AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a decisive hierarchy between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, taking 11 victories out of 11 comparisons. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not secure a single win in any measured test. This is not a close contest; the Intel part leads by margins ranging from 52.3% to 94.2% depending on the workload.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is a 3000 series part built on the older Picasso architecture. It sits in the 69th percentile of all CPUs according to the database, with an average benchmark score of 14,320. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (scoring 14,336, a 0.1% difference), the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14,277, 0.3% difference), the Intel Core 7 160UL (14,232, 0.6% difference), and the Intel Core i5-10400F (14,185, 1% difference). These are all comparable performers, which places the Ryzen 5 3501U firmly in the entry-level mobile tier.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX, part of the Core Ultra Series 2 with Arrow Lake-HX architecture, operates in a different class entirely. It reaches the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,287. Its closest rivals are the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A (48,201, 0.2% difference), the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 (48,171, 0.2% difference), the AMD EPYC 4345P (48,470, a 0.4% deficit), and the Intel Core i5-14600K (48,618, a 0.7% deficit). These rivals are all desktop-class or high-end mobile parts, showing where the 245HX actually competes.

The verdict from the data is straightforward. The Ryzen 5 3501U suits a system where power draw is the primary constraint and workloads are light. The Core Ultra 5 245HX is for demanding multitasking, content creation, and any task that scales across many cores. There is no overlap in their performance envelopes according to the measurements.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturing generations and use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U uses the Picasso codename, which is based on the Zen+ architecture. It is fabricated on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The chip contains 4,940 million transistors on a die size of 210 mm². It has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning it does not use simultaneous multithreading. Base clock is 2.10 GHz, boost clock is 3.70 GHz. The thermal design power is 15 watts. It uses the AMD Socket FP5.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX uses the Arrow Lake-HX codename with the Arrow Lake architecture. It is built on a 3 nm process at TSMC. The transistor count is 17,800 million, and the die size is 243 mm². It has 14 cores and 14 threads, also without hyperthreading on those cores. Base clock is 3.10 GHz, boost clock is 5.10 GHz. The thermal design power is 55 watts. It uses the Intel BGA 2114 socket.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The Ryzen 5 3501U provides 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 245HX provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has dramatically more on-chip storage at every level.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD chip supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel chip supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth, nearly triple the memory bandwidth. Both lack ECC memory support. The PCIe interface differs: the Ryzen 5 3501U uses Gen 3, while the Core Ultra 5 245HX uses Gen 5 with 20 lanes on the CPU.

Integrated graphics are present on both. The AMD chip uses Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The Intel chip uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 48 execution units. The database does not provide direct graphics benchmark comparisons, so the analysis here focuses on CPU compute results.

The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD part is locked. The release dates in the database show the Ryzen 5 3501U dated later (2026-05-31) than the Core Ultra 5 245HX (2025-01-12), though both are listed as active production parts.

Where Each One Wins

According to the head-to-head benchmark data, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX wins in every single category measured. There are no wins for the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U in any of the 11 recorded tests. The analysis below therefore focuses on the magnitude of the Intel advantage in different workload types, and what that means for the AMD part's realistic use cases.

The smallest Intel lead appears in single-threaded performance. In the passmark_single_thread test, the Intel chip scores 4,481 against the AMD's 2,136, a delta of 52.3%. This is the closest margin in the entire comparison. It still represents a massive per-core advantage, but it is the only test where the Intel part does not more than double the AMD score.

The largest Intel lead appears in the passmark_find_prime_numbers test. The Intel chip scores 359, the AMD scores 21, a delta of 94.2%. This test is highly sensitive to integer execution efficiency and cache behavior, and the Intel architecture dominates there.

