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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K occupy opposite ends of the processing spectrum. The Ryzen 5 3501U is a 15-watt mobile chip built for efficiency, while the Core Ultra 9 285K is a 125-watt desktop flagship. The recorded data shows a complete dominance by the Intel part in every shared benchmark, but the margin of victory varies significantly by workload, revealing distinct architectural strengths.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K wins all 11 head-to-head comparisons in the database. The narrowest margin comes in the passmark_single_thread test, where Intel scores 5087 against AMD's 2136, a 58% advantage. This is the closest contest between the two, yet it still represents a substantial lead in raw per-core performance.

The largest deltas appear in compute-heavy workloads. In passmark_find_prime_numbers, the Intel part scores 541 versus 21 for the AMD chip, a 96.1% difference in favor of Intel. The extended instructions test shows a 94.7% gap, with Intel at 62277 and AMD at 3274. Floating point math follows a similar pattern: Intel delivers 224324 against AMD's 12707, a 94.3% difference.

Data compression results show Intel at 790052 versus AMD's 87380, an 88.9% delta. The encryption test gives Intel 57745 against AMD's 5580, a 90.3% margin. Random string sorting favors Intel at 94927 versus 10414, an 89% gap. The multithread score, often a proxy for overall throughput, shows Intel at 67260 and AMD at 7071, a difference of 89.5%. Physics calculations follow with Intel at 3938 and AMD at 483, an 87.7% gap. Integer math completes the sweep with Intel at 172379 versus AMD's 26321, an 84.7% margin.

The average benchmark score reinforces this hierarchy. Intel's average is 83807, while AMD's average is 14320. That difference places the Intel part at the 96th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the AMD chip sits at the 69th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Intel part are other high-end processors: the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is 0.2% ahead, the EPYC 4584PX is 0.9% behind, the EPYC 9135 is 1% behind, and the EPYC 7F72 is 1.5% ahead. The Ryzen 5 3501U competes in a different tier entirely, with its closest rival, the Ryzen Embedded V2546, only 0.1% ahead, followed by the Ryzen 3 7320C at 0.3% behind and the Core 7 160UL at 0.6% behind.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different designs. The Ryzen 5 3501U uses the Picasso codename, part of the Ryzen 5 generation built on the Zen+ microarchitecture. It is manufactured on a 12 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. The process node difference alone explains much of the efficiency and performance gap.

Core counts differ sharply. The AMD part has 4 cores and 4 threads, with no simultaneous multithreading. The Intel part has 24 cores and 24 threads. The cache hierarchy reflects this scale difference. The Ryzen 5 3501U has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 9 285K has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part also uses a larger physical die at 243 mm², compared to AMD's 210 mm². Transistor counts tell a similar story: Intel integrates 17,800 million transistors, while AMD has 4,940 million.

Memory support diverges as well. The Ryzen 5 3501U supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, delivering 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Core Ultra 9 285K supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part also supports ECC memory, while the AMD part does not. PCIe connectivity differs, with the AMD chip using Gen 3, while the Intel part uses Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics also differ. The AMD part uses Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the Intel part uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The market segments are opposite: the Ryzen 5 3501U is a mobile processor, while the Core Ultra 9 285K is a desktop processor. The AMD chip has a locked multiplier, while the Intel part has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split by use case. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is the superior processor in every measured metric. Its 24 cores, 36 MB of L3 cache, 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 5.70 GHz boost clock produce results that place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U, with 4 cores, 4 MB of L3 cache, 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, and a 3.70 GHz boost, cannot compete in raw throughput.

The only area where the AMD part shows relative strength is single-threaded performance, where the delta narrows to 58%. This indicates that for lightly threaded tasks, the Zen+ architecture is less severely outmatched, but the Intel part still wins decisively.

The Core Ultra 9 285K targets workloads that demand maximum multithreaded throughput, large data sets, and high memory bandwidth. Its 24 threads and 36 MB of L3 cache are designed for content creation, scientific computing, and heavy multitasking. The Ryzen 5 3501U targets mobile systems where the 15-watt TDP and integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics provide a balanced package for everyday use, but the benchmark results show it cannot match the Intel flagship in any compute-intensive scenario.

The production status of both parts is listed as active, and the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $589. The choice between them is dictated by the host platform: the Ryzen 5 3501U fits AMD Socket FP5 mobile systems, while the Core Ultra 9 285K requires Intel Socket 1851 desktop boards.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 4 (AMD) versus 24 (Intel)
• Threads: 4 (AMD) versus 24 (Intel)
• Base clock: 2.10 GHz (AMD) versus 3.70 GHz (Intel)
• Boost clock: 3.70 GHz (AMD) versus 5.70 GHz (Intel)
• TDP: 15 W (AMD) versus 125 W (Intel)
• Socket: AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel Socket 1851
• Codename: Picasso versus Arrow Lake-S
• Generation: Ryzen 5 (Zen+, Picasso) versus Ultra 9 (Arrow Lake)
• Process node: 12 nm versus 3 nm
• Foundry: GlobalFoundries versus TSMC
• Transistors: 4,940 million versus 17,800 million
• Die size: 210 mm² versus 243 mm²
• L1 cache: 96 KB per core versus 192 KB per core
• L2 cache: 512 KB per core versus 3 MB per core
• L3 cache: 4 MB shared versus 36 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR4 versus DDR5
• Memory bandwidth: 38.4 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s
• ECC memory: no versus yes
• PCIe: Gen 3 versus Gen 5, 20 lanes (CPU only)
• Integrated graphics: Radeon Vega 8 versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU
• Market segment: Mobile versus Desktop
• Release date: 2026-05-31 versus 2024-10-23
• Launch MSRP: none versus $589
• Multiplier unlocked: false versus true
• Part number: YM3501C4T4MFG versus SRQD5

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

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

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The Intel part scores 5087 in passmark_single_thread, while the AMD part scores 2136. This is a 58% advantage for Intel, the smallest delta between the two processors.

Q: What is the multithread score difference?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scores 67260 in passmark_multithread, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U scores 7071, an 89.5% difference.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

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

Q: Which processor has a higher percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is at the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is at the 69th percentile.