AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Xeon 6315P Comparison

The Intel Xeon 6315P and AMD Ryzen 5 3501U are both 4-core, 4-thread processors, but they target entirely different segments of the market. The Xeon 6315P, a server and workstation part on Intel’s Raptor Lake architecture, delivers overwhelming performance superiority in nearly every benchmark category. The Ryzen 5 3501U, a mobile chip based on AMD’s older Zen+ architecture, offers a dramatically lower thermal footprint and integrated graphics, making it a fundamentally different product. Benchmark results indicate a 10-to-1 win split in favor of the Intel part, with the only AMD victory being a marginal 2% edge in data encryption.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6315P is the clear performance champion across the board. In PassMark’s multithread test, it scores 11,923 versus the Ryzen’s 7,071, a 68.6% advantage. This gap widens significantly in compute-heavy workloads: floating point math shows the Xeon ahead by 163.6% (33,496 vs. 12,707), and integer math results in a 2.8% win (27,046 vs. 26,321), which is the closest contest among the shared benchmarks. The Xeon’s dominance extends to extended instructions, where it leads with 10,539 points against the Ryzen’s 3,274, a staggering 221.9% difference. In prime number finding, the Xeon scores 150 versus just 21 for the AMD part, a 614.3% margin that highlights the per-core throughput gap.

Single-thread performance is also firmly in Intel’s corner. The Xeon 6315P posts a score of 3,795 in PassMark’s single-thread test, beating the Ryzen 5 3501U’s 2,136 by 77.7%. Data compression results follow the same trend, with the Xeon at 118,313 and the Ryzen at 87,380, a 35.4% lead. Physics calculations favor the Xeon by 139.3% (1,156 vs. 483), and random string sorting sees a 39.1% advantage (14,487 vs. 10,414).

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U’s only benchmark win comes in data encryption, where it scores 5,580 against the Xeon’s 5,470. That 2% margin is narrow and does not offset the Intel chip’s massive leads elsewhere. The Ryzen’s real strength is not raw speed but its 15W TDP compared to the Xeon’s 55W, making it suitable for fanless or ultraportable designs where power draw is the priority. Its integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics also provide a display output capability that the Xeon lacks, as the Intel part has no integrated GPU.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The Intel Xeon 6315P is built on Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-R revision, using Intel’s 10 nm process and a 163 mm² die. It features 4 cores and 4 threads with a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Each core includes 80 KB of L1 cache and 1.25 MB of L2 cache, with a shared 12 MB L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and crucially, it supports ECC memory, which is essential for server reliability. The Xeon also provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, a major bandwidth advantage. It is a server and workstation part with a launch MSRP of $213.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U belongs to the 3000 series and is based on the Picasso codename, which uses the Zen+ microarchitecture. It is manufactured on GlobalFoundries’ 12 nm node, with a larger 210 mm² die that houses 4,940 million transistors. The chip runs at a 2.10 GHz base clock and 3.70 GHz boost clock. Cache configurations differ significantly: each core has 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2, but the shared L3 is only 4 MB, one-third of the Intel chip’s capacity. Memory support is limited to DDR4, with a listed bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Ryzen uses PCIe Gen 3, a generation behind the Xeon’s Gen 5. It lacks ECC support and instead includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics, targeting mobile laptops. The Ryzen is also built on a much older process node, which explains its lower clock speeds and reduced performance ceiling.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Xeon 6315P is the superior processor for any compute-intensive task. It wins 10 of 11 head-to-head benchmarks, often by triple-digit percentages. For workloads like floating-point math, extended instruction sets, or prime number calculations, the Xeon is over two to seven times faster. Its 12 MB L3 cache, DDR5 support, and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity make it a capable foundation for a workstation or entry-level server. The single-thread lead of 77.7% also means snappier response in applications that rely on one core.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is not competitive on raw performance, but that is not its purpose. With a 15W TDP, it is designed for battery-powered mobile devices where longevity and low heat are more important than throughput. Its integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics eliminate the need for a discrete GPU in basic systems. The single encryption win, while minor, hints at a specific cryptographic workload where the AMD part is not a liability.

Strictly from the data, the choice is clear: pick the Intel Xeon 6315P for server racks, workstations, or any scenario demanding maximum processing power. Choose the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U only if the target device is a thin-and-light laptop or a low-power embedded system where the Xeon’s 55W TDP and lack of integrated graphics would be disqualifying.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon 6315P boosts to 4.70 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U reaches 3.70 GHz.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U support ECC memory?

A: No, the Ryzen 5 3501U does not support ECC memory. The Intel Xeon 6315P does support ECC.

Q: How large is the L3 cache on each processor?

A: The Intel Xeon 6315P has 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the most significant benchmark difference between the two?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the Intel Xeon 6315P scores 150 versus the Ryzen’s 21, a 614.3% advantage.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon 6315P has no integrated graphics (N/A).

Q: What are the TDPs of these chips?

A: The Intel Xeon 6315P has a 55W TDP. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has a 15W TDP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result is in the prime number test. The Intel Xeon 6315P scores 150, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U manages just 21. This 614.3% delta is a direct reflection of the Xeon’s superior per-core integer throughput and higher clock speed. Similarly, the extended instructions benchmark shows a 221.9% lead for Intel (10,539 vs. 3,274), indicating a massive advantage in SIMD and specialized instruction workloads.

Floating-point math is another blowout. The Xeon’s 33,496 score dwarfs the Ryzen’s 12,707, a 163.6% difference. This matters for scientific computing, 3D rendering, and financial modeling. The physics test follows suit, with the Xeon at 1,156 and the Ryzen at 483, a 139.3% gap. In multithreaded performance, the Xeon’s 11,923 is 68.6% higher than the Ryzen’s 7,071, confirming that even with identical core and thread counts, the newer architecture and larger cache win decisively.

Single-thread performance is also a clear Intel victory. The Xeon scores 3,795 versus 2,136, a 77.7% lead. This translates to faster boot times, quicker application launches, and better performance in lightly-threaded legacy software. Data compression favors the Xeon by 35.4% (118,313 vs. 87,380), and random string sorting by 39.1% (14,487 vs. 10,414). Integer math is the closest contest, with the Xeon at 27,046 and the Ryzen at 26,321, a narrow 2.8% margin.

The AMD part’s only win is in data encryption, scoring 5,580 against the Xeon’s 5,470. The 2% difference is within noise and does not indicate a general trend. Across all shared benchmarks, the Intel Xeon 6315P is faster in 10 out of 11 tests, with an average benchmark score of 14,574 compared to the Ryzen’s 14,320. Both processors rank in the 69th percentile among all CPUs, but the Xeon’s higher scores and workstation feature set make it the unequivocal choice for performance-oriented builds.