AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs AMD Ryzen 5 8400F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a complete sweep for the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F across all 11 shared benchmark tests. The Ryzen 5 3501U does not register a single win in any measured workload. The margins are substantial in every category, but the size of the gap varies meaningfully by workload type.

The largest single advantage appears in extended instructions, where the 8400F scores 22,175 against 3,274 for the 3501U, a delta of 85.2%. This indicates the 8400F handles SIMD and complex instruction sets far more efficiently. Floating point math shows a similar story: 46,217 versus 12,707, a 72.5% gap. Integer math delivers 74,021 against 26,321, a 64.4% difference. These three raw compute tests confirm that the 8400F is not merely faster due to extra cores; the per-core execution efficiency is decisively higher.

The multithreaded PassMark score sits at 24,389 for the 8400F versus 7,071 for the 3501U, a 71% deficit for the mobile chip. Prime number finding, a test sensitive to both clock speed and core count, shows 89 versus 21, a 76.4% gap. Data compression results in 288,158 versus 87,380, a 69.7% difference, while random string sorting lands at 34,604 versus 10,414, a 69.9% gap. Data encryption produces 16,646 versus 5,580, a 66.5% gap. Physics simulation scores 1,332 versus 483, a 63.7% difference.

Single-thread performance is where the 8400F advantage narrows to its smallest point, yet it remains enormous. The 8400F posts 3,685 in PassMark single-thread against 2,136 for the 3501U, a 42% gap. That still represents a major generational improvement, but it shows that the 3501U's architecture is comparatively less disadvantaged when only one core is active.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras of AMD design and target entirely different market segments. The Ryzen 5 3501U is a mobile part from the 3000 series, built on the Zen+ (Picasso) generation. It uses a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries, contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, and fits into AMD Socket FP5. The Ryzen 5 8400F is a desktop part from the 8000 series, built on Zen 4 (Phoenix). It uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, packs 25,000 million transistors onto a 178 mm² die, and uses AMD Socket AM5.

The core and thread configuration differs sharply. The 3501U provides 4 cores and 4 threads with no simultaneous multithreading. The 8400F provides 6 cores and 12 threads, doubling the thread count per core. Clock speeds also diverge: the 3501U runs at 2.10 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost, while the 8400F runs at 4.20 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost. The 8400F has a higher base clock than the 3501U's boost clock.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The 3501U allocates 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The 8400F uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The 8400F's L3 is four times larger in total, and its per-core L2 is double the size, which helps explain its superior performance in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption.

Memory support marks another dividing line. The 3501U supports DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration with 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The 8400F supports DDR5 in dual-channel with 83.2 GB/s. That is a 2.17x increase in theoretical bandwidth, directly feeding the 8400F's advantage in memory-sensitive tests.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The 3501U uses PCIe Gen 3, while the 8400F uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes on the CPU. The 3501U integrates Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the 8400F has no integrated graphics at all (N/A). The 8400F has an unlocked multiplier; the 3501U does not. Thermal design power tells the power story: 15 watts for the 3501U versus 65 watts for the 8400F, a 4.33x difference that reflects the mobile versus desktop positioning.

Release timing places the 3501U much later in the database than its architecture would suggest, with a release date in 2026, while the 8400F arrived in 2024. Both are listed as active in production.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 5 8400F wins every measured category, so the practical question is not which processor wins a given test, but how large the margin is in each workload class and what that implies for usage patterns.

For heavily multithreaded workloads, the 8400F's 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a 71% multithread score advantage and a 76.4% prime number advantage makes it the clear choice for rendering, compilation, and scientific computing. The physics score, 63.7% higher, reinforces this for simulation tasks.

For single-threaded responsiveness, the 8400F still leads by 42%, which is a smaller margin than its multithreaded dominance but still a decisive gap. Everyday desktop interaction, office documents, and lightly threaded applications will feel substantially faster on the 8400F.

For data-intensive workloads, the 8400F's larger L3 cache and DDR5 bandwidth produce its most extreme wins. Data compression shows a 69.7% gap, encryption a 66.5% gap, and extended instructions an 85.2% gap. The 8400F's 16 MB shared L3 versus 4 MB on the 3501U, combined with more than double the memory bandwidth, explains why these workloads benefit the most.

The 3501U's only structural advantages are its integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics, its 15-watt power envelope, and its mobile FP5 socket. In benchmark terms, the data shows no workload where the 3501U comes out ahead. Its relative strength, if any, would be in scenarios where the 8400F cannot be used at all due to platform requirements, such as a system lacking a discrete GPU and relying on integrated graphics. The 8400F has no iGPU, so a build with that processor requires a separate graphics card.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a one-sided comparison. The Ryzen 5 8400F outperforms the Ryzen 5 3501U in every recorded test, with margins ranging from 42% in single-thread to 85.2% in extended instructions. The average benchmark score for the 8400F is 25,005, placing it at the 77th percentile of all CPUs. The 3501U averages 14,320, at the 69th percentile. The nearest rivals in the database confirm the separation: the 8400F sits within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, Intel Core i7-11850H, Intel Core i7-13620H, and AMD EPYC 9474F, while the 3501U sits within 1% of the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546, AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, Intel Core 7 160UL, and Intel Core i5-10400F.

The 3501U is a mobile processor with integrated graphics and a 15-watt TDP. The 8400F is a desktop processor with a 65-watt TDP, no integrated graphics, and an unlocked multiplier. A system built around the 3501U would target low-power portable devices where battery life and thermal limits take priority over raw throughput. A system built around the 8400F would target desktop performance where power draw is acceptable and a discrete GPU is assumed.

The data does not support choosing the 3501U for performance reasons in any workload measured. Its only justifications are platform-level: the need for an integrated GPU, the FP5 socket form factor, or the 15-watt power class. For anyone comparing raw compute capability, the 8400F delivers between 1.7x and 6.8x the performance depending on the test. The launch MSRP of the 8400F is $170.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the Ryzen 5 8400F than the Ryzen 5 3501U in single-threaded tasks?

A: The 8400F scores 3,685 in PassMark single-thread versus 2,136 for the 3501U, a 42% advantage.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: No. The 3501U supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the 8400F supports DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. Both use dual-channel configurations.

Q: Does the 8400F have integrated graphics?

A: No. The 8400F lists integrated graphics as N/A, so it requires a discrete GPU. The 3501U includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The 3501U has a 15-watt TDP and the 8400F has a 65-watt TDP.

Q: Which workloads show the largest performance gap?

A: Extended instructions show the largest gap at 85.2%. Floating point math is 72.5% higher on the 8400F, and prime number finding is 76.4% higher.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 3501U | AMD Ryzen 5 8400F |

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

| Series | 3000 series | 8000 series |

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 4 | 12 |

| Base clock | 2.10 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.70 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP5 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Zen+ (Picasso) | Zen 4 (Phoenix) |

| Process node | 12 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 25,000 million |

| Die size | 210 mm² | 178 mm² |

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

| L2 cache | 512 KB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 4 MB (shared) | 16 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 83.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Vega 8 | N/A |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release date | 2026-05-31 | 2024-03-31 |

| Multiplier unlocked | No | Yes |

| Part number | YM3501C4T4MFG | 100-000001591 |