AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core i5-14400 Comparison

The Verdict

The database places these two processors in entirely different performance classes. The Intel Core i5-14400 holds an 82nd percentile ranking across all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U sits at the 69th percentile. In every recorded head-to-head benchmark, the Intel part wins, taking all 11 comparisons. The average benchmark score tells the same story: the Core i5-14400 posts 32,115 points against 14,320 for the Ryzen 5 3501U, a 124% advantage. The Ryzen 5 3501U is a mobile APU aimed at thin-and-light notebooks, while the Core i5-14400 is a desktop processor with a 65-watt TDP, a launch MSRP of $221, and 10 cores versus the AMD chip's 4 cores. Buyers choosing between these two are not comparing similar products; the Intel part is the clear performance leader in every measurable workload, while the AMD part's only advantage is its 15-watt TDP and integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics, which the Intel CPU does not match in raw compute.

Architecture Differences

The Ryzen 5 3501U uses AMD's Picasso silicon, built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Core i5-14400 uses Intel's Raptor Lake-R architecture on a 10 nm process, with a 215 mm² die size and no published transistor count. The AMD chip is a 4-core, 4-thread part with no simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel chip offers 10 cores and 16 threads. The Ryzen base clock is 2.10 GHz with a 3.70 GHz boost, compared to Intel's 2.50 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost.

Cache configurations differ sharply. The Ryzen 5 3501U allocates 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Core i5-14400 uses 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. That fivefold L3 advantage gives the Intel part substantially more room for frequently accessed data.

Memory support also separates the two. The Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 only, through a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Core i5-14400 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, though the database does not list a bandwidth figure for Intel. The AMD chip lacks ECC memory support; the Intel chip includes it. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the Ryzen uses Gen 3, while the Core i5-14400 supports Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The integrated graphics are one area where the AMD part holds a nominal feature advantage. The Ryzen 5 3501U carries Radeon Vega 8, while the Core i5-14400 uses UHD Graphics 730. Neither part is a gaming-class GPU, but the database records no graphics benchmarks for either, so no performance conclusion can be drawn. The Ryzen 5 3501U is socketed in AMD Socket FP5 and targets the mobile segment, while the Core i5-14400 uses Intel Socket 1700 for desktops. Both parts are currently active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-14400 wins every recorded benchmark. The largest margin comes in extended instructions, where Intel scores 19,816 versus AMD's 3,274, a 83.5% deficit for the Ryzen. Floating-point math shows a 79.4% gap, with Intel at 61,549 and AMD at 12,707. The Intel part also leads in integer math (82,017 versus 26,321, a 67.9% gap), data compression (314,995 versus 87,380, a 72.3% gap), and data encryption (16,731 versus 5,580, a 66.6% gap).

The Ryzen 5 3501U has no benchmark wins, but its profile suggests where it fits. The 15-watt TDP is a fraction of Intel's 65 watts, which matters for battery-powered mobile systems. The Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics give it a feature that the Intel desktop part's UHD Graphics 730 may not match in practice, though no measured data supports that claim. The Ryzen also runs on DDR4 memory, which is less expensive and more widely available than DDR5, though the database does not include pricing for the AMD chip.

For workloads that depend on multithreaded throughput, the Intel part's 16 threads versus 4 threads is decisive. The passmark multithread score shows Intel at 25,080 against AMD's 7,071, a 71.8% gap. Single-thread performance is closer proportionally but still favors Intel: 3,741 versus 2,136, a 42.9% gap. The Ryzen 5 3501U remains competitive only in scenarios where power draw and thermal output are the primary constraints, not raw speed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400 has 10 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the performance gap in multithreaded workloads?

A: The passmark multithread score shows the Intel part at 25,080 and the AMD part at 7,071, a 71.8% deficit for the Ryzen.

Q: Do these processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports only DDR4, while the Intel Core i5-14400 supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400 has 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference?

A: The Intel part scores 3,741 in passmark single-thread, while the AMD part scores 2,136, a 42.9% advantage for Intel.

Q: Are both processors currently in production?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U and the Intel Core i5-14400 are listed as active in production.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single victory for the Intel Core i5-14400 comes in passmark extended instructions. The Intel part scores 19,816, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U manages only 3,274, a 83.5% margin. This test exercises CPU instruction set extensions, where Intel's newer Raptor Lake architecture and higher clocks clearly dominate the older Picasso design.

Floating-point math shows the second-biggest gap. Intel posts 61,549 against AMD's 12,707, a 79.4% deficit. This workload benefits from the Intel part's 10 cores and 16 threads, which allow parallel floating-point operations across more execution units. The Ryzen's 4 cores and 4 threads simply cannot scale to the same level.

Prime number finding is another decisive Intel win. The Core i5-14400 scores 80, while the Ryzen 5 3501U scores 21, a 73.7% gap. This test is integer-heavy and highly dependent on both clock speed and core count, both of which favor the Intel part.

Data compression shows Intel at 314,995 versus AMD's 87,380, a 72.3% margin. The multithread score follows the same pattern: Intel at 25,080, AMD at 7,071, a 71.8% gap. These two results indicate that the Intel part scales better across multiple threads, which aligns with its 16-thread configuration versus the Ryzen's 4 threads.

Integer math delivers an Intel score of 82,017 against AMD's 26,321, a 67.9% gap. Random string sorting shows Intel at 32,346 and AMD at 10,414, a 67.8% margin. Data encryption gives Intel 16,731 versus AMD's 5,580, a 66.6% gap. Physics testing rounds out the passmark suite with Intel at 1,396 and AMD at 483, a 65.4% margin.

The closest relative result in the entire comparison is single-thread performance. Intel scores 3,741, AMD scores 2,136, a 42.9% gap. While still a clear Intel win, this is the smallest proportional difference in the dataset. It suggests that the Ryzen 5 3501U's per-core efficiency is less far behind than its multithreaded output, though the Intel part's higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz versus 3.70 GHz still secures the victory.

The Ryzen 5 3501U's nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (14,336 average score, 0.1% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14,277, 0.3% behind), the Intel Core 7 160UL (14,232, 0.6% behind), and the Intel Core i5-10400F (14,185, 1% behind). The Core i5-14400's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-12800H (32,121, 0% delta), the Intel Core i7-13705H (32,076, 0.1% behind), the Intel Core i5-14450HX (32,040, 0.2% behind), and the Intel Core i9-11900 (32,226, 0.3% ahead). These rival positions confirm that each processor competes within its own performance tier: the Ryzen 5 3501U sits among mobile and embedded parts, while the Core i5-14400 trades blows with high-end laptop and desktop chips from the same era.