AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core 7 350 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a decisive sweep: the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins all 15 shared tests, with no benchmark victories recorded for the Intel Core 7 350. The scale of the advantage varies sharply by workload type, ranging from a modest single-thread edge to a massive 166.6% lead in integer math.

Starting with the multi-threaded workloads, the Ryzen 5 9600X posts a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17,528.5 against 8,030 for the Intel Core 7 350, a 118.3% advantage. The Cinebench R15 multicore result tells the same story: 2,691 versus 1,220, a 120.6% gap. PassMark multithread shows 30,027 against 15,170, a 97.9% lead. The largest single delta appears in PassMark integer math, where the AMD part scores 89,918 versus 33,734, a 166.6% difference. Data compression also favors the Ryzen heavily: 341,021 versus 143,123, a 138.3% margin. Extended instructions follow at 132.7% (28,023 versus 12,045), and random string sorting at 108.5% (35,946 versus 17,238). Prime number finding shows a 117.8% lead (233 versus 107), floating-point math a 40.3% advantage (60,081 versus 42,809), data encryption a 52.2% edge (16,638 versus 10,933), and physics a 71.5% lead (2,012 versus 1,173).

The single-threaded tests reveal a narrower but still consistent gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ryzen 5 9600X scores 2,183.5 against 2,046, a 6.7% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 342 versus 292, a 17.1% advantage. PassMark single-thread records 4,570 versus 4,100, an 11.5% margin. These results indicate that while the AMD chip holds the top position in every category, its single-core advantage is far less dramatic than its multi-thread dominance.

The overall average benchmark score reinforces the separation: the Ryzen 5 9600X averages 29,713, placing it in the 81st percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 7 350 averages 17,779, sitting in the 71st percentile. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE (average score 29,656, a 0.2% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (29,868, a -0.5% difference). The Intel part's closest competitors are the Intel Core 5 221TE (17,860, -0.5%) and the AMD EPYC 9374F (17,693, 0.5%). The data places the two processors in different performance tiers entirely, with the AMD part competing against much stronger silicon.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X uses the Zen 5 architecture on the Granite Ridge codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core 7 350 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm process at Intel, with no transistor count or die size recorded in the database. The AMD part is a desktop chip on AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel part is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 1516.

Core and thread counts present a critical divergence. Both have 6 cores, but the Ryzen 5 9600X supports 12 threads via simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel Core 7 350 runs 6 threads with no SMT. That difference alone explains much of the multi-threaded score gap. The cache hierarchy also differs substantially. The AMD part provides 80 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 32 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 192 KB of L1 per core and 2.5 MB of L2 per core, but only 6 MB of shared L3. The much larger L3 pool on the AMD chip (32 MB versus 6 MB) likely contributes to its strong performance in data-heavy workloads like compression and sorting.

Clock speeds and power targets tell a complementary story. The Ryzen 5 9600X runs at a 3.90 GHz base clock and 5.40 GHz boost clock with a 65 W TDP. The Intel Core 7 350 operates at a 1.50 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost with a 15 W TDP. The Intel part's far lower base clock reflects its mobile orientation, but the boost clock gap of 0.60 GHz still favors AMD. The memory subsystem also diverges: the AMD chip supports DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC memory support, while the Intel chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s and no ECC. PCIe connectivity differs as well, with the AMD part offering Gen 5 with 24 lanes against Gen 4 with 6 lanes on the Intel part.

Integrated graphics separate the two further. The Ryzen 5 9600X includes Radeon Graphics, while the Intel Core 7 350 features Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier and a part number of 100-000001405; the Intel part is locked, with part number SAE3F. Production status for both is listed as Active.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark sweep leaves no test category for the Intel Core 7 350 to claim, but the size of the AMD lead varies meaningfully across workload types. The largest margins, exceeding 100%, appear in integer math (166.6%), data compression (138.3%), extended instructions (132.7%), Cinebench R23 multicore (118.3%), prime number finding (117.8%), Cinebench R15 multicore (120.6%), and random string sorting (108.5%). These are workloads that scale with thread count, cache capacity, and memory bandwidth, all areas where the Ryzen 5 9600X holds structural advantages: 12 threads versus 6, 32 MB L3 versus 6 MB, and dual-channel 89.6 GB/s memory versus single-channel 59.7 GB/s.

Mid-range leads, between 40% and 100%, appear in PassMark multithread (97.9%), physics (71.5%), data encryption (52.2%), and floating-point math (40.3%). These results still indicate a comfortable AMD victory, but the gap narrows as the workloads become less dependent on raw throughput and more dependent on per-core efficiency.

The smallest advantages cluster in single-threaded tests. Cinebench R23 single-core shows just a 6.7% lead, and PassMark single-thread shows 11.5%. Cinebench R15 single-core sits at 17.1%. These narrow margins suggest that in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive scenarios, the two processors are much closer in capability. The Intel part's higher per-core L1 (192 KB versus 80 KB) and L2 (2.5 MB versus 1 MB) may help close the gap in such workloads, despite the lower clock speed.

For users focused on heavily parallel tasks, the database indicates the AMD part delivers roughly double the performance. For single-threaded responsiveness, the AMD edge remains real but modest. No recorded benchmark favors the Intel chip, so any workload selection would still default to the Ryzen 5 9600X on performance grounds.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 12 threads, while the Intel Core 7 350 has 6 threads. Both have 6 cores.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: PassMark integer math shows the largest delta at 166.6%, with the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X scoring 89,918 versus 33,734 for the Intel Core 7 350.

Q: How close are the single-threaded scores?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X scores 2,183.5 against 2,046 for the Intel Core 7 350, a 6.7% difference. PassMark single-thread shows 4,570 versus 4,100, an 11.5% gap.

Q: What are the cache sizes?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 32 MB shared L3. The Intel Core 7 350 has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 7 350 does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X provides 89.6 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 bus. The Intel Core 7 350 provides 59.7 GB/s over a single-channel bus supporting DDR5 and LPDDR5X.

The Verdict

The database shows a clear performance hierarchy between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins every shared benchmark, with an overall average score of 29,713 versus 17,779 for the Intel Core 7 350. The AMD part sits in the 81st percentile of all CPUs, compared to the 71st percentile for the Intel chip. Any user selecting purely on recorded performance should choose the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X.

The Intel Core 7 350 does hold advantages outside the performance metrics. It uses a smaller 3 nm process, draws only 15 W TDP compared to 65 W, and targets the mobile segment with Intel BGA 1516 and support for LPDDR5X memory. Its integrated graphics, Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, differ from the AMD Radeon Graphics solution. These factors position it for low-power, portable systems where the Ryzen 5 9600X's desktop socket and higher power envelope are not applicable.

For users building desktop systems with access to standard power and cooling, the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X delivers superior multi-threaded performance, larger cache, higher memory bandwidth, and an unlocked multiplier, all within a 65 W TDP. The Intel Core 7 350 serves a different role: a mobile processor with far lower power consumption, a smaller process node, and a more compact footprint. The benchmark data does not support choosing the Intel part for performance-oriented tasks, but its power characteristics and mobile form factor define its use case.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X | Intel Core 7 350 |

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

| Cores | 6 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 3.90 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.40 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Not recorded |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Wildcat Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

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

| L3 Cache | 32 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 59.7 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 6 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Graphics | Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | 100-000001405 | SAE3F |

| Launch MSRP | $279 | $469 |