into a mobile platform where the user does not choose the CPU separately. The database shows no scenario where the Intel chip wins a Cinebench test, but the product positioning still separates them: one is a performance-oriented desktop APU, the other is a power-efficient mobile processor.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different process nodes and microarchitectures. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, using the Zen+ architecture with the codename Picasso. It is part of the 3000 series and is labeled as Ryzen 5 (Zen+ (Picasso)). The Intel Core i5-8259U, in contrast, is fabricated on Intel's 14 nm process (foundry: Intel) and uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically Coffee Lake-U. The die size reflects the process difference: AMD's chip is 210 mm², while Intel's is 126 mm². AMD also lists a transistor count of 4,940 million, whereas Intel's transistor count is not recorded in the database.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The AMD part has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. So Intel provides 50% more L3 cache (6 MB versus 4 MB), but AMD provides more per-core L1 and L2. Both support DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, but AMD's memory bandwidth is rated at 46.9 GB/s versus Intel's 38.4 GB/s, a 22% advantage for AMD. Neither supports ECC memory.

Integrated graphics also differ. AMD pairs the CPU with Radeon RX Vega 11, while Intel uses Iris Pro Plus 655. The database does not provide graphics benchmark scores, so the comparison cannot go beyond the model names. PCIe support is Gen 3 on both, but Intel's entry specifies "16 Lanes (CPU only)" while AMD's simply says "Gen 3." The production statuses are also different: AMD's part is listed as "Active," while Intel's is "End-of-life." Release dates place AMD's launch on 2019-07-06 and Intel's on 2018-04-04, so the Intel chip is older and no longer in production.

Clock speeds tell another story. AMD's base clock is 3.30 GHz with a boost of 4.00 GHz, while Intel's base is 2.30 GHz with a boost of 3.80 GHz. That 1.00 GHz base-clock gap and 0.20 GHz boost gap likely contribute to AMD's consistent benchmark lead, especially in single-threaded tests where clocks matter most. The TDP difference (35 W vs 28 W) is modest, but the AMD part is a desktop chip with more thermal headroom, while the Intel part is a mobile chip designed for constrained environments.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head table in the database is unambiguous: six tests, six wins for the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD scores 757 versus Intel's 667, a 13.5% advantage. In R15 single-core, AMD scores 106 versus Intel's 94, a 12.8% advantage. Moving to Cinebench R20, AMD leads multi-core with 3158 versus 2781, a 13.6% gap, and single-core with 445 versus 392, a 13.5% gap. In Cinebench R23, AMD again leads multi-core with 7520 versus 6622, and single-core with 1061 versus 934, both at 13.6% deltas.

The consistency is striking. Across three generations of Cinebench (R15, R20, R23), the percentage advantage stays in a narrow band between 12.8% and 13.6%. That pattern suggests the performance difference is structural, likely driven by clock speed and memory bandwidth, rather than workload-specific quirks. The AMD chip's higher base clock (3.30 GHz vs 2.30 GHz) and higher boost (4.00 GHz vs 3.80 GHz) appear to translate directly into a roughly 13% performance edge across all tested multi-threaded and single-threaded render loads.

The Intel chip does have additional benchmark entries not present for AMD: Geekbench multi-core (4168) and single-core (1207). But since the head-to-head comparison only includes Cinebench tests, those Geekbench scores cannot be compared directly to the AMD part. The database records them for Intel only. Still, the overall average benchmark scores reflect the trend: AMD's average benchmark score is 2175, while Intel's is 2108. AMD's percentile versus all CPUs is 47, and Intel's is 46, so both sit near the median of the database, but AMD is slightly higher.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE wins all three multi-core tests. It scores 757 versus 667 in R15, 3158 versus 2781 in R20, and 7520 versus 6622 in R23, with deltas of 13.5%, 13.6%, and 13.6% respectively.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-8259U win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. Across the six recorded head-to-head tests (Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, each with single-core and multi-core), the Intel chip records zero wins. AMD wins all six.

Q: How do the clock speeds compare?

A: The AMD chip has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost of 4.00 GHz. The Intel chip has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost of 3.80 GHz. AMD's base is 1.00 GHz higher, and its boost is 0.20 GHz higher.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has a TDP of 35 W, while the Intel Core i5-8259U has a TDP of 28 W. The Intel part is rated for lower power draw.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-8259U has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has 4 MB of shared L3. Intel leads by 2 MB in L3, but AMD has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is listed as "Active," while the Intel Core i5-8259U is listed as "End-of-life."

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear performance winner: the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE. It beats the Intel Core i5-8259U by roughly 13% in every Cinebench test, whether single-core or multi-core, and across three different versions of the benchmark. Its higher clock speeds (3.30 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost versus 2.30 GHz and 3.80 GHz) and higher memory bandwidth (46.9 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s) align with that result. For anyone building a desktop system where those Cinebench workloads matter, the Ryzen 5 3400GE is the stronger processor based on the recorded measurements.

The Intel Core i5-8259U, however, has its own rationale. It is a mobile part with a lower TDP (28 W versus 35 W), a BGA socket that is soldered to the motherboard, and an end-of-life production status. Its smaller die size (126 mm² versus 210 mm²) and older release date (April 2018 versus July 2019) suggest it was designed for a different era of ultraportable laptops. The data cannot say which chip is better for battery life or sustained mobile workloads because those tests are not present. But if the only criteria are the Cinebench scores in this database, the AMD part wins outright.

For a user who prioritizes raw multi-threaded rendering performance and has a socketed AM4 platform, the Ryzen 5 3400GE is the clear pick. For a user who needs a low-power, integrated mobile solution in an existing BGA laptop design, the i5-8259U is the only one of the two that fits that form factor. The database records no scenario where the Intel chip outperforms the AMD chip, but the two are not interchangeable products: one is a desktop APU, the other is a mobile processor.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two processors differ, based on the database records.

| Field | AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE | Intel Core i5-8259U |

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

| Series / Generation | 3000 series, Ryzen 5 (Zen+ (Picasso)) | Core i5 (Coffee Lake-U) |

| Architecture | Zen+ | Coffee Lake |

| Codename | Picasso | Coffee Lake-U |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 126 mm² |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | Not recorded |

| Base Clock | 3.30 GHz | 2.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.00 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 28 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel BGA 1526 |

| L1 Cache | 96 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 46.9 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

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

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon RX Vega 11 | Iris Pro Plus 655 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2019-07-06 | 2018-04-04 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $320 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | YD3400C6M4MFH | SRCKBSRCUU |

| Geekbench Scores | Not recorded | Multi: 4168, Single: 1207 |