AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data separates these two processors decisively. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, taking 11 wins out of 11 tests. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U records zero wins. For any workload measured, the Intel part delivers substantially higher performance, with margins ranging from 56.2% in single-threaded tests to 95.4% in prime number finding.

The Ryzen 5 3501U sits in the 69th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Core Ultra 9 285 sits in the 95th percentile. Its average benchmark score of 14,320 places it near the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (14,336, a 0.1% deficit) and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14,277, a 0.3% advantage). The Core Ultra 9 285 averages 75,488, landing between the AMD EPYC 8224P (75,582, a 0.1% deficit) and the AMD EPYC 4545P (75,373, a 0.2% advantage).

The data indicates these are not competing in the same performance class. The Ryzen 5 3501U is a 15-watt mobile part with 4 cores and 4 threads. The Core Ultra 9 285 is a 65-watt desktop part with 24 cores and 24 threads. The launch MSRP for the Core Ultra 9 285 is $579. The Ryzen 5 3501U has no recorded launch MSRP.

Pick the Core Ultra 9 285 for any task where throughput, multi-threaded performance, or raw compute speed matters, as the measurements show it ahead by at least 84% in every multi-threaded workload recorded. Pick the Ryzen 5 3501U only when the platform constraints match its mobile design, lower power envelope, and AMD Socket FP5 requirement, since the benchmark results provide no performance-based reason to choose it.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and fabrication processes. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses the Picasso codename, built on the Zen+ architecture, and belongs to the Ryzen 5 generation labeled Zen+ (Picasso). It is manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 12 nm process. The Core Ultra 9 285 uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, belongs to the Ultra 9 (Arrow Lake) generation, and is manufactured by TSMC on a 3 nm process.

Transistor counts differ by a wide margin. The Ryzen 5 3501U contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Core Ultra 9 285 contains 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The Intel part packs over three times the transistors into a slightly larger die area, enabled by the denser 3 nm node.

Core and thread configurations also diverge sharply. The Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The Core Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads, also without multithreading, but with six times the physical core count.

Cache hierarchies differ in both capacity and distribution. The Ryzen 5 3501U provides 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 9 285 provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has 9 times the L3 capacity and 6 times the L2 per core.

Memory architecture moves to a newer standard. The Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. The Core Ultra 9 285 supports DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC support enabled. The Intel platform offers 2.7 times the memory bandwidth.

PCIe connectivity also advances. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses PCIe Gen 3. The Core Ultra 9 285 uses PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes available on the CPU. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Ryzen 5 3501U uses Radeon Vega 8, while the Core Ultra 9 285 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

Clock speeds show the Intel part running higher. The Ryzen 5 3501U has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The Core Ultra 9 285 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Market positioning differs completely. The Ryzen 5 3501U targets the mobile segment, uses AMD Socket FP5, and has a 15 W TDP. The Core Ultra 9 285 targets the desktop segment, uses Intel Socket 1851, and has a 65 W TDP. The Ryzen 5 3501U was released on 2026-05-31, while the Core Ultra 9 285 was released on 2024-12-31.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results show a clean sweep for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285. No test in the database favors the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U.

The single-threaded tests show the smallest margin. In passmark_single_thread, the Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2,136 while the Core Ultra 9 285 scores 4,881, a 56.2% advantage for Intel. The same margin appears in the passmark_singlethread result, which records the identical scores.

Multi-threaded workloads widen the gap considerably. In passmark_multithread, the Ryzen 5 3501U scores 7,071 against 56,602 for the Core Ultra 9 285, an 87.5% deficit. The physics test shows a similar pattern: 483 for AMD versus 3,598 for Intel, a 86.6% gap.

Compute-heavy tests deliver the largest deltas. The passmark_find_prime_numbers test shows the biggest disparity, with the Ryzen 5 3501U scoring 21 and the Core Ultra 9 285 scoring 459, a 95.4% difference. The extended instructions test follows closely: 3,274 versus 45,357, a 92.8% gap. Floating point math shows 12,707 versus 194,988, a 93.5% deficit for the AMD part.

Integer math results are closer in percentage terms but still decisive. The Ryzen 5 3501U scores 26,321 against 164,869 for the Core Ultra 9 285, an 84% gap. Data encryption shows 5,580 versus 46,949, an 88.1% difference. Data compression records 87,380 versus 602,121, an 85.5% gap. Random string sorting shows 10,414 versus 73,651, an 85.9% difference.

The smallest multi-threaded deficit is 84% in integer math. The largest is 95.4% in prime number finding. Across all recorded workloads, the Intel part delivers at least 2.3 times the performance of the AMD part, and in several tests it delivers more than 15 times.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in every major specification field recorded in the database.

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 3501U | Intel Core Ultra 9 285 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 24 |

| Threads | 4 | 24 |

| Base clock | 2.10 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.70 GHz | 5.60 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP5 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Codename | Picasso | Arrow Lake-S |

| Process node | 12 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 17,800 million |

| Die size | 210 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 cache | 96 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 512 KB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 4 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC memory | false | true |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Vega 8 | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release date | 2026-05-31 | 2024-12-31 |

| Part number | YM3501C4T4MFG | SRQD4 |

The architecture field is null for the Ryzen 5 3501U, while the Core Ultra 9 285 records Arrow Lake. The Ryzen 5 3501U has no launch MSRP, while the Core Ultra 9 285 has a launch MSRP of $579.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How much faster is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 in single-threaded performance?

A: In the passmark_single_thread test, the Core Ultra 9 285 scores 4,881 against 2,136 for the Ryzen 5 3501U, a 56.2% advantage.

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

A: The passmark_find_prime_numbers test shows the largest gap. The Core Ultra 9 285 scores 459 while the Ryzen 5 3501U scores 21, a 95.4% difference.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not.

Q: Which processor uses a smaller manufacturing process?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is built on a 12 nm process by GlobalFoundries.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 supports DDR5 memory with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. Its advantages are smallest in single-threaded workloads, where it leads by 56.2%, and largest in prime number finding, where it leads by 95.4%. The data compression, encryption, extended instructions, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, and random string sorting tests all show Intel leads by at least 84%.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not win a single recorded benchmark. Its strengths, based on the specification data, lie outside raw performance. It operates at a 15 W TDP, which is 50 W lower than the Intel part. It uses the AMD Socket FP5 platform, targets the mobile segment, and supports DDR4 memory. Its smaller die size of 210 mm² and lower transistor count of 4,940 million suggest a simpler power delivery requirement, though the database records no power consumption measurements beyond the TDP figures.

For workloads that depend on multi-threaded throughput, the Core Ultra 9 285 is the only choice supported by the data. Its 24 cores deliver an 87.5% advantage in the multithread test and an 86.6% advantage in physics. For memory-intensive tasks, the Intel part provides 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth against 38.4 GB/s, a 2.7 times advantage. For PCIe connectivity, the Core Ultra 9 285 uses PCIe Gen 5, while the Ryzen 5 3501U uses PCIe Gen 3.

The Ryzen 5 3501U may fit platforms where a 15 W TDP, a mobile socket, and DDR4 support are required. The database shows no performance scenario where it comes out ahead. The Core Ultra 9 285 delivers the higher scores across all recorded tests, with a 95th percentile ranking versus the 69th percentile ranking of the Ryzen 5 3501U.