AMD Ryzen 5 40 vs Intel Core 5 320 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep: the Intel Core 5 320 wins all 15 head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the AMD Ryzen 5 40. The margin varies widely by workload, from a narrow 2.2% in integer math to a dominant 81.8% in prime number finding.

The largest single-core gap appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Intel part scores 1926 against AMD's 1150, a 40.3% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core tells the same story at 40% ahead, with scores of 276 versus 165.5. These results indicate a substantial per-thread performance lead for the Intel architecture.

Multi-core rendering follows a similar pattern, though with a slightly smaller margin. The Intel Core 5 320 delivers 6197 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 4841 for the AMD Ryzen 5 40, a 21.9% edge. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel leads 1054 to 790, a 25% difference.

The PassMark suite reveals where the architectures diverge most sharply. Floating point math shows a 64.2% gap: 42440 for Intel versus 15194 for AMD. Extended instructions testing produces a 51.5% difference, with Intel at 13262 and AMD at 6437. Physics simulation shows a 64.6% deficit for AMD, scoring 432 against Intel's 1221.

Data encryption favors Intel by 39.5% (10984 versus 6646), matching the PassMark multi-thread gap of 39.5% (15450 versus 9341). Single-thread PassMark results show Intel leading 4045 to 2477, a 38.8% difference.

The closest competitions are in integer-heavy workloads. PassMark integer math sees Intel at 32323 versus AMD's 31598, only 2.2% apart. Data compression is similarly tight: 148779 versus 141533, a 4.9% edge for Intel. Random string sorting shows a 16.2% gap (18038 versus 15124), the third-closest result.

Prime number finding is the most extreme outlier. Intel scores 110 versus AMD's 20, an 81.8% advantage. This workload likely exposes fundamental differences in instruction handling and branch prediction between the two designs.

The Verdict

The database places the Intel Core 5 320 at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen 5 40 sits at the 70th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 18023 and 15882 respectively, a 13.5% overall difference.

The Intel Core 5 320's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (0.2% behind), Intel Core 5 120U (0.7% behind), Intel Core i5-1334U (0.7% ahead), and AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT (0.7% behind). The AMD Ryzen 5 40's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 75F3 (0.1% behind), Intel Core Ultra 5 134U (0.2% ahead), AMD EPYC 9354P (0.4% behind), and AMD EPYC 9334 (0.4% ahead).

From the data, the Intel Core 5 320 is the stronger processor in every measured category. Users running single-threaded applications will see the largest relative benefit, as the 40% plus gaps in Cinebench single-core tests demonstrate. Users with floating-point heavy workloads also gain substantially, given the 64.2% advantage in PassMark floating point math.

The AMD Ryzen 5 40 retains relevance primarily in workloads where the 2.2% integer math deficit is the deciding factor. For applications that depend on integer throughput above all else, the two processors are effectively equivalent. The data compression result, at only 4.9% apart, also narrows the practical difference for compressed file handling.

The Intel part's launch MSRP is $340. The AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 wins with a score of 6197 against the AMD Ryzen 5 40's 4841, a 21.9% advantage.

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

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel leads 1926 to 1150, a 40.3% difference. PassMark single-thread shows Intel at 4045 versus 2477, a 38.8% gap.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the AMD Ryzen 5 40 wins?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Intel Core 5 320 winning all 15 recorded comparisons.

Q: What is the closest benchmark result between the two?

A: PassMark integer math is the closest, with Intel at 32323 and AMD at 31598, a 2.2% difference.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 has an average benchmark score of 18023, while the AMD Ryzen 5 40 averages 15882.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in the data?

A: PassMark find prime numbers shows the largest gap, with Intel scoring 110 and AMD scoring 20, an 81.8% difference.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in core configuration. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads. AMD uses simultaneous multithreading; Intel does not.

Clock speeds diverge significantly. The AMD base clock is 2.80 GHz with a boost of 4.30 GHz. The Intel base clock is 1.50 GHz with a boost of 4.60 GHz. Intel boosts higher but idles lower.

Both are 15 W TDP mobile parts, but they use different sockets: AMD Socket FT6 for the Ryzen 5 40 and Intel BGA 1516 for the Core 5 320.

Memory support differs in type and bandwidth. The AMD part supports LPDDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 88.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD memory bandwidth is 47.4% higher.

PCIe connectivity also differs. AMD offers Gen 3 with 4 lanes, while Intel offers Gen 4 with 6 lanes.

The integrated graphics are different: Radeon 610M on the AMD side, Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) on the Intel side. Both lack ECC memory support and both have locked multipliers.

The release dates differ. The AMD Ryzen 5 40 was released on 2025-09-30, and the Intel Core 5 320 on 2026-04-15.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 40 uses the Zen 2 architecture under the Mendocino codename, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. The die size is 100 mm². The Intel Core 5 320 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, fabricated on a 3 nm process at Intel. No die size is recorded for the Intel part.

Cache configurations are structured differently. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 192 KB of L1 total and 2.5 MB of L2 total, with 6 MB of shared L3. The Intel L3 is 50% larger, but the per-core L2 allocation differs substantially.

The AMD processor's generation is listed as Ryzen 5 (Zen 2 (Mendocino)), while the Intel processor's generation is Core 5 (Wildcat Lake). The Intel architecture field is not recorded in the database.

The manufacturing foundries differ: TSMC for AMD, Intel for the Intel part. The process node advantage belongs to Intel at 3 nm versus 6 nm, which aligns with the observed performance gaps in the benchmark data.

The memory controller designs reflect different priorities. AMD's dual-channel LPDDR5 configuration delivers 88.0 GB/s, while Intel's single-channel DDR5/LPDDR5X configuration delivers 59.7 GB/s. The AMD part provides higher memory bandwidth despite the overall performance deficit.

The PCIe implementation differs in both generation and lane count. AMD provides Gen 3 with 4 lanes, while Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes, offering both newer signaling and more lanes.