AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data separates these two mobile processors into distinct roles. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head tests, with its largest advantages in integer math, data compression, and multi-threaded rendering. The Intel Core 5 330 wins 5 tests, taking single-threaded PassMark, physics, floating-point math, and prime number generation. The average benchmark score tells the same story: the Ryzen 5 8500GE records 27,712 points against 18,345 for the Core 5 330, a gap of roughly 51 percent. The Ryzen part also sits at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel part sits at the 72nd.

The Ryzen 5 8500GE is the choice for workloads that scale with threads and cache. Its 12 threads, 16 MB of shared L3, and dual-channel memory bus deliver Cinebench R23 multi-core scores of 17,940 versus 13,150 for the Core 5 330. The data shows a 36.4 percent advantage in that test, and the pattern repeats across R15 and R20 multi-core runs. The Intel Core 5 330, with 6 threads and a single-channel memory bus, cannot match that throughput. The Ryzen part also dominates integer math with 62,666 points against 33,258, an 88.4 percent lead, and data compression with 246,397 points against 145,287, a 69.6 percent lead.

The Intel Core 5 330 has specific strengths. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4,088 beats the Ryzen's 3,914 by 4.3 percent. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 43,885 versus 39,065, an 11 percent edge. Prime number generation shows a 30.7 percent Intel advantage, and physics simulation is 4.2 percent ahead. These wins indicate that the Core 5 330 handles light, latency-sensitive, or math-heavy single-thread tasks slightly better. However, the magnitude of those wins is smaller than the Ryzen's multi-thread and integer advantages. The Core 5 330's average score places it in the same performance class as the Intel Core i3-14100 and Core 3 305, while the Ryzen 5 8500GE sits alongside the Ryzen 5 7600X and Core i5-12600K.

For a mobile platform, the choice depends on whether the workload is parallel or scalar. The Ryzen 5 8500GE delivers substantially higher throughput in rendering, compression, encryption, and integer-heavy code. The Core 5 330 offers a more efficient single-thread profile and wins in a few narrow tests, but its overall average benchmark score trails by a wide margin. The data does not support the Core 5 330 as a general-purpose performance leader. It is a capable low-power part with a specific niche. The Ryzen 5 8500GE is the stronger all-around processor based on the recorded measurements.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE is built on the Zen 4 architecture with the Phoenix2 codename, using a 4 nm TSMC process. The Intel Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm Intel process. Both have 6 physical cores, but the Ryzen part supports 12 threads through simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel part has 6 threads with no hyper-threading. That thread count difference drives many of the multi-core benchmark results.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The Ryzen 5 8500GE has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Core 5 330 has 192 KB of total L1, 2.5 MB of total L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Ryzen part's larger L3 cache gives it a clear advantage in data-heavy workloads. The L1 and L2 figures are not directly comparable because the Ryzen values are per-core while the Intel values are aggregate, but the L3 difference is unambiguous: 16 MB versus 6 MB.

Memory architecture also diverges. The Ryzen 5 8500GE supports DDR5 in dual-channel mode with 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but only in single-channel mode with 59.7 GB/s. That bandwidth gap contributes to the Ryzen's dominance in compression and integer math. The Ryzen part also supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not. PCIe lane counts differ as well: the Ryzen provides 14 Gen 4 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel provides 6 Gen 4 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ. The Ryzen 5 8500GE uses the Radeon 740M, while the Core 5 330 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so the comparison ends at the specification level. The Ryzen part has an unlocked multiplier and is in the 8000 series, while the Core 5 330 is locked and belongs to the Core 5 lineup. Both are mobile segments with active production status, but the Ryzen released in April 2024 and the Intel part in April 2026.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE records an average benchmark score of 27,712, compared to 18,345 for the Intel Core 5 330. The Ryzen part also holds a higher percentile rank at 79 versus 72 for Intel.

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

A: Yes. The Core 5 330 wins PassMark single-thread (4,088 versus 3,914), floating-point math (43,885 versus 39,065), prime number generation (114 versus 79), and physics simulation (1,201 versus 1,150). It wins 5 of the 17 head-to-head tests.

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

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 17,940 against 13,150 for the Core 5 330, a 36.4 percent advantage. The R15 and R20 multi-core tests show similar deltas of 36.5 percent and 36.4 percent respectively.

