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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U and Intel Core i5-10400F are positioned nearly identically in the aggregate benchmark hierarchy, with the AMD part scoring an average of 14,320 and the Intel part scoring 14,185. This places the Ryzen 5 3501U at the 69th percentile of all CPUs and the Core i5-10400F at the 68th, making them direct competitors in overall performance. However, a closer look at the data reveals that this parity is superficial; the two processors are built for entirely different environments and excel in completely different types of workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-10400F is the clear winner in almost every measurable compute task. In the head-to-head benchmark suite, the Intel processor claims victory in 10 out of 11 tests. The most significant margins are in data compression, where the Intel chip scores 185,944 versus the AMD's 87,380, a 53% advantage. It also dominates in extended instructions (12,500 vs 3,274, a 73.8% lead), random string sorting (23,185 vs 10,414, a 55.1% lead), and floating-point math (25,956 vs 12,707, a 51% lead). These are the workloads that benefit from the Intel chip's six cores and twelve threads, and the data shows it is unequivocally faster in multi-threaded and instruction-heavy applications.

The Ryzen 5 3501U wins only one head-to-head test, but it is a notable one: data encryption. The AMD processor scores 5,580 compared to the Intel's 4,100, a 36.1% advantage. This suggests that the AMD architecture, despite having fewer cores, has a more efficient encryption pipeline or instruction set for this specific task. This is a significant win for the mobile chip, as encryption is a common background workload in laptops.

The performance split is clear. For any user focused on raw compute, rendering, or data processing, the Core i5-10400F is the obvious choice. For a user who prioritizes security-related tasks or runs a system where encryption performance is critical, the Ryzen 5 3501U holds a distinct advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs represent fundamentally different design philosophies and market targets. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is a mobile processor built on the Picasso architecture, which is based on the Zen+ microarchitecture. It is fabricated on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 210 mm² and 4,940 million transistors. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The TDP is a low 15 watts, making it suitable for thin and light laptops.

In contrast, the Intel Core i5-10400F is a desktop processor using the Comet Lake architecture, which is a refinement of the Skylake design. It is built on Intel's 14 nm process. The chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The TDP is significantly higher at 65 watts, reflecting its desktop orientation. The Intel chip has no integrated graphics, while the AMD part includes Radeon Vega 8, making the AMD chip a complete solution for a system without a discrete GPU.

The cache hierarchies also differ substantially. The AMD chip has 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 4 MB L3 cache. The Intel chip has a smaller 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core but compensates with a much larger shared 12 MB L3 cache. The larger L3 cache on the Intel part is a key reason for its strong performance in multi-threaded workloads. Memory bandwidth is also higher on the Intel chip, at 42.7 GB/s versus the AMD's 38.4 GB/s, though both use dual-channel DDR4.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear verdict. The Intel Core i5-10400F is the superior processor for anyone who needs maximum compute performance. It wins 10 of 11 benchmarks, and its wins are often by massive margins. The 73.8% lead in extended instructions and the 53% lead in data compression are not small differences; they represent a generation-level gap in processing capability. For tasks like video encoding, 3D rendering, or software compilation, the Intel chip is the only logical choice between the two.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is not a better processor in the traditional sense, but it is a better fit for a specific use case. Its 15-watt TDP and integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics make it a practical solution for a compact, power-efficient mobile system. The 36.1% win in data encryption is a unique feature that could be decisive for a user who regularly handles encrypted files or runs a VPN server. The data shows that this chip's value is not in raw speed but in its efficiency and its specific capability in encryption workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 14,320 compared to the Intel Core i5-10400F's 14,185. The difference is approximately 1%, placing them in the same performance tier.

Q: The Intel chip has more cores, but does it win in every benchmark?

A: No. While the Intel Core i5-10400F wins 10 out of 11 head-to-head tests, the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U wins the data encryption benchmark with a score of 5,580 versus 4,100, a 36.1% advantage.

Q: What is the single largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in the passmark extended instructions test, where the Intel Core i5-10400F scores 12,500 against the AMD's 3,274. This represents a 73.8% lead for the Intel processor.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, they are very close. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is in the 69th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core i5-10400F is in the 68th percentile.

Q: Does the AMD chip have an integrated GPU?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. The Intel Core i5-10400F does not have any integrated graphics, requiring a separate discrete GPU for display output.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a lopsided contest. The Intel Core i5-10400F wins the majority of the tests, and the margins are often substantial. The largest difference is in the extended instructions workload, where Intel leads by 73.8% (12,500 vs 3,274). Data compression is the next biggest win for Intel, with a 53% lead (185,944 vs 87,380). The Intel chip also shows a 55.1% advantage in random string sorting (23,185 vs 10,414) and a 51% lead in floating-point math (25,956 vs 12,707). Multi-thread performance is also heavily in Intel's favor, with a 41.6% lead (12,115 vs 7,071). The Intel chip even wins in single-thread performance, scoring 2,541 versus the AMD's 2,136, a 15.9% difference.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U's single victory is in data encryption, where it posts a score of 5,580. This is 36.1% higher than the Intel's 4,100. This is the only test where the AMD chip does not trail, and the margin is significant enough to suggest a specific architectural strength rather than a statistical anomaly.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets highlight the divergent nature of these two parts. The most obvious difference is the core and thread count: the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i5-10400F has 6 cores and 12 threads. Clock speeds also favor Intel, with its base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.30 GHz, compared to the AMD's 2.10 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost. The TDP is a major differentiator, with the AMD chip rated at 15 watts and the Intel chip at 65 watts, reflecting their mobile and desktop design targets, respectively. The sockets are incompatible: the AMD uses AMD Socket FP5, while the Intel uses Intel Socket 1200. The process nodes differ, with the AMD at 12 nm and the Intel at 14 nm. The cache structure is different, with the AMD having 4 MB of shared L3 and the Intel having 12 MB. Memory bandwidth is higher on the Intel part (42.7 GB/s) than on the AMD (38.4 GB/s). Finally, the AMD has integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the Intel has none.