AMD Ryzen 5 8400F vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, which wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core 5 330 takes only three wins, and those are concentrated in specific narrow workloads. The average benchmark score gap is substantial: the AMD part averages 25005 points across the database, while the Intel part averages 18345 points, a difference of roughly 36%.

The largest margin of victory for AMD comes in passmark_integer_math, where the Ryzen 5 8400F scores 74021 against 33258 for the Intel Core 5 330, a delta of 122.6%. That is more than double the throughput in integer arithmetic. Data compression also favors AMD heavily: 288158 versus 145287, a 98.3% advantage. Random string sorting shows a 94.7% lead for AMD (34604 versus 17771). Extended instruction workloads show a 73.1% gap (22175 versus 12808).

In the Cinebench suite, AMD leads consistently across every version and thread count. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 20851 for AMD versus 13150 for Intel, a 58.6% advantage. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows 2943 versus 1856, also a 58.6% delta. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20 multicore (8757 versus 5523, 58.6%), Cinebench R20 singlecore (1236 versus 779, 58.7%), Cinebench R15 multicore (2101 versus 1325, 58.6%), and Cinebench R15 singlecore (296 versus 186, 59.1%). The consistency of the delta across all six Cinebench tests suggests a structural throughput difference rather than workload-specific behavior.

PassMark multithread scores follow the same trend: 24389 for AMD versus 15471 for Intel, a 57.6% lead. Data encryption shows a 50.3% advantage for AMD (16646 versus 11076). Floating point math is closer, with AMD at 46217 and Intel at 43885, a modest 5.3% edge. Physics simulation also favors AMD, 1332 versus 1201, a 10.9% difference.

The Intel Core 5 330 wins passmark_find_prime_numbers with 114 versus 89, a 21.9% margin in its favor. It also wins both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread entries with 4088 versus 3685, a 9.9% lead. These are the only three benchmark wins for Intel, and they are all single-threaded or special-purpose workloads. Notably, the Intel part wins the single-thread PassMark test despite losing single-core Cinebench R23 by 58.6%. That discrepancy indicates the two suites measure different aspects of single-thread performance, with PassMark favoring the Intel architecture in its specific instruction mix.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F uses the Zen 4 architecture on the Phoenix codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, meaning simultaneous multithreading is enabled. The Intel Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm process at Intel, with 6 cores and 6 threads, so no multithreading support. That thread count difference is a primary driver of the multicore benchmark gap.

Clock speeds tell a more nuanced story. The AMD part has a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The Intel part has a base clock of only 1.50 GHz but a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The very low base clock on the Intel chip suggests a power-constrained design, and the TDP confirms this: Intel rates it at 15 watts versus 65 watts for AMD. The Intel part is a mobile processor on the BGA 1516 socket, while AMD uses the desktop AM5 socket.

Cache configurations differ substantially. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel provides a total of 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD part has nearly three times the L3 capacity and significantly more L2 per core. That cache advantage helps explain the large margins in data compression and string sorting, workloads that benefit from keeping working sets close to the cores.

Memory support also diverges. AMD uses dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but only over a single-channel memory bus, yielding 59.7 GB/s. That is roughly 28% less theoretical memory bandwidth. PCIe connectivity favors AMD as well: 20 Gen 4 lanes on the CPU versus 6 Gen 4 lanes on the Intel part. The Intel chip includes integrated graphics, specifically Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while the AMD part has no integrated graphics at all.

Other structural differences: the AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel chip is locked. The AMD part carries a transistor count of 25,000 million on a 178 mm² die. The Intel database entry lists no transistor count or die size. Both processors are currently marked as Active in production status. The AMD part launched on 2024-03-31, while the Intel part has a release date of 2026-04-15.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F dominates in almost every workload category represented in the database. Multithreaded rendering and content creation tasks, as measured by Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, all favor AMD by roughly 58 to 59%. Integer-heavy calculations, data compression, encryption, random string sorting, and extended instruction workloads are all AMD wins, with margins ranging from 50.3% to 122.6%. The AMD part also holds a smaller but real edge in floating point math (5.3%) and physics simulation (10.9%).

The Intel Core 5 330 wins in exactly three scenarios. The passmark_find_prime_numbers test, a prime number search workload, favors Intel by 21.9%. The PassMark single-thread test favors Intel by 9.9%, and the duplicate passmark_singlethread entry confirms the same result. These wins indicate that the Intel architecture has a genuine single-thread advantage in the specific PassMark instruction mix, even though its Cinebench single-core scores are far behind AMD. The prime number result is an outlier relative to the rest of the data, suggesting a specialized execution unit or branch handling advantage in that specific algorithm.

The practical split is clear: AMD wins almost everything, especially anything that can use multiple threads or large caches. Intel wins narrow single-threaded and prime-number workloads. For a desktop user running typical applications, the AMD part will provide substantially higher throughput. For a workload that is strictly single-threaded and matches the PassMark profile, the Intel part has a measurable edge.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25005, compared to 18345 for the Intel Core 5 330. The AMD part also sits at the 77th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel part sits at the 72nd percentile.

Q: How large is the Cinebench R23 multicore gap?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F scores 20851 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Intel Core 5 330 scores 13150. That is a 58.6% advantage for AMD.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 330 win any benchmark?

A: Yes. The Intel part wins passmark_find_prime_numbers with 114 versus 89 (a 21.9% margin) and passmark_single_thread with 4088 versus 3685 (a 9.9% margin). These are its only three wins out of 17 head-to-head comparisons.

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F supports dual-channel DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Do both processors have the same core count?

A: Both have 6 cores, but the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has 12 threads while the Intel Core 5 330 has 6 threads. AMD enables simultaneous multithreading, Intel does not.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has no integrated graphics.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 8400F | Intel Core 5 330 |

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

| Cores | 6 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 6 |

| Base clock | 4.20 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.70 GHz | 4.60 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Not listed |

| Codename | Phoenix | Wildcat Lake |

| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 192 KB total |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2.5 MB |

| L3 cache | 16 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 59.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 lanes | Gen 4, 6 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | N/A | Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2024-03-31 | 2026-04-15 |

| Launch MSRP | $170 | $309 |

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F as the stronger processor in almost every measurable way. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, holds a 36% average score advantage, and leads by margins as large as 122.6% in integer math and 98.3% in data compression. Its 12 threads versus 6 threads, larger L3 cache (16 MB versus 6 MB), dual-channel memory bus, and higher memory bandwidth (83.2 GB/s versus 59.7 GB/s) all contribute to that dominance. The AMD part also carries a lower launch MSRP of $170 versus $309 for the Intel part, and it offers an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

The Intel Core 5 330 is not without merit. It wins the PassMark single-thread test decisively and shows a 21.9% edge in prime number finding. Its 3 nm process node, 15 W TDP, and integrated graphics make it suited for low-power mobile systems. The 59.7 GB/s single-channel memory bandwidth and 6 Gen 4 PCIe lanes, however, limit its expansion and memory throughput compared to the AMD part.

For a desktop build where multicore throughput, memory bandwidth, and PCIe expansion matter, the data favors the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F. For a mobile or power-constrained system where single-thread PassMark performance and integrated graphics are priorities, the Intel Core 5 330 has a defined role. The database shows no scenario outside of the narrow PassMark single-thread and prime number tests where the Intel part outperforms AMD. The verdict from the recorded measurements is straightforward: the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F delivers the higher overall performance, and the Intel Core 5 330 wins only in specific single-threaded edge cases.