Q: What memory configurations do the two processors support?

A: The Ryzen 5 8500GE supports DDR5 in dual-channel mode with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC memory. The Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X in single-channel mode with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support.

Q: How do the thread counts compare?

A: Both have 6 physical cores, but the Ryzen 5 8500GE has 12 threads while the Core 5 330 has 6 threads. The Ryzen's simultaneous multithreading doubles its thread count.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Ryzen 5 8500GE has 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core 5 330 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ryzen part also has a dual-channel memory bus, which compounds the cache advantage in bandwidth-sensitive workloads.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The Ryzen 5 8500GE has 12 threads versus 6 for the Core 5 330. Base clocks are 3.40 GHz for AMD and 1.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.00 GHz for AMD and 4.60 GHz for Intel. Thermal design power is 35 watts for the Ryzen part and 15 watts for the Intel part. The Ryzen uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel uses Intel BGA 1516.

The process node favors Intel at 3 nm versus 4 nm for AMD, with Intel as the foundry for its own chip and TSMC for AMD. The Ryzen part has 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die, while the Intel part has no transistor or die size data in the database. Cache figures show 64 KB L1 per core and 1 MB L2 per core for AMD, versus 192 KB total L1 and 2.5 MB total L2 for Intel. L3 is 16 MB shared for AMD and 6 MB shared for Intel.

Memory support differs: AMD uses DDR5 dual-channel with 83.2 GB/s and ECC, while Intel uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X single-channel with 59.7 GB/s and no ECC. PCIe lanes are 14 Gen 4 for AMD and 6 Gen 4 for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon 740M for AMD and Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) for Intel. The Ryzen multiplier is unlocked; the Intel multiplier is locked. Part numbers are 100-000001495 for AMD and SAE3G for Intel. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $309.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE comes in PassMark integer math. The Ryzen scores 62,666 points against 33,258 for the Core 5 330, an 88.4 percent advantage. That result reflects the combination of 12 threads, larger cache, and dual-channel memory bandwidth. Data compression shows a 69.6 percent lead at 246,397 versus 145,287. Random string sorting follows at 66 percent ahead, with scores of 29,501 and 17,771. These three tests all involve moving and organizing data, where the Ryzen's architectural advantages are most visible.

The Cinebench suite shows consistent AMD wins across the board. R15 multi-core: 1,808 versus 1,325, a 36.5 percent lead. R15 single-core: 255 versus 186, a 37.1 percent lead. R20 multi-core: 7,534 versus 5,523, a 36.4 percent lead. R20 single-core: 1,063 versus 779, a 36.5 percent lead. R23 multi-core: 17,940 versus 13,150, a 36.4 percent lead. R23 single-core: 2,532 versus 1,856, a 36.4 percent lead. The consistency of the delta across all six Cinebench tests suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

PassMark multithread goes to AMD at 21,135 versus 15,471, a 36.6 percent lead. Data encryption shows a 28.2 percent AMD advantage at 14,197 versus 11,076. Extended instructions favor AMD at 40.2 percent, with scores of 17,962 and 12,808. These results reinforce the pattern: the Ryzen part wins every test that benefits from more threads, more cache, or more memory bandwidth.

The Intel Core 5 330 takes five wins, all in single-thread or scalar workloads. PassMark single-thread shows 4,088 versus 3,914, a 4.3 percent lead. The duplicate PassMark singlethread test shows the same result. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 43,885 versus 39,065, an 11 percent advantage. Prime number generation shows 114 versus 79, a 30.7 percent lead. Physics simulation is close: 1,201 versus 1,150, a 4.2 percent edge. These wins are real but narrow in aggregate impact. The average benchmark score difference of 9,367 points dwarfs the individual Intel wins.

The win count is 12 for AMD and 5 for Intel. The data indicates that the Ryzen 5 8500GE is the more balanced processor for mixed workloads, while the Core 5 330 excels only in a narrow set of single-thread or floating-point tasks. The Intel part's lower TDP of 15 watts versus 35 watts may matter for specific mobile designs, but the performance trade-off is substantial. The recorded benchmarks show no scenario where the Core 5 330 approaches the Ryzen's multi-thread throughput.