AMD Ryzen 5 8500G vs Intel Core 5 320 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G and Intel Core 5 320 occupy adjacent performance tiers in the database, with the AMD part holding the 74th percentile and the Intel part at the 72nd percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 20425 and 18023 respectively, a gap of roughly 13%. The head-to-head results show a decisive overall margin: the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins 12 of the 17 recorded comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 320 takes 5.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking single result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G scores 18368 against 6197 for the Intel Core 5 320. That is a 196.4% advantage, the largest delta in the entire comparison set. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where AMD leads 1851 to 1054, a 75.6% margin. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 7714 versus 5462, a 41.2% lead. These results reflect the AMD processor’s 12 threads versus the Intel processor’s 6 threads, a doubling of thread count that scales directly in heavily parallel workloads.

Single-core results are closer but still favor AMD in most Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ryzen 5 8500G scores 2593 against 1926, a 34.6% advantage. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 1089 versus 771, again a 41.2% lead. The only Cinebench single-core test the Intel part wins is Cinebench R15, where it scores 276 against 261, a 5.4% margin. That is the narrowest win for the Intel processor in any test.

The PassMark suite splits differently. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G dominates in integer math, scoring 63123 versus 32323, a 95.3% lead. Data compression goes to AMD at 250197 versus 148779, a 68.2% margin. Random string sorting favors AMD at 29407 versus 18038, a 63% lead. Extended instructions show AMD at 19098 versus 13262, a 44% margin. Multithread performance in PassMark gives AMD 21610 versus 15450, a 39.9% lead. Data encryption goes to AMD at 14220 versus 10984, a 29.5% margin. Physics also favors AMD, 1318 versus 1221, a 7.9% lead.

The Intel Core 5 320 wins the remaining PassMark tests. Its single-thread score is 4045 versus 3891, a 3.8% margin. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 42440 versus 39074, a 7.9% lead. Prime number finding favors Intel at 110 versus 87, a 20.9% margin. These three wins, plus the Cinebench R15 single-core result, show that the Intel part has a modest single-thread and math-specific edge, but it cannot offset the AMD processor’s multi-threaded dominance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has an average benchmark score of 20425, while the Intel Core 5 320 averages 18023. The AMD part also ranks higher in the database at the 74th percentile versus the 72nd percentile.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: The largest difference is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G leads by 196.4%. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 75.6% lead, and Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a 41.2% lead.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 320 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes. The Intel part wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 5.4%, PassMark single-thread by 3.8%, PassMark floating-point math by 7.9%, and PassMark prime number finding by 20.9%.

Q: What is the thread count difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has 12 threads, while the Intel Core 5 320 has 6 threads. Both have 6 cores.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 5 320 does not.

Q: What are the memory bus configurations?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses a dual-channel memory bus with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 320 uses a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design families. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Phoenix2 codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 5 320 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process at Intel’s own fabs. The process nodes differ by one nanometer step, but the architectural decisions diverge more sharply.

Core and thread configurations set the tone. Both chips have 6 cores, but the AMD part enables 12 threads through simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel part runs 6 threads with no SMT. That single difference explains most of the multi-core benchmark deltas. The cache hierarchies also differ. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G allocates 64 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core 5 320 lists 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD part’s larger L3 pool, 16 MB versus 6 MB, gives it more shared cache for multi-threaded workloads.

Memory architecture reinforces the separation. The AMD processor supports DDR5 through a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel processor supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but through a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s. The bandwidth difference favors AMD by roughly 39%. ECC memory support also distinguishes them: the AMD part supports it, the Intel part does not.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel Core 5 320 provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes. The integrated graphics are distinct: AMD uses the Radeon 740M, while Intel uses Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD part’s transistor count is listed at 20,900 million on a 137 mm² die, while the Intel part has no transistor or die size figures in the database.

Specification Differences

The socket and form factor split the two parts. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel Core 5 320 uses Intel BGA 1516. The AMD part is a socketed desktop-style mobile processor, the Intel part is ball-grid-array mounted.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core 5 320 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The base clock gap is large, but boost clocks are closer, which explains why the Intel part wins some single-thread tests despite a much lower idle frequency.

Thermal design power differs by a wide margin. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is rated at 65 W, while the Intel Core 5 320 is rated at 15 W. That 50 W difference places the Intel part in a much lower power envelope, which may matter in compact or passively cooled systems.

The process nodes differ: AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC, Intel uses 3 nm from its own foundry. Memory support overlaps on DDR5, but the Intel part adds LPDDR5X, which the AMD part does not list. ECC memory support is present only on the AMD side. The AMD part has a launch MSRP of $179, the Intel part has a launch MSRP of $340. Release dates also differ, with the AMD part entering the database on 2024-01-07 and the Intel part on 2026-04-15.

The integrated graphics differ in branding and core count. AMD lists the Radeon 740M, Intel lists Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. Neither part has an unlocked multiplier. Part numbers are 100-000001491 for AMD and SAE3H for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins wherever thread scaling matters. Its 12 threads and 16 MB of L3 cache produce leads of 196.4% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 75.6% in Cinebench R15 multi-core, and 41.2% in Cinebench R20 multi-core. PassMark multithread gives it a 39.9% edge. Integer math is its strongest PassMark discipline at 95.3% ahead. Data compression, random string sorting, extended instructions, and data encryption all favor AMD by margins between 29.5% and 68.2%. Physics is a smaller win at 7.9%. For rendering, compilation, compression, and any workload that uses more than six threads, the database points clearly to the AMD part.

The Intel Core 5 320 wins in narrow, single-thread-dominated tasks. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4045 beats 3891, a 3.8% margin. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 42440 versus 39074, a 7.9% lead. Prime number finding shows Intel at 110 versus 87, a 20.9% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core is the only Cinebench single-thread test Intel wins, at 276 versus 261. These results suggest the Intel core design has a raw per-thread efficiency advantage in specific math and integer-iteration workloads, but the effect is modest and does not carry into the newer Cinebench single-core tests, where AMD leads by 34.6% in R23 and 41.2% in R20.

The overall database picture is one of role separation. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is the stronger all-around processor, with 12 wins in head-to-head tests and a higher average score of 20425 versus 18023. The Intel Core 5 320 counters with a 15 W TDP, a smaller physical footprint via BGA packaging, and a 3 nm process, but its benchmark profile shows it cannot match the AMD part in multi-threaded throughput. The single-thread wins it does record are concentrated in PassMark tests and one legacy Cinebench version, while the AMD part leads in the more recent Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core tests.