AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core 5 315 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Core 5 315 are both six-core processors, but they are engineered for entirely different purposes. The AMD part is a desktop chip with a 65 W TDP, while the Intel part is a mobile processor with a 15 W TDP. The benchmark data shows a complete sweep: the Ryzen 5 9600X wins all 15 head-to-head comparisons, with no wins recorded for the Intel Core 5 315. In the database, the Ryzen 5 9600X sits at the 81st percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 315 lands at the 72nd percentile. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 29,713, versus 18,188 for the Intel part. The Ryzen 5 9600X is the clear performance choice, but the Intel Core 5 315 has its own niche.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X outperforms the Intel Core 5 315 in every recorded benchmark. The largest margin is in PassMark integer math, where the AMD chip scores 89,918 versus 31,690, a delta of 183.7%. The smallest margin is in PassMark single-thread tests, where the AMD chip leads by 13.7% (4,570 versus 4,021). The Ryzen 5 9600X also holds a commanding lead in multithreaded workloads, with a PassMark multithread score of 30,027 versus 15,272, a 96.6% advantage.

The Intel Core 5 315 is a mobile part, and its lower power envelope (15 W TDP versus 65 W) explains its lower scores. It is not a competitor in raw performance; it is a different class of product. The Ryzen 5 9600X, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, delivers 105.7% higher Cinebench R15 multicore scores (2,691 versus 1,308). In Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD chip scores 17,528.5 versus 12,981, a 35% lead. The Ryzen 5 9600X is the pick for anyone building a desktop system where performance is the priority. The Intel Core 5 315 is for low-power mobile designs where efficiency matters more than score.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different manufacturing nodes and design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X uses TSMC's 4 nm process and is based on the Zen 5 architecture, with the codename Granite Ridge. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The cache layout is per-core: 80 KB of L1, 1 MB of L2, and 32 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics, and the socket is AMD Socket AM5. The multiplier is unlocked, and it has a launch MSRP of $279.

The Intel Core 5 315 is built on Intel's 3 nm process, with the codename Wildcat Lake. It also has 6 cores, but only 6 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. The base clock is 1.50 GHz and the boost clock is 4.40 GHz. The cache is listed as 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, but with a single-channel bus and 59.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The socket is Intel BGA 1516, which is a mobile socket. The multiplier is locked, and the launch MSRP is $340. The Intel part has a 15 W TDP, which is less than a quarter of the AMD chip's 65 W TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 12 threads, while the Intel Core 5 315 has 6 threads. Both have 6 cores.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X scores 2,183.5 versus 1,832 for the Intel Core 5 315, a 19.2% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, the AMD chip scores 4,570 versus 4,021, a 13.7% lead.

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 32 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 5 315 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part also has 1 MB of L2 per core versus 2.5 MB total for the Intel part.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 5 315 does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X supports dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 315 supports single-channel memory with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 12 threads, while the Intel Core 5 315 has 6 threads. The base clock is 3.90 GHz for AMD versus 1.50 GHz for Intel. The boost clock is 5.40 GHz for AMD versus 4.40 GHz for Intel. The TDP is 65 W for AMD versus 15 W for Intel. The AMD part uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 1516. The process node is 4 nm for AMD (TSMC) versus 3 nm for Intel (Intel foundry). The AMD part has 8,315 million transistors and a die size of 70.6 mm²; the Intel part has no transistor or die size data recorded.

The cache configurations differ: the AMD part has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, while the Intel part has 192 KB of L1 total and 2.5 MB of L2 total. The L3 cache is 32 MB shared for AMD versus 6 MB shared for Intel. Memory support is DDR5 for AMD, versus DDR5 and LPDDR5X for Intel. The memory bus is dual-channel for AMD versus single-channel for Intel, with bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s versus 59.7 GB/s. The AMD part supports ECC memory, the Intel part does not. PCIe support is Gen 5 with 24 lanes for AMD versus Gen 4 with 6 lanes for Intel. The integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics for AMD versus Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) for Intel. The market segment is Desktop for AMD versus Mobile for Intel. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel part is locked. The release date is 2024-08-07 for AMD versus 2026-04-15 for Intel.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins all 15 head-to-head benchmarks. The largest delta is in PassMark integer math, with the AMD part scoring 89,918 versus 31,690, a 183.7% advantage. This indicates a massive difference in raw integer throughput, likely driven by the higher clocks and dual-channel memory. The second-largest margin is in PassMark data compression, where the AMD chip scores 341,021 versus 146,143, a 133.3% lead. This workload benefits from the 32 MB L3 cache and the higher memory bandwidth.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD part scores 2,691 versus 1,308, a 105.7% lead. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD part scores 17,528.5 versus 12,981, a 35% lead. The smaller multicore margin in R23 suggests that the Intel part scales better in that specific test, but it still loses. In single-core tests, the AMD part leads by 85.9% in Cinebench R15 (342 versus 184) and by 19.2% in Cinebench R23 (2,183.5 versus 1,832). The PassMark single-thread scores show a 13.7% lead for AMD (4,570 versus 4,021).

The AMD part also wins in specialized workloads. PassMark floating point math scores 60,081 versus 42,441, a 41.6% lead. PassMark physics scores 2,012 versus 1,163, a 73% lead. PassMark extended instructions scores 28,023 versus 13,143, a 113.2% lead. PassMark data encryption scores 16,638 versus 11,119, a 49.6% lead. PassMark random string sorting scores 35,946 versus 17,551, a 104.8% lead. PassMark find prime numbers scores 233 versus 112, a 108% lead. PassMark multithread scores 30,027 versus 15,272, a 96.6% lead. The data confirms that the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is the superior processor in every measured category.