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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U and Intel Core Ultra 5 245T occupy very different positions in the processor market, and the benchmark data reflects that gap clearly. The Ryzen 5 3501U is a 4-core, 4-thread mobile chip from AMD’s 3000 series, built on the Picasso architecture with a 12 nm process. The Core Ultra 5 245T is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor from Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2, using Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm node. Across every recorded head-to-head benchmark, the Intel part posts a higher score, with margins ranging from roughly half to more than ninety percent. The following analysis breaks down those results, the architectural reasons behind them, and what each processor is best suited for based solely on the recorded data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core Ultra 5 245T dominates all eleven shared tests. The narrowest gap appears in single-threaded workloads. In the passmark single-thread test, the Intel processor scores 4367 against the Ryzen 5 3501U’s 2136, a lead of 51.1 percent. That is still a substantial margin, but it is the smallest of any comparison. The same gap appears in the duplicate passmark singlethread test, confirming consistency.

The largest margin comes from the prime number search test. The Core Ultra 5 245T records 324 while the Ryzen 5 3501U manages only 21, a difference of 93.5 percent. This workload is highly sensitive to raw integer throughput and core count, both areas where the Intel part has a clear structural advantage.

Floating-point math shows another enormous gap. The Intel chip scores 108499, the AMD chip 12707, an 88.3 percent deficit for the Ryzen. Extended instruction workloads follow a similar pattern: Intel scores 22071, AMD 3274, a 85.2 percent gap. Data encryption also favors Intel heavily, with 23656 versus 5580, a 76.4 percent difference.

Multithreaded performance tells the same story. The passmark multithread test records 30833 for Intel and 7071 for AMD, a 77.1 percent gap. Physics simulation shows 2278 versus 483, an 78.8 percent difference. Data compression favors Intel at 283812 versus 87380, a 69.2 percent gap. Random string sorting shows Intel at 34931 and AMD at 10414, a 70.2 percent difference. Integer math rounds out the list with Intel at 88676 and AMD at 26321, a 70.3 percent gap.

In total, the Core Ultra 5 245T wins all 11 head-to-head benchmarks. The Ryzen 5 3501U records zero wins. The average benchmark score for the Intel processor is 38194, placing it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The AMD processor averages 14320, sitting in the 69th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Intel part are the AMD Ryzen 7 250, with an average score of 38221 and a delta of 0.1 percent, and the Intel Core i5-14490F at 38149, also a 0.1 percent delta. The Ryzen 5 3501U’s closest competitor is the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 at 14336, a 0.1 percent difference. These nearest-rival figures show that both processors are competitive within their own performance tiers, but those tiers are far apart.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap explains the benchmark results. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses four cores and four threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The Core Ultra 5 245T uses fourteen cores and fourteen threads. That is a 10-core difference, which directly impacts any workload that scales with core count.

The process nodes also differ substantially. The AMD chip is manufactured on a 12 nm process by GlobalFoundries, with 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel chip uses a 3 nm process from TSMC, packing 17,800 million transistors into a 243 mm² die. The newer node allows for higher density and better power efficiency per transistor, though the Intel part’s 65 watt TDP is much higher than the AMD part’s 15 watt TDP.

Clock speeds favor Intel as well. The Core Ultra 5 245T has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Ryzen 5 3501U starts at 2.10 GHz and boosts to 3.70 GHz. The boost difference of 1.40 GHz is significant for single-threaded responsiveness.

Cache hierarchies are also very different. The Intel processor has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD processor has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The total L3 cache difference is 20 MB in favor of Intel, which helps with larger working sets and repeated data access.

Memory support diverges completely. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses DDR4 with dual-channel support and a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Core Ultra 5 245T uses DDR5, also dual-channel, but with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. That is nearly three times the theoretical bandwidth, which benefits memory-heavy workloads.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The AMD chip uses PCIe Gen 3, while the Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The newer standard offers higher transfer rates for compatible devices. The Intel processor also supports ECC memory, which the AMD chip does not.

