AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core i5-10400 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-10400 and AMD Ryzen 5 3501U occupy very different corners of the processor market, and the benchmark data quantifies that gap clearly. While both chips land near the 68th and 69th percentiles of all CPUs, respectively, their average benchmark scores—14037 for the Intel and 14320 for the AMD—are surprisingly close. That parity, however, masks a lopsided head-to-head record: the Intel part wins 10 of 11 direct comparisons, with the AMD scoring a single victory in data encryption. The numbers reveal a desktop chip that crushes in raw throughput and a mobile part with a narrow but notable specialty.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-10400 dominates the PassMark suite with margins that range from decisive to staggering. In extended instructions, the Intel scores 12501 against the AMD’s 3274, a 281.8% advantage that reflects a fundamental gap in processing capability. Data compression tells a similar story: 187207 versus 87380, a 114.2% lead for Intel. Random string sorting follows at 122.8% ahead (23206 vs 10414), and floating-point math more than doubles the AMD result, 26080 to 12707, for a 105.2% edge. These are not close contests; they are workload-specific blowouts.

The Intel chip also wins the more general multi-threaded tests. PassMark multithread shows 12006 versus 7071, a 69.8% lead, while integer math comes in at 41715 against 26321, a 58.5% margin. Even the find prime numbers test, often sensitive to core count, goes Intel’s way by 61.9% (34 vs 21). Single-thread performance is closer but still favors Intel: 2560 versus 2136, a 19.9% advantage. Physics scores follow the same pattern, 669 to 483, a 38.5% win for the desktop part.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U’s sole head-to-head victory comes in data encryption, where it scores 5580 against Intel’s 4078, a 26.9% improvement. This is a meaningful outlier—it suggests the AMD silicon has a specific strength in cryptographic workloads that the Intel chip cannot match. But it is the only bright spot in an otherwise one-sided set of results. The Intel part’s wins are not just frequent; they are often by multiples, with three tests exceeding a 100% delta. For anyone comparing these two, the headline is clear: the i5-10400 is the performance king in nearly every measured category, while the 3501U holds one niche crown.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two chips is stark. The Intel Core i5-10400 is built on Intel’s 14 nm process under the Comet Lake codename, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U uses a 12 nm node from GlobalFoundries with the Picasso codename, part of the Zen+ generation. The transistor counts reflect that difference: the AMD packs 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die, whereas the Intel chip’s transistor count is not specified in the data. The smaller process node and larger transistor budget give AMD a theoretical density advantage, but the benchmark results show that does not translate into overall performance supremacy.

Core and thread configurations differ significantly. The Intel part offers 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD is limited to 4 cores and 4 threads—no simultaneous multithreading. This explains much of the multi-threaded benchmark gap. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, with 12 MB of shared L3, while the AMD provides 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel part’s threefold L3 advantage is critical for workloads that benefit from large shared pools of fast memory.

Memory bandwidth further separates them. The i5-10400 supports dual-channel DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth, versus the 3501U’s dual-channel DDR4 at 38.4 GB/s. Both support DDR4 and neither supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel lists Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while AMD specifies only Gen 3 without a lane count. The integrated graphics are distinct as well—Intel uses UHD Graphics 630, while AMD pairs its chip with Radeon Vega 8. The AMD part is a mobile chip on Socket FP5 with a 15 W TDP, whereas the Intel is a desktop part on Socket 1200 with a 65 W TDP. Both are locked (multiplier not unlocked), and both are listed as Active in production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400 wins 10 of the 11 head-to-head tests, with the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U taking only the data encryption test.

Q: How large is the multi-threaded performance gap?

A: In PassMark multithread, the Intel scores 12006 against the AMD’s 7071, a 69.8% lead for the Intel part.

Q: Is there any workload where the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is faster?

A: Yes, in data encryption the AMD scores 5580 versus Intel’s 4078, a 26.9% advantage.

Q: What is the difference in core and thread counts?

A: The Intel has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 14320 versus Intel’s 14037, despite losing the majority of individual tests.

Q: What are the cache size differences?

A: Intel offers 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while AMD provides only 4 MB shared; per-core L1 and L2 are larger on AMD (96 KB and 512 KB versus 64 KB and 256 KB).

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i5-10400 is the superior processor for almost any compute-heavy task. Its wins in extended instructions, data compression, floating-point math, and multithreaded workloads are not marginal—they are often double or triple the AMD’s output. For users running rendering, code compilation, or scientific calculations, the Intel part is the obvious choice. The 6-core/12-thread configuration, larger 12 MB L3 cache, and higher memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s combine to deliver consistently higher scores across the PassMark suite.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U, meanwhile, is not without merit, but its strengths are narrow. The single data encryption win suggests a cryptographic niche, and its higher average benchmark score (14320 vs 14037) hints at consistency across other tests not in the head-to-head list. Its 15 W TDP and mobile socket (FP5) also point to a different use case: efficiency and portability rather than raw speed. For a laptop or compact system where power draw is critical, the 3501U may be the better fit. But for anyone who needs a desktop workhorse, the i5-10400’s 114.2% lead in data compression and 281.8% lead in extended instructions are impossible to ignore. The verdict is straightforward: pick Intel for performance, AMD for encryption-specific or low-power mobile scenarios.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-10400 | AMD Ryzen 5 3501U |

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

| Cores | 6 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.90 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.30 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | AMD Socket FP5 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 12 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | Not specified | 4,940 million |

| Die Size | Not specified | 210 mm² |

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

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

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

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

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 | Radeon Vega 8 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Part Number | SRH3CSRH78 | YM3501C4T4MFG |