AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core 7 150U Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents an unambiguous outcome. The Intel Core 7 150U wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the database, taking all 11 comparisons, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U records zero wins. The Intel part holds a higher average benchmark score of 17395 against AMD's 14320, a gap of roughly 21.5%. The Intel Core 7 150U also sits at the 71st percentile of all CPUs, two points above the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U at the 69th percentile. For any workload represented in these measurements, the data points to the Intel Core 7 150U as the stronger processor. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U remains a functional mobile chip, but its benchmark profile shows it trailing across the board, with its closest rival in the database being the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 at a 0.1% difference in average score, indicating it sits in a lower performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design generations and foundries. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U belongs to the 3000 series and uses the Picasso codename, built on the Zen+ architecture at a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. The Intel Core 7 150U uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-U, manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel. The transistor counts differ substantially, with AMD listing 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while Intel does not report a transistor count or die size in the database.

Core configurations show a stark split. The AMD chip has 4 cores and 4 threads with no simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel chip offers 10 cores and 12 threads. Cache hierarchies also differ. AMD uses 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 4 MB L3 cache. Intel uses 80 KB of L1 per core, a much larger 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 12 MB L3 cache, three times the AMD L3 capacity. Clock behavior diverges as well: the AMD base clock is 2.10 GHz with a 3.70 GHz boost, while the Intel part starts at 1.80 GHz but boosts to 5.40 GHz, a far higher ceiling that likely explains much of its single-thread advantage.

Memory support differs. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 only with dual-channel memory and a measured bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel Core 7 150U supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, though the database does not list a bandwidth figure for it. PCIe generation also differs, with AMD on Gen 3 and Intel on Gen 4 with 8 lanes for the CPU only. Both chips have integrated graphics, but different solutions: AMD integrates Radeon Vega 8, while Intel integrates Iris Xe Graphics 96EU. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both are locked, with no unlocked multiplier available on either part. Release dates in the database show the Intel part released in January 2024 while the AMD part carries a May 2026 release date, a notable reversal where the older architecture is listed as releasing later.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head data shows no workload category where the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U takes a win. Every benchmark, from data compression to prime number finding to physics simulation, goes to the Intel Core 7 150U. The largest Intel advantages appear in compute-heavy tasks. The extended instructions test shows Intel ahead by 62.6%, prime number finding by 63.8%, and floating point math by 63.1%. These are large margins that suggest Intel's wider core count and higher boost clock dominate arithmetic and instruction-heavy workloads.

The smallest Intel lead, though still decisive, is in single-thread performance. The passmark single thread score shows Intel at 3508 against AMD's 2136, a 39.1% gap. That remains a massive single-thread advantage. Data compression shows a 44.9% lead for Intel, random string sorting a 43% lead, and data encryption a 44.3% lead. Multithread performance sits in between, with Intel ahead by 51.9% in the passmark multithread test and 52.3% in physics. The pattern is consistent: Intel leads by roughly 39% to 64% depending on the test, with no test falling below that range. The AMD chip, by contrast, has no bright spot in the recorded results.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 7 150U has 10 cores and 12 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core 7 150U averages 17395, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U averages 14320. The Intel part also holds the 71st percentile of all CPUs compared to AMD's 69th.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No. The database records zero wins for the AMD chip and 11 wins for the Intel Core 7 150U across all head-to-head tests.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The Intel Core 7 150U scores 3508 in the passmark single thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2136, giving Intel a 39.1% lead.

Q: What process nodes do the two chips use?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U uses a 12 nm node from GlobalFoundries, while the Intel Core 7 150U uses a 10 nm node at Intel.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: The AMD chip supports DDR4 only. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results in the database are one-sided. The Intel Core 7 150U wins all 11 recorded comparisons, with deltas ranging from 39.1% to 63.8%. The largest margin comes in the passmark find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 58 against AMD's 21, a 63.8% advantage. This test often reflects raw integer throughput and core efficiency, and the Intel part dominates it.

Floating point math shows a similar pattern. Intel scores 34405 versus AMD's 12707, a 63.1% lead. Extended instructions follow closely, with Intel at 8748 and AMD at 3274, a 62.6% gap. These three tests, all above 62% Intel advantage, point to a processor that handles compute-intensive instruction streams far more effectively. The physics test gives Intel 1012 against AMD's 483, a 52.3% lead. Multithread performance shows Intel at 14700 versus AMD's 7071, a 51.9% lead.

Integer math follows with Intel at 51057 and AMD at 26321, a 48.4% gap. Data encryption shows Intel at 10025 against AMD's 5580, a 44.3% lead. Data compression gives Intel 158622 versus AMD's 87380, a 44.9% advantage. Random string sorting rounds out the mid-range with Intel at 18269 and AMD at 10414, a 43% lead. The single thread test, recorded twice in the database with identical scores, shows Intel at 3508 against AMD's 2136, a 39.1% gap, the smallest margin in the set but still a substantial deficit for AMD.

The consistency of these results is striking. Every test type, from memory-sensitive sorting to pure arithmetic, lands in the same direction. The Intel part's 5.40 GHz boost clock compared to AMD's 3.70 GHz likely drives much of the single-thread gap, while its 10 cores and 12 threads versus 4 cores and 4 threads explain the multithread advantage. The smaller L3 cache on the AMD side, 4 MB versus 12 MB, may also contribute to the compression and sorting deficits. The data does not support any scenario where the AMD chip closes the gap.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification field in the database. Core count: AMD has 4, Intel has 10. Thread count: AMD has 4, Intel has 12. Base clock: AMD at 2.10 GHz, Intel at 1.80 GHz. Boost clock: AMD at 3.70 GHz, Intel at 5.40 GHz. Both are rated at 15 W TDP. Sockets differ: AMD uses Socket FP5, Intel uses BGA 1744. The AMD part is codenamed Picasso on Zen+, while Intel is Raptor Lake-U. Process node: AMD at 12 nm from GlobalFoundries, Intel at 10 nm from Intel. AMD reports 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die; Intel reports neither.

Cache layouts differ significantly. L1 per core: AMD at 96 KB, Intel at 80 KB. L2 per core: AMD at 512 KB, Intel at 1.25 MB. L3 shared: AMD at 4 MB, Intel at 12 MB. Memory support: AMD only DDR4, Intel both DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bus is dual-channel for both, but AMD lists 38.4 GB/s bandwidth while Intel lists none. PCIe: AMD Gen 3, Intel Gen 4 with 8 CPU-only lanes. Integrated graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 8, Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU. Neither supports ECC. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. Release dates differ, with Intel listed for January 2024 and AMD for May 2026, though the AMD architecture is the older Zen+ design. The Intel part number is SRMYP, while AMD's is YM3501C4T4MFG.