Integrated graphics are present on both, but with different designs. The Ryzen 5 3501U includes Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The Core Ultra 5 245T includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so the comparison ends at the specification level.

The Intel processor is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1851, while the AMD processor is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP5. The release dates differ, with the Intel chip released in January 2025 and the AMD chip in May 2026. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $270. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The Core Ultra 5 245T wins every recorded workload category, so the practical question is not which processor wins, but where the AMD chip remains usable. The Ryzen 5 3501U’s single-thread score of 2136 is roughly half of the Intel chip’s 4367. That means basic desktop responsiveness, light document editing, and web browsing would still function, but with noticeable lag compared to the Intel part.

The AMD chip’s multithread score of 7071 versus Intel’s 30833 indicates that even moderately parallel tasks like video encoding or software compilation would take significantly longer. The data compression score of 87380 versus 283812 shows a similar pattern for file archiving or backup routines.

The Intel processor’s strengths are most pronounced in compute-heavy scenarios. The prime number score of 324 against 21 indicates a massive advantage in integer-heavy, branch-predictable loops. The floating-point score of 108499 versus 12707 points to a strong showing in scientific calculations, 3D rendering, and any workload using SIMD instructions. The extended instructions score of 22071 versus 3274 further confirms the Intel part’s ability to handle modern instruction sets efficiently.

The physics score of 2278 versus 483 suggests that the Intel chip handles game physics or simulation workloads far better. Data encryption at 23656 versus 5580 means the Intel part can secure data much faster, which matters for VPN usage, disk encryption, or secure file transfers.

The single-thread advantage of 51.1 percent also means the Intel part is better for lightly threaded applications like legacy software, spreadsheets, or database queries that rely on one or two cores. The Ryzen 5 3501U would still run these tasks, but with a measurable performance penalty.

The Intel processor’s higher memory bandwidth and DDR5 support give it an edge in memory-bound workloads, though the database does not include dedicated memory benchmarks. The larger L3 cache further helps with repetitive data access patterns.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear split. The Core Ultra 5 245T is the stronger processor in every benchmark category, with an average score 2.67 times higher than the Ryzen 5 3501U. Its 86th percentile ranking versus the AMD part’s 69th percentile confirms that the Intel chip sits in a higher performance class overall.

Anyone needing maximum compute throughput for multithreaded tasks, heavy integer or floating-point work, or high-bandwidth memory access should choose the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T. Its 14 cores, 5.10 GHz boost clock, DDR5 support, and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity make it suitable for demanding desktop workloads. The launch MSRP of $270 places it in the mainstream desktop segment.

The Ryzen 5 3501U, with its 15 watt TDP and 4 cores, is designed for mobile systems where power efficiency matters more than raw performance. Its 12 nm process and older Picasso architecture limit its ceiling, but the low TDP means it could fit in thin-and-light laptops where battery life is a priority. The database shows no benchmark win for the AMD chip, so any choice in its favor must come from factors outside the recorded performance data, such as system-level power draw or platform cost.

The nearest rival data reinforces this conclusion. The Core Ultra 5 245T trades blows with the AMD Ryzen 7 250 and Intel Core i5-13600KF, both high-performance parts. The Ryzen 5 3501U sits alongside the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C and Intel Core 7 160UL, which are lower-end chips. The performance tiers are distinct, and the benchmark results align with those tiers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-thread score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245T scores 4367 in the passmark single-thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2136. The Intel part leads by 51.1 percent.

Q: How large is the multithreaded performance gap?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245T scores 30833 in passmark multithread, versus 7071 for the Ryzen 5 3501U. That is a 77.1 percent difference in favor of Intel.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

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

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245T supports DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any benchmark in the database?

A: No. The head-to-head comparison shows all 11 benchmarks won by the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T. The Ryzen 5 3501U records zero wins.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each chip?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245T has an average benchmark score of 38194, placing it in the 86th percentile. The Ryzen 5 3501U averages 14320, in the 69th percentile.