The data compression test shows the Intel chip at 393,071 against the AMD's 87,380, a delta of 77.8%. The encryption test shows 30,022 versus 5,580, a delta of 81.4%. Extended instructions show 31,212 versus 3,274, a delta of 89.5%. Floating point math shows 120,735 versus 12,707, a delta of 89.5%. Integer math shows 92,150 versus 26,321, a delta of 71.4%. Multithread shows 38,069 versus 7,071, a delta of 81.4%. Physics shows 2,526 versus 483, a delta of 80.9%. Random string sorting shows 47,616 versus 10,414, a delta of 78.1%.

The Ryzen 5 3501U remains relevant only for the most power-constrained designs. Its 15 watt TDP is one third of the Intel part's 55 watt TDP. A system that must run fanless or on a very small battery could use the AMD part, but the performance ceiling is low. The Core Ultra 5 245HX is the choice for any workload that benefits from the 14 cores, the 24 MB L3 cache, the DDR5 bandwidth, or the high boost clock.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX has an average benchmark score of 48,287, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has an average of 14,320.

Q: How many cores and threads does each processor have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX has 14 cores and 14 threads.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has a TDP of 15 watts. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX has a TDP of 55 watts.

Q: Which chip has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX has 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What memory types do the two chips support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX supports DDR5 memory. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: In the single-thread benchmark, what is the exact score difference?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 4,481, and the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2,136. This represents a 52.3% lead for the Intel chip.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records 11 head-to-head benchmark comparisons between these two processors. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX wins all 11. The following walkthrough covers the most significant margins and what they indicate about the underlying performance characteristics.

The single-thread test is the closest contest. The Intel part scores 4,481, the AMD part scores 2,136, for a 52.3% advantage. This shows that even on a per-core basis, the Arrow Lake architecture at 3 nm and 5.10 GHz boost is far ahead of the Zen+ architecture at 12 nm and 3.70 GHz. The Intel chip delivers more than double the single-thread performance.

The multithread test shows an even larger gap. The Intel chip scores 38,069, the AMD chip scores 7,071, an 81.4% difference. This result combines the core count advantage (14 versus 4) with the per-core advantage. The Intel chip delivers over five times the multithreaded throughput.

The integer math test shows the Intel chip at 92,150 versus the AMD's 26,321, a 71.4% lead. Integer workloads are common in general productivity and database operations. The floating point math test shows 120,735 versus 12,707, an 89.5% lead. Floating point performance matters for scientific computing and some content creation tasks.

The find prime numbers test is the most lopsided result. The Intel chip scores 359, the AMD chip scores 21, a 94.2% difference. This test stresses the CPU's ability to execute tight loops of integer operations, and the Intel core design with its larger caches and newer process node produces a result that is over 17 times higher.

The data compression test shows 393,071 for Intel versus 87,380 for AMD, a 77.8% lead. Data compression relies on memory bandwidth and cache efficiency, where the Intel chip's 102.4 GB/s DDR5 bandwidth and 24 MB L3 cache provide a substantial advantage over the AMD chip's 38.4 GB/s DDR4 bandwidth and 4 MB L3 cache.

The data encryption test shows 30,022 for Intel versus 5,580 for AMD, an 81.4% lead. Encryption workloads are often limited by the speed of the cryptographic instructions and the ability to feed data through the pipeline. The extended instructions test, which covers SIMD and other specialized operations, shows 31,212 for Intel versus 3,274 for AMD, an 89.5% lead.

The physics test shows 2,526 for Intel versus 483 for AMD, an 80.9% lead. This test often correlates with gaming physics simulations, though the database does not provide direct gaming benchmarks. The random string sorting test shows 47,616 for Intel versus 10,414 for AMD, a 78.1% lead, indicating better memory access patterns and sorting efficiency.

The overall pattern is consistent. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX does not just win each test, it wins by margins that place it in a completely different performance class. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U, with its 15 watt TDP and 4-core design, is optimized for efficiency rather than speed. The 55 watt Intel part uses its larger power budget, more cores, newer process node, and faster memory to dominate every recorded measurement.